it really does take a lifestyle change.

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glocke12
glocke12 Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 45 y/o, 5'9" and 245 lbs...In may I was 255, and in january, though i don't know for sure because I was not tracking my weight than I was probably hovering around 260.

I've made some progress, but it is slow going. Ive increased my workout intensity over the past couple of weeks, have been doing fairly good in terms caloric intake, but it is still going slow..

One thing that I've come to realize is that if I want to lose the weight and keep it off I will never, ever be able to go back to the lifestyle that brought me to this place...pizza, beer, pre-packaged foods, cereal, more pizza, hanging out and partying, etc...This is really going to require a pretty tremendous change in all of my habits...

Replies

  • smerdonc
    smerdonc Posts: 33 Member
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    Yes it does! Now diet doesn't mean what food is restricted my "diet" is just a word I use to refer to what I eat.
  • Nix143
    Nix143 Posts: 522 Member
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    It is a lifestyle change - and that's a good thing. If we go on diets by their very nature they end and then we start eating as we used to eat and the weight goes back on. If we can re-educate ourselves in how we eat overall then this has more chance of being a lasting thing.

    Good luck on your journey :)
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    Yes, no, maybe so...

    Some of the people hanging out at the party eating pizza and drinking beer manage to make that fit. A couple of beers and a big slice of pizza still leaves room for a couple of balanced meal and a snack without going over goal. 4 beers and 3 slices, not so much. Everything in moderation.
  • Christalnewme
    Christalnewme Posts: 2
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    Yeah it is a slow process, at the very best we can only lose a few (maybe 4) pounds a month, more likely much less. What matters is that we appreciate each step and try harder. And yes, our lifestyle usually has to change, it was that lifestyle that got you where you are in the first place.
  • abelthephotographer
    abelthephotographer Posts: 127
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    I think you're right ... to an extent. There is still room in my life for beer and pizza, but simply in moderation, and with an acknowledgement that having them to excess comes at a cost, which I would not have thought about before.

    My sons have been to stay for a few days, I've been a little less careful about my intake and not exercised and, yes, my weight has gone up a bit. But that was just a short holiday from a permanent lifestyle change - not a diet - and I'm back to my usual routine again today. I'm completely relaxed about it, because I know the weight will come off again.

    I also found, as someone who didn't naturally take to exercise, that I am less likely to over-indulge if I've worked hard. Last three days I've had a few beers, but suddenly today, after putting down 11.5 miles this morning (and with leftover beer in the house), I just don't fancy one ...
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
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    Yeah it is a slow process, at the very best we can only lose a few (maybe 4) pounds a month, more likely much less. What matters is that we appreciate each step and try harder. And yes, our lifestyle usually has to change, it was that lifestyle that got you where you are in the first place.

    It's not necessarily that slow. I have consistently lost around 10 lbs per month every month for the past 6 months since I started. It also depends how much you have to lose as to how much you can lose on a regular basis. But you're right, it is a lifestyle change and I think that is the most important factor for change. I don't deny myself anything, but consider the calories before putting something in my mouth as I'm determined to keep to my calorie allowance and this has led to more sensible eating which I will be able to maintain when I finally reach my goal weight, hopefully around March next year.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    oh yeah!
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
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    I've definitely made a lifestyle change in conjunction with getting fit. I've learned to control my portion sizes and general intake so that I can enjoy everything I liked before, just not as much (2 slices of pizza instead of 5 or 6, 2 beers instead of 4, etc.). One of the biggest things I have had to relearn is to make choices in what I eat... rather than eat what I want, when I want, I check my calorie and macro goals and make decisions based on what I need or can make fit my goals. So , for example, some days I may choose to have a glass of wine with dinner rather than a bowl of ice cream.

    I have also gone from 0 workouts a week to 5 one-hour long workouts, and started working with a personal trainer. I actually think this was the hardest thing for me to do - motivating myself to exercise after a hard day at work was really tough. Now I really enjoy my time at the gym and don't like missing a planned workout.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
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    No Kidin!

    You need to watch Forks over Knives and Hngry for a Change.

    People like us have to view food differently than most others.

    Add me if you would like unbiased, hi=onest and blunt opinions and help.

    I have lost around 70 lbs changing my lifestyle.

    It's funny too how poeple will try to sabotage your eforts. Be vigilant and do not be scared to eat the "right" way.

    This is a lifelong journey.
  • ProudMammaTo3
    ProudMammaTo3 Posts: 17
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    :::high five poedunk65::::
    Much like poedunk here above me. Feel free to add me if you want very honest blunt ways to get this done. There is nothing nice or fun about losing a ton of weight. One of the BEST things I ever did, just like he said, was watch food documentaries. Food inc. Forks over knives, stuff like that....changed my LIFE because it made me not ever want to touch crap food again. Now when I see things like pepperoni and sausage I'm just like eeeeeekkk cancer!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
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    Basic, but true, and not easy.

    I've never been overweight (some people get angry when I say this, too bad, it's the truth), but I would definitely have become overweight as have other members of my family had I not made a lifestyle change. The older you get, the more you tend to have to watch what you eat if you want to stay a normal weight.

    In short, almost no one is immune.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
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    One thing that I've come to realize is that if I want to lose the weight and keep it off I will never, ever be able to go back to the lifestyle that brought me to this place...

    Yep. It's not a "diet" that has an end and then I can go back to what I was doing before - that clearly wasn't working for me. But it is a change in my diet (eating cleaner and eating less) and a change in my activity level that must be sustainable.

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