Did it surprise anyone how easy it was to lose weight?

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Losingthedamnweight
Losingthedamnweight Posts: 535 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I struggled for years with crash diets and always doing the dumbest things to lose weight. Ever since I discovered my fitness pal, when I stick to it, the weight comes off without much work. It's not like I have to go kill myself in the gym for 5 hours a day and eat nothing but steamed broccoli. I just count calories, eat what I want and go for a walk (or get my exercise at work). It just amazed me how simple it has been. Wish I would've discovered fitness pal sooner!
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Replies

  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
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    Yeah I still eat junk but if in small amounts with exercise the weight just falls right off VS the Master Cleanse lol!
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Losing weight is easy... losing just fat is harder.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Nah. Not surprised. The math is pretty simple. Practical application is another matter.
  • ttat0325
    ttat0325 Posts: 21 Member
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    It's not the fact that losing weight is easy, It's the fact that in the past, i ate over my maintenance to even gain weight in the first place.
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
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    Totally agree OP, in fact I feel a bit of a fraud. People are impressed at the amount of weight I've lost but it has indeed been simple. I don't think I've ever been hungry, except when missing a meal due to travel but even then it's not that gnawing pain, just looking forward to having smething to eat. I get very few temptations and when I do and work out if I can afford the calories, I usually overcome the temptation. I eat what I want within my calorie allowance and six months of doing this has lost me a regular 10 lbs + a month. I have done almost no exercise over this period, though I'm becoming more energetic as the weight comes off. I only wish I had realised years before how easy this could be, I would have saved myself a lot of worry, pain and health issues!
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    I don't find it that easy to lose weight, so maybe surprised isn't the word. However, it was a HUGE revelation to me how few calories I actually needed! I thought I need about the same as an average woman and couldn't understand how I'd got so big. When I worked out my TDEE I found that I'd needed a lot less than average. This should have been obvious to me years ago, but for some reason it didn't click and I'd been coming up with all sorts of theories as to why I'd gained weight on such a moderate, healthy diet! Now that I know the truth (that because I'm older and shorter, I really need to eat a lot less than moderately), dieting is pretty much just a case of sticking at it. For ever, unfortunately.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    Yes. Before I joined MFP I was so cluelesss - I literally had no idea how calories worked or anything like that. Once I learned that you simply have to burn more than you consume, I couldn't believe it was that simple! But the proof was right there on the scale :smile:

    Now that I've spent such a long time educating myself in this community, I'm embarrassed by how ignorant about weight loss I used to be :blushing:
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
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    I must say that it was simpler in my pre-MFP days when I cut to 1500 and left it at that. I was losing 2lb a week easily (too much for someone who started with only 30lb to lose).

    Of course I drifted into disordered eating, and I joined MFP having regained 10lb from my low weight; with an aim to monitor my eating and exercise habits and regain a 'normal' relationship with food. Of course when you measure anything you inadvertently change it...was that Heisenberg or Schrodinger?

    This site has been in equal measure a lifesaver, educational, hilarious and aggravating! I have some great virtual friends, I can have indepth conversations and make silly comments on chit-chat and more importantly there's no experience I've been through that hasn't been covered somewhere on the forums. It's remarkable :laugh:

    So no, it hasn't been easy. I've 'only' lost 7lb in the 8 months I've been on here but I've gained so much more, and I wouldn't change it for my previous habits.
  • recoveryjunky
    recoveryjunky Posts: 162 Member
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    The thing that surprised me was how easy it was to count calories... Granted, I'm not perfect but I always heard people saying how much they hate it and how horrible counting calories is... I don't get it! I LOVE it! It makes me feel like I'm in control of my body.
  • Casstevens133
    Casstevens133 Posts: 142 Member
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    What makes it easy is that (if you do it properly) you log everything that goes into your mouth. Yes, I do eat 'normally' but I now make informed choices based on how many calories I have spare. It is a lifestyle for me rather than a diet - eg today I had a full English breakfast and will have a roast dinner tonight - well within my allowance - and still getting my 5 a day. I lose about 1lb a week and I'm very happy with that :):)
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    Absolutely.

    What took me 8 years to put on... took 11 MONTHS to take off. WHAT? I always assumed it'd take a painstakingly long time, yet in a matter of less than a year, I lost 75 lbs. My goal.

    Amazing what eating properly can do.
  • chai_masala
    chai_masala Posts: 51 Member
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    It's simple, but it's not always easy, especially long-term. I do find myself wanting to shake people at my work doing these weird diets and workouts and not losing any weight, because they refuse to count calories (or adopt a sustainable lifestyle).
  • ilovescarymovies
    ilovescarymovies Posts: 202 Member
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    I was amazed at how easy it is as well. Counting calories ftw!
  • justdoingit13
    justdoingit13 Posts: 18
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    I agree, MyfitnessPal makes loosing weight seem so simple. The other day I couldn't log on, since all of their changing around I have had trouble, and I was like at a loss. I just so desperately wanted to log in my food for the day. I DO think it is a lifestyle and I can see myself using this tool for the rest of my life. But it is not a burden.....it is a joy!!!!
  • ArtemisRuns
    ArtemisRuns Posts: 251 Member
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    It's like running a marathon. Sure, given the the time, preparation, determination and dedication, nearly anyone can do it. However, the challenge is to summon all that dedication and determination. Not everyone finds that part easy, every day, for months on end.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    It's simple, but it's not always easy
    that. ^
    simple for sure. easy? only sometimes. its still a challenge to decide "one serving of ice cream" instead of "i'm getting 3 pints because i cant decide on a flavor"
  • serenere
    serenere Posts: 70 Member
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    To me it's so frustrating...the process is very slow. I have these few kilos to lose but just because it's not much weight is so so difficult to get rid of it. Every time I step on the scale I found out that I've lost nothing but 100 or 200 grams...even if I've been exercising everyday and counting the calories right etc...I guess I have no choice but stick to the plan and trust this SUPER SLOW PROCESS. I don't wanna make other people mad saying that but it is true that it's easier to lose the weight when you are more overweight. I've been dieting and exercise with my cousin and by the time I lost 2 kg she lost 10 doing my exactly same routine ç__ç I just get depressed since I cannot see the results I want...
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
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    Losing weight was easy.

    Maintaining is difficult.

    I love to stuff my face and lay about so exercising willpower and willing myself to exercise are the real challenges.
  • bobbi29
    bobbi29 Posts: 138 Member
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    It's like running a marathon. Sure, given the the time, preparation, determination and dedication, nearly anyone can do it. However, the challenge is to summon all that dedication and determination. Not everyone finds that part easy, every day, for months on end.
    I like the way you sum this up. I don't find it easy to lose weight. In fact when I am doing well I get obsessed with calories and exercise. Then I slip in my old ways and beat myself up and gain more weight. I trying to break this cycle.
  • larsen626
    larsen626 Posts: 99 Member
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    It was a lot easier than I thought it would be after 3 long years of weight watchers never really losing weight now I have lost a person. in just a little over a year It has been 15+ years since I weighed what I weigh now I love seeing the #'s come down I started my journey here as a last resort wish I would have started here first!! I have 119 more lbs to get to my goal I am confident I can do it

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