Are you an elitist?

I don't think that makes you an elitist. There is one way to lose weight, period. Increase your calories burned and decrease your calories consumed. I'm a nurse, and I know better, but I've still tried pills here and there, without any success, of course. I even had a gastric bypass 7 years ago. While I'm still 50 (almost 60 now!) pounds lighter than I was at the time of my surgery, I've been steadily putting weight back on over the last 7 years because I failed to commit to the lifestyle changes. I've only been at this a week this time, but it feels genuine. The site makes it much easier to track my progress daily and see that what I need to do to stay on track.

I totally agree with you. It's funny how people look for a quick fix or think there is something better out there (usually with a price tag) when it really is quite simple...eat healthy food and exercise.
Looks like it has been working for you so far. Good luck on your journey!

I think it's fantastic that you are committed to a healthy lifestyle, and that what you are doing works.

I believe what you are missing is that you're being called an elitist because it really is none of your business. If someone asks your opinion, that's one thing. But if someone is sharing their effort and you're looking down your nose at them, that not only has a very disheartening and negative effect on the person, but it makes you come across as a snob.

My friend was on HCG and I was insanely worried about what was happening, but I kept my mouth shut and eventually she figured it out on her own. I love her, but it's not my business. She's and adult and free to do what she wants to her body. I think that in our enthusiasm sometimes we forget that

I'm exactly the same way! I'm well and truly aware that diet and exercise alone won't work for everyone, but it drives me insane when my coworkers go on "crazy" diets because some celebrity says it's cool, or because of misinterpreted nutrition info (ie. eating nothing but fruit all day because "it's healthy"). I think it comes with the success... if it worked for me, it obviously works, so I'll preach it. I figure that as long as I'm not micromanaging people--making snide comments about everything they eat or go on about my diet plan ad nauseum--I'm not doing too bad.

Elitist or not ~ does it matter? Open minds matter. I have been heavy all of my life and I have tried just healthy eating and exercise ~ but that does not always do it alone, everyone is different. From what I see, the majority of you that have replied are about what 20-30's? It will be easier for you to lose weight with just healthy eating and exercise. It was for me when I was that age range. I worked a fast paced full time job, worked out everyday for an hour and worked a 2nd fast paced part time job. I dropped from over 300 lbs. to 150 lbs, when I was 25 years old and stayed that way until I was in my mid 30's. A car accident damaged my back, it took 6 years to get to a point where I could actually participate in softball, biking and general exercise. But by then my weight was creeping back up.

I'm older now, work just one full time job that is sedentary, my back is still and never will be right again. So with what exercise I can do and eating healthy ~ this method just doesn't work anymore ~ and hasn't. So yes I am looking at alternative measures to assist me. I've chosen a product line that is herb based and not synthetics. They are helping me, and it's not a silver bullet to weight loss. But what it is doing is allowing me to loss weight, even 2 lbs a week in a healthy fashion and yes it may be forever.

I look at it that no matter what you do whether it is healthy eating, exercising, shakes, pills, etc or a combination of any of them ~ and it works for you ~ then it is forever. Because the minute you go off any of it, the weight will come back.

So here is where I say having an open mind is probably more important than whether you are an elitist or not. Everyone is different and some people need to find alternatives that work for them.

One of the potential pitfalls of anyone who has accomplished a lifestyle change--weight loss, quit smoking, running a marathon, etc--is the risk of becoming too "preachy" when dealing with those who have not made that change. (Not attributing that to anyone here, just pointing out the "risk")

Something that is often discussed by health-change interventionists is the Transtheoretical Model for Change, aka "Readiness for Change" model. As the name implies, this describes different stages of "readiness" for people to make meaningful changes in their lives.

The five stages are:

Precontemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action
Maintenance and Prevention of Relapse

We are all at different stages for change and not everyone is receptive to an "action" message. I find the "Contemplation/Preparation" stages to be where many well-intentioned people are at. They have a desire to change, may have taken some preliminary action (e.g. joined a health club, signed up for Weight Watchers, etc), but are not fully committed.

Sometimes it is hard to be patient with friends or loved ones who are "stuck" in a different place than you, but trying to force them out of it usually is not helpful--people still need support. I went through this with my wife last year when she was trying to match my weight loss, but wasn't ready/willing to fully commit to the diet changes necessary. This year, after more time in the "preparation" stage she was finally able to move forward and has now seen some success.

I think it is harder to deal with what the OP described. The fact is that the vast majority of exercise/diet/wellness information available to the general public ranges from disingenuous to misleading to downright wrong and dangerous. Fitness and weight loss are subjects that receive a vast amount of attention in our media and our culture--with most of the information less than reliable (to put it politely). Because we are inundated with information, everyone thinks they "know" about these subjects, but of course they don't.

So it's a fine line knowing when to intervene and when to just let it go. In my position, it's even worse since the people who know me either know my professional background or they saw me radically change my appearance in a relatively short period of time last year. They ask me about exercise and weight loss all the time. Ironically, when I give them the truth, they often want to argue with me or disagree when it goes against what they have tried in the past. I always shake my head when someone does this. They would take offense if I tried to lecture them about software programming, engineering, or whatever their profession is, but they think nothing about trying to lecture me about diet and exercise.

Sometimes you just have to take a social darwinist approach and just let it go. The only time I will intervene more forcefully is if someone I know is doing something I know is medically unsound.

I do find, however, that I can be much more supportive and empathetic with others, based on my own past history. When I start to become too exasperated, I tell myself that I was once in that position, too and it helps me to be more sympathetic.

QUOTE:
From what I see, the majority of you that have replied are about what 20-30's? It will be easier for you to lose weight with just healthy eating and exercise.


Well, I started my "get fit" journey at age 52. And I didn't really exercise much before that...not regularly. Now I'm exercising all the time because it feels GOOD, and it makes me feel GREAT! I'm doing things I never thought possible. Plus I started eating really healthy, like I mean, good food, low fat, high carb, and I LOST WEIGHT!

So I don't think my age factored into it to much.

I understand that you have injuries, just wanted to argue that age doesn't necessarily need to be a factor in weight gain.

I knew someone would key in on that as a debate and that's fine. But I am not alone, I have met many a man/woman who are 40 and up who have struggled to lose even just a couple of pounds.

Need or not ~ Age is a factor ~ whether from a metabolic or a physical standpoint. Again, heathly eating/exercise/alternative methods are for always and forever. It is up to the individual to use the best method for them and therefore again having an open mind is the best course for harmony for everyone.

From what I see, the majority of you that have replied are about what 20-30's? It will be easier for you to lose weight with just healthy eating and exercise.

Well, I started my "get fit" journey at age 52. And I didn't really exercise much before that...not regularly. Now I'm exercising all the time because it feels GOOD, and it makes me feel GREAT! I'm doing things I never thought possible. Plus I started eating really healthy, like I mean, good food, low fat, high carb, and I LOST WEIGHT!

So I don't think my age factored into it too much.

I understand that you have injuries, just wanted to argue that age doesn't necessarily need to be a factor in weight gain.

I knew someone would key in on that as a debate and that's fine. But I am not alone, I have met many a man/woman who are 40 and up who have struggled to lose even just a couple of pounds.

Need or not ~ Age is a factor ~ whether from a metabolic or a physical standpoint. Again, heathly eating/exercise/alternative methods are for always and forever. It is up to the individual to use the best method for them and therefore again having an open mind is the best course for harmony for everyone.

Oh I understand and I think it's much easier to GAIN weight as one ages, I agree with this completely. But I think many people use age as an excuse for not getting healthier. I know I did. Until it was shown to me that I could overcome that "obstacle" as it were.

Open minds, yes, and I wish you good luck with your journey. Until I truly learned about healthy eating, portion control, and exercise though, I struggled to lose weight also.

I would say you are not an elitist but a realist.