How are YOU setting yourself up to fail?
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Siansonea
Posts: 917 Member
Let's face it, it's New Years. Time to begin those three-week "attempts" at weight loss that don't work. :drinker:
We've all seen it. The person who logs hours and hours and hours on the treadmill/Bowflex/stair climber/elliptical/Curves/hula hoop/whatever, and "can't understand" why they didn't drop two dress sizes in a week. The person who "eats healthy/clean" and "can't understand" why they didn't drop the weight like a cheating boyfriend. The person who says they're totally counting calories, like for realz, but "can't understand" why the pounds aren't coming off.
Well, I'll tell you why it isn't working, and save you some time. It's actually all about calories. But you knew that already, didn't you?
But yes, it's true. All that Zumba or Poomba or Roomba or whatever won't make you lose weight. The hours of strenuous and exhausting exercise that you hate and plan to stop doing immediately after reaching your goal weight won't make you lose weight. "Counting calories" in your head won't make you lose weight. And eating "healthy" doesn't mean a thing when it comes to weight loss, because our weight regulating systems aren't really connoisseurs of healthy foods, they're operating mainly on the amount of food we're eating. Our tummies are gurgling cauldrons of hydrochloric acid, don't forget.
So yeah, if you actually do want to lose weight (rather than just make a three-week show of trying to lose weight so you can tell your friends that you "tried"), you'll have to count calories FOR REAL. Exercise if you want (I hear it has benefits of some kind), but don't think that exercise is the key to losing weight. It isn't. It's just one way of contributing to a calorie deficit (oh, and health benefits blahblahblah). But the calorie deficit is the magic bullet. And that means counting calories accurately—all foods, no exceptions, all caloric beverages, no exceptions. Yes, the calories in lettuce have to be counted, there are no "free foods". Yes the calories in orange juice count, beverages don't magically get an exemption just because they're liquids. And yes, you really have to do it every single day. You want to have a "cheat day"? Knock yourself out. Just know that your calorie deficit for the week is affected by these indulgences. Sometimes it's worth it to give yourself a little treat, but honestly, sometimes it isn't. And remember, the most sure-fire way to burn calories is to keep them out of your mouth in the first place. You should be eating the appropriate number of calories for weight loss, no more, no less. If you're dropping weight too quickly, you need to eat more, if you're not losing or losing too slowly, you need to eat less. It really is that simple. And yes, it can feel like deprivation, especially if you're used to overeating. But if you're smart with your food choices and you get enough protein, fat, and fiber, you shouldn't be hungry all that often. And if you keep an eye toward having a sufficient physical volume of food, you should be psychologically satisfied with the amount of food you're eating.
Of course if you really just want to make a big show of trying to lose weight, so you can fail and blame it on a "slow metabolism" or something, just do whatever it is you were going to do. But don't think you're fooling anyone. :huh:
We've all seen it. The person who logs hours and hours and hours on the treadmill/Bowflex/stair climber/elliptical/Curves/hula hoop/whatever, and "can't understand" why they didn't drop two dress sizes in a week. The person who "eats healthy/clean" and "can't understand" why they didn't drop the weight like a cheating boyfriend. The person who says they're totally counting calories, like for realz, but "can't understand" why the pounds aren't coming off.
Well, I'll tell you why it isn't working, and save you some time. It's actually all about calories. But you knew that already, didn't you?
But yes, it's true. All that Zumba or Poomba or Roomba or whatever won't make you lose weight. The hours of strenuous and exhausting exercise that you hate and plan to stop doing immediately after reaching your goal weight won't make you lose weight. "Counting calories" in your head won't make you lose weight. And eating "healthy" doesn't mean a thing when it comes to weight loss, because our weight regulating systems aren't really connoisseurs of healthy foods, they're operating mainly on the amount of food we're eating. Our tummies are gurgling cauldrons of hydrochloric acid, don't forget.
So yeah, if you actually do want to lose weight (rather than just make a three-week show of trying to lose weight so you can tell your friends that you "tried"), you'll have to count calories FOR REAL. Exercise if you want (I hear it has benefits of some kind), but don't think that exercise is the key to losing weight. It isn't. It's just one way of contributing to a calorie deficit (oh, and health benefits blahblahblah). But the calorie deficit is the magic bullet. And that means counting calories accurately—all foods, no exceptions, all caloric beverages, no exceptions. Yes, the calories in lettuce have to be counted, there are no "free foods". Yes the calories in orange juice count, beverages don't magically get an exemption just because they're liquids. And yes, you really have to do it every single day. You want to have a "cheat day"? Knock yourself out. Just know that your calorie deficit for the week is affected by these indulgences. Sometimes it's worth it to give yourself a little treat, but honestly, sometimes it isn't. And remember, the most sure-fire way to burn calories is to keep them out of your mouth in the first place. You should be eating the appropriate number of calories for weight loss, no more, no less. If you're dropping weight too quickly, you need to eat more, if you're not losing or losing too slowly, you need to eat less. It really is that simple. And yes, it can feel like deprivation, especially if you're used to overeating. But if you're smart with your food choices and you get enough protein, fat, and fiber, you shouldn't be hungry all that often. And if you keep an eye toward having a sufficient physical volume of food, you should be psychologically satisfied with the amount of food you're eating.
Of course if you really just want to make a big show of trying to lose weight, so you can fail and blame it on a "slow metabolism" or something, just do whatever it is you were going to do. But don't think you're fooling anyone. :huh:
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Replies
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Well said!!!0
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This is said in a patronising way but is true, however I vouch for exercise as a big factor to keeping the weight along with becoming fitter so shouldn't be ignored so lightly0
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I'm not here to mollycoddle people, or hadn't you noticed? :huh: Sometimes the truth hurts, and sometimes, it can set you free. Usually it's both. :bigsmile:0
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Nobody's asked you to do anything.0
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...snip...the unvarnished truth that will set you free...
Clap - clap - clap.
Early contender for Post of the Year.0 -
Nobody's asked you to do anything.
Good thing I don't need an invitation or permission, don't you think? :smokin:0 -
Preach!
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This is said in a patronising way but is true, however I vouch for exercise as a big factor to keeping the weight along with becoming fitter so shouldn't be ignored so lightly
I agree with you on exercise it has helped me a lot - not so much to lose the weight but to give me the shape I want out of my body.
I think the OP's point (which I think was done not so much to be patronizing but more in a witty and dry sense of humor way) is that you have a lot of people on here who will find and look for every reason under the sun as to why they are not losing weight - except for the most basic and obvious -- they eat too much.
I lost 40lbs this year - all of which was done after I decided to eat less.0 -
I'm not here to mollycoddle people, or hadn't you noticed? :huh: Sometimes the truth hurts, and sometimes, it can set you free. Usually it's both. :bigsmile:
Say what, are you doing it the right way then?
I can't believe that for a minute, look at you, your skin looks like plastic and that must be a wig!!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
I'm not here to mollycoddle people, or hadn't you noticed? :huh: Sometimes the truth hurts, and sometimes, it can set you free. Usually it's both. :bigsmile:
Say what, are you doing it the right way then?
I can't believe that for a minute, look at you, your skin looks like plastic and that must be a wig!!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
There is valuable insight in the OP's post - shame most readers won't receive her message cos they will be too upset to hear it.
It's not weak to sugar coat a strong message, the delivery mechanism is just as important as the message, and to reach a broad spectrum of nervous and shy noobs which I think your post was aimed at, a gentler touch might have landed home and been digested (forgive the pun) more easily.
Motivation is a fickle mistress and whilst some will appreciate the "stick" approach, I think the "carrot" team will wince and stop reading after paragraph 2.
Being kind and gentle isn't mollycoddling, it's demonstrating empathy and understanding.....0 -
I'm not here to mollycoddle people, or hadn't you noticed? :huh: Sometimes the truth hurts, and sometimes, it can set you free. Usually it's both. :bigsmile:
Say what, are you doing it the right way then?
I can't believe that for a minute, look at you, your skin looks like plastic and that must be a wig!!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I'm just jealous0 -
There is valuable insight in the OP's post - shame most readers won't receive her message cos they will be too upset to hear it.
It's not weak to sugar coat a strong message, the delivery mechanism is just as important as the message, and to reach a broad spectrum of nervous and shy noobs which I think your post was aimed at, a gentler touch might have landed home and been digested (forgive the pun) more easily.
Motivation is a fickle mistress and whilst some will appreciate the "stick" approach, I think the "carrot" team will wince and stop reading after paragraph 2.
Being kind and gentle isn't mollycoddling, it's demonstrating empathy and understanding.....
Well, there's plenty of other people to give them the sugar, I'm best at giving the spice. :devil:
And really, if anyone is chased away from losing weight because of what I posted, then they probably would have been chased away by the first pretext that presented itself. No guts, no glory.0 -
Thanks for the tough love, friend! You're a doll, literally. :-)0
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oookaay then...:noway:0
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Roomba?! :laugh: I guess trying to balance on it while it's moving could work your core :drinker:0
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There is valuable insight in the OP's post - shame most readers won't receive her message cos they will be too upset to hear it.
It's not weak to sugar coat a strong message, the delivery mechanism is just as important as the message, and to reach a broad spectrum of nervous and shy noobs which I think your post was aimed at, a gentler touch might have landed home and been digested (forgive the pun) more easily.
Motivation is a fickle mistress and whilst some will appreciate the "stick" approach, I think the "carrot" team will wince and stop reading after paragraph 2.
Being kind and gentle isn't mollycoddling, it's demonstrating empathy and understanding.....
Well, there's plenty of other people to give them the sugar, I'm best at giving the spice. :devil:
And really, if anyone is chased away from losing weight because of what I posted, then they probably would have been chased away by the first pretext that presented itself. No guts, no glory.
This is why I'm friends with you. :drinker:0 -
I concur.0
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I think more people need to read this0
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I really like this post. Its the COLD HARD FACTS. Your 100% right, its like everyone cut the bull****, you arent loosing weight because you're not being accurate with your counting or you are consuming too many calories on a daily/weekly basis!
Good work - well said!0
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