Same routine day after day :(

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I've been doing this weightloss thing on my own since August. (By my own I mean without a coach/instructor/trainer/doctor/nutrionist/etc). I feel I have been pretty successful. Yesterday I just had a coworker that told me that you shouldn't do the same exercise 3 days in a row and you shouldn't eat the same meals more than 3 days in a row. I'm guilty of both. I like my breakfast. I like my lunch. I like my dinner. I change it up every now and again--but I like the same meals. I can understand her saying to change that up, but she said my body will get use to that food and my metabolism would slow down. Same with exercise. Is there any truth to any of this?

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  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
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    A lot of people like to make weight loss and fitness overly complicated.

    The food thing isn't true, but it is a good idea to change things up if you're getting bored, or if you don't think you're getting proper nutrition.

    The exercise thing is "somewhat" true, as you get more fit, your body stops burning as many calories doing the same exercise as it use to, because it's easier. So you either need to bump up the resistance, or go for longer to get the same calorie burns, which people naturally do anyway.

    From the looks of it, you're doing it right. I'd ignore co-workers in the future.
  • Kitship
    Kitship Posts: 579 Member
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    Your coworker clearly does not understand how weight loss happens.

    It doesn't matter if you eat eggs for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a steak for dinner every single day. If you end with a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It. The same goes for exercise. Your body doesn't get "used" to being at a deficit and then suddenly disregard the deficit. The weight loss may slow down as you get closer to your goal weight, but that's it.

    I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch pretty much every day, and I'm doing fine.

    :smile:
  • Flab2Fab27
    Flab2Fab27 Posts: 461 Member
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    Eat what you want to eat and workout however you want to work out.

    If you get bored, switch it up. What works for somebody else doesn't necessarily mean it has to be the same for the next person.
  • bradXdale
    bradXdale Posts: 399
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    I've been doing this weightloss thing on my own since August. (By my own I mean without a coach/instructor/trainer/doctor/nutrionist/etc). I feel I have been pretty successful. Yesterday I just had a coworker that told me that you shouldn't do the same exercise 3 days in a row and you shouldn't eat the same meals more than 3 days in a row. I'm guilty of both. I like my breakfast. I like my lunch. I like my dinner. I change it up every now and again--but I like the same meals. I can understand her saying to change that up, but she said my body will get use to that food and my metabolism would slow down. Same with exercise. Is there any truth to any of this?

    Your co-worker is a dingus and probably has no idea how weight loss works on a scientific level.

    You should not heavily train the same muscles consecutively (there are exceptions to the rule). i.e. You should not deadlift heavy two days in a row, you need time for microtears in your muscles to repair.

    Eat whatever you want as long as it is within your calorie limit. Your body doesn't think like "oh sh-t I'm getting 2 eggs & toast again, F**K YOU!!!". Your body thinks more along the lines of "hey thats some fat & protein, lets use this!". If you're a person of routine then more power to you. A lot of people say "switch it up" when you plateau or get bored of your current foods & exercise. If you're okay with what you're doing now and it's working for you then keep going.

    Don't fix what isn't broken.
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
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    it's amazing how many well meaning people can just get it so wrong. You know what, if it's working and you're happy with it, go with that.

    I've just a done a weekly diet plan, my breakfast is the same every day, I have two lunches which i rotate throughout the week and 3 dinners which i rotate. I like to know where i am when im on my diet, what to expect etc. Thats just me. My hubby doesnt understand it, similar to your co-worker doesnt understand why you do it, but they're not planning their meals to reach a goal, they're just eating.

    When dealing wtih people and all their well informed and ill informed opinions, Robert Downey Jnr famously says 'just nod and agree, then do whatever the hell you want to anyway'
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    Hey Jaycie! I am not an expert on any of this stuff -- but I wanted to respond that I know an awful lot of older folks who are among the fittest and healthiest in their age group and they are ALL creatures of habit & routine. Like my dad (who is a healthy weight after years of obesity and managed to avoid 2 different surgeries through healthy eating and exercise)...he has the same breakfast every day and does the same 3 miles of mall walking M-F and sometimes on the weekend too. Or an elderly lady I know, she does her Aquacise (sp?) class 3 days a week and Tai Chi on the other days and eats DQ every Friday night. She looks like Helen Mirren, only Asian. She is over 70.

    I know you're not old, but I just happened to use those people as examples ;-)

    IMHO, people try to make this stuff a lot more complicated than it has to be.
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
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    Your body doesn't think like "oh sh-t I'm getting 2 eggs & toast again, F**K YOU!!!". Your body thinks more along the lines of "hey thats some fat & protein, lets use this!".

    hahahaha....This made me laugh out loud :)

    I have not got bored of the foods I eat. M-F I treat food kind of like work--just very matter-of-fact and routine. Then Friday night-Sun night is when I switch things up. As for exercising I mainly run/jog/walk. I keep my heart rate up and I go for about 65 minutes. My hrm shows I vary anywere between 575-725 calories--depending on my body that day. Some days the same exercise is more difficult than other days. So confusing! lol

    I normally ignore coworkers....especially when I have 56lbs to back my way of losing weight and they have 10lbs GAINED to back their ideas. lol
  • patsypooter
    patsypooter Posts: 175 Member
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    I typically eat the same foods for lunch and dinner every day. I'm not bored of it. I do crave junky food sometimes (okay, a lot of the time) but I've worked hard to change my relationship with food. I'm eating my green beans and chicken because I want to nourish my body, not because it tastes good. Although hey, it does taste pretty good.

    I don't have a problem with repetitive eating and I doubt that eating the same (healthy) foods or the same exercise is bad in any way.

    I mean really.. think about it. Our ancestors would have eaten the same limited list of foods for months at a time during the off seasons. They would have done the same exercises each day. Walking, hunting, farming. I think people are quick to judge because they see you being successful at losing weight and they could be a bit jealous.
  • sharinganxphunk
    sharinganxphunk Posts: 15 Member
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    I think you've done a fantastic job losing as much weight as you have done!! :flowerforyou:

    You're clearly doing it correctly, so there's no need to listen to your coworker. Obviously as you get fitter you will need to push harder during your exercise routine, but I don't believe there is any need to change what kind of exercise you are doing. And, as long as you're getting all the sufficient nutrients from the food you are eating on a day-to-day basis then carry on with what you've been doing so far :smile: