Lifestyle Change

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  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    For me, it is about taking on the mindset of a recreational athlete and incorporating habits and strategies that support my athletic and fitness goals.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    To me a lifestyle change, ANY lifestyle change, is when a person changes their pattern of behavior that pertains to the way they live their life. On MFP lifestyle changes tend to revolve around nutrition, health and fitness. But that doesn't mean it's the ONLY lifestyle change a person implements.

    Yes, this.

    For me it largely means changing my priorities. Before I wanted to exercise, but would plan to do it if it happened to fit into my schedule and I was in the mood. Unsurprisingly, this meant that I did not sustain exercise for long. Now I make it a major priority, plan out how I will fit it into my week in advance, and schedule other things around exercise as much as I might schedule exercise around other things. I'm more comfortable saying that the exercise is important so it shouldn't be the first thing ditched in a busy day.

    Similar changes relating to walking/taking public transportation vs. driving/cabbing and cooking meals at home/getting food from local farms and green markets.

    For me if I'm generally living what I consider a healthy, active lifestyle the food bit follows without much effort. I know from past experience when I drop the active lifestyle, that's when I start eating mindlessly and too much.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
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    It's a change in attitude about your life and your health. Those that are saying it's just a fancy term for diet are either missing the point or miss using the phrase. Diet has the same relationship to a lifestyle change that grain of sand has to a beach. It's a tiny element the same way activity is or being aware of your attitude to environment. You do not need to change your diet to have a lifestyle change you just need to be aware of it. Not all elements in the change will come together at once as it's a progression it's not like an on off switch it's a more organic process

    Meh, I changed my diet to reduce my calories, I exercised bit more than before, I got to my goal weight, I maintained that for nearly a year now.

    I know some people are saying lifestyle change is so profound etc etc - and for them maybe it is - but for me losing weight was just long term eat less, move more, anything else is just fancy terms for that IMO.
    Perhaps I am misusing the phrase but I don't think I am missing the point of weight loss.
    I think my focus is differing on the weight loss; my weight is just a side effect of all the lifestyle changes, but never the main point of it. When I make unhealthy decisions, my weight is high, but when I choose a healthy lifestyle, the weight will be healthy as a result.

    To me "profound" refers to a major overhaul of how I view my body and mind, and what it means for them to be healthy.
  • AglaeaC
    AglaeaC Posts: 1,974 Member
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    For me, it is about taking on the mindset of a recreational athlete and incorporating habits and strategies that support my athletic and fitness goals.
    This is baked into my perception of it, too. A certain level of athleticism in my identity is extremely hard for me to step into because I was brought up in a very academic way.

    I have mad respect for people more advanced than myself, who stick to their exercise routine whether there is rain or sunshine, and I do crave that discipline. It is a challenge to change my mind-focussed thought patterns to include the body I have.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I think my focus is differing on the weight loss; my weight is just a side effect of all the lifestyle changes, but never the main point of it. When I make unhealthy decisions, my weight is high, but when I choose a healthy lifestyle, the weight will be healthy as a result.

    To me "profound" refers to a major overhaul of how I view my body and mind, and what it means for them to be healthy.

    This is closer to how I think of it too.

    I think because I always have some weird superstition about whether it will work or not (although I know, realistically, it will), I don't want to focus too much on the weight. I want to live a healthy life. So I try to focus on changes that will be healthy even if my weight is stubborn and takes longer to come off. I'm just as focused on meeting fitness goals and other healthy things as taking off the pounds--although obviously that's a wonderful part of it and it would have been much harder to sustain if the weight hadn't been coming off too.
  • SimonCypher
    SimonCypher Posts: 254 Member
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    For myself, I'm looking to cut out drinking and keep a food diary which will help in me reaching my goals. I regularly go to the gym but let myself down by going out at weekends drinking and not watching what I eat. Trying to stay focused is my main downfall, however now I've joined here and can keep a log of all my food and gain support from others I know I'll succeed! :D
  • Ryandecheney314
    Ryandecheney314 Posts: 139 Member
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    creating a "diet" and fitness regime that fits what I like to eat and what I like to do to stay active. Its a YOUR lifestyle change so sticking to a diet fad or a fitness plan that someone has created isn't YOUR lifestyle. Take the first few months of your journey and just experiment. Find healthy ways to eat foods you like and incorporate them in to your diet to fit your calories and or macros.

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