Starting Over

Options
susanwalshpei
susanwalshpei Posts: 4 Member
in Motivation and Support
Once again I find myself starting over with my weight loss efforts. It seems the older I get the harder it gets. I don't want to be that person that counts every calorie that she eats, or do I want to be that girl that spends all her free time at the gym. I need a program that will allow me to live life and still lose weight.

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Options
    Welcome and best wishes!!
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Options
    Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might find that you NEED to be the person who counts every calorie - at least for a while. Weight loss is all about reducing your calorie intake. Some people can do it just by eyeballing their portions, but some just can't do that.

    As far as the gym, you don't really have to work out to lose weight. It does help but not entirely necessary. My parents are in their 70s and both have lost weight over the last year just by reducing the amount of food they eat. Whereas I have lost weight by both counting calories and working out from 4-5 days a week. (and I hardly spend all my free time there - maybe an hour at most on those days).

    Either way, people will find a way to do what's important to them.
  • lewispwest
    lewispwest Posts: 498 Member
    Options
    There's nothing wrong at all with counting every calorie you eat, hell that's the entire basis of this website and it's full of people (including myself) who have been successful losing weight that way.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    Options
    lewispwest wrote: »
    There's nothing wrong at all with counting every calorie you eat, hell that's the entire basis of this website and it's full of people (including myself) who have been successful losing weight that way.

    +1

    If you don't log every calorie, you don't really know what you're eating. Did you have one cookie or two? Did you refill your sugary drink? Did you down a spoonful as you were cooking or cleaning up?

    I've lost more weight faster by counting calories than I ever did before.
  • lewispwest
    lewispwest Posts: 498 Member
    Options
    As with emdeesea's comment, you aren't going to lose weight by not exercising and not watching what you eat, it doesn't work that way. I can appreciate you wanting an easy way out but you've got to remember: Nothing worth having comes easy.
  • willimh
    willimh Posts: 227 Member
    Options
    Working out will burn calories, save muscle mass and tone you so, you look nice. Don't lose weight and be flabby or soft. Not cute. Invest the time n you'll thank yourself later
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Options
    willimh wrote: »
    Working out will burn calories, save muscle mass and tone you so, you look nice. Don't lose weight and be flabby or soft. Not cute. Invest the time n you'll thank yourself later

    Yeah, exactly. You CAN lose weight without doing exercise, but the final results usually aren't that great. And those people end up being what they call "skinny fat" anyway, because you've lost your muscle and kept the fat.

  • Terraforcejenny
    Terraforcejenny Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    Hey, not to be rude to the above posters, but just because someone isn't fit doesn't make them "skinny fat" or anything like that. It's good to exercise, but the reason shouldn't be because there's a shame factor, and telling people to exercise because otherwise they'll be less attractive is a bit rude.
    The more guilt you use in motivating yourself, the more likely you are to beat yourself up about falling off the wagon when it happens, and then you're even more likely to fail your goals. Body policing is a huge problem in the diet and fitness realm, and it doesn't need to be. Can we try to keep from shaming people's shapes? Not everyone is an athlete and that's ok.
    The goal should be that you feel healthy and happy with your body, and if that means toning your body, great. If that means working out 3 times a week and watching your food, that's also great. There is no one "right" way to be healthy; I would say it sounds like you're unhappy, but you also don't want to be obsessed with food and calorie watching because it isn't enjoyable. I highly suggest finding healthy recipes; if you have the time, cooking your meals makes it less of a chore.
    You already know how many calories will be in it, so you don't have to "count" as you eat. Pre-make your meals and snacks, and take them with you. I also suggest making some time for a fun fitness class or course; if you can't afford this, a quick google search can find you some at home fitness vids that are fun. This may not be the best for muscle building, but you can even use heavy cans of soup or food product for weights if the budget is tight (and tone is what you want).
  • pinkshoelaces
    pinkshoelaces Posts: 111 Member
    Options
    Well, you're going to find that counting calories is going to be very important, especially the closer to your goal that you get. When I first started, I could go without weighing my food and logging the calories for a few days at a time and still lose weight, but now that I'm getting smaller, I'm finding that its becoming more necessary to be very consistent and very accurate.

    It's just the effort you're going to have to put in to get what you want, I'm afraid. I consider it a small sacrifice for being happy with myself.

    You don't have to exercise if you don't want to. You can lose weight by just eating less, but exercise will give you a nicer body.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    Options
    If you don't know how much you're eating, you won't know if you are at a calorie deficit. You can try doing things like using a smaller plate, filling one half of your plate with vegetables, one quarter with whole grains, and one quarter with meat. But it's a whole lot better to weigh and measure. And if you don't want to go to a gym, then walk everywhere. Skip the elevator and the car, and walk. Watch a cable exercise show twice a week and exercise along. But if you go into this with a negative attitude, it will be harder to succeed.
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
    edited December 2014
    Options
    This website is pretty much all about counting calories. Why not give it a try and see if you can make it a part of your life, not a burden? I've lived this last year more fully than any other year in my adult life, all while counting calories, going to the gym and losing weight. I'm excited to continue on this path. I like where this calorie counting and gym going has got me :)
  • Whiskeytub
    Whiskeytub Posts: 96 Member
    Options
    One nice thing about excersize is it lets you eat more.
  • JoKnowsJo
    JoKnowsJo Posts: 257 Member
    Options
    Terraforcejenny wrote: »
    Hey, not to be rude to the above posters, but just because someone isn't fit doesn't make them "skinny fat" or anything like that. It's good to exercise, but the reason shouldn't be because there's a shame factor, and telling people to exercise because otherwise they'll be less attractive is a bit rude.
    The more guilt you use in motivating yourself, the more likely you are to beat yourself up about falling off the wagon when it happens, and then you're even more likely to fail your goals. Body policing is a huge problem in the diet and fitness realm, and it doesn't need to be. Can we try to keep from shaming people's shapes? Not everyone is an athlete and that's ok.
    The goal should be that you feel healthy and happy with your body, and if that means toning your body, great. If that means working out 3 times a week and watching your food, that's also great. There is no one "right" way to be healthy; I would say it sounds like you're unhappy, but you also don't want to be obsessed with food and calorie watching because it isn't enjoyable. I highly suggest finding healthy recipes; if you have the time, cooking your meals makes it less of a chore.
    You already know how many calories will be in it, so you don't have to "count" as you eat. Pre-make your meals and snacks, and take them with you. I also suggest making some time for a fun fitness class or course; if you can't afford this, a quick google search can find you some at home fitness vids that are fun. This may not be the best for muscle building, but you can even use heavy cans of soup or food product for weights if the budget is tight (and tone is what you want).
    No one is trying to shame anyone, that is not what we are here to do at all. Encouraging people to get in any exercise even walking 30 minutes a day is
  • logicalinks
    logicalinks Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    susanwalshpei wrote: »
    Once again I find myself starting over with my weight loss efforts. It seems the older I get the harder it gets. I don't want to be that person that counts every calorie that she eats, or do I want to be that girl that spends all her free time at the gym. I need a program that will allow me to live life and still lose weight.

    Losing weight is hard.
    Being fit is hard.
    Being overweight is hard.
    Choose your hard.
  • JoKnowsJo
    JoKnowsJo Posts: 257 Member
    Options
    Sorry got cut off -It's a proven fact (I am not going to go and pull all the backup, way to numerous) to be highly beneficial in addition to any weight loss program. However some people do without exercising and balancing their intake of food. It's all what will work for the individual so I agree with the rest of your post, just not the shaming part.
  • ShadeBlossom
    ShadeBlossom Posts: 99 Member
    Options
    I, too, am in the position of starting over again. Older and heavier once again. But, I'm looking forward to adding exercise back into my routine. Yes, it's hard and miserable at first, but I remember vividly just how good I felt once I'd gotten into the habit before and I want to feel that good again. Start slow. Just walk a little at a time. Maybe 20-30 minutes a day. Build up to more. You might find yourself looking forward to it, rather than dreading it.

    Best of luck to you!

Categories