What valuable lessons have you learned?

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BoxerBrawler
BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
edited April 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
How long have you been on your weight loss / fitness journey and what valuable lessons have you learned along the way?

I was at it hard core for a little over a year and have been maintaining now for about a year and a half.

I learned that one truly has to eat to perform! That a body fueled properly is a happy body :smile:

I learned that one can lose weight quickly with cardio but when the cardio is over the weight can come back. Weights is the way to go!

The most valuable lesson I have learned is that this journey is about me and my fitness goals, no one else.
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Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Progress isn't instant.
  • totaldetermination
    totaldetermination Posts: 1,184 Member
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    CICO
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    totaldetermination wrote: »
    CICO

    Aint that the truth!
  • zap5
    zap5 Posts: 38 Member
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    patience
  • jessypug
    jessypug Posts: 142 Member
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    I've learnt to eat enough so that I don't reach for hight fat snacks :D
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
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    Broscience everywhere. Don't listen to anyone lol. Do your own research and make an informed decision.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I've been at it for 16 months now. I will echo what @zap5 wrote--patience.

    I lost 30 pounds the first 4 months and then it's taken another year to lose the next 25. I'm aiming at another 7-8 right now and then I'm going to switch to a recomp. I wrote a post about weight loss not being linear and the need to be patient but I'll admit it's hard. I'm having a bit of a week where I'm just tired of it all and I'm getting impatient but I have to keep reminding myself to stick with it and eventually I'll get there.
  • KingsGirl4
    KingsGirl4 Posts: 152 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I've been on my journey for 14 years and failed a lot but figured out the "tricks" last year -
    • Never skip out on your cravings - have a bite or 2 to satisfy your cravings, otherwise you will binge later (learned that the hard way)
    • Praise yourself every single day even if it's a simple one ("even though I ate over my calories, at least I ate half that piece of cake")
    • Eat protein!!! (a tiny bit of nuts go a long way) This will keep you full and satisfy hunger so you don't feel deprived
    • Keep busy - get your mind off snacking, join a new activity (this is how I discovered my snacking habits were solely based on boredom. When I was busy/distracted, I never thought about food once)
    • Drinking tea - weirdly removed my hunger cravings
    • PATIENCE!!! (The most important)
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    What I've learned is:

    Calories in vs Calories out
    Patience
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    Mycophilia wrote: »
    Broscience everywhere. Don't listen to anyone lol. Do your own research and make an informed decision.

    Truth!

  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    I've been at it for 16 months now. I will echo what @zap5 wrote--patience.

    I lost 30 pounds the first 4 months and then it's taken another year to lose the next 25. I'm aiming at another 7-8 right now and then I'm going to switch to a recomp. I wrote a post about weight loss not being linear and the need to be patient but I'll admit it's hard. I'm having a bit of a week where I'm just tired of it all and I'm getting impatient but I have to keep reminding myself to stick with it and eventually I'll get there.

    Good for you! Please do stick with it! The end results are so worth the small challenges and struggles along the way. In the beginning I had weeks where I was just so damn tired of being hungry.... but no giving up!

  • kickassbarbie
    kickassbarbie Posts: 286 Member
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    - It should never be about your weight on the scale but about the bounce in your step and how you feel looking in the mirror.
    - Never underestimate the positive benifits of fitness and strength training both mentally and physically.
    - Never give up, never give in or listen to unhealthy fads and ideas, they bring nothing but misery and failure in the long term.

    (Learnt this on a looong 8 year journey from a 113kg teen to a skinny fat 59kg 20yo, now a happy and healthy 25yo and now aiming for a super fit 30th!)
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    CICO, weight loss isn't linear, and don't ever say anything stupid on MFP!
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    CICO, weight loss isn't linear, and don't ever say anything stupid on MFP!

    omg for sure don't ever say anything stupid on MFP! LOL!

  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    kickassbarbie wrote: »
    - It should never be about your weight on the scale but about the bounce in your step and how you feel looking in the mirror.
    - Never underestimate the positive benifits of fitness and strength training both mentally and physically.
    - Never give up, never give in or listen to unhealthy fads and ideas, they bring nothing but misery and failure in the long term.

    (Learnt this on a looong 8 year journey from a 113kg teen to a skinny fat 59kg 20yo, now a happy and healthy 25yo and now aiming for a super fit 30th!)

    This is great! Congratulations :smile:

  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Patience
  • shinisize
    shinisize Posts: 105 Member
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    -Set yourself up for motivation, measure progress in as many ways as you can keep up with so you can see progress in some way even when your weight has stalled (I do weight, measurements, weekly photos, and fitness improvements).

    -Muscle is going to make your progress so much easier. The more lean mass you have, the more calories your body burns even at rest. Lift weight and eat your protien and boost that metabolism by building some sexy muscles.

    -It's better to do something you can keep doing without having to upend your life and lose weight slower than to try do something you can't maintain when life is throwing curveballs. For me this means things I can do from home relatively quickly, because having a toddler means dodging half a dozen curveballs on a slow day.
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    edited April 2015
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    There is no such thing as free. :p I can row for free at work, but so far, I have spent about $60 bucks on it. Needed light lifting gloves and a gel seat pad (was getting nasty blisters) and a cell phone holder for my leg.

    Also the eyes of my friends and family and co-workers completely glaze over when they ask how I lost weight and I say CICO. They insist there has to be more to it or some trick or that I have a 'fast' metabolism (despite at one point weighing 270 myself)...Why ask if you don't want to know the answer? I learned giving advice about weight loss is like pizzing in the wind 90% of the time.
  • Kate5283kate
    Kate5283kate Posts: 87 Member
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    That I am powerful, and capable of change, even in areas that I didn't think I could address. That small actions, day after day, create great change.

    50+ pounds down and trucking on...
  • LMS120yesIcan
    LMS120yesIcan Posts: 35 Member
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    I'm still in the weight loss phase. 12 pounds down. starving yourself is never the answer and counting calories is simple. Just be truthful about your food intake.

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