Is This Journey Easy?
JohnBarth
Posts: 672 Member
I posted this as a status today and thought it might make for interesting forum discussion.
I saw a poster earlier that essentially said "This is easy" with regard to logging/weight loss/healthful eating, etc.
While I agree the CONCEPT is easy, the PRACTICE is the difficult part.
First, please let me offer a heartfelt thank you to my friends and supporters on here. Your involvement in my journey is definitely welcomed, appreciated and relied upon.
Second, what are your thoughts on the ‘ease’ of this journey? I have a few key areas I try to focus on every day:
1. Be Honest. You need to log accurately and estimate your calories burned conservatively.
2. Be Consistent. Stick with your plans and be honest when you don’t /can’t.
3. Be Positive. Negativity has no place in my journey. Don’t have ‘cheat’ days. Have ‘splurge’ days. Cheating implies negativity. Splurging implies celebration, hopefully in celebration of success along this journey.
4. Be Inspirational. This is one that is sometimes difficult, but by practicing honestly, consistency and positivity, you’re headed in the right direction. Everyone finds inspiration in different ways. What you log for food or exercise might help me make a better decision with regard to a menu, grocery list, new exercise, etc. You’ll inspire and not even know it!
5. Be Permanent. We’re not on a diet. We’re improving our lives. Every single day, I remind myself that the choices I make now with regard to food and exercise are the new normal. I cannot nor will not go back to the way I’ve eaten and not exercised in the past.
Thank you for reading, and thank you again for your encouragement. Keep up the great work!
I saw a poster earlier that essentially said "This is easy" with regard to logging/weight loss/healthful eating, etc.
While I agree the CONCEPT is easy, the PRACTICE is the difficult part.
First, please let me offer a heartfelt thank you to my friends and supporters on here. Your involvement in my journey is definitely welcomed, appreciated and relied upon.
Second, what are your thoughts on the ‘ease’ of this journey? I have a few key areas I try to focus on every day:
1. Be Honest. You need to log accurately and estimate your calories burned conservatively.
2. Be Consistent. Stick with your plans and be honest when you don’t /can’t.
3. Be Positive. Negativity has no place in my journey. Don’t have ‘cheat’ days. Have ‘splurge’ days. Cheating implies negativity. Splurging implies celebration, hopefully in celebration of success along this journey.
4. Be Inspirational. This is one that is sometimes difficult, but by practicing honestly, consistency and positivity, you’re headed in the right direction. Everyone finds inspiration in different ways. What you log for food or exercise might help me make a better decision with regard to a menu, grocery list, new exercise, etc. You’ll inspire and not even know it!
5. Be Permanent. We’re not on a diet. We’re improving our lives. Every single day, I remind myself that the choices I make now with regard to food and exercise are the new normal. I cannot nor will not go back to the way I’ve eaten and not exercised in the past.
Thank you for reading, and thank you again for your encouragement. Keep up the great work!
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Replies
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The concept is straightforward, but it appeared the person didnt seem to appreciate it might be easy for him but others find it more difficult, because people are different and not like him. I was going to engage in that thread, but its better for me if I go back to the gym to do some not so easy exercise. If it really was that easy then there wouldnt be a multi billion $ industry and people desperate to lose, but failing time and again.0
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I think it's more or less *simple*, in the sense of CICO does it. But easy? Tell that to the poster in a wheelchair, or the one surrounded by hateful family, or the one with BED, or the one who just miscarried, etc etc etc. Or even tell that to ME when I'm extra hungry and stressed and staring down a plate of tacos.
IMO it's kind of gross to dismiss people's individual struggles like that. I'm glad I haven't seen that thread, because it's probably just as gross to have an online fight with a d-bag right before the long weekend
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I think that some days are easy. Some days I get up exercise and stick to my plan. Then there are the other days the days where I over sleep, where I'm so tired I have a hard time sitting at my desk, forget about exercising. I did hit my goal 2 July's ago, but it is still a struggle for me to maintain. I think my mind set is more difficult for me to maintain with maintenance then with loss. I get this voice in my head that tells me I'm good, it doesn't hurt to eat out an extra night and then I get the domino affect. I think we all have it in us to succeed, it just has to be the right time for us, we need the right motivation and consistency.0
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I found it relatively easy to lose weight. But I am not a binge-eater and I don't really have a lot of trouble moderating my intake.
However I don't think it's easy for everyone or even for most people. I think saying "it's easy" as a generalization can sound really belittling to people who are struggling. My husband has a terrible time with weight maintenance. He has an easy time with other things that are really hard for me, like math.0 -
At the beginning, I was enthusiastic and it was easy. 6 months in and a long way left to go, it is most definitely NOT easy. It is not easy to stay consistent. Setting exercise goals & workouts is downright a struggle. Just dragging myself to the gym is getting to be taxing. Depression hits, and nothing is easy. I have yet, in 6 months, to actually have a day where I truly meet the macro and calorie goals I have - macros are not easy for me.
Even reading positive posts, helpful & forward-looking people sharing generously of their willingness to help...even those get hard to take. So, I am happy for those who find it easy. I found it easy for a while. Now, it is a long joyless slough of rubbery/woody kale and unflavored greek yogurt with some missed-workout guilt thrown in. Easy? No. Worth it? I hope so.0 -
Hell no.0
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ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »I found it relatively easy to lose weight. But I am not a binge-eater and I don't really have a lot of trouble moderating my intake.
However I don't think it's easy for everyone or even for most people. I think saying "it's easy" as a generalization can sound really belittling to people who are struggling. My husband has a terrible time with weight maintenance. He has an easy time with other things that are really hard for me, like math.
@ILiftHeavyAcrylics ^ what she said!
Because she's cool like that....
I think simple might be a better term to use. I don't find it easy.. things worth having aren't easy. But simple? Yes tracking and following guidelines you find that work for you personally and getting the hang of logging etc.. it's a simple process.
I don't know the details of who said what to whom, nor does it matter much to me. But if someone just joined and is logging and finding it easy and fun.. those terms might be used simply because it is amazingly simple when you understand what you eat and how you move is what it's all about. It can be fun and seem easy when you first discover all you have to do is a bit of math and the lbs. will drop.
Now someone recovering from or in the midst of an ED (one of the many various types) might have a whole different way of looking at it. Focusing on what we eat and why and all the underlying emotions is HARD and sometimes painful but much of that isn't anything to do with the foods but why we eat them.0 -
The concept is straightforward, but it appeared the person didnt seem to appreciate it might be easy for him but others find it more difficult, because people are different and not like him. I was going to engage in that thread, but its better for me if I go back to the gym to do some not so easy exercise. If it really was that easy then there wouldnt be a multi billion $ industry and people desperate to lose, but failing time and again.[/quote]
Absolutely0 -
Unfortunately there is a tendency to equate easy with simple. CICO and "eat less move more" are simple concepts but that doesn't make it easy. Quiting a drug addiction is simple (Stop taking it.) but that doesn't make it easy.0
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Ms_LisaKay wrote: »At the beginning, I was enthusiastic and it was easy. 6 months in and a long way left to go, it is most definitely NOT easy. It is not easy to stay consistent. Setting exercise goals & workouts is downright a struggle. Just dragging myself to the gym is getting to be taxing. Depression hits, and nothing is easy. I have yet, in 6 months, to actually have a day where I truly meet the macro and calorie goals I have - macros are not easy for me.
Even reading positive posts, helpful & forward-looking people sharing generously of their willingness to help...even those get hard to take. So, I am happy for those who find it easy. I found it easy for a while. Now, it is a long joyless slough of rubbery/woody kale and unflavored greek yogurt with some missed-workout guilt thrown in. Easy? No. Worth it? I hope so.
I think starting is hard.
Making some noticeable progress is easy.
Maintaining your progress is probably the most difficult. I'm a firm believer that the fear of success is more of a hindrance than the fear of failure. When we acknowledge our fear of success, we're accepting the hard work we're doing now NEVER stops and it has to become part of our new self. Tough to swallow, but something I'm confident I will overcome!
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I think that some days are easy. Some days I get up exercise and stick to my plan. Then there are the other days the days where I over sleep, where I'm so tired I have a hard time sitting at my desk, forget about exercising. I did hit my goal 2 July's ago, but it is still a struggle for me to maintain. I think my mind set is more difficult for me to maintain with maintenance then with loss. I get this voice in my head that tells me I'm good, it doesn't hurt to eat out an extra night and then I get the domino affect. I think we all have it in us to succeed, it just has to be the right time for us, we need the right motivation and consistency.
I like your message. Consistency is the biggest area of importance for me. Congratulations on reaching your goals!0 -
Like @sofaking6, I see it as simple but not easy.
I started this back in January 2014. With the exception of a couple of weeks, 2014 was super easy for me weight loss and fitness -wise. That's because I was seeing the scale go down easily and seeing big changes in the mirror. This year, however, has been so different. It's just much harder right now. I have good days and bad days but overall my progress is so much slower and more frustrating. I've actually just decided to switch to maintenance and not weigh myself all summer. I'm getting too frustrated and self-critical.0 -
I think it depends on circumstance and a lot of other things...and I've actually had this very conversation with a good friend of mine who has always been heavy as I told him something very similar some time ago...
For me, it really was pretty easy...I've never been a big junk food guy save for a pretty gnarly soda habit and I've always eaten relatively well...never been a big fast food guy or anything like that. I'm also kind of a foodie so I've always appreciated good, well prepared food from fresh ingredients and I've always loved being in the kitchen and cooking.
I'm also a former athlete...I was a track and field sprinter and jumper from 2nd grade through my senior year in high school. For a period of time my senior year I was ranked 3rd in the state in the 100 meters and I still hold my high school pole vaulting record 20+ years later. I also did gymnastics, played football, swam on the swim team, played water polo, and briefly tried my hand at basketball and wrestling (I was good at neither). Growing up, PE was my favorite class and even outside of structured sports and phys ed, I was otherwise playing and moving with my friends.
Subsequent to graduation I joined the military where I was also very active as a member of a combat ready unit...after that, I went to college...I didn't own a car for much of my time in college so I road my bike and walked everywhere. I also went to the gym regularly to lift and I played ultimate Frisbee with my friends and spent weekends hiking in the mountains, took off for a week at a time to go backpacking into the wilderness, etc.
My buddy, conversely...well, he was always the fat kid in PE who hated being there and the one that the other kids made sure to hit with the dodge ball first. He never played a sport in his life and pretty much the extent of any exercise he did was hanging out in the pool at his parents house and walking the dog from time to time.
Dietarily speaking, he grew up on high calorie low nutrient food...he looks at a piece of broccoli like it's some crazy thing from another planet. I swear the guy could eat fast food and boxes of mac and cheese for every meal and cookies and cake for snacks and he would be quite content.
I've had a much easier time than he has on this journey. All I did is tweak some things...the hardest part was finding time in my schedule for regular exercise and upping my activity...but once I got rolling, I was like, "yeah...I remember how this feels" and I've been a head of steam ever since. Food? Not an issue for me...I enjoy eating well and I know how to make healthful choices taste incredible and decadent because I'm a pretty awesome cook...again, just had to tweak a few things...dumped the sodas for the most part and made sure I took in more veg and fruit than I was previously. Voila...40 Lbs off like magic
My buddy on the other hand...he's trying to completely re-invent himself. He's never been fit or trim so he has nothing to look back on...he doesn't know how to eat and traditionally healthy foods are just weird to him. I didn't have to reinvent myself...I just had to make some changes...I think simply having to tweak things here and there is a lot easier than completely reinventing and redefining who you are and who you've been your entire life.
Essentially, I got fat because I took a desk job and stopped moving...my buddy has been fat forever.
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I agree with it being simple, not easy. I also think it's the most simple when you're ready. When you're not truly ready for change, it feels like the most difficult thing in the world.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I think it depends on circumstance and a lot of other things...and I've actually had this very conversation with a good friend of mine who has always been heavy as I told him something very similar some time ago...
For me, it really was pretty easy...I've never been a big junk food guy save for a pretty gnarly soda habit and I've always eaten relatively well...never been a big fast food guy or anything like that. I'm also kind of a foodie so I've always appreciated good, well prepared food from fresh ingredients and I've always loved being in the kitchen and cooking.
I'm also a former athlete...I was a track and field sprinter and jumper from 2nd grade through my senior year in high school. For a period of time my senior year I was ranked 3rd in the state in the 100 meters and I still hold my high school pole vaulting record 20+ years later. I also did gymnastics, played football, swam on the swim team, played water polo, and briefly tried my hand at basketball and wrestling (I was good at neither). Growing up, PE was my favorite class and even outside of structured sports and phys ed, I was otherwise playing and moving with my friends.
Subsequent to graduation I joined the military where I was also very active as a member of a combat ready unit...after that, I went to college...I didn't own a car for much of my time in college so I road my bike and walked everywhere. I also went to the gym regularly to lift and I played ultimate Frisbee with my friends and spent weekends hiking in the mountains, took off for a week at a time to go backpacking into the wilderness, etc.
My buddy, conversely...well, he was always the fat kid in PE who hated being there and the one that the other kids made sure to hit with the dodge ball first. He never played a sport in his life and pretty much the extent of any exercise he did was hanging out in the pool at his parents house and walking the dog from time to time.
Dietarily speaking, he grew up on high calorie low nutrient food...he looks at a piece of broccoli like it's some crazy thing from another planet. I swear the guy could eat fast food and boxes of mac and cheese for every meal and cookies and cake for snacks and he would be quite content.
I've had a much easier time than he has on this journey. All I did is tweak some things...the hardest part was finding time in my schedule for regular exercise and upping my activity...but once I got rolling, I was like, "yeah...I remember how this feels" and I've been a head of steam ever since. Food? Not an issue for me...I enjoy eating well and I know how to make healthful choices taste incredible and decadent because I'm a pretty awesome cook...again, just had to tweak a few things...dumped the sodas for the most part and made sure I took in more veg and fruit than I was previously. Voila...40 Lbs off like magic
My buddy on the other hand...he's trying to completely re-invent himself. He's never been fit or trim so he has nothing to look back on...he doesn't know how to eat and traditionally healthy foods are just weird to him. I didn't have to reinvent myself...I just had to make some changes...I think simply having to tweak things here and there is a lot easier than completely reinventing and redefining who you are and who you've been your entire life.
Essentially, I got fat because I took a desk job and stopped moving...my buddy has been fat forever.
That is SO true. My family always ate relatively healthy and my biggest challenge has been controlling emotional eating and learning that I can't eat like my dad does on a regular basis...and dessert is a treat not part of the meal. Very well said though!!0 -
No, it's not easy, at least not for everyone. I thought that particular discussion was quite harmful, actually. I have hit a plateau and I am trying to fit two more hours to my existing 90 minutes of exercise. I have a full time job, I'm trying to launch my own business, and I'm a musician. Even without exercise I'm usually tied up four hours a night. I'm not one of these people who has a lot of spare time. It was hard, but manageable, fitting in 90 minutes, but three+ hours is cutting into time I spend with friends and even with my boyfriend. And I haven't slept more than 4 hours a night in three weeks. At this rate I'm concerned that I might not have a life to go back to once I get down to my target weight. That's supposed to be easy?!0
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MenonWaves wrote: »No, it's not easy, at least not for everyone. I thought that particular discussion was quite harmful, actually. I have hit a plateau and I am trying to fit two more hours to my existing 90 minutes of exercise. I have a full time job, I'm trying to launch my own business, and I'm a musician. Even without exercise I'm usually tied up four hours a night. I'm not one of these people who has a lot of spare time. It was hard, but manageable, fitting in 90 minutes, but three+ hours is cutting into time I spend with friends and even with my boyfriend. And I haven't slept more than 4 hours a night in three weeks. At this rate I'm concerned that I might not have a life to go back to once I get down to my target weight. That's supposed to be easy?!
Your story points out many issues most of face at times. Some days are easier than others, but every one of them requires making good choices and hard work.0 -
Eating right is not the problem. if anything, I never hit my caloric intake goal because in fitting in meals around when I exercise I simply run out of time to eat. This is consuming my life. There are no "easy" days for me. I live alone. Having to choose exercise over the people I love and the things that make life worth living. I don't know how I am supposed to make any better choices or work any harder. Sorry, I'm extremely frustrated today and these pat answers about "just do this" don't cut it. I am doing "this." It isn't working, and I'm ruining my life trying to make it work.0
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I can understand why its harder for some people than others, some people dont help themselves tbh and there are a variety of factors, many of them self inflicted that can make it harder for them.0
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MenonWaves wrote: »Eating right is not the problem. if anything, I never hit my caloric intake goal because in fitting in meals around when I exercise I simply run out of time to eat. This is consuming my life. There are no "easy" days for me. I live alone. Having to choose exercise over the people I love and the things that make life worth living. I don't know how I am supposed to make any better choices or work any harder. Sorry, I'm extremely frustrated today and these pat answers about "just do this" don't cut it. I am doing "this." It isn't working, and I'm ruining my life trying to make it work.
I would suggest you are making it more difficcult for yourself than it has to be. Without knowing what you are doing i.e seeing an acccurate diary then its hard to tell. You are trying to add 2 more hours of exercise a day or per week? Exercising 3.5hrs a day is really not needed and it appears to be counter productive for you.I haven't slept more than 4 hours a night in three weeks.when I exercise I simply run out of time to eat. This is consuming my life.Having to choose exercise over the people I love and the things that make life worth living.I'm ruining my life trying to make it work.
Sounds like you are going about it the wong way, too much stressing and youve made it more importnat than it is. A lifestyle change isnt meant to make you miserable or all consuming. Imo you need a rethink, keep it simple do the basics, then exercise some patience. Stress is counterproductive, you being miserable undermines weight loss, letting it be all consuming is clearly getting it out of proportion. A change of mindset and being kind to yourself willl make it easier for you.
Your description is alien to me. I like sleep and its importamt for weight loss. I love food and would not run out of time to eat as I make sure I eat first and if its long enough during exercise when im fueling it. Letting it consume your life is your choice, it doesnt have to be that important. Having to do exercise rather than being with the people you love, err no i divide my time. Exercise doesnt have to be time consuming 1h a day would be 4%. Have a rethink and get some help to make sure what you are doing is the best for you, struggling to make something work that seems too difficult or makes you miserable doesnt make a lot of sense. Many people here lose weight just fine.0 -
Unfortunately there is a tendency to equate easy with simple. CICO and "eat less move more" are simple concepts but that doesn't make it easy. Quiting a drug addiction is simple (Stop taking it.) but that doesn't make it easy.
For a long time, I claimed an addiction go food. I've now accepted it was likely just an excuse to be lazy. Lazy to not cook. Lazy to not work out.
My new lifestyle revolves around No Excuses. I don't always make the best choices, but I'm not hiding behind excuses anymore.0 -
I think it's different for everyone, but it really mostly just comes down to mindset/attitude and priorities. I've been successfully maintaining here now for over 4 years. To be honest, I've found the entire process to be very straightforward and exceptionally easy. I have no food relationship issues or anything like that, so it hasn't been much of a challenge. I think it depends on your personality and history. I just put my mind to it, treated MFP as though it were a game, and here I am! I was never ever really overweight, just heading toward the top of my healthy BMI (aging happens, LOL) so I just needed a way to get myself organized and this was it. 0
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Reinhold NiebuhrGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.0 -
MenonWaves wrote: »Eating right is not the problem. if anything, I never hit my caloric intake goal because in fitting in meals around when I exercise I simply run out of time to eat. This is consuming my life. There are no "easy" days for me. I live alone. Having to choose exercise over the people I love and the things that make life worth living. I don't know how I am supposed to make any better choices or work any harder. Sorry, I'm extremely frustrated today and these pat answers about "just do this" don't cut it. I am doing "this." It isn't working, and I'm ruining my life trying to make it work.
What you are describing is not sustainable. You WILL NOT stick with it if it's miserable, super inconvenient, unhealthy, or it makes you feel like you're ruining your life. Reevaluate what you're doing. Take baby steps and go gradually. This should be a positive in your life, not a negative.
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MenonWaves wrote: »No, it's not easy, at least not for everyone. I thought that particular discussion was quite harmful, actually. I have hit a plateau and I am trying to fit two more hours to my existing 90 minutes of exercise. I have a full time job, I'm trying to launch my own business, and I'm a musician. Even without exercise I'm usually tied up four hours a night. I'm not one of these people who has a lot of spare time. It was hard, but manageable, fitting in 90 minutes, but three+ hours is cutting into time I spend with friends and even with my boyfriend. And I haven't slept more than 4 hours a night in three weeks. At this rate I'm concerned that I might not have a life to go back to once I get down to my target weight. That's supposed to be easy?!
I really do believe that discussion was the opposite of harmful, specifically for your case, in particular! I hope you've been somewhat motivated by every single post responding to yours that have clarified that something's not quite right. Personally I do not believe the process is easy, but you're definitely doing any number of things to make it WAY more difficult than it should be. Her thread has helped you highlight that! And I hope you would take the opportunity to investigate your process and determine where you could tweak things to improve your weight loss experience
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