Seasoned MFPers: Clues on how you know someone says they will change their lifestyle and MEAN it?!

Answer this question... why are you fat?

I think most everyone means it. Unfortunately having the desire and intent doesn't mean you will succeed. Honestly, I think a lot of people fail because they try to change their lifestyle too much. They try to become someone they are not or perhaps don't even want to be.

The question shouldn't be what is the secret others have used for sustained weight loss. It should be, what is going to work for me long term? Can I live with these changes forever?

IsaackGMOON wrote: »

I know they meant it when they achieve it.

Yeah, pretty much.

People come on here with excuses and 'I'm a special snowflake' and still manage to turn themselves around. People come on here all serious and focused on personal accountability and still manage to not make their goal and maintain. Too many variables.

I agree with steathq. I believe I read somewhere that only 10% of people who have significant weight loss keep it off.

My personal opinion is that a lot of us just suck at stress management. I know for me personally, I lose a bunch of weight and start gaining it back when life is kicking my *kitten*. I get stressed out and chocolate cake makes me feel better. I'm working on finding better ways to manage stress. I would also bet that we are more stressed than the generations that came before. I know life is more hectic for me than it was for my mom and my mom's life is way more hectic than my grandma's was. We also have more treats readily available. Obesity is a first world problem.

They don't quit,
even when they've gone astray,
they get up the next day and give it another go.

I usually can just sort of intuitively tell if someone's actually ready or not. One dead giveaway phrase of someone not being ready is (usually) something like, "I hope it works this time!"

Also, the more someone says, "I really mean it this time!" the less likely they really do. When they are really truly ready, they just knuckle down and do it.

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

WakkoW wrote: »

snowflake954 wrote: »

Talk is cheap----just do it. Then you'll be a success.

Exactly. Just do it. Research shows that talking about it and telling people your goals can be counter productive. Something about how getting praise for deciding to make a change rather than actually making a change.

It's best to keep quiet and let the results speak for themselves.

Can you link the research to which you refer? I've heard the opposite.

There's a TED talk on it: http://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_keep_your_goals_to_yourself?language=en

It was discussed on a podcast I listen to, but I haven't actually listened, so have no opinion.

(I do find that telling people my goals generally doesn't help me. Making them concrete to myself does.)

cocates wrote: »

...So, from your experience, how can you tell that a particular person will do what they say / set out to do [ie: lose weight, exercise, be a forever food logger]? Are there any clues?

I can tell when I'm going to be successful by if I've got my head straight.

I can suspect who is going to be successful by their attitude, the types of questions they ask, and their responses to questions, but it's pure speculation. Also, often people do not come back with an update.

1) Figure out what your biggest "trigger" is and work on eliminating it from ready availability. Mine is ice cream. This doesn't mean I "never" eat ice cream..I love it and I'm not giving it up. But I find it too hard to just eat 1 serving worth out of a pint/quart/half gallon/gallon container. So when I really really want it, I go out and get a scoop. ONE scoop. A single scoop of Graeter's or Ben and Jerry's...even if it's a 300 calorie hit...is way better than about 1000 for a whole pint.
2) Make SMALL changes that you can stick to and build on. Don't say "Tomorrow, I will work out for an hour, cut my calorie intake and drink more water." Say "I will not take the elevator this week at all and use the stairs instead." or "I will not have any day this week where I do no physical activity at all." As you make one thing a habit, add another.
3) Make use of the challenge threads here..they tend to be good motivators because they are short-term focus with a definite deadline. There are running challenges, step challenges, walking challenges...whatever you think you might be interested in doing there's probably a challenge for it.
4) When you do eat "bad" foods (I hate that term), meaning ones that are high in calories, savor them and truly enjoy them..work on not wolfing them down. That helps to lay better habits overall with food.
5) Come up with non-food rewards you can give yourself for meeting certain goals...whether it's climbing to your 4th floor job on the stairs without getting winded or losing your first 20 pounds...or being able to run a 5K..whatever it is. Mine was a pair of good (breathable and comfy) running shorts.
6) Don't drink your calories...it's an easy way to blow through your allotment for the day. I almost never drink soda these days and alcohol even more rarely. When I do drink them I enjoy them without guilt but they are definitely not routine fare. The soda I had at a church event this Sunday was probably the first I'd had in close to a month.
7) The one I'm really bad at: Taking pictures often so you can see the progress you're making that might not be readily apparent on the scale. (smaller neck, fewer chins, waist shrinking, clothes fitting better, etc.)

My profile's tag line is Yoda's quote: "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Exceptionally true for my "journey." I've tried many times, but you either commit or don't. Be honest with food logging: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Move more than you did before.

You can't half-*kitten* losing weight. Until it becomes a lifestyle change, you'll repeat the patterns that got you there in the first place.