Not a "Lifestyle Change"
Machka9
Posts: 25,687 Member
Just wondering if there are others here who lost their weight or are in the process of losing weight through minor adjustments rather than a full-on lifestyle change.
When I got my Bachelor's degree ... that was a huge lifestyle change on many levels.
When I moved to Australia from Canada ... that was a lifestyle change.
When I travelled the world for 8 months with my husband and our bicycles ... that was a big lifestyle change.
When I started working toward my Master's degree ... that is something of a lifestyle change.
But losing weight wasn't.
Prior to starting with MFP, I had gone from about 25 years of being slender, and watching what I ate, and counting calories from time to time to ensure I was eating enough but not too much ...... to ever-so-gradually putting on a bit of weight over a few recent years. Overall, my diet was pretty good ... just a bit too much of it. I was quite active ... just not quite active enough to compensate for the food I was eating.
I was kind of focused on other things ... like moving to Australia and travelling.
So when I started with MFP, I made the following changes:
-- I changed almost nothing about what I ate between the time I got up in the morning and the time I arrived home from work. The only thing I did change was to drop one snack. I had been eating a handful or two of cashews in the middle of the afternoon, so I stopped doing that. I had started noticing some allergy symptoms when I ate them anyway ... congestion, tingling mouth and tongue, digestive issues, etc. ... so no big loss.
-- For a few years, up till a year prior to joining MFP, I had been eating chocolate after work. But about a year before joining MFP I started making changes to that because I found that my blood sugar spiked and dropped which wasn't helpful when I went to the gym or cycling after work. After joining MFP, I stopped eating chocolate after work, and started eating cottage cheese and raw veggies instead. Maybe a couple crackers and cheese if I'm going to be putting in a big effort. That's better ... I've got the energy to exercise.
-- Dinners were big. In Canada, the dining style is where bowls of food are placed on the table and we help ourselves to whatever we figure we're going to eat. And if you've selected something, you're expected to eat it. In Australia, the cook serves up plates of the food. My husband would hand me a heaping plate of food, and tell me I didn't have to eat it all. But because I come from the Canadian perspective, if it is on my plate, I eat it. I was struggling through massive portions. When I started with MFP, we started weighing the food, and my portion sizes went down to something much more manageable!
As for the food we ate, I spend a few days exploring grocery stores and markets and discovering all sorts of possibilities. We actually eat a somewhat more varied dinner selection now. And it's all delicious!
-- Evening snacks ... are similar but lighter than they used to be. I still eat yogurt ... I just go for a low cal yogurt. I still eat fruit ... just a bit less of it. We used to eat a dessert like Tiramisu or chocolate cake or something 3 or 4 evenings a week ... now we do that once or twice a month.
I still have nutella and honey on toast for breakfast on the weekends.
I still eat a whole pizza once a month or so, on weekends.
We still go out to places like Subway or Zambreros or for fish and chips about once a week.
And my exercise level has increased back up to what it was a few years ago.
It's been a matter of increased awareness and a collection of minor changes.
Just wondering if there have been others who have gone through a similar process. Nothing earth shattering ... just a few small adjustments.
When I got my Bachelor's degree ... that was a huge lifestyle change on many levels.
When I moved to Australia from Canada ... that was a lifestyle change.
When I travelled the world for 8 months with my husband and our bicycles ... that was a big lifestyle change.
When I started working toward my Master's degree ... that is something of a lifestyle change.
But losing weight wasn't.
Prior to starting with MFP, I had gone from about 25 years of being slender, and watching what I ate, and counting calories from time to time to ensure I was eating enough but not too much ...... to ever-so-gradually putting on a bit of weight over a few recent years. Overall, my diet was pretty good ... just a bit too much of it. I was quite active ... just not quite active enough to compensate for the food I was eating.
I was kind of focused on other things ... like moving to Australia and travelling. So when I started with MFP, I made the following changes:
-- I changed almost nothing about what I ate between the time I got up in the morning and the time I arrived home from work. The only thing I did change was to drop one snack. I had been eating a handful or two of cashews in the middle of the afternoon, so I stopped doing that. I had started noticing some allergy symptoms when I ate them anyway ... congestion, tingling mouth and tongue, digestive issues, etc. ... so no big loss.
-- For a few years, up till a year prior to joining MFP, I had been eating chocolate after work. But about a year before joining MFP I started making changes to that because I found that my blood sugar spiked and dropped which wasn't helpful when I went to the gym or cycling after work. After joining MFP, I stopped eating chocolate after work, and started eating cottage cheese and raw veggies instead. Maybe a couple crackers and cheese if I'm going to be putting in a big effort. That's better ... I've got the energy to exercise.
-- Dinners were big. In Canada, the dining style is where bowls of food are placed on the table and we help ourselves to whatever we figure we're going to eat. And if you've selected something, you're expected to eat it. In Australia, the cook serves up plates of the food. My husband would hand me a heaping plate of food, and tell me I didn't have to eat it all. But because I come from the Canadian perspective, if it is on my plate, I eat it. I was struggling through massive portions. When I started with MFP, we started weighing the food, and my portion sizes went down to something much more manageable!
As for the food we ate, I spend a few days exploring grocery stores and markets and discovering all sorts of possibilities. We actually eat a somewhat more varied dinner selection now. And it's all delicious!
-- Evening snacks ... are similar but lighter than they used to be. I still eat yogurt ... I just go for a low cal yogurt. I still eat fruit ... just a bit less of it. We used to eat a dessert like Tiramisu or chocolate cake or something 3 or 4 evenings a week ... now we do that once or twice a month.
I still have nutella and honey on toast for breakfast on the weekends.
I still eat a whole pizza once a month or so, on weekends.
We still go out to places like Subway or Zambreros or for fish and chips about once a week.
And my exercise level has increased back up to what it was a few years ago.
It's been a matter of increased awareness and a collection of minor changes.
Just wondering if there have been others who have gone through a similar process. Nothing earth shattering ... just a few small adjustments.
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Replies
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Not me. Paying attention to what I consume is a huge change for me and I suspect I will always have to do it.9
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My food is virtually unchanged. A shaving off serving sizes was all I needed.
Major life changes- I have had a few too many to list, but actually walking into a gym for the first time at the age of 54 I can honestly say deserves to be on that list.
I was renowned for claiming an exercise allergy since my teens, so actually getting a gym (rec centre) membership, and using it for 8 years continually amazes me, and just about everyone I know.
My son, an ex ironman triathlete, thanked me on Facebook for being his inspiration to start calorie counting and working out again after a long hiatus. Sooo absolutely stunned me.
Cheers, h.14 -
I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."29
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It all depends on one's starting point. For some who are sedentary and eat very poorly it can be a huge lifestyle change. For others it's just a slightly heightened awareness14
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I'd call it a lifestyle change, although the phrase in itself irritates me, because I've had to permanently change my eating habits. If I go back to my old eating I will gain weight again, so I can't do that.4
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I prefer to call it a change of habits. I actually hate the term "lifestyle change".
Although, it should be permanent of course. But I see it in the same way as brushing my teeth every day.
I made a few adjustments at first. Ate candy once a week instead of daily. Drank water instead of soda. Started walking long distances. Low fat everything. It's how I lost 40lb. And I kept all of them except the low fat one.
Now I've added low carb high fat. So again, a change in eating habits. But it's been easier for me to manage though. And not as boring as I thought it would be.
I actually enjoy trying new recipes of old favourites that are low carb friendly. It's made cooking fun for me again.3 -
I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.9 -
If I go back to my old habits I know I will regain the 35lbs I lost.4
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I dislike expressions like "lifestyle change", "weightloss journey", "clean eating" and all variations over getting on/off "wagons", "tracks", "horses".
Small adjustments in habits. I still eat the same things as before, but some of them more regularly, and others a lot less often. I cooked meals before too, but I cook more often now. I moved before too, but now I move a little every day. I still overeat, but not at every meal anymore.
Large changes in attitude. I liked to eat before too, but now I love food (because I'm less confused, and I eat a more varied diet and more appropriate portions). I used to try to not care about my weight and health, now I don't worry so much.8 -
I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
I agree with this as well.
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I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
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I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
you can call it whatever you want...but you ate more and moved less because it wasn't a priority to you at that time...other things took over...you are now more serious about your health etc.
Call it getting back to normal or call it a change in priorities it all gets you to the same place as people calling it a lifestyle change...and it was a change because you weren't exercising as much and you were eating more...now you aren't...definition of change in lifestyle regardless of if you did it before...you weren't doing it your entire life...7 -
-- Dinners were big. In Canada, the dining style is where bowls of food are placed on the table and we help ourselves to whatever we figure we're going to eat. And if you've selected something, you're expected to eat it. In Australia, the cook serves up plates of the food. My husband would hand me a heaping plate of food, and tell me I didn't have to eat it all. But because I come from the Canadian perspective, if it is on my plate, I eat it. I was struggling through massive portions.
WOW! I visited Australia once and I noticed this! I was served HUGE amounts of food. I would be stuffed after 1/4 of a plate (and I was a big eater, I can still out eat my husband) and would try to eat more by washing the rest down with water and sitting at the table longer. It got out of hand. I am also from Canada so I was used to dishing out my own plate. I didn't realize it was a cultural thing. Well, let's just say I ended that 5 week trip 12 lbs heavier and it took me 2 years to lose that weight. What shocked me most was that the rest of the family could eat the whole plate.2 -
-- Dinners were big. In Canada, the dining style is where bowls of food are placed on the table and we help ourselves to whatever we figure we're going to eat. And if you've selected something, you're expected to eat it. In Australia, the cook serves up plates of the food. My husband would hand me a heaping plate of food, and tell me I didn't have to eat it all. But because I come from the Canadian perspective, if it is on my plate, I eat it. I was struggling through massive portions.
WOW! I visited Australia once and I noticed this! I was served HUGE amounts of food. I would be stuffed after 1/4 of a plate (and I was a big eater, I can still out eat my husband) and would try to eat more by washing the rest down with water and sitting at the table longer. It got out of hand. I am also from Canada so I was used to dishing out my own plate. I didn't realize it was a cultural thing. Well, let's just say I ended that 5 week trip 12 lbs heavier and it took me 2 years to lose that weight. What shocked me most was that the rest of the family could eat the whole plate.
It took me a little while to realise that it is a cultural thing ... it was at a Christmas dinner where it suddenly dawned on me that this was a thing. Our hostess served us plates of food rather than setting the turkey and veggies and stuffing etc. on the table like they would in Canada. That was very disconcerting because I'm a picky eater when it comes to Christmas dinner and I ended up sliding half the meal onto my husband's plate.
But the host or hostess will fill the plate with a whole variety of things out of politeness ... but apparently they don't expect you to eat it all if you can't. When you're done, there's something you do with your knife and fork to indicate you're done.0 -
I think what's annoying about 'lifestyle change' is when you get told to say that instead of 'diet' - I'm currently on a diet because I'd like to lose a little bit of weight and when I have, I won't have to be 'on a diet' any more because I'll be maintaining my weight and that won't involve having to be in a calorie deficit. I'll be able to eat more food, think less carefully about my choices, and there's no getting away from the fact that that will be a bit more fun than running a deficit. So I find it quite encouraging to think of this as temporary rather than permanent.
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I've brought mindfulness into what I eat every day and am exercising regularly. I do consider that a lifestyle change.5
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I think what's annoying about 'lifestyle change' is when you get told to say that instead of 'diet' - I'm currently on a diet because I'd like to lose a little bit of weight and when I have, I won't have to be 'on a diet' any more because I'll be maintaining my weight and that won't involve having to be in a calorie deficit. I'll be able to eat more food, think less carefully about my choices, and there's no getting away from the fact that that will be a bit more fun than running a deficit. So I find it quite encouraging to think of this as temporary rather than permanent.
Absolutely!
I was NOT about to continue past the first 16 weeks here on a net-1250 cal diet!! But I did that to lose a certain amount of weight and reach a particular goal ... which I did. If I had thought I'd be on net-1250 forever, I wouldn't have done it. But 16 weeks was manageable. 2 -
What it is called is 0 importance really. What you are describing is what I would call a "lifestyle change". You were living one way and then changed it. You obviously wouldn't call it that. Matters 0 though.I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
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What it is called is 0 importance really. What you are describing is what I would call a "lifestyle change". You were living one way and then changed it. You obviously wouldn't call it that. Matters 0 though.I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
agreed...
for reference tho
a lifestyle change is defined as "changes that alter various lifestyle-related behaviors such as diet, physical activity, sexual behavior, smoking, alcohol consumption, substance use, and other behaviors not otherwise defined as psychopathology."0 -
I'll start by saying I hate the term "lifestyle change"; it's all hokey and new age.
Between my teens and early 30s I did make small, incremental changes in order to manage my weight. I did regard them as permanent, so I suppose it was, in that sense, a "lifestyle change". Although no individual change was major, the culmination did represent a pretty major change over the years. In my mid 30s I had to change strategies altogether, and that was a major change to the way I eat, also regarded as permanent, so that would count as a lifestyle change in both respects. I guess what I'm saying is so long as the changes being made are not temporary fixes, but rather long term strategies, it really doesn't matter whether it is a major change or just a minor one (or a few/several minor ones). Change is change.0 -
Mine is a big and serious change. I've had to revamp a large part of my entire life to make this work.2
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I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
I look at lifestyle changes in terms of magnitude rather than duration. Nothing lasts forever, change is inevitable, so duration is highly variable ... but the magnitude of the change is what defines it for me.
For example, if I were to move from one house in my city to another, that's a minor lifestyle change. My commute distance might change a bit. The amount of space I'm living in might change. But I would still be working in the same place and going to school in the same place ... so the move is just minor.
But if I move to a whole new country, and not only that but move from a modern house with electricity and running water etc. into a cabin on the back of the property that is completely off the grid ... that's a significant lifestyle change.
The amount I eat or exercise just fluctuates up and down a bit depending on what else is going on in my life. The fluctuations are hardly significant enough to call a "lifestyle change" each time I exercise a bit more or less or whatever.2 -
I don't know if what I'm doing is a "lifestyle change" or not, but I do know, I plan on continue doing what I'm doing for life. Because now, instead of coming home from work and plopping on my recliner, I do 30 minutes on my elliptical or go for a couple mile run or walk. That's a change from my previous life. I have a long way to go in my weight loss, but if I'm going to keep it going, I HAVE to change how I live my life. So is that a "lifestyle change"? To me, it is.0
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Anyway, now that we've defined "lifestyle change" .... my question actually was ...
Just wondering if there are others here who lost their weight or are in the process of losing weight through minor adjustments rather than a full-on lifestyle change.
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Just wondering if there have been others who have gone through a similar process. Nothing earth shattering ... just a few small adjustments.
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What it is called is 0 importance really. What you are describing is what I would call a "lifestyle change". You were living one way and then changed it. You obviously wouldn't call it that. Matters 0 though.I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
I actually think what it's called is REALLY important, because it's easier to achieve something that you can get behind the idea of. So for some people, calling it a 'lifestyle change' is really really helpful: they want to be sure they won't slip back into old habits, they've turned a corner in their lives and they're never going back. For other people, who would rather move on and not define their lifestyle in terms of their weight loss goals, they precisely don't want to feel they have made a radical change. In both cases, I think it's easier for the person to achieve their goals and feel good about them if they've labelled them in a way that sounds like what they want to do.0 -
Anyway, now that we've defined "lifestyle change" .... my question actually was ...
Just wondering if there are others here who lost their weight or are in the process of losing weight through minor adjustments rather than a full-on lifestyle change.
...
Just wondering if there have been others who have gone through a similar process. Nothing earth shattering ... just a few small adjustments.
your definition of "lifestyle change" does not jive with mine or others so it's hard to answer that question....
I consider mine a lifestyle change...even tho I was fit and healthy for more than half my life....
I lost focus, gained weight and now I have made changes to my lifestyle...I have altered my diet, my activity, I have quit smoking etc.
and your definition of earth shattering changes are different than others as well...using a food scale could be considered a pretty big step...1 -
Anyway, now that we've defined "lifestyle change" .... my question actually was ...
Just wondering if there are others here who lost their weight or are in the process of losing weight through minor adjustments rather than a full-on lifestyle change.
...
Just wondering if there have been others who have gone through a similar process. Nothing earth shattering ... just a few small adjustments.
I went through that process in my youth, making small incremental changes, nothing earth shattering, and it did help me manage my weight. After a certain point I felt I couldn't make anymore minor adjustments, and what I was doing wasn't working so well anymore, so I underwent a major adjustment in the way I eat. That major adjustment served me well and I've kept it up for three years now, so yes, it was a lifestyle change in both duration and magnitude. How big the change is really depends on your starting point, and even those small changes add up over time (had I had a crystal ball at 16 years old and looked into the future at my diet at age 30 I would have said that I must have had a major lifestyle change, although it didn't feel like it since those changes happened over the course of nearly 15 years).
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What it is called is 0 importance really. What you are describing is what I would call a "lifestyle change". You were living one way and then changed it. You obviously wouldn't call it that. Matters 0 though.I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
I actually think what it's called is REALLY important, because it's easier to achieve something that you can get behind the idea of. So for some people, calling it a 'lifestyle change' is really really helpful: they want to be sure they won't slip back into old habits, they've turned a corner in their lives and they're never going back. For other people, who would rather move on and not define their lifestyle in terms of their weight loss goals, they precisely don't want to feel they have made a radical change. In both cases, I think it's easier for the person to achieve their goals and feel good about them if they've labelled them in a way that sounds like what they want to do.
what you call it is irrelevant to me and hornsby...what I call it is irrelevant to you.
the terms we use and the definitions of these terms are irrelevant to others.
They are used for personal use so asking a question and having a different definition of the term you are using than a lot of people results in it not mattering0 -
Anyway, now that we've defined "lifestyle change" .... my question actually was ...
Just wondering if there are others here who lost their weight or are in the process of losing weight through minor adjustments rather than a full-on lifestyle change.
...
Just wondering if there have been others who have gone through a similar process. Nothing earth shattering ... just a few small adjustments.
your definition of "lifestyle change" does not jive with mine or others so it's hard to answer that question....
...
That's OK, if the question doesn't resonate with you, you're not required to answer it.
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What it is called is 0 importance really. What you are describing is what I would call a "lifestyle change". You were living one way and then changed it. You obviously wouldn't call it that. Matters 0 though.I always thought the diet/weight loss "lifestyle change" message was more about duration than magnitude. (read: don't expect temporary changes to lead to permanent solutions) I guess I see any change in thought process and habits especially as a change in lifestyle. After all, "we are what we repeatedly do..."
This...
losing weight isn't a big deal it is the maintenance of it that is the big change for most.
because it is for life.
pretty big deal if you ask me...even if it is a collection of small changes those are for life.
based on your post the changes you made are for life too...you are more active you are eating less for life to ensure you are maintaining your weight...life long change.
The way I look at it is this ...
I lived a certain way most of my life (active and eating well), and thus remained slim all those years.
Then I went through a series of lifestyle changes (big ones!) and my eating and activity changed ... I ate more and exercised less (resulting in some weight gain) while I was enjoying and experiencing a whole new life. However, that was a blip on the grand scheme of things.
In late 2014, and then more seriously in early 2015, I settled and was able to return to the way I was. The way I feel most comfortable ... active and eating well again.
Was my return to my usual lifestyle a "lifestyle change"? I don't think so. I think of it as simply going back to normal ... back to my usual habits.
I actually think what it's called is REALLY important, because it's easier to achieve something that you can get behind the idea of. So for some people, calling it a 'lifestyle change' is really really helpful: they want to be sure they won't slip back into old habits, they've turned a corner in their lives and they're never going back. For other people, who would rather move on and not define their lifestyle in terms of their weight loss goals, they precisely don't want to feel they have made a radical change. In both cases, I think it's easier for the person to achieve their goals and feel good about them if they've labelled them in a way that sounds like what they want to do.
I'll concede that psychologically it could matter. Not what I meant at all though.0
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