This lifestyle change is difficult, but not for the reasons I expected
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cwolfman13 wrote: »A little planning and awareness is actually pretty huge relative to how many people go through life.
And that's true for fitness/health as well as business, emotion management, personal relationships, real estate investment and driving to some unfamiliar address.
Planning works...
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I went through an eighteen month weight loss, averaging just under a pound a week over the whole process. The only time it felt hard for a long stretch - as opposed to just a bad day - was toward the end when I was close to my goal weight because at my height, age, and weight I needed to get down to 1400 calories or so to come for a soft landing at a half-pound a week loss.
It's simple, but not so easy some days. There's only two things on my "banned list" of foods - sugar sodas, and trans-fats. Otherwise, I eat ice cream, cheeseburgers, drink my coffee, devour chicken by the half-pound, etc.
As far as it being difficult for some, it's been my observation the people who have the hardest time with it are trying to make too many simultaneous changes; they decrease their calories too much, try to move from what they're familiar with eating to "more healthy" (without quantifying what that means), and markedly increase their exercise in both duration and intensity -- all without regard for how these interact and affect each other.
Is it any wonder they feel like crap because they're severely under-powered, adjusting their gut flora in major ways, sore from working out too hard, and grumpy because all of these stressors in combination trash their ability to recover?
I tell people who ask for advice (after the twin disclaimers of I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist), start by tracking your food intake. Change nothing - just track for two weeks to see what you're eating, what your macro- and micro-nutrient ratios are, and work from there.7 -
For me it is just the opposite. In the past I would want a piece of cake or some ice cream. I would worry and fret that I might gain weight. I would feel guilty if I was trying to avoid high calorie treats and gave in. I find it really freeing to know that I can eat what I want - and know how much I can eat while meeting my goals.
I'm learning (and relating to) much of this conversation. Last night I attended an event and several of us shared a bowl of homemade brownies with ice cream and caramel sauce. At first I just passed it along, but then I took a few bites (it was delicious!) Surprisingly, I didn't instantly gain back the 50 lbs I worked so hard to lose! It was good, I shared it, and I logged it. I did a few extra fitbit steps (mostly because of where I parked, but it was helpful!) and today I was down .5 lbs! I think this time I might be successful with maintenance. I think differently about food now. If I have days where I want to eat something that isn't nutritionally "good" - it's okay! I eat it and move on without beating myself up. I like where I am now.
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robingmurphy wrote: »What do you think is the difference that makes it feel easy to some people, and so torturous, maddeningly difficult for others? Is it that the "easy" people are trying to maintain a more natural weight and the others are striving for something that is difficult for them to maintain? Or something else?
I think it is "non-restrictive boundaries". A personal set of habits that regulate your intake/output to keep a healthy weight, and something that you can happily live with. Happy maintainers also settle on a weight that feels good, and don't continue to "force" off the "last X pounds".1 -
I'm in a similar place ...
Slender and fit most of my adult life.
Gained a bit of weight for various reasons, but generally speaking still ate a decent diet and still exercised. I gained at a rate of about 80 calories per day which isn't much at all. Just a bit too much to eat or a bit too little exercise.
So December 2015, I increased my exercise and started losing weight. Then in February 2015 I joined MFP and lost the rest of the weight mainly through diet.
But I was also increasing my exercise and started doing events ... and somewhere around Christmas last year I started maintaining because my focus was more on exercise and less on food intake.1 -
I did not make any dramatic sweeping changes to my diet and fitness. It has all been small changes and never felt painful. But those small changes really add up. I eat drastically different than 10 years ago.
I just noticed this too, From the past 3 years. From no change and no attention to diet, Then taking many small steps that made me today's low-carb weirdo. The change never felt like a painful revolution.
Three years ago I never imagined that potatoes could become an unusual treat.1 -
robingmurphy wrote: »What do you think is the difference that makes it feel easy to some people, and so torturous, maddeningly difficult for others? Is it that the "easy" people are trying to maintain a more natural weight and the others are striving for something that is difficult for them to maintain? Or something else?
Maybe it's the same general category of difference that makes it easy and fun for some people to draw a sketch of their cat, but difficult and frustrating for others, or that makes some people enjoy dancing and be good at it, while others have no rhythm and hate even trying.
We're all wired differently, in soooo many ways.0 -
robingmurphy wrote: »What do you think is the difference that makes it feel easy to some people, and so torturous, maddeningly difficult for others? Is it that the "easy" people are trying to maintain a more natural weight and the others are striving for something that is difficult for them to maintain? Or something else?
Or, another way to look at it, in addition to my previous reply - the "easy" people have coordinated their needs and wants. They feel truly satisfied when they have got what they needed. They eat for pleasure, and when they have eaten enough, the pleasure lessens, and it's starting to feel uncomfortable, then they stop. This of course can only happen if the food provides what that person needs - satisfactory amounts and levels and balance of taste and nutrition. Then their weight will be a healthy one, because their diet and life is healthy. Those people will most likely not keep on moving the "ideal weight" goalpost.
I don't think this is about talent or even training, but about finally feeling it "click". I am still the same person. I used to overeat and didn't think I could stop, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to stop. Now, overeating/mindless eating just feels foreign. And so does eating tasteless, boring food.5 -
Yes. It just clicks, you finally get it. Which I did a year and a half ago. Food, cooking "was" a hobby, pleasure or whatever of mine. No more. Tasteless, boring food ? Ha ! Had to laugh. Went to lunch recently with friends. Not impressed with the food, ate maybe a third of what I was served. The owner of the restaurant inquired...was I not happy with the food ? Bottom line. I thought I have finally figured out just because you have a plate of food in front of you need to eat it all. Seems to be the norm, clean plate club. No way. If it's boring, I am not eating it.3
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This is such a great post! While I was losing my weight, people asked me how I was doing it, and I said just calories in, calories out. They wanted to know how hard it was and I always felt funny saying it was pretty easy because they would tell me they just couldn't stop their bad habits. I think, to them, I may have looked like I was being superior to their habits, and really, I wasn't. It's the"click" - there IS a click, I agree. For years, I had been following healthy eating habits, and regular exercise, but not any kind of portion control. So the weight piled on and I couldn't figure it out. Once I found MFP and starting actually seeing what I was eating, calorically, it made sense to me and I knew what I had to do. SEEING it helped me to DO it.
Now, two years into maintenance, I agree with a lot of the above, about the click, about not eating something until you really want to eat it. Sometimes I go to a restaurant or someone's house for a meal, and there is literally nothing I want to eat. Note the operative word: "want" , not "can" or "will". I always check a menu online if it's there before I go, and, if not, I try looking at Yelp photos for ideas. I have an easy salad that I will have them make as a standby if all else fails. It's harder when I go to someone's house and there is literally nothing I want. Fortunately, most of my friends are very accepting of my "habits" and there are usually veggies or a salad or something for me. Worst case scenario (and this is very rare), I carry a protein bar with me in case it's a long night and I get really hungry. But I never consume that in front of anyone because I don't want to insult them.
So, yes, I can still say it's easy. And I think its easy because my choices are second nature to me now and unhealthy foods do not call to me. I have my moments, of course, but they are few and far between, and it's interesting that my body always tells me that it's not used to what I consumed, and didn't react well to it! Sugar just does a huge number on me and makes me feel wonky and tired - not worth the consumption. And overeating just isn't in my repertoire any more. It makes me too uncomfortable and I can eyeball a plate immediately to tell me what I will consume and what I won't. I also never take anything home from a restaurant for the next day unless my husband wants it. I have had it and I am done.
It's really a nice life, this maintenance. Because it's natural. And each of us have to find what works for us and make that an easy part of who we are.
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