When someone asks for your 'secret'
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I only eat healthy when there is full moon, like the haircut theory
... the rest of the days ... calorie deficit ... but this is irrelevant
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sunnysunny88 wrote: »Hi Guys! So I've lost close to 12 kg around 26 lbs, and at a point where everyone is noticing! I've had a few people ask me what my 'secret' is and I don't know why but it makes me a little uncomfortable? One girl asked if I am on a very strict diet and I told her that I don't find it strict I just limit my calorie intake and exercise more, and then I get the glazed looks lol I dunno anyone else feels the same way?
People don't really get that it's all about CICO and changing their habits, they want a magic pill. Think of it as your chance to do your civic duty and educate others.2 -
People want an easy 'fix'. There's nothing 'easy' about this. I've been in maintenance for over 3 years. It's a lot of hard work and dedication. As they say, pick your 'hard'. It's 'hard' to be overweight and miserable. It's hard to be dedicated and log your food and keep a consistent workout schedule. I'd much rather track my food and be consistent about my workouts than be overweight.12
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French_Peasant wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »Ditto to the others' replues - most people are either looking for some magic they can adopt without actual effort, or a story so extreme that they know they can't achieve it (so they have an excuse).
As an alternative, you could just mess with 'em: "I drink a quart of apple cider vinegar every morning, then eat whatever I want"; "I learned to do headstands, and that made all the difference", "Eat only apples on Mondays, berries on Tuesdays, Cabbage on Wednesdays, . . . .", etc. (I'm joking! Joking!)
Pine cones from my yard. They were a challenge to get used to them, but If I coat them in peanut butter they slide right down. Also, if you are going to tell people this, please make sure they know you are joking, because no doubt someone will try it.
Good job Nutmegoreo....now we're going to be overwhelmed with questions about the miraculous peanutbutter-pinecone diet come next January.
I suggest you develop your branding, communications/article placement strategy, packaging, accessorizing and merchandising, book, book tour, warehouse packaging facility, and $40 starter kit (12 ounce jar of cleansing/detoxing peanut butter and 10 ounces of organic, sustainable, free-range pinecones!) now so you can get ahead of the curve. You are going to make a freakin' kitten-load of money!
Good plan! I have several I didn't catch before winter, so those could be "aged cones" and if any are moldy those could be "antibacterial cleanse cones." I'mma be rich!12 -
I always tell people who seem interested about MFP. They rarely listen
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I never get asked this lol. WHY!? I wanna be asked. It seems fun.
I think I'd go with the "portion control and some exercise" answer.2 -
I lost around 9 stone (126 lb) during 2016, something a lot of people noticed since I'm literally half the man I used to be.
But my "secret" starts with... "At first all I did was quit drinking."
I could say just about anything after that, because nobody is listening...25 -
MontyMuttland wrote: »I lost around 9 stone (126 lb) during 2016, something a lot of people noticed since I'm literally half the man I used to be.
But my "secret" starts with... "At first all I did was quit drinking."
I could say just about anything after that, because nobody is listening...
"At first all I did was quit drinking....then I sacrificed a white rabbit under each full moon for a year, drank fairy tears, and stood on one foot for at least 5 minutes every day while pondering the meaning of life."
This could be fun!13 -
I wouldn't have listened either. It was ingrained in my head that losing weight HAD to be restrictive in some way. I had to "go on a diet".
Here was my thought process...
Counting calories isn't a diet/plan/program so there's no way it could work, I must stop eating x,y & z.
It has to be a lifestyle change (which in my mind was a complete and total overhaul of everything I was eating).
I have to work out 7 days a week and push myself.
It won't be fun when I'm on the "diet" and everyone around me will need to be miserable because I am.
I had to be rock bottom so to speak. I knew I wanted to eat the foods I like to eat. My thought was I'd just eat 1200 calories for the rest of my life to maintain so I signed up for mfp. Whew what a relief to learn about so much stuff but especially about my TDEE:).4 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »Pine cones from my yard. They were a challenge to get used to them, but If I coat them in peanut butter they slide right down. Also, if you are going to tell people this, please make sure they know you are joking, because no doubt someone will try it.
What's the fibre content on those puppies?3 -
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I tell people that I eat less and move more. It's always a woman asking and the usual follow up question is "Do you eat 1200 calories a day?" so I say no, more like 1800. They tend to be surprised by that.
What I find interesting is that I have had three women tell me that I was their inspiration for losing weight. They've told me that after they lost the weight and these are women who never asked me anything about my weight loss. So I have no idea if they counted calories or points or used prepackaged food or exercised or whatever. Never has a person who asked me how I lost weight said that I was their inspiration. For the record, the idea of being somebody's inspiration is mindboggling to me and I'm never sure how to respond to being told that.26 -
Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »Pine cones from my yard. They were a challenge to get used to them, but If I coat them in peanut butter they slide right down. Also, if you are going to tell people this, please make sure they know you are joking, because no doubt someone will try it.
What's the fibre content on those puppies?
I heard a hear say rumor that kraft Parmesan cheese, the stuff that comes in a shaker bottle uses wood shavings to save money on the costs so a certain percentage of their product isn't even cheese.. If the fiber content is higher in pinecones, maybe we could email kraft and ask them to make the switch.
It's actually true...well, true-ish. It's just cellulose, which is in all plants including trees and pinecones, and is used to prevent clumping in different kinds of shredded bagged cheeses. I am eyeing my quest bar which lists "soluble corn fiber" and am wondering if that means ground up cornstalks or what. Regardless, anything that has added fiber likely has some kind of ground up plant material or another (Fiber One lists chicory root and sugar cane fiber).4 -
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Same here it's just a simple matter of calories in vs. Calories out. You tell that to a lot of people you just look at you with a lost expression on their face they don't believe it's that simple but that's all it is. I tell them I still like my Wendy's hamburgers, pizza and beer on the beach.
The reason most people don't believe us when we tell them it's cico is they've been exposed to so much media and advertising that preaches a magic pill and if you don't use that magic pill or whatever else you can't lose the weight.
Will show the toughest part about losing weight is it's a mental game once you get into the right mindset it's a piece of cake and I'm sure a lot of people who've lost the weight and kept it off will agree with that for me the losing the weight was the simplest thing I ever did never felt funny because I didn't look at it as a diet5 -
My standard answer is "I took control of my eating habits and eat the appropriate amount of calories for my weight and activity level. I also use mfp to count calories and track my food intake".
As soon as they hear "count calories" I see more glaze than on the rack at dunkin donuts!
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I just say "Lift weight, eat clean, sleep well, keep away from stress and get laid"
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I got asked quite a bit when I first lost the weight, but trying to explain IF to people is 'interesting' to say the least I tried a few times to simplify things by saying I just track my calorie intake but that didn't go over much better lol.
Now I've been in maintenance long enough that everyone is just used to how I am, and I don't think a lot of people even remember that I used to be overweight.3 -
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When I tell them that my secret is logging every bite I eat and making sure that I have a little deficit each day, if I possibly can, and wearing an activity tracker that keeps track of my every step I take and trying my best to meet my goal each day and exceed it when I can, they suddenly lose interest in my secret, saying that's too hard or too much work. Yeah, well that's the difference in successful people and unsuccessful people, we are will to do things they aren't willing to do. That's no secret!
However in the future I will now say, "Pine cones from my yard. They were a challenge to get used to them, but If I coat them in peanut butter they slide right down." Thanks to you @nutmegoreo ! or "I added an extra 2 tubs of ice cream per day to ramp up my metabolism and stopped working out entirely and watch more TV" thanks to you @wackyfunster10 -
Look_Its_Kriss wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »I got asked quite a bit when I first lost the weight, but trying to explain IF to people is 'interesting' to say the least I tried a few times to simplify things by saying I just track my calorie intake but that didn't go over much better lol.
Now I've been in maintenance long enough that everyone is just used to how I am, and I don't think a lot of people even remember that I used to be overweight.
I think thats happened with me too, most people say they cant even remember what i looked like at 300 pounds.
Wow good job on the maintaining guys!5 -
Actual word-for-word exchange on Facebook (I swear it's true) with acquaintance, her response to my posting a new profile pic showing thin Ann (jeans & tank top, nothing crazy):
Acquaintance: You look amazing Ann and just in time for bikini season! Can you share the type of diet you were on (unless chocolate is not allowed, don't bother - ha ha).
Me: Any food is allowed. I just ate less, using a food-logging app to calorie count. I know that's not very exciting or magical sounding, but it works (and is pretty easy). I used MyFitnessPal, but there are others that I'm sure would work equally well.
Acquaintance: Thanks for the information Ann. It does sound pretty easy and you are proof that it works. I'll check it out as soon as I finish my ice cream!24 -
I have said "Aids" to a couple of people. But then again, I can be an *kitten*.
But yeah, when I've explained it to people their eyes glaze over.13 -
I lost 130 lbs. Co-workers swear I have some big secret. I tell them I just got off my fat *kitten* and started moving around more.
I actually ate good according to a registered dietitian, I just didn't move enough. Turned out to be true.7 -
The first few times when asked I pulled out the phone and brought up MFP basically describing this in the same manner of managing a financial budget, just with calories...and met with the glazed eyes every time.
Now I tell them I solved the riddle of steel and that I pray to Crom, though I have no tongue for it.10 -
I go with "I don't eat as much anymore" and pray to the gods they accept it, shut up, and go away. I hate talking about my weight loss since it puts me in the centre of attention and I'm expected to be this diet guru when I really have no clue.
Lmaooo so me!! I've lost 154 pounds in a year by eating healthy-ER and working my *kitten* off. Simple, hard of course, but not rocket science, I'll tell them exactly that, I eat good train beastly, and they look at me like I'm a liar, I'm like bro, idk I just do it!10 -
People have actually called me a liar lmao I told them "all I do is eat clean, work hard, and if I really want something I eat it." They're like "no your on pills, you had surgery" usually followed by me saying " bishhh I effing worked hard, I did this my DAMN SELF" lol10 -
People have actually called me a liar lmao I told them "all I do is eat clean, work hard, and if I really want something I eat it." They're like "no your on pills, you had surgery" usually followed by me saying " bishhh I effing worked hard, I did this my DAMN SELF" lol
Oh god, I had that one just last week. What is so hard about counting calories, and eating a little bit less and moving a little bit more?
And then there was the group of people in the break room yesterday who were discussing which brands of green tea and ACV are the best and asked me which ones I used.5 -
Lots of people have asked me what I did to lose the weight. I always say "eat less, move more". I've never had anyone act weird about that answer, though a few have asked for more specifics (how many calories did you eat, did you eat low carb, what exercises do you do, etc.)5
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