My best friend doesnt believe in CICO
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »The "it wasn't exercise because it wasn't in a gym" seems more ridiculous than not believing it's all about CI<CO to me.
Yeah that one is crazy, to be honest 90% of my excerise is done walking, hiking, swimming and with work out DVD's so I dont get that at all.3 -
TeacupsAndToning wrote: »StaciMarie1974 wrote: »For some people, the idea that weight loss could be simple is too much. If its simple, a function of CICO, then they lose all their excuses as to why they can't/won't do it.
I've actually said something like this to some people and they give me a weird look like I must not be telling them the truth. Just a couple of weeks ago I said to someone, "to be honest I can't believe how easy it's been," and she just kind of looked at me like, "uh huh, you must be lying."
Yeah Im with you on that boat, the first two weeks I was thinking it cant be this easy, ill start gaining weight next week, and nope the scale is still moving downwards, almost under 200!12 -
I remember when I first was trying to lose weight my mum was aghast because I was having a chocolate bar - she exclaimed, you'll never lose any weight eating that, and she didn't want to hear when I said I could have anything as long as it fitted into my calories ...it 4 years since I lost the weight I needed to, I'm still slim/trim ....who knows better now eh mum!!! Me me me!
People have all sorts of weird notions about weight loss, thank goodness we don't have to live by their rules eh! it would be pretty miserable existence if we had to deny ourselves all sorts of delicious foods.5 -
I'd be more upset to have a friend that practices willful ignorance. I had a lot of misconceptions about weight loss at one point also, but thankfully I also had critical thinking skills and an open mind. I wouldn't be friends with someone like that tbh. Sometimes you outgrow people.4
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laurenebargar wrote: »I would just tell her that I don't need her advice, and then let results speak for themselves. She can believe whatever she wants to believe and it won't affect your results.
I do feel like in most cases, though, it's rude to offer criticisms of what other people are eating. If you didn't ask her for help, why is she picking apart your diet?
Yeah thats what I was feeling too honestly, I wasnt saying "oh I shouldnt be having ice cream im on a diet" I didnt say anything about calories, I just ordered what I wanted, and she started going on about this. I guess ive never really spoken with anyone yet about CICO and MFP, maybe this is how other people would react too.
Not really as extreme on my end. I do get some assumptions. Things like (upon turning down a larger portion of a salad drowning in dressing that also contains diced avocado), "But avocado is healthy fat and it's an organic dressing!" Or being asked by someone who's noticed the weight-loss, "How did you do it? You gave up bread? Carbs? Oil?"
And one person, after she asked and I told her about MFP and it all being CICO said, "That's great. I wish I had your willpower. I'm going to a weight-loss clinic next week."
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laurenebargar wrote: »I would just tell her that I don't need her advice, and then let results speak for themselves. She can believe whatever she wants to believe and it won't affect your results.
I do feel like in most cases, though, it's rude to offer criticisms of what other people are eating. If you didn't ask her for help, why is she picking apart your diet?
Yeah thats what I was feeling too honestly, I wasnt saying "oh I shouldnt be having ice cream im on a diet" I didnt say anything about calories, I just ordered what I wanted, and she started going on about this. I guess ive never really spoken with anyone yet about CICO and MFP, maybe this is how other people would react too.
I have to be honest, I have never, ever met anyone in real life that did not know losing weight is about calories in vs. calories out. And I talk about weight loss with a lot of people. Sometimes when I read through these forums it's like I'm from a different planet.0 -
Dammit my cycle ride today wasn't exercise as it wasn't in a gym.....
Your friend has some very strange beliefs.
TBH I have had a similar (but opposite) discussion with my MIL She claimed that you can only exercise when outdoors (default for my in-law family is runners). To which I replied so my workout at the gym, is not exercise? Or indoor Tennis etc?
Thankfully the penny dropped quickly that she was saying something majorly silly.
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Rebecca0224 wrote: »Because weightloss can't be that simple. You have to suffer and deprive yourself. Didn't you know you have to be miserable to lose weight?
People have trouble understanding that weightloss can be simple if you ignore the weightloss industry and gimmicks. We have been told that to loss weight we should eat like rabbits and go to the gym for hours every week and it's hard to let go of that.
My sister-in-law just shared before/after pics of her 90 pound weight loss on FB. And a long message about how much she struggled the last two years, including daily workouts, often in pain. I was so proud of her, but sad, too. I lost 90 pounds over a year, and found it so much easier than I expected. Tracking calories helped me find a way to eat the foods I love without feeling hungry or deprived. And doing simple walking led to running and lifting that made me feel strong and BETTER then I did before. Does she really think that being miserable with Keto and painful workouts is the only way to lose the weight? I really hope that by the time she finishes her weight loss that she can find a way of maintaining that isn't as difficult for her.9 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »What I find weird is that she thinks hiking isn't exercise and you can only exercise in a gym.
This. ^^^
I guess it's because they consider gym exercise as 'purposeful' whereas hiking is 'just walking around.' <insert eye-rolly here.>
What is amusing, though, is one hour of just walking around burns *way* more calories than the same hour spent in a gym lifting weights, getting all sweaty and feeling self-righteous.
Nah. It's that we're supposed to suffer to lose weight. "Eating healthy" and "going to the gym" are our penance for the wickedness of getting fat.
Just eating less (but still things we like) and increasing fun outdoor activities? Those aren't punishment enough, so we can't possibly lose weight that way.
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I started calorie counting more than 20 years ago. It has always "worked," except when I stopped and gained at least some weight back again. I'm currently pondering how to not let that happen, but I think this is what people mean about calorie counting "not working." Sure it works, every time I do it!
I recall a friend saying to me "I want to lose weight, but I don't want to become obsessed with what I eat." Now that is a tall order. You have to at least become aware of what you eat. For people who tend to gain weight when not paying close attention (like me) this awareness seems to always border on obsession. Too bad for those around us.10 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »...CICO isn't really sexy and is hard to monetize.
Only way you can is to maybe create an app that tracks calories in a very easy way, then put a bunch of ads in it.
Oh wait...
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »...CICO isn't really sexy and is hard to monetize.
Only way you can is to maybe create an app that tracks calories in a very easy way, then put a bunch of ads in it.
Oh wait...
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Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »I started calorie counting more than 20 years ago. It has always "worked," except when I stopped and gained at least some weight back again. I'm currently pondering how to not let that happen, but I think this is what people mean about calorie counting "not working." Sure it works, every time I do it!
I recall a friend saying to me "I want to lose weight, but I don't want to become obsessed with what I eat." Now that is a tall order. You have to at least become aware of what you eat. For people who tend to gain weight when not paying close attention (like me) this awareness seems to always border on obsession. Too bad for those around us.
And isn't that so weird? For countless years human society was (and in many places still is) firmly centered on the acquiring, cooking, and consuming of food - it was practically all we thought about, it was our primary motivation and goal. But now society seems to feel like paying any attention at all to your food is some kind of disorder or torture. Hopefully we can find a happy medium some day.
I only talk about counting with people who genuinely ask for guidance, and almost every person I've discussed it with has expressed either concern that I was doing it, or disbelief that they could possibly put that much effort into determining what to eat. Several have insisted it must take all the joy of eating somehow. Despite watching me thoroughly enjoy pizza, beer, restaurant desserts and bagels with cream cheese while maintaining a healthy weight. <shrug>7 -
Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »I started calorie counting more than 20 years ago. It has always "worked," except when I stopped and gained at least some weight back again. I'm currently pondering how to not let that happen, but I think this is what people mean about calorie counting "not working." Sure it works, every time I do it!
I recall a friend saying to me "I want to lose weight, but I don't want to become obsessed with what I eat." Now that is a tall order. You have to at least become aware of what you eat. For people who tend to gain weight when not paying close attention (like me) this awareness seems to always border on obsession. Too bad for those around us.
And isn't that so weird? For countless years human society was (and in many places still is) firmly centered on the acquiring, cooking, and consuming of food - it was practically all we thought about, it was our primary motivation and goal. But now society seems to feel like paying any attention at all to your food is some kind of disorder or torture. Hopefully we can find a happy medium some day.
I only talk about counting with people who genuinely ask for guidance, and almost every person I've discussed it with has expressed either concern that I was doing it, or disbelief that they could possibly put that much effort into determining what to eat. Several have insisted it must take all the joy of eating somehow. Despite watching me thoroughly enjoy pizza, beer, restaurant desserts and bagels with cream cheese while maintaining a healthy weight. <shrug>
For some it probably would take the joy out of eating. It took the joy out of cooking for me.2 -
Your friend isn't the only one that believes misinformation! I have had two doctors in the past that told me "walking wasn't exercise" (uh what? My walks burn 400kcal and increase my heart rate), and that I shouldn't worry about calories and just "eat healthy." Nevermind that "eating healthy" can absolutely lead to weight gain, since that's how I got fat in the first place! CICO is a simple formula that's difficult to implement, but it works. If it's the only thing that works for somebody, they should definitely be counting calories.
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That's a difficult situation- I can sympathize. I save the bulk of my calories for dinner and so I eat a lot around that time and even though I stick to my calories and goals, my husband occasionally make comments about how I shouldn't eat X or just drink more water (I drink over 90 oz a day already, no thanks). I have been losing weight steadily so the comments have dropped off but it can be frustrating when someone you care about thinks that the only way to lose weight is to suffer. I am also getting good at my withering stare
Honestly, the results so far have spoken for themselves- so keep up your hard work and show your friend that it does work. Good luck!2 -
Your friend isn't the only one that believes misinformation! I have had two doctors in the past that told me "walking wasn't exercise"
I had the opposite a couple of years ago. The GP told me I should do a bit more exercise following a blood pressure check. I pointed out I ran 40 miles per week and had a Half Marathon in two weeks. What he'd meant was to go for a walk.
Turned out to be an adverse reaction to some other medication.3 -
Penthesilea514 wrote: »That's a difficult situation- I can sympathize. I save the bulk of my calories for dinner and so I eat a lot around that time and even though I stick to my calories and goals, my husband occasionally make comments about how I shouldn't eat X or just drink more water (I drink over 90 oz a day already, no thanks). I have been losing weight steadily so the comments have dropped off but it can be frustrating when someone you care about thinks that the only way to lose weight is to suffer. I am also getting good at my withering stare
Honestly, the results so far have spoken for themselves- so keep up your hard work and show your friend that it does work. Good luck!
My husband can be the same way, but in his case I know he is coming from a caring place, and doing what has always worked for him. He has no reason to try to lose weight but he doesnt disagree with me that what im doing is working, he just makes helpful (sometimes) suggestions lol1 -
I have this argument with my family and friends all the time. I had a hard time believing it too because I wanted it to sound so much harder to lose weight so I had an excuse. Literally. It was only when I actually started counting and using MFP that I realized it's really that simple. And now, my friends and family are watching the weight fall off, and my sister actually had the ignorance to say "well now I have to do it because I don't want to be the fat sister". It hurt, but it spurred me on to keep going. While she eats her ice cream not in moderation and doesn't offset it with any activity..... then the tables will have turned and only then will she 'get it'.4
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Okay, I need to derail this for just a minute, why all the fro yo hate people! LOL I love fro yo and I love ice cream! Both are delicious, and can be incorporated in your diet successfully. Also, why would anyone be against a milkshake for breakfast if it fits your goals haha. Ok, I'm done.7
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