Living the Lifestyle (LTL) - Wednesday, 8/23/17
minimyzeme
Posts: 2,708 Member
Everyone says it, but just how do you do it? How do you take the guidelines of the WW program and turn them into a lifestyle you can live every day...from now on? That is what we are here to explore. Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Newbie? Join in! Veteran? Join in! Your thoughts may be just what someone else needs to hear.
Monday -- imastar2 (Derrick)
Tuesday -- bwmalone (Brett)
Wednesday -- minimyzeme (Kim)
Thursday -- misterhub (Greg)
Friday -- Jimb376mfp (Jim)
Today's topic: Sacrifice or opportunity--how do you view your process of weight loss?
Which is your view of your path related weight loss? Has it changed over time? How does your perspective influence your approach to the living the lifestyle?
Monday -- imastar2 (Derrick)
Tuesday -- bwmalone (Brett)
Wednesday -- minimyzeme (Kim)
Thursday -- misterhub (Greg)
Friday -- Jimb376mfp (Jim)
Today's topic: Sacrifice or opportunity--how do you view your process of weight loss?
Which is your view of your path related weight loss? Has it changed over time? How does your perspective influence your approach to the living the lifestyle?
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When I finally moved from thinking about losing weight to actually doing it, the switches flipped. Whereas a day, week, month or year before I hadn't been ready to change, when I was, I was. I was tired of having no energy. I was tired needing bigger and bigger clothes. I dreaded going to the doctor and hearing any number of variations on the theme that I was obese. I wasn't ready to change until I was...
No doubt I had to make some changes early on, I'd be hard-pressed to call them sacrifices. I certainly didn't starve or go hungry in any way. I ate less and that took some getting used to. I had to make choices that were consistent with my weight loss goals. When it came to choices, I found myself rarely choosing many of the fat bombs that got me to where I started--especially baked and sugary goods and carbs of other sorts. There was a short period of time where that felt like a sacrifice but I guess I do pretty well with the concept of trade-offs. It was different but OK since it was consistent with my objective. Long before I reached goal, just shaving weight off a bit at a time gave me all the incentive I needed to make it feel more like an opportunity than a sacrifice. I do have to admit though my partner does all our shopping and food prep. Without her help, I think it might have more feeling of sacrifice if I had to make it work from start to finish without her.
Now, on maintenance, there's no question the weight loss is an opportunity. I think I've structured my plan with enough flexibility so I don't feel deprived in any way. I've gained far more in terms of mobility and health than I gave up. I love life in a smaller body. Sure, not every problem is solved and there's even been some new ones. But having to haul my old, heavy self around is not one of them and for that I'm grateful! It makes it worth doing it one more day.1 -
Well, before I started, I thought I was starting down the road to the outside looking in. From here on out I would be on the street with my nose pressed to the glass watching the rest of the world have fun inside.
What I found- weight loss is liberation.
Not to mention the business about how I'd either be dead or totally debilitated by now had I managed to survive.2 -
I didn't want to look long term at sacrifice and deprivation so I took it as day by day opportunities. Less depressing for me.2
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While I love the optimistic wording that "It's not a diet it's a lifestyle change"; it's still a diet. And dieting means cutting calories, either through smaller portions or choosing different foods. And cutting calories means sometimes sacrificing foods that you would otherwise love to eat if weight wasn't a factor.
That being said, I still do it because it's worth it and I have changed my habits for the long term. And while the results give me more opportunities in life, the process does involve a certain level of sacrifice.2 -
I know that objectively, I am saying no to things or more realistically, quantities of things than I did before... but I don't feel much like I have sacrificed. On the rare occasion that I start feeling deprived, I seek out, plan out, measure out something very decadent, log it, and remember that this doesn't mean giving things up... it means to be more deliberate, nothing more, nothing less.
On the opportunity side, I see a lot going on... I have the opportunity to try new foods and recipes more than ever.. just because something is lower on the calorie density side, does not mean it has to be boring to eat! I also have the opportunity to move more, which I truly enjoy doing.. and as I drop weight and gain fitness, that is more and more enjoyable too. I have the opportunity not to hate the way I look - which ... though I didn't realize it when I started, was something that I was in denial about (not the way I look, so much as how I feel about the way I look) - and perhaps for the first time in my life, I am beginning to like what i see... and that's huge.
And on a side note....I wasn't ready to change until I was...
I love this.
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minimyzeme wrote: »Now, on maintenance, there's no question the weight loss is an opportunity. I think I've structured my plan with enough flexibility so I don't feel deprived in any way. I've gained far more in terms of mobility and health than I gave up. I love life in a smaller body. Sure, not every problem is solved and there's even been some new ones. But having to haul my old, heavy self around is not one of them and for that I'm grateful! It makes it worth doing it one more day.
This!
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Sacrifice or Opportunity is something that upon looking back or thinking about currently would be in the sacrifice court when I first started. I never gave into the thought that I was sacrificing because when I started I always ate to either satisfaction or items that I enjoyed but limited in portions that were consistent with my objectives.
After about a year or so as special holidays and occasions came around I did feel like I was sacrificing so I splurged on those days and went right back to eating what I call normal portions or items. I like the word opportunity but I don't know over the last few years that I view my weight loss as an opportunity. I do see that it is an opportunity toward getting to a successful weight so I know that is really is by definition an opportunity.
Lots of sacrifices and opportunities to go so I prefer looking at my weight loss journey or lifestyle as an opportunity moving forward.1 -
Thanks all. I'm a 'links-in-the-chain' kind of guy. My experience has been that I had to understand and address many of the mental aspects of me around food (as discussed in the LTL last week).
This question about perspective was related to that. I find if I emphasize the opportunity part more than the sacrifice, it helps take some of "fight" out of it for me. It's hard to articulate how that seemingly small aspect makes such a big difference, but for me it does.0
This discussion has been closed.