What life lessons has losing weight taught you?
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I learned that I really do like the way I look in small clothes. Some day I'll be back in them.7
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I learned that I don't need to eat "all the food". I can skip having some things like just have one dessert for a holiday meal, noy 3, or have smaller amounts and I don't don't get miserably full.5
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This is my second time around. But this time I'm actually trying- not starving and walking 12-15 miles a day. The lesson that losing weight and then gaining it back is more important than any lesson just losing could teach me. No matter what; you have to take care of yourself. You can't eat whatever and lie around and expect to stay fit- not unless you're blessed with an incredible metabolism.6
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Yep, I agree. I did the same thing.SteroidalLolita wrote: »This is my second time around. But this time I'm actually trying- not starving and walking 12-15 miles a day. The lesson that losing weight and then gaining it back is more important than any lesson just losing could teach me. No matter what; you have to take care of yourself. You can't eat whatever and lie around and expect to stay fit- not unless you're blessed with an incredible metabolism.2 -
Me too. I lost 34 lbs, then couldn’t handle feeling constantly deprived and hungry during a lot of stress, so I gained it all back. I am now eating what my maintenance will be at my goal weight and am losing weight, 14 lbs, but more importantly learning how to retrain my eating. I know the weight will come off more slowly as I reach goal weight, but the important thing is to retrain permanently my eating habits. Permanently this time! For me, the important thing is eating the way I should , and losing weight is secondary.10
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1. I actually really LOVE running
2. My nutrition/eating habits are closely linked to my mental health in both ways: if I'm down, I have a hard time eating reasonably. But if I'm eating reasonably, I have more energy and feel better.
3. I am WORTH all the work. I am deserving of all the effort and I would help anyone else a million times over to achieve the same things, but struggled for so long to do it for myself.9 -
Great question! I have enjoyed reading the responses.
For me ...
. Its consistency. Not perfection that counts.
. I really can do anything I really put my mind to.
. The real goal us not losing weight. It is to establish and maintain healthy habits forever.
Pretty much this. Life is a dance. Some days I eat a bit too much. Tomorrow I'll eat a bit less. Today I rode 75 miles - I'll have the beer and tacos. Tomorrow I may binge watch GOT - I'll need to eat less. I don't "cheat" - neither do I stress anymore - just adapt. Make small adjustments and manage your weight - from now on...9 -
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People love to kick you while you're down.5
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That I'm losing weight for myself, and that it's ok for anyone else not to notice changes.
That it's ok to have "bad" days.
That I no longer feel a strong need to binge on chocolate, now that I know that I CAN eat it, if I really want to.
That I don't have to eat everything that I submitted in the daily diary, because sometimes I feel full, especially after a workout.5 -
Actually understanding what it means by "change has to come from within". No matter the external support I got I didn't care. No matter the success stories I saw or the diaries I kept, nothing and no health scare was big or scary enough to make me say no to junk food. I had to make the decision to change and it wasn't easy convincing my family that THIS time I meant it.
That discipline is effort until it isn't (when it becomes a habit). For me that was a week. But I realised that before I couldn't even go 2 days eating healthy much less a week... Just the difference in that first week was enough to completely buy me over. I cannot go back to my old eating habits before.
Education on nutrition is a game changer for a bland palette. I couldn't even look at a carrot or broccoli. But I eat both everyday now because I know I should. It isn't even hard eating them knowing what I get out of it. First time I ate salmon I was reading on how good it was and what nutrition it had even as I was eating it. I've managed to expand my palette considerably and enjoy foods I previously hated. Broccoli is still hard tho haha :P7 -
Best thread I think I’ve ever read on these forums.1
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Losing weight doesn't magically fix life.10
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Like most things worth having ...
Persistence not perfection
Discipline trumps motivation
When you can't see the finish line, trust the process.11 -
Bump
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Patience, patience, patience. And learning to enjoy the experience - it's all about the journey.2
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Not to be at war with myself after eating junk. When I do that my mind plays this crazy trick and makes me think I've destroyed my progress and I binge for months. I'm no longer a binge eater and I eat a burger or pizza if I want it.
Also, to not keep cereal in the house.
I'm down 109lb and I am learning everyday.19 -
-It has to be a lifestyle change and not a quick diet.
-Working out gets easier with time,
if you’re at it consistently you get stronger and will be able to do more.
-It’s okay to say no and not care about others taking offense to it. (What’s with the need to feed everyone anyways lol??)
-Being in the zone while working out feels AMAZING!8 -
That alcohol is not your friend and you are better off without it. It has empty calories, slows your metabolism, weakens your resolve when comsuming it and the following day makes you crave calorie laden food.8
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Slow and steady wins the race.
When there are setbacks or plateaus, I focus on the fact that I did it before which is proof I can do it again.
When I don’t see results I like or slide backwards, my signature move is a shrug and “oh well” before getting on with the rest of my day/life.
My current weight/waistline is not the most important thing about me.
Body fat % below 20% for second time on this two month journey—going for 15%.3 -
Cutemesoon wrote: »I learned that losing weight does NOT automatically make you feel better about yourself. Whatever self-esteem issues were present before weight loss may still be present afterwards.
Not everyone will be happy with your weight loss. You will find out who your REAL friends are. You will also see a lot of jealousy.Cutemesoon wrote: »I learned that losing weight does NOT automatically make you feel better about yourself. Whatever self-esteem issues were present before weight loss may still be present afterwards.
Not everyone will be happy with your weight loss. You will find out who your REAL friends are. You will also see a lot of jealousy.
Yeah, a woman I thought was a best friend told me my thighs were starting to look TOO thin, AFTER I told her about my progress (btw my thighs are not too thin lol).
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MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »That we are stronger than we think.
That we are loved deeply by more people than we realize.
That it was easy for me to get used to how I felt when I was overweight/obese, and I couldn’t even envision or feel how it would be thin - despite getting there 4-6 times in my lifetime.
Thank all those other times I did Not need to be in a rush, nor limit myself to 1200 calories, nor limit fat...
That losing fast, unless one is lifting heavy, contributes to muscle loss, and a daily burn of fewer calories. I never thought I could lose 75 lbs walking daily & eating 2000-2100 calories at age 62. 5’8.5” over about 40 months.
That losing weight involves a lot of self-forgiveness & self-care/self-love/self-acceptance
That the things that made me stop losing in the past ended up not being so bad at goal weight: face looks great, skin is fine (not great) but certainly something I can handle now.
That in America, we are in a toxic food environment. I had to figure out how to see friends without food and train my family that I wouldn’t be eating in a restaurant, in part to control calories/track accurately & in part because I “register” what I’ve eaten much better when not eating in a Social situation.
Yes to toxic food environment. Unhealthy eating is not only normalized but promoted in every form of media, the diet & fitness industrial-complex, and the global food business. the more woke I get to this reality the sadder & madder I get that it is like this.2 -
that even at age 54 and 100 lbs overweight, I can take back my life. I've got 40 to go but damn if it don't feel good!11
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Losing weight made me realize I had the control the entire time. Many people walk through life acting like victims. "I'm fat, I'm broke, I don't have the job and relationship I want..." We all can make choices to live the life we want..it just takes work.12
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elisa123gal wrote: »Losing weight made me realize I had the control the entire time. Many people walk through life acting like victims. "I'm fat, I'm broke, I don't have the job and relationship I want..." We all can make choices to live the life we want..it just takes work.
What a lovely way to say it! Truth!!!
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I learned just how capable I am of success. If I want something, all I have to do is go after it. It probably won't be easy, but I now know that I can get there.
I learned my self worth and how to speak up and say yes when I want something, but also how say no to people.
I learned which people in my life are superficial and which ones are amazing friends that will celebrate with me. Similarly, life is easier when you're smaller and that's a lot of mental processing to work through.
But most of all I learned how much I love my life in this journey and I never want to go back 7 -
Being greatfull for everything I have and time I get with my family /life/lifestyle balance.4
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This is probably true about most things in life. Losing weight is straightforward and simple. People make it harder than it needs to be. The most important things are consistency, perseverance and setting your priorities. If you do that, you can make most anything happen.7
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I learned that living healthy becomes easier once you get the hang of it. I sacrificed my TV time at home for the gym and cooking, I honestly don't miss it. You start working out without completely dreading it and the food is tasty as long as you cook it that way.2
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