I understand what you mean because I always felt that way in past attempts. In fact, it's one of the main reasons I don't think I was ever able to keep the weight off.
This time around, I vowed that I would not commit to anything that I am not willing to do for the rest of my life (I mouthed that platitude in previous attempts, but I never really believed or followed it). So, in previous attempts, I got up at 5:00 a.m., 5-6 days a week to work out for 1 - 1 1/2 hours at the gym. It was really the only time I could reasonably fit it in. Guess what? I'm not willing to do that for the rest of my life. So, this time around, I'm not committing to that. Instead, I've committed to at least one hour of some type of activity 5-6 days a week, and that "activity" doesn't have to be something separate from my daily life. Because I'm short on time, I multi-task. I have a treadmill, & I had my husband build a tread desk for me (Google it). Now, when I work on my computer (which I do for at least one hour per day, often more), I also walk (3 mph, 4 elevation). Also, I vigorously clean house for an hour or more on some days, and I definitely count that as activity. For strength training, I do a simple routine of a few key exercises (push-ups, squats, tricep dips, sit-ups); it takes less than 15 minutes. If I miss a day of activity, I shrug it off. I refuse to feel guilty. I do what I can, and that is making it so much easier to keep up with this; I would rather do what I can (which is much better than what I was doing) than give it 110% and then run out of steam a year later.
As for eating, it is true that it takes more planning than the indiscriminate eating we probably all did in our "fat" days, but even that gets better as you establish routines and learn short cuts. For example, when I'm short on time, I put some tin foil on a big cookie sheet, spray w/ olive oil, & put the following on it: a pounded chicken breast, some grape tomatoes, a few slices of onions, and some frozen veggies. Spray w/ olive oil, sprinkle w/ salt & pepper, and broil. It's really fast & it's good.
Also, when you do cook something, make more than one servings. For example, when I cook brown rice, I portion it into serving sizes & freeze. That way, whenever I want some rice, I just have to microwave it to defrost. Do this with other types of foods as well, and it will make eating healthier easier and faster.
If you feel so busy that you don't think you can make big-scale improvements, then you may be trying to make too many changes at once. You don't have to do what the dieting and exercise gurus tell you that you must. Make small changes that you know you can easily stick to. It will still be an improvement, right? My husband always says that people who don't want to bother calorie counting or other prepping could lose weight if they just ate half of what they normally eat. That might be an idea for you.
I actually find it easier to lose weight when I am busy, because I schedule everything in - I spend one day on the weekends cooking for the rest of the week (it usually coincides with my study day, where I'd be confined to my apartment ANYWAY) and I make 5 little breakfast/lunch/dinner bags for each day of the week. It takes me about 6 hours a week, but it works.
I think its the opposite if your not too busy to eat then your not too busy for weight loss, weight loss is about choices when you eat and how much you eat....thats it. You have to eat to live so you are obviously eating since your alive, which means you have time.
I think its the opposite if your not too busy to eat then your not too busy for weight loss, weight loss is about choices when you eat and how much you eat....thats it. You have to eat to live so you are obviously eating since your alive, which means you have time.
Absolutely!
This is cross posted, but it's why I think it's easier on me to eat well:
I make a lot of easy meals to supplement the more time-intensive meals that I freeze into portions on weekends. I cook big batches of tomato sauce, jar them, and freeze to have on hand. I do the same with zucchini turkey meatballs, curries, spicy beans, casseroles, burritos, portions of soup or chili for daily lunch, and all kinds of things that I'd want to eat. I often make instant brown rice to mix with some of the aforementioned meals.
-Make a little chicken when you can - grill, bake, crockpot, whatever. It helps to have it cooked when you're going for quick
-Salads are always easy, and can vary
-Soups with some veggies, broth, maybe pasta, maybe rice, maybe chicken (that you would have already made). All kinds of chili - chili is filling and can be incredibly healthy.
Asian noodle bowls are another variation. I use tofu noodles, but you can use rice noodles or anything around, some sriracha, hoisin, etc, and mix with your veggies and sauce.
-Flatbread pizzas. Take flatbread (I use flatout), bake, cover with toppings of choice, bake. I've made BBQ chicken, Thai chicken, regular pizza varieties, buffalo chicken.
-Tuna cakes - like crab cakes, but with canned tuna
-Roast your veggies. It's simple and tastes delicious with little to no prep
-Quesadillas are easy and delicious - I use Trader Joe's low carb
-Sandwiches and wraps
-I use barley as a "pasta" and mix with veggies and tomato sauce, maybe a little Parmesan.
-I make cheese sauce (for homemade macaroni and cheese) and even cook a little extra pasta to have on hand to make cooking even faster.
-Loaded microwave "baked" potato (roast your broccoli, maybe crisp up a chopped piece of turkey or center cut bacon),
-stir fry over quick cooking brown rice - you can even use the chicken that you've already cooked! Trader Joe's has a nice frozen stir fry mix in which the veggies taste much better than some of the others.
You can do this! You may not have an extra hour everyday to cook, but you can cook three meals in an hour when you DO have the time.
How much time do you spend preparing your meals now? I bet you can use that same exact amount of time to make something similar and even healthier!
Honestly...it sounds like another excuse. Because realistically, there will never be a perfect time to lose the weight. There will never be perfect conditions or circumstances, there will always be some reason why it's easier not to do it. So you just have to be willing to do it, come **** or high water. Be smart, be flexible, be firm, and you can do it. Best of luck to you!!
For most of my life, I thought that I was too busy and too stressed for weight loss - and for writing my novel.
Then about seven years ago I had to quit working and file for disability because of health issues. I was home all day - and I still felt too busy and too stressed for the weight loss and the novel.
We all have a big list of "when I find time" goals - but the truth is "time" never falls in our lap. You have to make time for what's most important to you.
All that being said, I do have the luxury of time, and it is a powerful advantage, but I still have to make the time, or the time slips away from me, and I wonder "Where did the time go?"
I'm amazed though now that I do have the time, and am using it, how little time it actually takes. Less time than I wasted (or spent on less important things) when I was working double shifts and two jobs working 60 or more hours a week.
I probably could have succeeded if I had only replaced all the time I spent thinking I was too busy, with thoughts and plans for diet and exercise
KAPLODS...I was going to PM you today to tell you how much I enjoy your writing and to ask if you were an author. As an english major (decades ago), I enjoy good writing style and expression. I really enjoy your posts.
KAPLODS...I was going to PM you today to tell you how much I enjoy your writing and to ask if you were an author. As an english major (decades ago), I enjoy good writing style and expression. I really enjoy your posts.
Thanks, I love writing (and talking) and I wanted to be an English major - but my school counselor talked me out of it, and I started college as a nursing major (intending pre-med), and switched to psychology and went on to get my master's degree in developmental psychology. Before I got ill, I had planned applying to the University of Illinois to pursue a doctorate in psycholinguistics.
I've had one short story published, and I've started about a dozen novels (never getting beyond the first few chapters - (sort of like my weight loss record before "this time").
Just like my weight loss, I've surpassed all my previous attempts, and I think this novel may actually see print (or at least cross the desk of an agent or editor).
Anyone else feel like they are too busy for weight loss?
