I realized for me weight loss is hard because it's about doing less.
I've been raised to be hard working and competitive. When I work toward something, I'm always doing more. Test coming up? I study until I'm exhausted and then I study some more. I do practice problems, read the textbook.
Need to find a job? I send in 10, 20, 100 applications until something works out.
But for weightloss? It's about less. Eat less, think about food less. And a lot of it is also passive waiting. You restrict your diet and then you wait and wait...and wait for the pounds to fall off. There's so little that's active about losing weight and that's why it's so frustrating for me...
Sometimes I read these forums or other food-related articles and I'm so motivating to do something and then I'll look at food and realize, it's only by doing nothing that I'm doing something, and that really gets me sometimes...
ETA: of course, there is exercise, but you can study 10 hours a day - you can't exercise 10 hours a day! Given my busy schedule, exercise is an important but small (~45 min) part of my daily schedule, which still leaves 23 hrs of passivity.
anyway, looking to hear you thoughts on this as well as what's tough for you...
Last edited by sparklegirl07; 03-25-2012 at 10:49 PM.
I was actually about to make a post about how weight loss makes me do more! Its kinda baffling, but then I realized that I take a lot of time to buy groceries and cook, and that I stay active by trying to walk a few hours a day. Before I just used to buy a jar of Nutella and bread and that was breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That along with the stuff I absolutely have to do (work, laundry, bills) gives me some free time, but by then all I feel like doing is just occasionally hang out or be online lol.
I completely agree with you, sparklegirl! I have been fighting with my weight my entire life and I have a tendency to micromanage the heck out of my weightloss attempts - counting every single (literally) calorie, signing up for blog upon blog, newsletters, etc, tracking everything to the point of being neurotic - and then I'd be so exhausted and overwhelmed after a week that I'd throw in the towel and just give up. This time I've established my caloric limit, determined a few staple foods that I'll be relying on, will be making an effort to work out 3-4x a week with a basic cardio/strength routine, and am just going to trust in the process. I figure if it's a lifelong thing that I can't devote ALL my attention to it - that just isn't going to be sustainable in the long run. It's a huge mental shift for me as well though!
Everyone has their challenges with it, but I understand where you're coming from. It's always been about doing more to reach the goal. I remember my grandma (who was a tiny women) always saying to leave table a little hungry...meaning the table, not my stomach. It's also hard because stress can mess with your weight SO MUCH and that makes me crazy. When I am under stress, I hold so much weight but it will slide right off as soon as the stress is gone. Unfortunately being a senior in college really keeps the stress at a top notch!
I was actually about to make a post about how weight loss makes me do more! Its kinda baffling, but then I realized that I take a lot of time to buy groceries and cook, and that I stay active by trying to walk a few hours a day. Before I just used to buy a jar of Nutella and bread and that was breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That along with the stuff I absolutely have to do (work, laundry, bills) gives me some free time, but by then all I feel like doing is just occasionally hang out or be online lol.
Totally off-topic here, but your avatar picture gets me every time, LOL.
I've never thought of losing weight as a passive thing so it's interesting to think of it that way.
I find myself doing more now that healthier. I want to be more active and my house is run a lot more efficiently because I have the energy to stay organized and on top of all the responsibilities. I'm also happier so I'm actively seeking out to be social whereas before I would prefer to be alone.
I find exercise doesn't need to be hours long to be effective. Efficiency is key and I'm always amazed at pushing myself and seeing what I am able to do. I've never been an active girl and HATED exercise so this change has been welcoming.
I find the balance the hardest. I work full time (like many of you I'm sure!) but I try to balance time exercising with spending time with friends and family and spending time getting the stuff done that HAS to be done (laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.)
I am a people person, so sometimes (3-5 times a month or so) I end up spending time with friends after work instead of working out. But I figure my mental health is more important than losing weight faster. Also, once I'm skinny, I still want to have friends to hang out with so I have somewhere to wear my new, fabulous wardrobe.
The more attention I give to it, the harder it seems, and the more effort it seems to be. I started my diet in January 2012. At first it consumed my day: thinking about food, about what I could have and couldn't have, about recording the calories, about how many calories I was burning. I was a little bit obsessed.
After a while, it became so tedious for me to be giving it my entire attention. I still counted calories and exercised, but once I was done with the task of preparing a meal or recording the calories, I went on to other things. It has become easier for me to live this way, and less exhausting. I continue to lose weight, but it isn't the focus of my life anymore, and that is a huge relief.
Last edited by gardend1va; 03-26-2012 at 08:09 AM.
I'm exactly the same! And the reason that ends up being bad is that i end up thinking about my diet constantly and obsessing and planning about food in an unhealthy way. So I've tried to stop overexercising and stop thinking about food so much. One thing that i try to do is NOT cook too much (unlike most people). I do cook but i keep everything really simple. Simple steamed vegetables, meat with salt and pepper on the grill, etc. Otherwise i'm constantly thinking about food, going to the grocery store, thinking what i need to defrost, etc.
Weight loss is hard because...
