Lessons
 

What are some lessons that you've learned throughout your lifestyle change journey?

Here are some of mine:

Food tends to have alot more calories than you think it does. :o

Typing at the computer does not count as exercise... no matter how fast your fingers move. :comp:

Guilt tastes like crap. :barf:

Okay, now your turn!

What others are eating doesn't affect me. Special occasions are few and far between and can usually be handled well with careful planning. Exercise is a must, not optional. Writing down my food and exercise everyday helps to keep me honest and on track.

you feel alot better after using exercise to relieve stress than using food.

just because no one else sees you eat it doesn't mean you wont feel guilty about it.

If you wait on your weight loss buddy wou may be waiting a long time! your better off staying motivated yourself.

A big one for me that I'm slowly learning and still working on is that giving into a craving is usually not nearly as satisfying as you think it will be! What's more satisfying to me is NOT giving into the craving and enjoying the fact that I just passed up something unhealthy! Like I said...I'm still working on this one!

1. It is a lifestyle change. :carrot:
2. Ice cream should be a treat not a daily meal. ;)
3. I may never like exercise but I will always choose to do it because I like my resting heart rate of 53 and my blood pressure of 106/69 and my normal blood sugar and my new muscles and every ounce of sweat. :wl:
4. It is not an overnight thing. This has been the hardest lesson. I lose weight at the rate of .5-2lbs a week...TOPS. It is blood, sweat and tears and worth all of it no matter how long it takes. :spin:
5. It's not an all or nothing thing. One slide does not mean the end of the world. Just like it took me 5 months to lose 35 pounds, I won't gain 35 pounds by eating one cheat meal once in awhile. :cbg:
6. It's about living life. It's about the journey. Life won't start when I lose weight. Life is NOW! :beach:

Healthy eating does not happen by accident.

You can't always count on being motivated. You have to do it whether you "feel like it" or not.

A tablespoon of peanut butter is smaller than my eye estimates it to be.

Once I started eating fresh foods instead of processed junk, I began to realize how good it tastes! Fruit really is sweet and can hit the spot when I want something sweet.

If I want to keep losing and/or someday maintain, this is how I will continue eating. I can't go back to the old way, unless I want to go back to the old weight.

Exactly as Christina said, one cheat or one off plan meal isn't going to ruin everything. Just keep going.

love that one! so true!

my lesson would be just keep going, just keep trying, never give up, it's completely doable.

1. It is a lot easier to tie your shoes after you lose 20 lbs.

2. A plateau is no reason to throw in the towel (that has been the hardest, most valuable lesson I have learned).

3. Husbands can eat three times as much but still lose twice as much weight in the same period of time.

4. Giving into a craving once in awhile is definitely worth it as far as keeping your sanity.

5. This can't be a "diet"; it's gotta be forever. (I am still learning this one)

For me I guess I've learned weight loss is alot like moving, you can go as fast or as slow as you like each with different pro's and con's.

Fast-Hiring movers-surgery
Done and over with fast, may not learn how to maintain it and have to do it again.

Medium Pace-DIY as fast as possible (moving and weight loss)
Better chance of knowing what it takes, may not be willing to do it again if it was too hard the first time.

Slow- Pack everything properly, cherish old memories- Learn how to eat and exercise for life
Takes alot longer, but you learn how to do it right and maintain it so you don't have to do it again.

Unfortuntely the main side effect of eating loads of fruit & veg is ......... smelly and can be noisy ;)

The person who wants you to lose it the most-SHOULD BE YOURSELF!

1) Exercise is not a hobby and not something you do just when you feel like it. I think of it like brushing my teeth, it's just something I have to do to be healthy.

2) The weekend is not an excuse to eat whatever I want!

(Most) People are either careful or fat. (adapted from an observation from
YP1)

Tell me about it! I'd out "fart" a bunch of builders :D :D