Ups and Downs in Weightloss

[kambyqt]

I was really into it at the beginning of the year, and have slowly increased a few pounds in the last 1 month. I should be feeling more active since spring is here, and I do have a lot of fitness goals in mind. However, lately im wanting to eat crazy again.

Plus, my birthday is also coming up ........ and im trying to avoid it not mentally prepared to get another year older this time around. But, I do want to celebrate with cake duh.

I'm thinking to again jumpstart my weightloss and fitness goals come April 1 ... its a new start its Q2 and I am on a mission. Who else is having problems?

[JohnRi]

As many will point out, weight loss, and fitness is a journey.  And you can choose to stay on that journey, or you can choose a different journey.

There is no RIGHT way or Journey.  Everyone responds differently to diet changes, and exercise. 

If you really want to have permanent weight loss, you need to change your diet permanently.  That means making smart eating choices every day, every meal, every calorie.  That doesn't mean you can't have cake, but it does mean, one piece, and that's it.  I turn 49 next month, and I will have a piece. 

Exercise is less than 20% of weight loss.  It helps, but diet changes are 80% and last forever.  Controling your diet is the only way to control one's weight.  Uncontrolled diet is what makes us fat.  A controled diet is hard, not nearly as fun, and require discipline.    And uncontrolled diet is fun, easy, and require zero discipline...  It's also how I got to 281 lbs.  Discipline is how I'm now 233.  With another 49 lbs to go.

But happy birthday!  Go out and have fun! 

[WendyB]

I agree with @JohnRi

But why wait until Apr 1st? You can enjoy your Birthday when it comes. Just get back on track the next day.

It was my Anniversary this weekend and I totally enjoyed it. But got back on the next day.

Its my DH Birthday this weekend. Again I will enjoy it and get back the next day. I will have 1 piece of cake on his day and the rest is his it it will get trashed. I also don't buy a whole cake. My store has smaller options. They even have a 2 piece cake. But if DH didn't get cake twice he would cry LOL

We all have to enjoy life. There are always things that come up. But getting back on track the next day is key.

[kambyqt]

@WendyB yea Wendy you are right I was down with a sore throat and I havent worked out, finally today im feeling back to my old self so im going to give it just one more day and start working out again. I havent not been strict with eating habits i'm going to work on that one too starting today.

@JohnRi Also thank you for your kind words and the birthday wishes.

[emili]

Good for you @kambyqt- keep us posted on your progress..and have a fabulous birthday!

@WendyB- Happy Anniversary!!!!

[bcalvanese]

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@kambyqt wrote:

I was really into it at the beginning of the year, and have slowly increased a few pounds in the last 1 month. I should be feeling more active since spring is here, and I do have a lot of fitness goals in mind. However, lately im wanting to eat crazy again.

Plus, my birthday is also coming up ........ and im trying to avoid it not mentally prepared to get another year older this time around. But, I do want to celebrate with cake duh.

I'm thinking to again jumpstart my weightloss and fitness goals come April 1 ... its a new start its Q2 and I am on a mission. Who else is having problems?

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I think exercise is more important even though many people dont think that.

People say weight loss happens in the kitchen.

I say it happens when burning calories if you eat smart.

Peaple say you cant out run a poor diet.

I say you can exercise and eat a satisfying diet if you eat smart.

Diet is important, but if you get the recommended exercise you will be able to eat a satifying enough diet (and yes, that includes cake in moderation), and have total health instead of just a healthy weight.

Just my opinion and maybe something to think about.

[Mukluk4]

I think exercise is more important even though many people dont think that.

People say weight loss happens in the kitchen.

I say it happens when burning calories if you eat smart.

Peaple say you cant out run a poor diet.

I say you can exercise and eat a satisfying diet if you eat smart.

Diet is important, but if you get the recommended exercise you will be able to eat a satifying enough diet (and yes, that includes cake in moderation), and have total health instead of just a healthy weight.

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I'd have to agree with this.  Exercise will determine what kind of calorie count you need to subscribe to.  If you want to put in 2-3 hours of hard work every day, you can overcome the poor food choices.  Most people can't, so they change the diet.  

Based solely on your handful of comments, I would suggest that you pick one of the two (diet or exercise) and get into a routine and then adjust the other as it becomes automatic.  

[JohnRi]

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I'd have to agree with this.  Exercise will determine what kind of calorie count you need to subscribe to.  If you want to put in 2-3 hours of hard work every day, you can overcome the poor food choices.  Most people can't, so they change the diet.  

Based solely on your handful of comments, I would suggest that you pick one of the two (diet or exercise) and get into a routine and then adjust the other as it becomes automatic.  

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I'm going to have to disagree with you, at least for someone that is over weight.  I have a coworker, let's call him Bob.  Bob is at least 450 lbs.  Bob eats 7000-8000 calories a day.  There is no amount of exercise Bob can do, as he can barely walk around, that can get him to lose weight and eat 7000-8000 calories.  A diet change is only way to lose weight until he has lost enough weight were he can exercise.

Now if you are near your ideal weight, I do think Exercise can overcome a diet, but only to a point.  Most people simply don't have time to exercise 3 hrs a day.  If they are married, work 40+ hours a week, and have kids, 2-3 hours a day of exercise is simply not possible.  Not without giving up sleep to do it.

I myself exercise for 90 to 120 minutes most days.  I don't get to the Couch until 9:00 PM at night, and then have to get to be by 10:30. 

I don't see how I could squeeze any more exercise time into my day.  If I didn't have a job, like I did when I was younger, than yeah I used to play racquetball 2-3 hours every day.  It was easy then.

I also question how many calories someone can burn when exercising.  Based on my 1800 calorie diet, and my 90-120 minutes of exercise a day, I should be losing 3 to 3 1/2 lbs a week.  But I lose 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 a week.  So something is off.

Even if you did 4 hours of Hard exercise a day, I don't think anyone can out exercise 8000 calories a day.

It makes more sense to eat a balanced, and good diet, and then use exercise to enhance weight loss, or to maintain a normal weight.

[Mukluk4]

John,

I am in no way Fight Club Brad Pitt nor even close to "ideal weight", but I went from 340 to 290 on exercise alone.  I've dropped to 265ish with moderate changes to my diet.  I still eat fast food on a regular basis (at least weekly), pizza, cake, cookies, donuts, etc.  I don't eat them every day, and I balance them with high protein and fiber for the majority of my meals.  I skip on most fruit and vegetables.  

I average about 117 active minutes burning an average of 4100+ calories a day.  

My dog and I run almost daily, basketball in the winter (usually the oldest guy in the court by 10+ years), weights and HIIT every other day.  I have a full time job (with a 2 hour round trip commute) and kids/wife. The key is not the active minutes but what you do with them.  

In short, either option is a good start.  Trying to tackle both diet and exercise at the same time for someone that has a history of losing motivation will continue an unsuccessful trend.  So I suggest finding the one that will work for you to start with and adjust the others later.

[kambyqt]

@bcalvanese you can lose weight from dieting alone but if you also exercise your body will look better plus when you sweat you take toxins out from your body.

[kambyqt]

@Mukluk4 that is very impressive, yes you will lose weight if you are obese and have a lot to lose by exercise alone, but it is not going to get you to your healthy weight range by itself. Diet and exercise are the best combo to see long term sustainable results. If something happens to where you cannot exercise for a week but are still eating cakes and fast food you will spike up quickly.

[bcalvanese]

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@JohnRi wrote:

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I'd have to agree with this.  Exercise will determine what kind of calorie count you need to subscribe to.  If you want to put in 2-3 hours of hard work every day, you can overcome the poor food choices.  Most people can't, so they change the diet.  

Based solely on your handful of comments, I would suggest that you pick one of the two (diet or exercise) and get into a routine and then adjust the other as it becomes automatic.  

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I'm going to have to disagree with you, at least for someone that is over weight.  I have a coworker, let's call him Bob.  Bob is at least 450 lbs.  Bob eats 7000-8000 calories a day.  There is no amount of exercise Bob can do, as he can barely walk around, that can get him to lose weight and eat 7000-8000 calories.  A diet change is only way to lose weight until he has lost enough weight were he can exercise.

Now if you are near your ideal weight, I do think Exercise can overcome a diet, but only to a point.  Most people simply don't have time to exercise 3 hrs a day.  If they are married, work 40+ hours a week, and have kids, 2-3 hours a day of exercise is simply not possible.  Not without giving up sleep to do it.

I myself exercise for 90 to 120 minutes most days.  I don't get to the Couch until 9:00 PM at night, and then have to get to be by 10:30. 

I don't see how I could squeeze any more exercise time into my day.  If I didn't have a job, like I did when I was younger, than yeah I used to play racquetball 2-3 hours every day.  It was easy then.

I also question how many calories someone can burn when exercising.  Based on my 1800 calorie diet, and my 90-120 minutes of exercise a day, I should be losing 3 to 3 1/2 lbs a week.  But I lose 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 a week.  So something is off.

Even if you did 4 hours of Hard exercise a day, I don't think anyone can out exercise 8000 calories a day.

It makes more sense to eat a balanced, and good diet, and then use exercise to enhance weight loss, or to maintain a normal weight.

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Lets say Bob exercises and burns 500 calories a day (which is doable because Bob is so over weight he could burn more calories with not as much effort), and Bob eats 500 calories less per day. Bob Could lose 2 lbs. per week. In one year Bob could lose over 100 lbs. and only be eating 500 less calories a day. Bob could be down to 250 lbs. in a couple years. Bob could use that 2 years to develop good habits of getting the proper amount of exercise, and learning how to eat smarter. By then, Bob will feel so much better and realize how important the exercise is that Bob will step up his game to burn 1,000 calories a day and not eat 500 less calories per day, and still lose 2 lbs. per week. In another year Bob will lose another 100 lbs. which would probably bring Bob to a healthy body weight.

Now Bob will be at a good fitness level, and it will be easy for Bob to maintain that fitness level, and Bob will not have to deduct calories anymore.

Bob will be a happy camper...:)

[bcalvanese]

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@kambyqt wrote:

@bcalvanese you can lose weight from dieting alone but if you also exercise your body will look better plus when you sweat you take toxins out from your body.

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I know. I love sweating.

My motto is... if ya ain't huffin and puffin and sweatin... ya ain't doin it right...:)