Thoughts on weight loss
I read a variety of blogs covering a number of different subjects. When I first started in the blogworld I was primarily reading weight loss blogs. Through them I found a number of other blogs and I've expanded my reading to include such a wide range it would scare you :)
I've stopped reading many of the weight loss blogs because I outgrew them. I don't mean that as a derogatory comment on them, but as a comment on the change in me. I also stopped WW for the same reason, I outgrew them. There are a couple I still read because they have evolved in much the same way I have so I've kept up with them.
Lately however, I'm noticing a bizarre trend. People seem to be reverting back to past weight loss tactics, and it boggles my mind. When I was very heavy WW worked like a charm for me. I lost a lot of weight, it wasn't hard, and it was a way of eating I could live with - at that time. As I lost the weight and got more active I found it harder and harder to both lose weight, and eat that way. When you're training for a marathon 1300 calories a day doesn't cut it. This was the time I was really floundering around in my weight loss efforts.
Over time I tried a number of different ways of eating to try and lose weight and none of them really worked. It was only once I came to some realizations that I was able to start losing again. I realized long, extended cardio doesn't burn fat. I realized eating whole foods filled me up for a lot less calories. I realized eating frequently actually kept the metabolism burning. I learned a lot more but those are the really important basics. Having learned these things I would no more go back to WW now then I would do Atkins. I'm not saying WW is bad, just the opposite, it's great. But it has it's time and place and for me I've passed that. Atkins - well, it takes a good thing and goes too far.
Anyway, I'm reading these blogs and thinking to myself, these people are having trouble and they are going back to what worked before for them. What they are failing to see is that, in many cases, this way of eating has become a way of life and it's not working. That was something that took me a long time to understand too. I would say, okay, I'm going to be real strict in my eating, only to discover nothing changed because I was eating really well. When I realized this was when I realized that way of eating is not working for me anymore. Time to find something new. I just feel bad for these people and wish I could make them see. But the couple of times I've tried to point this out they've just gotten pissed at me so I keep my mouth shut now. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
Okay, enough thinking. This morning was weights and I've moved into a new phase. These were hard because they were new. I like that. Since it was my first time doing some of these exercises, I did the lower number of sets and used a slightly lighter weight to allow my muscles to adjust. But next week it's higher sets and weight. Burn that fat baby!!
On something completely and totally unrelated, I watched Gene Simmons Family Jewels. This is the first time I've seen this show. I used to watch the Osbournes because it was like watching a train wreck. I stopped though when I realized I shouldn't be getting entertainment off someone else's misery. I've never watched the Simmons show for pretty much the same reason. Well, I caught it last night by accident and I was pleasantly surprised. Gene is surprising normal as is his wife and kids. His son, Nick, is a little cutie - oh god!!! I didn't get to see the whole thing as we were heading out to dinner but it really looked good. I think I'm going to DVR it and check it out.
That's all I got today. It's a holiday here in Hawaii, Prince Kuhio Day, but I'm at work :(
I've stopped reading many of the weight loss blogs because I outgrew them. I don't mean that as a derogatory comment on them, but as a comment on the change in me. I also stopped WW for the same reason, I outgrew them. There are a couple I still read because they have evolved in much the same way I have so I've kept up with them.
Lately however, I'm noticing a bizarre trend. People seem to be reverting back to past weight loss tactics, and it boggles my mind. When I was very heavy WW worked like a charm for me. I lost a lot of weight, it wasn't hard, and it was a way of eating I could live with - at that time. As I lost the weight and got more active I found it harder and harder to both lose weight, and eat that way. When you're training for a marathon 1300 calories a day doesn't cut it. This was the time I was really floundering around in my weight loss efforts.
Over time I tried a number of different ways of eating to try and lose weight and none of them really worked. It was only once I came to some realizations that I was able to start losing again. I realized long, extended cardio doesn't burn fat. I realized eating whole foods filled me up for a lot less calories. I realized eating frequently actually kept the metabolism burning. I learned a lot more but those are the really important basics. Having learned these things I would no more go back to WW now then I would do Atkins. I'm not saying WW is bad, just the opposite, it's great. But it has it's time and place and for me I've passed that. Atkins - well, it takes a good thing and goes too far.
Anyway, I'm reading these blogs and thinking to myself, these people are having trouble and they are going back to what worked before for them. What they are failing to see is that, in many cases, this way of eating has become a way of life and it's not working. That was something that took me a long time to understand too. I would say, okay, I'm going to be real strict in my eating, only to discover nothing changed because I was eating really well. When I realized this was when I realized that way of eating is not working for me anymore. Time to find something new. I just feel bad for these people and wish I could make them see. But the couple of times I've tried to point this out they've just gotten pissed at me so I keep my mouth shut now. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
Okay, enough thinking. This morning was weights and I've moved into a new phase. These were hard because they were new. I like that. Since it was my first time doing some of these exercises, I did the lower number of sets and used a slightly lighter weight to allow my muscles to adjust. But next week it's higher sets and weight. Burn that fat baby!!
On something completely and totally unrelated, I watched Gene Simmons Family Jewels. This is the first time I've seen this show. I used to watch the Osbournes because it was like watching a train wreck. I stopped though when I realized I shouldn't be getting entertainment off someone else's misery. I've never watched the Simmons show for pretty much the same reason. Well, I caught it last night by accident and I was pleasantly surprised. Gene is surprising normal as is his wife and kids. His son, Nick, is a little cutie - oh god!!! I didn't get to see the whole thing as we were heading out to dinner but it really looked good. I think I'm going to DVR it and check it out.
That's all I got today. It's a holiday here in Hawaii, Prince Kuhio Day, but I'm at work :(
Comments
Of course, eating healthy and working out is the way to go but the emotional side of things, that trigger me to eat the wrong things or even when I'm not that hungry, that's what I need to deal with more.
I notice Gene Simmons just had plastic surgery. I'm curious to see what he looks like after. I haven't caught the show yet, I'll have to check it out.
Have a good week and good luck on the golf course house.