I have sat across the bench from 1000's of people who after hearing the facts about what they will have to do to LOSE fat (diet and evercise) say "I can't do that."
A man opend a new gym 5 minutes from my home last week. I chatted with him for nearly 20 minutes. He has trained for 15 years. He has invested 300 G's in this new gym. When I asked him about competeing he said he could never diet more than a few days, then went back to his usual eating. He thus could never compete. I was stunned.
I am used to the old fat people saying to me "Sorry I can't change" but here was a (healthy--33 year old) guy that Owned a new gym telling me he couldn't do it.
Why do some people just say "No I can't do it." Whether it's college, dieting, or benching 200 lbs..why do so many people NOT EVEN DARE TRY???
This has concerned me for many years. I have it too. THe "I can't DO THAT! " syndrome. I am afraid to do "fix it" stuff, like electrical or plumbing. I guess I could learn..but I would rather just call a plumber and be done with it. My wife doesn't understand it.
99% of the people I meet --WANT a fat loss but feel it is beyond them to actually do it! SO they don't even try? I don't get it.
Do any of you have an idea as to what is really going on?

SO they don't even try? I don't get it.
Do any of you have an idea as to what is really going on?
Probably because it's really hard to maintain consistent healthy eating. I think most people here will agree that sticking to a healthy eating plan is way harder than knocking out some weekly visits to the gym, and even that's too hard for a lot of people. In fact, for a very long time, consistent healthy eating was too hard for me, too. I was fortunate enough to have had something click inside me that made me want to stick to it. Even though it gets easier, it's still a daily battle not giving in to bad eating temptations. I can totally understand why overweight people stay overweight... there's no work involved.

Why do people refuse or fail to take action to make positive changes in themselves and in the world?

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind."

-Henry David Thoreau

I think I'll make something like that my signature.

Well, most plainly, eating right and excercising takes will power and self-denial. A weak willed person never will achieve their fat loss goals. A lot of strong willed people never achieve them because, though they know they're capable in some facets of their lives, they don't think that they are in others. They have not made the jump from one area of determination into the other.

People say "I can't do that" because they have a defeatest victim mentality solidly entrenched in their psyche. Many actually believe that such a thing as fat loss is not up to them - either a person has the will power or they don't, but _by definition_ will power is something consciouslly applied, so then we're brought to the conclusion that these people are merely powerless in their own lives. They don't care to be enlightened.

There are others who are fat and know that it's because of their own life, and know that although they could if they had to make a change, they don't care enough. Take somebody who absolutely _loves_ beer and pizza. They may think that they can lose weight, but they simply don't want to limit their beer and pizza consumption. This is a choice that they have made, and I can't slight them for that. I take issue with those who think that they are powerless. Thinking that one is powerless makes one so, and that is why so many continue to gain fat and watch their health deteriorate, pretending that there is nothing they can do about it. If you take one of these people and somehow convince them that they can lose weight, and they do have the power to do so, then they will lose it, if they truly want to. To me, a person who is trying to lose weight and wants to, but continues to fail time and time again, is a person who's lost control of themselves.

Another thing is that, though many people have a nonaccurate and elevated view of themselves, most people do know that they're just another person, and seeing millions before them fail encourages them towards such a conclusion as well. We all know that 90%+ of diets fail. A person reading this may think (as my co-worker actually verbalized, somewhat to my surprise at the time), that "Hey, all these other people can't diet successfully. What makes me special? I probably can't either, so I won't try." Then in response they go and join up at NAAFA (http://www.naafa.org). Like sheep to the slaughter they're just going along with the flow, because to fight it is too damn hard.

To some degree too is ignorance about how to reach a weight loss goal and maintain it. There are so many ridiculous diets and approaches that many people wouldn't know how to lose weight properly if their life depended on it.

I'm going to be a personal trainer eventually, and the one thought about this job that scares me is when I will have to work with people who think this way: "I want to lose the weight, but I don't want to work too hard for it".

I went through a lot of these times myself until it finally clicked inside my head: I will gain weight as I get older if I continue to live a sedentary lifestyle with no healthy diet, or I will live a long life with a perfect body and healthy lifestyle-but that requires dedication to take the full plunge like I did.

I just think that a lot of overweight people out there do not have the discipline to make their lifestles change for the better. I'm sure they think they have the motivation, but action towards the motivation is the first step that has to be kept for life.

A lot of people on this forum are very motivated and dedicated to having a healthy lifestyle and physique. I think it's the minds of the overweight people that baffle us because we all know we would never change our lifestyle to the possibility of being overweight. We only want to keep our morals and dedication towards fitness. :tu:

I'm going to be a personal trainer eventually, and the one thought about this job that scares me is when I will have to work with people who think this way: "I want to lose the weight, but I don't want to work too hard for it".It occurs to me that when people often say that they can't do it, it's because in reality they don't want to. Most people have tried a diet and lost some weight. They know, from that, that they can. But they realize how slow and painful it is, so they quit. Instead of admitting to laziness or saying in effect that being fat and eating junk is easiser than being thin and not, they instead say that they can't do. I guess that way they won't feel guilty over it. We've all heard people who say that they "love food too much" to do what other people do to lose weight. I've heard it myself from chubby friends who deride me for my eating habits. I guess that I love food too, but I love not being obese even more.

I have sat across the bench from 1000's of people who after hearing the facts about what they will have to do to LOSE fat (diet and evercise) say "I can't do that."
A man opend a new gym 5 minutes from my home last week. I chatted with him for nearly 20 minutes. He has trained for 15 years. He has invested 300 G's in this new gym. When I asked him about competeing he said he could never diet more than a few days, then went back to his usual eating. He thus could never compete. I was stunned.
I am used to the old fat people saying to me "Sorry I can't change" but here was a (healthy--33 year old) guy that Owned a new gym telling me he couldn't do it.
Why do some people just say "No I can't do it." Whether it's college, dieting, or benching 200 lbs..why do so many people NOT EVEN DARE TRY???
This has concerned me for many years. I have it too. THe "I can't DO THAT! " syndrome. I am afraid to do "fix it" stuff, like electrical or plumbing. I guess I could learn..but I would rather just call a plumber and be done with it. My wife doesn't understand it.
99% of the people I meet --WANT a fat loss but feel it is beyond them to actually do it! SO they don't even try? I don't get it.
Do any of you have an idea as to what is really going on?

Not to be a smart arse but you are putting words into his mouth.
He's aged 33 and he's said that " he could never diet more than a few days". He _has_ tried, he _has_ made the effort, he _has_ found his limitation.

It takes a lot of effort to maintain a 100% perfect diet and a lot of self restraint from those bad things that one may enjoy.

Sometimes people decide that the median is sufficient and the benefit of the diet is outstripped by the downright pain in the ass of maintaining super-diet.

You said yourself, the guy wasn't a lard arse, what's wrong with being comfortable with where you're at?

"doesn't even dare try"
If i was that gym owner i'd smack your self righteous ass.

Just because you're super het-up doesn't mean that others can't do a cost benefit analysis.

Why do people refuse or fail to take action to make positive changes in themselves and in the world?

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind."

-Henry David Thoreau

I think I'll make something like that my signature.

Out of interest, how many hours of voluntary work do you do a week?

Out of interest, how many hours of voluntary work do you do a week?

I'd say a fair amount, but most of it isn't too bad. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I get together with a friend of mine and work on a long-term writing project for two or three solid hours (and an extra two hours of intermittent joking around). I used to work overtime whenever my boss let me (and I worked Saturdays), but my boss retired, and my new boss won't let me work overtime. I volunteer (mostly painting and gardening at parks and schools around the city), I take improvisational comedy classes (on a lull since July, when I completed Level 2; level 3 hasn't opened up yet), and, of course, I go to the gym a lot. Since I'm no longer a student, live modestly, and don't have a family, a lot of the work I do is voluntary, except for the standard 9 to 5.

Why do you ask?

I volunteer (mostly painting and gardening at parks and schools around the city)

Why do you ask?

The painting is the only piece there i class as voluntary/charitable (the others are hobbies).

I asked because you asked
"Why do people refuse or fail to take action to make positive changes in ... the world?"

I wondered by how much you were leading from the front in more than just the changing of your own body.

The few times that I watched Dr. Phil on tv, I heard him use this catch phrase that I can't remember the exact words to. Something to the effect that whatever you are doing, you are being rewarded for it. If you "can't" lose weight, then you are getting some kind of reward for being overweight that you believe is greater than the reward you get from losing weight.

So, the guy at the gym finds a competition-free life with freedom to choose his foods more rewarding than competing. Why is that so surprising?

It IS frustrating to watch people who say they want to lose weight. A lot of them really badly want to lose weight, but they also want to eat a chocolate bar every day, eat at McDonald's twice a week, and drink 8 beers a week. Immediate gratification often wins in this case.

The painting is the only piece there i class as voluntary/charitable (the others are hobbies).

I asked because you asked
"Why do people refuse or fail to take action to make positive changes in ... the world?"

I wondered by how much you were leading from the front in more than just the changing of your own body.

Ah, see I would term that "volunteer work." "Voluntary work" seems to more generally refer to anything you work on outside of that required by your job. You know, instead of watching television.

Let's end this conversation now, before it gets any more personal.

When I asked him about competeing he said he could never diet more than a few days, then went back to his usual eating. He thus could never compete. I was stunned.


Some people just don't want to diet down that far for a $50 trophy, just to have 20lbs whooooooooooph right back on em, a week after the show. I know a guy that shoots to around 235lbs in the off season, to compete at about 176-178lbs. Seriously, he drops 55lbs in about 16 weeks, to compete. Right now he's back up to 225. The guys that compete at the weight class get HUGE off season.
I'm still trying to decide if I'll follow through with my plan to do my first show next year. I really need to work on my wheels more before that happens. :lol:

Thanks for the replys. Very interesting stuff.
I have always felt that having a low bodyfat, enough to see your abs, was part of bodybuilding. For me anway.
Dieting is painful. It hurts. I can see why someone would not sign up for it. However being a bodybuilder and carrying around a bunch of fat, enough so you can't see your abs, seems to be a waste of time (I am not talking about health, etc..any exercise is a positive). It's like being built but hiding it under baggy clothes (most fat gym guys use the baggy clothes to hide the fat-- not the cuts).
I see training and how you look as part of the same journey. To train and look worse (even though lets say you can squat more and more) is not successful bodybuilding--to me. This is all my preference.
To some just benching a little is fine. And that is fine-for them.

I am talking about people that WANT to be thinner but dismiss it as something they can't do. Even though it makes them VERY unhappy to be fat (unhappy enough to hire me to listen to the story).
I meet people every day that want to be thin. IT's not hard to learn how to eat well--it's hard to live it. Yes many people fail. As I have many times. But I think you at least owe it to yourself to try.
I think the gym owner is missing out by not taking his journey to the next level. He would love to compete,he would love to be ripped, but he can't do it because he "can't diet". To me, that makes no sense. Even if it is just a personal competition, self improvement is what it is all about.

Different goals: My neighbor is very happy that he took up weights as his arms are getting bigger. I helped him learn to lift. He could care less if his waist is a 47. He does not want to lose fat. It nevers enters his mind.
I think being a gym owner (not a Burger King Manager--a Gym Owner, purveyor of health and strength..ahem), wanting abs, and never being able to have them, cause I couldn't stop eating, would drive me nuts. Having a lower bodyfat must cross his mind several hundred times a day. WHen he gives out diet advice (as all health experts do) what does he exactly say,"I couldn't last more than 2 days on this diet, but if you follow it you will be a champion!"
The people I am working with are all marginally losing weight. Not enough--but some. Most of them drink alcohol daily. Each one of them has said to me," I know it must work (this diet and exercise thing) because you have lost 25 lbs in the last 6 months, right in front of me." They believe it, because they see it right in front of them. Not because they are doing it (or ever will do it)! MOst people hire a trainer to listen to them. Training is often just a part of a bigger picture. Clients want and need attention. It's what they pay for. I always thought it (training people) was about getting in shape. For some of them it is, but for most of them, they just need some positive feedback in their lives. Very few people, get postive feedback. Turns out most people (me included) crave positive feedback.
I have a trainer, and I hired him based on that fact alone. He encourages me in a way that makes me want to do it. When I leave him I am excited about eating better and training harder. And this guy is in unreal good shape. 47 years old, 19 inch arms that are like old ropes (not that puffy soft muscle, he has dense sinewy muscles) and abs like Tarzan!
I think it would be difficult to train people and advize them about fat loss if I myself had not expereinced first hand what I was trying to teach them. It's also good advertising.
Dieting in Cycles:
A common joke is that several of my friends (and myself) are in shape for "15 minutes a year" (as I say it). We diet for 6 months, take off all the fat, tan, take pictures on a preset day, maybe compete, etc..then return to a "weight gain" diet for 6 months. One fellow who has done this for over 15 years says he likes to get down to his leanest condition on his Birthday each year, purely as a personal goal. It's an important part of his bodybuilding cycle. Very few people attempt to stay lean all year. It would be very difficult to give up normal (fattening) foods for that long. ONce a year I go to New York City just to eat pizza! :tu:

Well, most plainly, eating right and excercising takes will power and self-denial. A weak willed person never will achieve their fat loss goals.
I disagree with both of these sentences. Self-denial isnt nescessary as i dont miss the bad foods and enjoy the exercise.
A weak willed person can easily achieve their goals with more planning aslong as they recognise their weakness.
Widers - Not letting the weak willed use it as an excuse anymore!

I doubt many ppl here or anywhere in general really consider themselves bodybuilders, thats why. I'm perfectly fine being a recreational weight lifter. I'm not a lardass, nor do I have a ripped 6-pack. I have no issues with this.

I disagree with both of these sentences. Self-denial isnt nescessary as i dont miss the bad foods and enjoy the exercise.
A weak willed person can easily achieve their goals with more planning aslong as they recognise their weakness.
Widers - Not letting the weak willed use it as an excuse anymore!Even if a weak-willed person recognizes their shortcoming, they will lack the gumption to do what's needed to work around it. In terms of self-denial, you're of a tiny minority - personally, I will always enjoy food. For me a healthy meal never has been, and never will be, as enjoyable as eating crap. Most of the people here on restrictive diets may be on a temporary high from their eating right at the time, but the majority of people will realize that it's a price they have to pay. No pain no gain. I know very few people who look great in their beach clothes, and of those who do, they will readily admit that it's a constant battle against the desire to eat tastier foods and not get up in the morning day after day to get to the gym.

The hardest time is not at the beginning when the gains are easy and muscle is flying on, while fat flies off; the hardest times are when you've made almost no progress in the past 3 months and you're still getting your tired ass up at 5:30 to go to the gym, and yet another day of watching the people at work go out to lunch to eat ribs. A lot of people give up after the initial gains slow down so much, because they realize that from here on it's a grind, and it's pretty tough to keep the morale up. Few people can, and those who've got a poor ability to stay focused on goals and tough through the bad will be the ones quiting first.

I've been told by people in my (very loving) family that "You just don't understand." They discount my weight loss and say it "was easier for you because you don't have FOOD ISSUES." My wife's uncle just had gastric bypass surgery and people were offended when I described the situation (accidentaly) as "He just gave up and had the surgery."

I've about decided they are right. I really don't understand them. I mean I really do want to eat that donut and pizza slice, but I choose not to until a cheat meal every 2-3 weeks. I'm not them, so maybe it really is that much harder for them. I know it's not easy for me, but perhaps I judge to quickly.

I hear what your saying skoob i did apply it just to myself there sorry about that. I love food but i do love all food (apart from tomatoes) so i have no problem with eating healthy seems just as nice to me. If i am in a minority then im thankful. I am not convinced about the weak willed people though. Mostly its momentary weakness that seems to bring down the whole diet. Planning can completely remove this problem and you can do that when you are motivated.
Widers

I've been told by people in my (very loving) family that "You just don't understand." They discount my weight loss and say it "was easier for you because you don't have FOOD ISSUES." My wife's uncle just had gastric bypass surgery and people were offended when I described the situation (accidentaly) as "He just gave up and had the surgery."There's a lady at my church who had the gastric bypass surgery. She's lost a lot of weight and so have I so we sat down one day to compare notes.

She told me that gastric bypass is often seen as the easy way out, but it's not. She went on to say that she now has to eat 6 small meals per day and she has to limit the types of food she can eat. For instance, she can't eat anything that might swell up in her stomach. Her stomach can only hold about 4 ounces of food at a time. She tells me what a real sacrifice she's making.

I'm thinking, "Let's see, 6 small meals per day and watch what you eat". That's exactly what I do. The difference is that I bypassed the bypass surgery.

I think it all boils down to getting the motivation. I guess I'm lucky, one day something clicked and I was off to the races with weight loss, after years of wishing I could lose weight. In my friend's case, she had surgery which forced her to comply with a healthier lifestyle. We both have the motivation now, it's just from a different source.

People, People, get back to training even doing cardio. Leave those who haven't seen the light alone. I see some that were obese/overweight within the last year or so talking about someone that doesn't want to lose weight. Have you forgotten what it was like?

Now that you have seen the light, you have a lifetime before you to go down that path without falling to the wayside. There are worse things in this world than being fat, smoking, or not exercising. Many of you may return to your old lifestyle even within the next few years. You may float back and forth into and out of the light.

I hope all of you stay on the path, but 62 years of living says you won't.

The difference is that I bypassed the bypass surgery.
Now THAT is funny!!! :lol: :lol:

People, People, get back to training even doing cardio. Leave those who haven't seen the light alone. I see some that were obese/overweight within the last year or so talking about someone that doesn't want to lose weight. Have you forgotten what it was like?

Now that you have seen the light, you have a lifetime before you to go down that path without falling to the wayside. There are worse things in this world than being fat, smoking, or not exercising. Many of you may return to your old lifestyle even within the next few years. You may float back and forth into and out of the light.

I hope all of you stay on the path, but 62 years of living says you won't.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

My husband has this problem. He probably needs to lose at least 40 pounds, but he 'never has time' to eat healthy or exercise. This morning he was planning to start trying to 'diet' but 'oh well, I got up late so off to jack in the box'. Sigh. I'd pack him lunches, whatever, but no dice. I don't have any problem with his current appearance, but as he wants to lose it, I want to help. That said, he has to want to do it himself, no amount of 'nagging' on my part will help so I just remain supportive of 'today's diet plan' as much as I can. :)

Ok here is my view on the subject. First consider I am new.. and my new lifestyle is just that.. new for me. But I can tell you two things:

1. I have tried hundreds of times and hundreds of ways to lose weight and get in shape but I was never 100% and because of this I didn't have a diet/cardio/weight training plan... and because of that I failed

2. I quit smoking, came up with a cardio plan, came up with a crude weight training plan, fixed my diet and eat only "clean" self prepared foods now. And you know what? I have never felt better and I know the weight is coming off and I am definately gaining muscle mass. Now I know these are prolly just newbie gains and that progress will slow but seeing and feeling the newly gained muscle and having to wear belts with pants and shorts that used to stay up without help is a wonderful feeling.. infact its a feeling I never want to lose and because of this I will never let myself get back to living my old lifestyle.

So in the end I think people really just need to be shown how little work it really takes (between my morning workout/evening or night walks I invest about an hr or less every day) to see improvements. If I had known how good I would feel if I just gave it my all I would have done this along time ago. And like everyone else something has definately "clicked" in my head.

- Emilio

SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME!!!


Why is there is some much emphasis on this is how to lose weight...do this...do that bla bla bla...the people in question are usually 20lbs to 100lbs over weight...how come there is no focus on teaching the community to get serious and wake the freak up when u go only 10lbs overweight...alot and I mean ALOT of people were never fat babies or even as adults...its when these ppl stopped looking in the mirror...how come no one is yelling to the public "PREVENTATIVE MAINTANENCE" we do it on our cars but we dont do it for our bodies...most ppl will hit that 20-30lbs above normal weight before they realize anything is wrong...by that time its HARD for normal willed ppl to lose the extra weight...lets get real ..life isn’t easy, we all struggle with jobs, school, money family bla bla bla...we dont need another PROBLEM if losing...SO WHY NOT MAINTAIN THAT NORMAL BLOODY WEIGHT....i am not mad at the ppl...however some of us are fortunate enough to realize this but i still don’t see any books written on it...i still dont SEE any treads on it...PEOPLE ITS TIME INFORM OTHER PEOPLE TO STOP THIS OBESITY BEFORE IT EVEN STARTS.....there is already enough info out there on how to lose 100lbs..ppl need to be told it IS hard to lose weight so don’t bloody gain it in the first place...all I know is that there are people out there slowly creeping past their normal weight...and someone needs to tell 'em right NOW...I thank God all the time...that when I hit 180lbs (5'10" 22 age) I realize was gaining weight and fat...and I got on it and now I am 174 lbs I know its nothing significant but know my BF% is down too..And I went from barely running a 1/4 mile without getting winded to 3-5miles easily....I pray to God to give me an opportunity to write a book on this some day. Till then I shall vent on here. Thanks John Stone...it makes me sad and upset at the same time cuz I watched my friend gain it...I told him all the time to do something about it and now he is around 25lbs overweight and he is having the hardest time losing it. especially since he is not athletic type...that’s another thing parents need to get their kids involved in sports NO MATTER WHAT...as they grow up they need to learn the pain and dedication it takes to acheive certain fitness goals...ok i am gonna stop cuz i am bblabling too much now...this is it for now ..thanks for reading and letting me get this off my chest...

Remember PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

as for pain and dedication I don't totally agree. I think dedication is extremely important and is a life lesson that applies to all goals be it physical or otherwise. As for the pain I think satisfaction is better. Sure it hurts like hell when you are on your last set of whatever excercise you are doing but man on man does it feel good when you put those weights down and walk out of that gym knowing you didn't give up and knowing that your goals are that much closer.

- Emilio

People, People, get back to training even doing cardio. Leave those who haven't seen the light alone. I see some that were obese/overweight within the last year or so talking about someone that doesn't want to lose weight. Have you forgotten what it was like?

Now that you have seen the light, you have a lifetime before you to go down that path without falling to the wayside. There are worse things in this world than being fat, smoking, or not exercising. Many of you may return to your old lifestyle even within the next few years. You may float back and forth into and out of the light.

I hope all of you stay on the path, but 62 years of living says you won't.
Always the voice of reason. Well said, rtestes. :nod:

Probably because it's really hard to maintain consistent healthy eating. I think most people here will agree that sticking to a healthy eating plan is way harder than knocking out some weekly visits to the gym, and even that's too hard for a lot of people. In fact, for a very long time, consistent healthy eating was too hard for me, too. I was fortunate enough to have had something click inside me that made me want to stick to it. Even though it gets easier, it's still a daily battle not giving in to bad eating temptations. I can totally understand why overweight people stay overweight... there's no work involved.

I'd agree that eating healthy is much harder than going to the gym.

But like everyone else has stated, it's all about discipline. Which is why I'm about to go biking at 5:15am and get run off the road by a bunch of idiots who can't drive - because of discipline. ;)

Some people just need to know it can be done. I've shown before/after pictures of some women to my wife and a lady coworker, they were both completely astonished that someone could lose as much weight as these success stories did and look as good afterwards. People just don't know what can be accomplished.

Ah, see I would term that "volunteer work." "Voluntary work" seems to more generally refer to anything you work on outside of that required by your job. You know, instead of watching television.

Let's end this conversation now, before it gets any more personal.

Sorry, that's as far as i was going to ask and i'll say that you do more voluntary work than i do. Sorry if i sounded agressive.

Probably because it's really hard to maintain consistent healthy eating. I think most people here will agree that sticking to a healthy eating plan is way harder than knocking out some weekly visits to the gym, and even that's too hard for a lot of people. In fact, for a very long time, consistent healthy eating was too hard for me, too. I was fortunate enough to have had something click inside me that made me want to stick to it. Even though it gets easier, it's still a daily battle not giving in to bad eating temptations. I can totally understand why overweight people stay overweight... there's no work involved.
^ I agree 100%
It's very tough sticking to a healthy eating plan especially when you are on a cut and you don't have time to prepare your meals ahead.

There is no great epiphany that caused me to become healthy - there was a sudden intuitive grasp of a reality that was both simple and striking that catalyzed my transformation, but it was only the beginning - not the whole shebang. And we'll get to that... gimme a second.

The frustration of being overweight and the disdain for change are the greatest demotivational problems (as I see it). People want to change but are too comfortable and too discouraged by what they think are facts about themselves and their bodies. Most notably, genetics. I do believe that your genes dictate the body's sedentary shape, just as they dictate your body's potential at its best - what most people don't realize is that there's a window of opportunity there. For the most part, people trust and believe in science. Science tells them that your genes dictate the way you look - but it never goes on to say that there's room for improvement and that you can achieve staggering results within the range your genes dictate if you seek that change. People feel trapped by the scientific fact that genes are what they are and can't be changed. I know I used to feel as though my doughy, soft-middled, Italian-American genes would forever enslave me to an expansive waist line. Most people aren't aware of the information to which those among our community posess. They don't understand macronutrient ratios, calorie intake versus expenditure, etc... concepts we live with; concepts we have altered our lives to include.

On to the previously mentioned catalyst for my lifestyle change... while there are reasons and motivations supporting what I'm about to state, this is the primary reason I attempted to change.

One day, before transforming my body, when I was investigating the Body-for-Life program, I realized the many before/after pictures were people just like me. Many of you denounce Bill Philips as a pimp for EAS, however, I consider him a revolutionary. Through his efforts back in '96/'97 with the opening of the BFL program, thousands of people came to understand that though genetics may be a limiting factor, there's a window of opportunity within each of us to find that ceiling. And in most cases, not only can that pinnacle of achievement be had, but it can be astounding in its quality.

I realized that I had the same potential as every one of the BFL competitors who achieved noteworthy results. I could do what they did, and after the passing of time (ok, damnit... three years went by...) I set out to do it. And I achieved the same incredible results as many of them did - 37-lbs. in less than 15 weeks. I reduced my body weight by 20%. My body fat by 12%. These are just the physical measurements; I can't begin to list the positive mental changes experienced as a result.

So why do people choose to remain out of shape? Misconceptions, resistance to change, and the overly abundant "quick fixes" our society seems hell-bent on gobbling up only to find failure at the end of each of those short-lived, unsuccessful efforts. Excuses for failure are secondary to the primary objective - finding it within oneself to change. Learning to overcome these obstacles always begins with seeing potential in yourself and having the courage to pursue it. It's not easy, otherwise everyone would do it. And on some selfish level, that makes me feel good, because I like achieving the extraordinary. Now if only I could get past the trials of recent days and put the final exclamation point on my transformation...

-R

Bluestreak is spot on with his entire post.

rstestes is also right that those of us who think that we've "beaten this" will continue to struggle with it for the rest of our lives. For my part I "beat" being overweight about a decade ago, and since then I've been either significantly thinner than my compatriots, to merely "somewhat thinner". One thing that has stuck with me, though, and it's the main thing, is that I've never for one second doubted my ability to achieve what I wanted. It was always for me comparing the joy of food and sitting on my ass vs. the cost of losing it, but I always knew that if I paid the price I'd get the results. I think that once somebody "gets it" and really believes that they can lose weight, there is no need to feel powerless again. That person may gain the weight, but if they have a decent self-esteem and remember the past, they'll know that they can lose it again if they really want to.She told me that gastric bypass is often seen as the easy way out, but it's not. She went on to say that she now has to eat 6 small meals per day and she has to limit the types of food she can eat. For instance, she can't eat anything that might swell up in her stomach. Her stomach can only hold about 4 ounces of food at a time. She tells me what a real sacrifice she's making.Of course obese people who get GBS say it's the hard way out, but obviously it's still easier than controlling their food consumption on their own. All GBS does is limit food intake and food digestion. A person can consciously do that themselves without surgery. So what's the deal with GBS? It removes the hunger pangs. That is IT. It may be a harder step than what they've done before, but it's still not the hardest: mimicing the results of GBS minus the surgery.

On the one hand I can appreciate that for one reason or another the truly morbidly obese simply are not going to lose weight, and they need surgery, but on the other hand there seems something so terribly wrong with our society that it is so engrossed in consumption that people have to surgically shrink their stomachs because they're more willing to undergo major surgery than live with the nagging discomfort of hunger.

We're all disgusted at the old Roman idea of eating so much that you'd puke it up in a vomitorium, and then you couild go back to the table. Well GBS is no less abhorable, IMO.

I supopse that the morbidly obese do have greater hunger pangs than somebody like myself, who would tend towards mild obesity, but nothing in the 300+ range. If I was in their bodies I can't say that I'd be able to stick to a diet long term either, so this is all conjecture. It doesn't change the fact that control over hunger is the ultimate piece of the puzzle, however.

Hi danartman,
Well I can name a few things no one else has mentioned.

1. Home environment as a child. My mother was ALWAYS overweight (and by quite a bit). I grew up eating pizza and fast food. She would make homecooked meals that were (for the most part) healthy, but she never stressed why this was so important. Maybe it was because she felt she couldn't represent eating healthy food as a way of life when she was so obese. It was not until recently that I have found that this is a unnatural way to live and I am working to correct it now.

2. Financial issues. Eating healty (especially with lean meats) does take money. It is not cheap to buy chicken breast and steak. A recent study (I read about it on CNN) showed a direct link to eating habits with socioeconomic status. Not only does eating healthy take money, it also takes time. And hey, time is about the most precious thing we have.

3. Going to the gym and getting "buff" is seen as vain and shallow by many people. Obviously not the people on this board (and I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this). I know that when I was growing up, the only people who went to the gym on a regular basis were generally a**holes. They would get buff to beat people up, look better than the next guy, and to look good so they could get on multiple girls. Those were not things I was into, and it was all I would see coming out of those people. (Of course not all people who lift are like that, but at my jr. high, high school, and even college, that was the GREAT majority of them)

4. Finally, being overweight can put you in a state of deep depression. This is something that is very hard to understand for people who work out regularly and look good. Nearly impossible to understand I would say. It is embarrassing to go to the gym with a bunch of good looking people when you feel like you are the fattest person there. It is hard to go to GNC or a health food store when you are overweight. You feel like people look at you as if this is just a fad or diet you are doing, but you are bound to fail even if they don't act that way to you. It is a deep seeded thing.

It sounds like you may be a personal trainer. If you are I will tell you that the two times in my life I have felt healthy and fit is when I have lived with one of my best friends who is practically a personal trainer. He is ALWAYS positive about me going, he never has a bad word to say about my sets. He highlights my positive attributes while gently suggesting new things for me to try. He makes going to the gym fun, because if it isn't fun I won't go. Try the same techniques and perhaps you will get better results/more signups at your gym.

Hope that helps.

It is not cheap to buy chicken breast and steak. A recent study (I read about it on CNN) showed a direct link to eating habits with socioeconomic status.As much of that could be attributed to education or intelligence as money. Eating healthily can cost more than not, but let me assure you that I eat healthier than most of those around me, and I spend far loss on meals. If you're barely scraping by, sure it can cost $.14 for a pack of ramen noodles, but these people who claim that it's too expensive to eat properly will have no qualms with going out to eat 3-4 times/week, dropping $15 on pizza on friday night, and plowing down a huge bag of chips and expensive ice cream while they watch tv. In fact, I think a scant minority of those in this country could truly not afford to eat healthily, and the rest of the people are just making excuses. A 6" sub and drink costs no more than a bigmac meal :)

You're right about the depression, but to those embracing it I'd urge them to realize that being overweight puts them in a comfortable majority, so there is no reason to consider oneself the odd ball.

american dream

Very well said i must say ..you just about covered everything in a very sincere way...i give your post a :tu: and you keep up the good work, i am sure you will reach your goal in no time.. :claplow:

american dream

Very well said i must say ..you just about covered everything in a very sincere way...i give your post a :tu: and you keep up the good work, i am sure you will reach your goal in no time.. :claplow:


Thanks partner, I am an encouragement hound! LOL! :D

It's all about taking the responsibility of our actions.. We grew up pointing the finger at the other person..taking no blame for our own actions.. It's about making excuses! One sentence drives me nuts.."I can't"
My wife asked me this morning why I decided to start working out and I told her it was because I wanted to be in the best shape of my life at 50.. and not because I was looking for a girl friend :). I told her I was tired of being out of shape and accepting my fate the way it was...I told her it was time...

Why do people stay fat? because they forgot how good it feels to be healthy... and because of the "I Can't" that they grewup hearing..

Totally agree with the forum on this one. Fat people become complacent because they see the world as fat. Misery loves company, misery also lacks desire, ambition, and has a very weak sense of self. Everyone can change, I saw a 70 year old man slim down considerably (30 pounds) with just pure discipline. Our society caters to overweight lifestyles, the key is to fight it and block it all out.

nate1

Totally agree with the forum on this one. Fat people become complacent because they see the world as fat. Misery loves company, misery also lacks desire, ambition, and has a very weak sense of self. Everyone can change, I saw a 70 year old man slim down considerably (30 pounds) with just pure discipline. Our society caters to overweight lifestyles, the key is to fight it and block it all out.

nate1


nate1, I couldn't disagree more. As an overweight person I have never seen the world as fat. I don't get that impression by watching tv, movies, or sports. I don't see it in musicians. Who was our last overweight president? FDR? And he was in a wheelchair (well, Clinton was overweight a bit, but not signifigantly).

But I think your reply doesn't go into the thinking behind an overweight person. They may, "lack desire, ambition, and have a weak sense of self", but I think the question should be, where does this come from? Those are the results, not the cause. :confused:

Very interesting topic overall!

Totally agree with the forum on this one. Fat people become complacent because they see the world as fat. Misery loves company, misery also lacks desire, ambition, and has a very weak sense of self. Everyone can change, I saw a 70 year old man slim down considerably (30 pounds) with just pure discipline. Our society caters to overweight lifestyles, the key is to fight it and block it all out.

nate1

One thing I found in High school was that a bunch of the kids didn't know what determination and willpower were. Knowing the dictionary definition and actually having those things at your disposal are two different things entirely. It's a state of mind, and the state of body directly affects that. I do not often find gym rats who are low on self esteem. It is rare to find an obese person who is truly happy with himself (be it a medical condition that prevents physical activity or maybe it just makes his "image"). Shallow gym rats are quite common though :rolleyes: I see a lot of game being thrown around after school lets out at 3pm.

On the flip side, if you just ignore the physical attraction associated with working out and cutting, you'll just end up hurting yourself. Nothing wrong in some reward for the hard work. I think some guys just let it fly up to their heads.

For me the weight loss is number one for my own health and happiness but there is no way I could even attempt to deny the fact that I can't wait for the day I can fit in a nice tight 1 piece leather race suit and hop on a motorcycle... and look good.. Hell I can't wait till I can wear super tight shirts!! Oh and the resulting increase of female to me interaction that is bound to occur won't be bad either. Hopefully I'll be able to keep my ego in check.. Shallow? Sure.. but bottomline is that people like to have attractive people around them and I want to be more physically attractive..

life is good,
Emilio

You know, I've been reading a business/leadership book called "Confidence". And it makes an interesting point -- when winners and losers are asked for the solution to the problem, both know the correct answer, but somehow, the winners are the ones who implement it, because they have the optimistic confidence to know that they'll succeed.

As an overweight person, I always knew I should lose weight, and I always knew I vaguely how to lose weight, but somehow I never got around to it, because deep down inside I didn't think it was possible. Or I lied to myself and said well, I'm a -little- overweight, but you know, it's like 5-10 pounds...

That's why I think it's important to have pages like John Stone -- he's a regular guy, and he did an amazing thing. My inspiration was a friend of mine who lost 30 pounds (albiet to make weight for a Judo competition) and was already a pretty skinny guy, and I finally figured, heck, if he can do it, I can do it.

Honestly, I'm not sure how much diiscipline is involved in my losing weight. If there were cookies and pie in the apartment, I'd probably be scarfing down cookies and pie. So I don't keep cookies and pie in the apartment. I keep fruit. Like Clint Eastwood said, a man's gotta know his limitations.

nate1, I couldn't disagree more. As an overweight person I have never seen the world as fat. I don't get that impression by watching tv, movies, or sports. I don't see it in musicians. Who was our last overweight president? FDR? And he was in a wheelchair (well, Clinton was overweight a bit, but not signifigantly).

But I think your reply doesn't go into the thinking behind an overweight person. They may, "lack desire, ambition, and have a weak sense of self", but I think the question should be, where does this come from? Those are the results, not the cause. :confused:

Very interesting topic overall!Where does it come from? The human condition. Most people could do with more desire, dedication, ambition, self-esteem, grit, etc.

With all due respect, I can't imagine how you never saw the world as fat. In the US the majority of people are overweight. Did you truly think that popular media represented the masses? I know that I've only got to go to a mall or a restaurant or look at co-workers to know that an overweight person in this country is in _good company_. If you're not overweight you're a minority, and in fact a lot of overweight people will shun a fit person's attempts at weight control, as evidenced in a multitude of other threads here.

I went out to lunch yesterday with a dozen co-workers and not including myself there were only two other people there not overweight. My friend kept offering me to have one of his ribs and finally I had to tell him that he reminded me of my grand mother (Ie. shut up, I don't want a @*#(king rib!!!). :) When a lot of fat people get together and eat there is no shame in it, but when a thin person is eating a chicken sandwhich - and mind you, not making issue of it at all, and in fact trying to blend in - it makes the others seriously uncomfortable.

Dingo you're totally right. When I was in grade 10 I decided to lean up and my best friend at the time, who had become rather obese, was so impressed that I could actually do it that he decided to do it. He quite promptly lost 60 lbs and a few years later in university looked so good with his shirt off that a couple of guys on our floor reffered to him as "mini-herc". Once he realized he could do it, since there was nothing special about me, he finally took his hatred of his fat + the knowledge that he could lose it, and made it happen.

This is timely. CNN today says that nearly 70% of Americans are careful about what they eat (http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/09/10/health.poll.ap/index.html). Obviously the prevailing ignorance about diet is in full effect; often people don't understand what eating properly even entails.

Financial issues. Eating healty (especially with lean meats) does take money...

Yes, but eating out takes money too. When I put my foot down and went into my initial transformation in April '03, I stopped eating out. Completely. The end result? Almost $200 in extra cash was showing up in the checking account at the end of the month. I thought I'd forgotten to pay a bill or something, but I hadn't. It was the $$$ saved by eating healthy.

Going to the gym and getting "buff" is seen as vain and shallow by many people. Obviously not the people on this board (and I hope I don't offend anyone by saying this). I know that when I was growing up, the only people who went to the gym on a regular basis were generally a**holes. They would get buff to beat people up, look better than the next guy, and to look good so they could get on multiple girls. Those were not things I was into, and it was all I would see coming out of those people. (Of course not all people who lift are like that, but at my jr. high, high school, and even college, that was the GREAT majority of them)

It is, to some degree, vain. But in all fairness, I could care less. It's my body, I have to live in it, and I want it, like everything else in my world, to be the best it can be. I have two words for anyone with the audacity to consider me vain, and they ain't "Merry Christmas".

Secondarily, yeah... it's about sex appeal. It's about looking good naked. But it's more about feeling good, having confidence, and genuinely being happy with who you are. The rest is a byproduct. Sure, there are assholes with screwed up priorities, but no one forces you to associate with them. I heard an excellent case in point at the gym one time, but that's a discussion for another time.

Finally, being overweight can put you in a state of deep depression. This is something that is very hard to understand for people who work out regularly and look good. Nearly impossible to understand I would say. It is embarrassing to go to the gym with a bunch of good looking people when you feel like you are the fattest person there. It is hard to go to GNC or a health food store when you are overweight. You feel like people look at you as if this is just a fad or diet you are doing, but you are bound to fail even if they don't act that way to you. It is a deep seeded thing.

It wasn't easy for me, this short, pudgy guy, to walk into a health food store, swallow my pride and ask for help with the supplements I needed. I had the same fears as you. Few times in life have I felt so out of place. But I had to stop worrying about what other people thought. I had to start thinking about myself. What I wanted. What I could achieve. And at the gym? Worrying about what the lunkhead on the workout bench next to me was thinking about me doesn't matter and isn't productive. It's totally counterproductive. Why is this assclown thinking anything about me anyway? Truth is, he probably isn't giving me a second thought. Over time, I've learned they're usually more worried about how much they can lift as if they were comparing penis sizes. They're more worried about which end of the rack they're grabbing weights from than executing every rep to perfection. Every rep is step towards your goal. If you're worrying about Mr. Pump-You-Up grunting like a hurnea victim rather than concentrating on yourself, you're not maximizing your time there.

There's something you have to learn about yourself to make a transformation, and in my estimation, it's that you're there for yourself. To help yourself. Not to worry about what the rest of the world is doing. If you're worrying about the other people in the gym, you're not focusing on the most important reason to be in the gym - you're there for yourself. If that's vain, if self-improvement, self-confidence, and good health are vain... well, fine by me - 'cause I don't care what the world thinks anymore so long as me and mine are happy.

-R

It sounds like you may be a personal trainer. If you are I will tell you that the two times in my life I have felt healthy and fit is when I have lived with one of my best friends who is practically a personal trainer. He is ALWAYS positive about me going, he never has a bad word to say about my sets. He highlights my positive attributes while gently suggesting new things for me to try. He makes going to the gym fun, because if it isn't fun I won't go. Try the same techniques and perhaps you will get better results/more signups at your gym.

Hope that helps.[/QUOTE]

Worrying about what the lunkhead on the workout bench next to me was thinking about me doesn't matter and isn't productive. It's totally counterproductive. Why is this assclown thinking anything about me anyway? Truth is, he probably isn't giving me a second thought. I've said it before: in almost a decade of working out in public gyms I have never ever heard a derogatory comment by anybody, or even seen a disgusted look in my life. Any intimidation one feels in the gym is brought on entirely and 100% by themselves and a perverted sense that others are sizing them up and judging them. It may be a natural response, but a person in the gym is seen as merely at a different stage in their development. Nobody started benching 350 the first time they hit the weights. Everybody started somewhere, and that was weak and more often than not overweight.

When I started I could barely lift anything. When I worked out, I always used to look for people in the gym that were actually lifting less than I was. It was just my way of making sure that I wasn't the absolute weakest looking person there. When I would spot someone, I would feel this personal joy that there was someone that was weaker than I was, it was comforting. At the same time, I would feel like all of the much stronger guys there must be thinking the same thing about me... picking me out in the crowd because I was such a puny weakling. That gave me such a distorted view of the gym crowd that I rarly even made eye contact with anyone there and probably acted like a real loner. I've gotten over these feelings, but it took a long time and a lot of progress. I'd bet that a lot of beginners feel something this, though.

I size up their workout and their build.. I look at guy and think he's got a good build and watch him workout trying to figure out what system he is using.. I know that even if they are using less weights then me ..it's for a reason and they have a different goal then me.. I never think what a puny guy that is.. I just relate it to what he looks like, Fat and out of shape "Newbie"(like me) Lean and you can see some muscle there. That's his purpose "Lean and Muscled" .... But! I do like to push some heavier weights then most of those guys ..I guess it's that male thing :tucool:

No Way
I disagree with the idea that anyone really chooses to stay fat. The general media does a good enough job showing us what we "should" look like that by a young age expectations have already been set. Most people don't want to stick out and are more happy looking trim and cut.

The Cycle
The difficulty though is breaking the destructive life cycle that caused the individual to gain weight in the first place. I believe that most people who are overweight are unhappy with their appearance which causes them to feel bad. To make them feel better their bodies tell them to eat more food which makes them feel better for a limited amount of time. They gain weight from the eating and the cycle continues.

The Solution?!?
Once people get on these cycles it's very difficult to break out of them. I wish I had as much confidence as some of the posters here believing that anything can be accomplished simply by will power. :d_eek: Many overweight people have been so for many years. Their bodies and minds become accustomed to this way of life. Many of you seem to view this as a trivial task.

One of the reasons we do.. Is because a lot of us "Have"

I wish there was a way to let a person feel/remember one day in a slim persons life.. That would be a very big motivator :) Okay you read it here first..!

I wish I had as much confidence as some of the posters here believing that anything can be accomplished simply by will power[/I]. :d_eek:

You can do anything simply by willpower.

Look... I'm Joe effing Schmoe. Nobody. Nothing. Your average nondescript American. I do my job, I pay my taxes, I have my family, and I'm pretty much a twisted mind that Freud himself would have declared impossible.

But damnit, I can do whatever I want if I want to pay the price.

Today was a particularly crappy day. Very tough. Hurricane no. 3 is barreling down on us, I seriously compromised my professional ethics to meet a date for a client submittal today (that literally makes me want to vomit), and I've had a splitting headache all day.

Today, I tested out at 13.9% body fat. Know what? I want to be 9%. Know what else? I was 11% about a month ago. I didn't want to make 9% bad enough, because I let other things get in the way. So obviously, though I had excuses - and they're valid and truthful as excuses can be - I must not have wanted 9% body fat bad enough, because I let myself slip. I didn't truly apply my willpower, or I'd be at 9% by now. No doubt in my mind I could have found ways to overcome two hurricanes, a hectic job and a lunatic family. I could have. But I didn't. So guess what? I didn't want it bad enough. Cool part is, I'm aware of this and soon enough that will infuriate me that I've been wasting time. I know myself now. And I will push for 9%, but make 8%. That's how much belief I have in myself, and I'm not there yet. It'll get here.

Bold freakin' words, but I mean them.

Going to play my guitars now. :D

P.S. This also requires a self-tyrannical mindset whereby perfection is to be obtained with at least the minimal effort required. It can be downright unhealthy for a person to think this way (trust me, I know). Just remember every detail counts, every day counts, every rep counts... and you'll achieve the goal. It's microanalyzation at it's finest, but that's successful for me. Torturous, but successful. And I'll endure a little pain for a lot of reward.

It occurs to me that when people often say that they can't do it, it's because in reality they don't want to. Most people have tried a diet and lost some weight. They know, from that, that they can. But they realize how slow and painful it is, so they quit. Instead of admitting to laziness or saying in effect that being fat and eating junk is easiser than being thin and not, they instead say that they can't do. I guess that way they won't feel guilty over it. We've all heard people who say that they "love food too much" to do what other people do to lose weight. I've heard it myself from chubby friends who deride me for my eating habits. I guess that I love food too, but I love not being obese even more.


I'm exactly the same, I mean food is one of the greatest things ever. I have a lot of friends who wan't to lose the weight, yet still go out and drink beer and not even bother to turn up to the gym. "You only get out what you put in." It's a common rule that everyone should burn into their brain. I mean I think the whole transformation phase of cutting is great, and what people don't realise is, you don't have to give up the junk food forever, just sacrifice for the amount of time allowed for your cutting period. Then once your main goal has been reached, limit the intake to maybe one cheat meal a week.

I also think a lot of people are scared of the fact that if they do start a cutting phase, it means if they stray and have a cheat meal, they will put on thousands of kilo's. It isn't true, what you do have to learn however, is self discipline. It's something which benefits us in life.

Changing your body through your lifestyle is most probably the hardest thing you will ever do. But once you are done and finished, it will feel like you just climbed Mount Everest.

I disagree with the idea that anyone really chooses to stay fat. The general media does a good enough job showing us what we "should" look like that by a young age expectations have already been set. Most people don't want to stick out and are more happy looking trim and cut.
Here's another way of looking at it. Let's say that I'm an intelligent individual who consistently scores badly on tests in school and fails almost everything. Let's also say that I rarely go to class and spend my time instead at home watching TV. I never do any homework. Have I chosen to fail school and do badly? Of course I have. I know that I "should" be doing better. Further I know that I'd be happier having better grades and not failing. But, exactly what is the problem here? Obviously it's that I choose not to go to class. I say this, because it mimics the academic experiences of many (myself, I was always an underachiever, and it was always my fault. When I got to grade 12 and realized that if I didn't get into university my life could suck, I _chose_ to start applying myself. My grades soared.

People absolutely do choose to stay fat. No, it's not just as easy to be thin as to be fat - otherwise everybody would choose the thin - but the fact remains that the option is available to the vast majority, just as I can choose to buy a civic, or I can choose to buy a corvette. However, with the corvette there is a cost to that choice, which is less money in my pocket. I have yet to hear why the average person does not have the option of thinness available to them. The reason is that they don't want it bad enough:
Today, I tested out at 13.9% body fat. Know what? I want to be 9%. Know what else? I was 11% about a month ago. I didn't want to make 9% bad enough, because I let other things get in the way. So obviously, though I had excuses - and they're valid and truthful as excuses can be - I must not have wanted 9% body fat bad enough, because I let myself slip.Exactly. Personally, my goal is 10%. Three weeks ago I was about 12%. I'm 13% or maybe a bit higher now. Two reasons: 1) Summer is over, so no more shirtlessness, 2) Inlaws visiting from both sides (and mine especially stock the fridge with liqour and food). I could fight it, but I don't quite want to enough. Further, I know that when they leave I will jump back on the wagon. In fact when the first set of inlaws left I did exactly that for the four days prior to the next set arriving! It's all got to do now with the fact that I don't quite want to lose that last percent bad enough to forgo the rarity of free junk food in the fridge and free beer. That's a choice I consciously make.I also think a lot of people are scared of the fact that if they do start a cutting phase, it means if they stray and have a cheat meal, they will put on thousands of kilo's. It isn't true, what you do have to learn however, is self discipline. It's something which benefits us in life.
Yes indeedy, it's tragic how many are trying to lose weight and of the mindset that if they slip once, it's all over and they've failed, yet again. Moderation, moderation, moderation!