Yesterday's Oprah

Since we've been on the topic motivation/inspiration, did anyone see Oprah yesterday?  There were some incredible people on there.  One woman weighed a little over 700 lbs. and lost an astounding 530 lbs!  She did not have surgery or take any drugs.  Their were other amazing stories.  You can read about their stories on her website.  I think it's www.oprah.com.   It made me feel like, man, with the mountain some of these people had to climb and I can't get off the weight I need to lose.  Get a grip, girl.   I know for me I found it very inspirational.  I really believe like Donna said, you have to get your motivation from deep inside you. It's like when you first start to diet for the first few months and you do well and then all of a sudden you lose your motivation.  It proves that when you have your mind set , it can be done.   Brenda

I only caught the last ten minutes! dammit, i wanted to see that. O is on at 4:00 here, so I am rarely home.

I will go to the website tonight and read on it.

It is very inspiring.  I told y'all I get the SHAPE magazine and other health mags - it is great to have that kind of reading material around. This is LONG hard road - anyone who argues that is high on endorphins or just getting on the road. After so many years, a sistah and bro get weary.  I am over HOW people lose the weight. I think not one of us would be here if we could this on our own, right? Yet, the irony is, like Dorothy, we posessed the power all along.  *Something* has to click, the motivation must become perrenial as grass...yes it dies off, but a tiny seed is germinating and soon, billowy fields of green will occur! Come on, billowy fields!!!!!!!!

"This is LONG hard road - anyone who argues that is high on endorphins or just getting on the road. After so many years, a sistah and bro get weary. " It is a long road, but any "arguments", well seeing them as "just someone high on endorphins" or "just getting started"...do you not see that that itself is a limiting belief? Guess what I'm saying is that if I, for example, am high on endorphins, well that's a great thing and a necessary thing, dontcha think?  I mean, if my posts here reek of being very focused, it's because the endorphins sure as hell help me push forward every single day.  I'm glad for them and not using them to excuse me. And just getting started, well, that's not me.  I've been at this for 30 years, trying to lose weight, and been on this successful road for 5 months.   I don't negate it's a long road.  I have accepted with a bit of disappointment, it will be 2 more years for me to get to goal weight.  That is a long road.  But it is what it will likely be.  So instead of saddling myself with the disappointment when surgery would have resulted in the quicker fix, I accept it with joy because I will be 100% intact and 100% healthy. I still say, I see a heck of a lot of dismissals here of some very real stuff.  Folks, you don't have to live in deprivation or hunger as much as you don't have to live with obesity.  Losing it just is not as hard as some are making it out to be.  It may be long, slow and hard work, but not hard to do what works.... Guess I'm not gonna be making many friends here as some will find me on a high horse, but I have learned so much from my trainer and when you get to the point that it clicks--it's freedom.

It is a long hard road....with  no end. No matter if you reach your goal weight it doesn't stop there.

"You keep looking for the finish line....but there isn't one" It's a life long road.

 

I gotta voice my opinion negative or not. You do come off as being on a high horse as if you have lost all your weight and are at the goal already. You've lost 22 pounds. Don't get me wrong thats fabulous. But it feels as if you stuff your opinions in other peoples faces and ONLY your way works. At least that is how I am seeing it.

Plus if I was ever to get a trainer....I want one that will make me lose at least 18 pounds a month, or that trainer would be a waste of my money.

 

Oh and back to Oprah....gosh that 703 pound women pure inspiration right there. I want to shake that woman's hand. Bravo to her.

I do think this way (not "my" way) is the only way that works.  So does my trainer.  And if i talk like I'mon a high horse, it's because I do not doubt my complete success anymore. It's not about diet.  Diets don't work for the long term and do more harm than good.  But intense exercise and a healthy eating (and for most obese people that would mean low carb) will work for everyone. As for wanting to lose 18 lbs a month, you would be sorely disappointed--that's not how training works.  Most people will not lose that kind of weight, unless they're eating originally was so out of whack (such as eating 5000 calories and going to 1800).  Training a) builds muscle and b) uses appropriate calories, not severe restriction to work so that its success is long term.  If you train, you should expect two months of stable weight as you build new muscle and then only 1-2 lbs a week.  But clearly your expectations are misdirected by the diet industry and media.

Maybe you'll respond to this.  I am curious. If you could: lose all your excess weight never feel hunger rarely have cravings only go "off the wagon" by choice change your shape gain strength and ability lose the weight consistently would you? what if the caveat is it would take a little bit longer than dieting, but...you wouldn't face weight regain (unless you drastically changed your choices) and you'd be able to eat to satiety?   Would you choose that way? See, for all the high horse comments, I'm just trying to share that dieting isn't the way for longlasting health, mental wellbeing, and maintenance, healthy eating and exercise are.   Both may get you there, but one definitely is better for the individual, not because "I say so".  It's just clear as day. You can ignore me all you like--people are not going to get along when one desires to stay in their physical or emotional rut--but I offer my support either way.             

Basically, Jerz, I see your consistent message to be:  you are all dieting, I am not, therefore I am doing it right.  I don't think there is one person among us who thinks that the Grapefruit /Cabbage Soup/Egg Diet is the ticket here. Or that any person does not need to work in exercise regularly. You call your food plan a Healthy One that all but eliminates beans & grains indefinitley that stays within a caloric range, dictated by Super Trainer Guy. "We" call it Low Carb or South Beach or Atkins or the Pre-Diabetic food plan and have set a caloric range set by Super Bariatric Doc/PCP.  You call your workout Harder than Anyone Works on Earth.  "we" call it Working in Regular Movement what our schedules or bodies allow - some of "us" have kids at home, no money to join a gym let alone buy high quality food, miles from a gym, inclement weather, 2-3 jobs, wrecked knees/feet/backs from being too fat for too many years. So?  both groups are doing the same thing called The Best You Can Do With the Resources Available. Further, both groups are doing what works...for now. Word games, my friend. It is the SAME thing - you, me, everyone here is doing the SAME THING. See ya at the Finish Line...oh wait...there is not one. It actually STAYS as challenging, maybe more so when we cross that imaginary line.  And I've told you many times, you & I are very close in our beliefs - whatever is done has to be something that a body will do consistently going forward. For now, your cir****tance is helping you.  You will not always have the money or time or the gumption to work out like you do now.  And, very importantly, you may have found your trigger, many folks here have not and still need guidance and atta girl/boy's.  Wonderful that you have lost so many pounds and inches to date. We'll see over time if you : a.  lose the rest of the weight b.  keep it off This includes the day you do have a family and a job or a very demanding job or a spouse who could care less about your gym time.   God forbid you hurt yourself...trust me, there will be no consuming 2000+ calories if that would happen.  Hang in here, Jersey.  i love a good discussion.

this post captures exactly what i've been thinking and feelings about jersey posts. sorta similar to my response above but more eloquent... :)

JerseyGirl, Well since you basically ignored my last well thought out post, I will just be as frank as Christa was. Just because it works for you does not mean it will work for everyone, it's just that simple.  We all have to pay attention to what works for OUR bodies.  Neecee has put it eloquently at least once if not a thousand times.  Her body can only handle so much food, so many calories, before it rebels.  It is the same with me.  I have to stay around 1300-1500 calories a day or else it just does not work for me, at all.   I would have to say something works because I lost my 140 pounds in one year.  Frankly, I lost 60 pounds in the first 10 weeks.  So whatever worked I am owning it, claiming it and calling it mine.  I have maintained it and continue to work it through eating right, staying healthy and working out.  It's that simple.

There have also been a couple of posts here from you where you have had negative feelings and feelings of failure as well.  You said you couldn't see a change and before that you were having trouble eating the calories needed.  So, see, we  all struggle in one way or another.   I am not holier than though or better than anyone here because I have met with success.  That success is fleeting and it something I am always reaching for, never letting go of the idea that I have to work hard to remain here. Please stop telling people that they have to follow your path.  Most of us cannot afford a personal trainer, it's that simple.  We all learn our own way.  We are of different educational backgrounds and grasp things differently.  No two people are alike.  No two people live the same way or experience the same things.  You are doing more damage if you tell people that YOUR way is the only way.  They will encounter failure more quickly if they feel they aren't doing it right because they buy into what you are doing. Thank you for keeping an open mind about this, as I'm sure you will. Donna

Who said I ignored it?  I was at a meeting and time online is minimal. I'll say it again, working at the right intensity with consistency and frequency and eating healthy will work for everybody.  Eating the right amount of calories will work for everybody--eating too few will work against everybody.

FWIW, losing 140 lbs in a year is a bit fast, but reasonable.  But I don't doubt there is a healthy way to lose that weight and a wrong way to lose that weight.  Just because one loses it, doesn't mean it was lost the best way possible.