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Perhaps but someone who has lost a significant amount of weight may have insights that someone who has never been fat may not as to what does and does not work for weight loss.
Several people have maintained that any person who is overweight, and some including myself have lost significant amounts of weight, should not be capable of giving advice on weight loss because they had allowed themselves to get fat in the first place.
Lack of knowledge of appropriate health and fitness has not been, in my experience, the root cause of many peoples' obesity. Most of us are probably better educated on these things than the average thin person. It is our behaviors that are not consistent with our goals. To me, the element is more psychological and there is where it may take one to know one.
So why discount the messenger rather than challenge bad advice and offer good?
I liken it to this: how many people have fat doctors? Does that mean they don't know about fitness/nutrition? Or, are they just not heading their own advice? I think it's the latter as the best doc I've ever had was fairly big. Several doctors/nurses also smoke like chimneys. Etc. etc.. I also know how to build/use/maintain a supercomputer, yet I don't have one in my house. Does that mean the guy who owns one (no education in it, just owns it) is more knowledgeable? Sometimes, skinny/lean people can just be so without effort (it just comes to them). They may not have knowledge at all about fitness/nutrition, but it may have been ingrained in them as a child.
I just wish there were better options out there for those of us who really don't want a freakin' salty grease-burger but would love a day off from cooking...
I know. I've actually contemplated opening a "fast food" joint that specializes in healthy foods. I could make a KILLING because the people in that demographic tend to spend a lot of money on health food. There is one down the street from where I am now, and I know it does good business (delivery times are 1.5 hrs many times) even in this economy.
I agree! I'm about out of ideas for healthy cooking. I did try a veggie burger for the very first time last week and it actually wasn't bad at all! It was broiled, not greasy, on a WW muffin, with ketchup Let. Tom. & Onion. My husband thinks the reason the fast food joints are so crowded is because of the economy, but I disagree. McD and others are not cheap in cost, just in what you get in return. They also are too convenient for young families, IMO. But, that's how they make money.
About beans....I'm always looking for different bean recipes.
Actually, that is why they are crowded. It's a phenomenon known as economic substitution. One may have gone to say a steakhouse before, but now they are less sure about job security and may have gotten a paycut. They still have to work late and aren't willing to cook or just can't for whatever reason, so they go out. However, now that that psychological factor is in mind, they will go somewhere cheaper. I.e. fast food joint. It's happened in every recession (FF joints get more crowded while eat-in restaurants decline). Then economy improves and reverse happens.
Don't make any drastic changes in your life overnight or you're less likely to stick to it. That's why many fail. "Oh, I'm going to eat only fruits and veggies, get organic, exercise 4 hours a day, etc..." and then get tired of it really easily. They're just not used to it, and Le Chatlier's principle states that a "system" will oppose changes quickly. This is taught in chemistry, but it is applicable to most areas of life. If you try to make sudden changes in your life, psychologically you will hate them since you are changing TOO quickly. Don't be afraid to go slowly (I mean, it's not like you're going to be slim tomorrow anyway if you go from running 0 to 20 miles in a day). Introduce new goals and "bullet points" slowly. One week, start going for a walk. After that week, cut your calories by 100-500 (depending on how big you are) per day. Next week, take up jogging or weight training and choose better foods (fruits and vegges, et al). Basically, add in a little discomfort at a time so your mind doesn't automatically hate it and put negative connotations with it (that will make it harder to "restart" later when you've gained 20 or 50 more lbs, since feelings of hopelessness will overcome you).
If you fail, don't beat yourself up. Just shrug it off, do a little more cardio the next day (NOT as a punishment, though, as that gives negative connotation to exercise, last thing you want... just do it to burn a few more cals). It's bound to happen. Just remember: Rome wasn't built in a day. Alcoholics almost always relapse after their first rehab experience. However, instead of binging and saying "**** it", you just cope and get back on the wagon. All you did was stop in a town along the path; that doesn't mean you have to live there now.
If you're at a wedding, birthday, etc., don't be afraid to have some damn cake. A slice of cake isn't going to put ALL the weight back on in a matter of minutes. You're in a celebration, so celebrate (if you like cake, that is). Now, that doesn't mean a slice of cake weighs as much as your head.
If you have RAVISHING hunger, where you hear your stomach growl and you feel a bit weak (everyone has these days), don't be afraid to eat your maintenance level (and a few more calories even). Now that said, learn to recognize when this happens and don't label every pang as "ravishing."
Remember that BMI chart? Throw it out. Your "ideal" weight is one you can live with comfortably and feel attractive with. The number on the scale may be higher than "ideal," but you may have 10% bodyfat.
Get a hobby, and don't make weight loss THE center of your life. Don't let it consume your life.
It isn't a race so don't treat it as such. It's more like a trip. Whether you get there in 6 hours or 8 hours doesn't matter... you just gotta get there!
If you feel the need to eat, ask if it is stress, boredom, anger, etc.. Many times, you don't really feel hungry, it's just that emotions have been "fixed" in many cultures with food (and food=love, etc.). Some have said instead of munching on ___, munch on lettuce or similar. If that seems a logical substitution, ask yourself WHY you feel the need to put something in your mouth when you don't think you're hungry AND you don't care what it is.
And physical activity doesn't mean some heavily regimented gym hopping experience. Most of your activity time should be spent "leisurely." Now, that doesn't necessarily means it all has to be dull. It just means you should be having fun. Play baseball with your friends/kids, play some golf, DDR, a nice walk around the town square, swim etc.. I spend maybe 30 mins to an hour in the gym at a given time. I do a lot more outside of the gym and it makes me happy, and I'm more likely to continue it.
Learn what a portion of anything looks like. For about a month, log what you eat to see how many calories were in a portion. After that month, you can eyeball it. Remember, moderation is key.
I'm down 30 lbs so far (10 weeks), body fat is down from 33% to 26% just following this. My nutrition intake is good (mostly veggies and fruits, lean meats, but I eat fast food and cook "comfort food" too because I enjoy it).
Here are some tips to lose your weight: Moderation: How much you want to lose your weight and how fast it will be. Motivation: you must know about the side effects of over weight so that you have to motivate to reduce your weight. Motion: movement is an important thing whether it is little in amount that you have to done in your working hours also.
When I want to lose weight, I eliminate the 'white carbs"--anything made with white flour like bread, baked goods, and pasta and I ramp up the lean protein (beans, tuna, turkey, skinless chicken) and make one meal a day a salad with low-fat dressing.
I also don't drink anything but water or unsweetened tea.
*Eat a diet high in protein
*Reduce starchy carbs & limit fruit intake
*Have no more than 2 splurge meals a week
*Eat 1-3 tablespoons of oat bran a day
* Exercise moderately & often
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