A rant about basic concepts I

I read this whole thread and a few things really resonated with me. Firstly, the eating frequent meals to lose weight. I can understand how this would help a diabetic but I have always been a 3 meals a day person simply because that's how I am. I find that if I break my meals up and eat more often it leaves me feeling more unsatisfied and I can't concentrate on other things as much. Also, the breakfast in the morning thing, I find I can't have breakfast before my morning workout. If I eat after it, it's still pretty early so I don't see the issue with waiting that extra hour. And finally, if milk is only 4% fat, why do so many people insist on us drinking skim milk? Does that extra 2% fat really make a big difference to long-term weight loss? Especially when a study conducted a few years ago found that drinking skim milk could lead to infertility in women?
 
Good "rant". I think you are really writing out of your personal experience. Sometimes eating more food with less calorie gets you the desired weight loss rather than going hunger strike in order to loose weight.
 
Solutions said:
Good "rant". I think you are really writing out of your personal experience. Sometimes eating more food with less calorie gets you the desired weight loss rather than going hunger strike in order to loose weight.
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Can you explain what you mean by this statement?
 
One of the big issues with diets is that we frame it as trying to 'lose' weight. However, unconsciously you tend to fight against 'losing' anything. So our logical conscious mind says "I am going to lose weight, starting tomorrow" meantime our unconscious (i.e below our conscious awareness) reaction is to hold on desperately to everything we have. That is why people find weight-loss such a battle and they get despondent wondering why despite the best will in the world, they seem to have no success and 'things' just seem to get in the way. We are fighting our own programming because actually most of what we do we do without being consciously aware of it. The conscious mind likes to think it is in charge...it ain't. If it were then we would all have lost the weight by now.

Perhaps we should try re-framing things to ourselves as gaining something rather than losing something. For instance, think about achieving your ideal weight or gaining the good feeling that comes from being successful in achieving your weight goals.

This may seem odd, but just humour me and try this for a month.
Use that cinema screen in your head to create a picture in your mind of yourself stepping onto the scales and being delighted to see them read exactly what you want as your next weight goal. Make that picture as vivid and bright and realistic as you possibly can.
Notice the date...set the date.
Then in your mind, step into the picture and live it, experience it, use your 5 senses, what can you see, what do you hear, what do you say to yourself, what is everyone else saying to you as they congratulate you, how do you celebrate your success, what can you smell, taste....how good do you feel.
Do this every day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Let your subconscious work on it whilst you sleep.
Just try it every day for a month (What harm can it do?) and notice what happens.
Every successful athlete utilises this type of visualisation. Try it for yourself and then come back and tell me just how successful you were.
Your unconscious mind is very powerful. Use it.
To keep doing the same thing every day and expect different results is what Einstein described as insanity.

I wish you every success whatever You choose to do.
 
which..if you don't take the proper steps as well..will do nothing.

I am all for positive thinking, you just have to include positive changes to your diet and lifestyle.
 
Hi Jericho

Indeed, and yet negative thinking works every time.
Could that be because it leads to negative or no action. Possibly.
Taking the right action is key. I'm with you. To increase the chances of taking the right action....first get your thinking right,

Incidentally, what I am talking about is so much more than positive action.

Best wishes
 
how is it not more than positive actions? You can't think yourself thin. Unless you take the steps with your diet and changing your lifestyle, you can think all you want..it won't change. Once again, I am all for thinking positive as well as being in the right mindset. I just don't want people thinking that all you have to do IS think.
 
Hi Jerico

Thank you for the comments. Allow me to explain where I am coming from here.
Everything starts with a thought. Everything that comes into existence starts with a thought. Your computer, the desk it sits on, your chair, you, me, it all starts with a thought. And we spend all day every day having thoughts. Indeed, it is our most common action during the day. We talk to ourselves in our heads constantly (even though we don't discuss that much). Least I hope that's not just me!
These internal conversations are like giving ourselves hypnotic commands.
What we say to ourselves in our head can drive how we feel and how we feel will then largely determine how we act. So our thinking, positive or negative, is crucial in determining how we subsequently act.

What if we are having the wrong thoughts and acting on those? Ever climbed the ladder of success only to find it was leaning against the wrong wall?

Please understand me here. I am with you on the need to take (the right) action. That follows from our (right) thinking. I would love to see everyone here succeed in achieving their weight goals. I hope you find my post interesting and useful. I recognise that I cannot influence how you feel and act, only you can choose that. All I aim to do is offer some additional information for your consideration.

I wish you well.
 
I do understand where you are coming from, it is self-hypnosis. You aren't the first to come here suggesting to do what you are saying. There has been a few people starting threads or, I remember this one member who would come every few days and post this long piece on a technique. It never really got off the ground here. I think the main reason is that people here are here because they do have the right mindset, just not the right tools.
 
Hi Jericho

The thing is that we are all indulging in self hypnosis all the time. Even these postings. The question is are we using it for good, or is it holding us back.
Wouldn't it be a good plan to use it as one of the tools in our toolbox. If I am right then we are all driven by our beliefs and we act these out, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. So why not create beliefs that will be helpful and support us.
People here have the right conscious intentions for sure. I would like to help them install that belief. I will offer what I can to help. If a person has different beliefs firmly entrenched then they will probably ignore this.
I understand if a person is sceptical, that can be a good thing, because only then once you have tried it will you be in a position to convince yourself.
Jericho, my intentions are to add information that people will find useful and that they can use as one of their tools.

Best wishes
 
I liked your rant!

Steve,

As a new member to this forum, it is refreshing to hear some established talking about what I call Old School Nutrition. There is no secret formula or diet,a person must create an energy deficit.

I will add that a balanced diet leaning toward almost half my calories in fruits and veggies helped me lose 48 Lbs of body FAT, not body weight, in 8 months. I have stabilized 15 Lbs below my intial target weight without any supplements, diets aids, or special diets. Just good ole fashioned balanced eating like they taught me back in grade school.

Once I slowly added rigorous excercise to my new healthier life style my fitness level gained momemtum. Today I stand at 175 lbs with vital signs I am proud of. I got my inspiration from a common sense trainer who convinced me there is no other true way to become than balanced nutrition and fitness.

Today I work very hard in the gym, but give my body plenty of recovery time. I like to work my core for maximum caloric expenditure, along with free weights and machines to work opposing muscle groups.

I found my personal trainer to be worth every dime I paid him, because I learned how to eat right and excercise properly on my own. I call him, or do a session with him every few weeks to keep myself from getting stale with my workouts.

Thanks again Steve for an informative article I hope every newcomer reads closely.
 
Steve said:
There is a huge myth that has been floating around the fitness circles that eating more meals per day speeds up your metabolism, thus, helping you lose more weight.

It doesn't.

I am a fan of multiple, smaller meals. I, myself, consume 6-7 per day. However, this is not because of some magical metabolic change that occurs due to the number of meals consumed. I eat that many mainly b/c I have to pack in so much food in order to add muscle. Too, eating multiple times per day helps with macro/micro nutrient uptake, insulin regulation, etc, etc. It has its benefits, but aiding in metabolic rate and therefore weight loss is not one of them.

If you can't squeeze in that many meals per day due to schedule, don't sweat it.
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Hey! Thanks for advices. But It seems too complicated for me and your post made me to find a trainer. Thanks again! I'll post about results later...
 
sparky38 said:
Steve,

As a new member to this forum, it is refreshing to hear some established talking about what I call Old School Nutrition. There is no secret formula or diet,a person must create an energy deficit.

I will add that a balanced diet leaning toward almost half my calories in fruits and veggies helped me lose 48 Lbs of body FAT, not body weight, in 8 months. I have stabilized 15 Lbs below my intial target weight without any supplements, diets aids, or special diets. Just good ole fashioned balanced eating like they taught me back in grade school.

Once I slowly added rigorous excercise to my new healthier life style my fitness level gained momemtum. Today I stand at 175 lbs with vital signs I am proud of. I got my inspiration from a common sense trainer who convinced me there is no other true way to become than balanced nutrition and fitness.

Today I work very hard in the gym, but give my body plenty of recovery time. I like to work my core for maximum caloric expenditure, along with free weights and machines to work opposing muscle groups.

I found my personal trainer to be worth every dime I paid him, because I learned how to eat right and excercise properly on my own. I call him, or do a session with him every few weeks to keep myself from getting stale with my workouts.

Thanks again Steve for an informative article I hope every newcomer reads closely.
Click to expand...

You're welcome and congrats to you on your success. That's awesome!
 
Hi
I found you rant very interesting. My friend just started a diet and exercise program and wanted me to join to. I was wonder how this program would actually work since they have her eating every three hours. She even has to get up out of bed to make sure she eats every 3hours. The diet consists mainly of fish and vegetable. Would waking up in the middle of the night to eat aid in the weight loss process?? Please help I dont want to waste my time or money for a program that is not going to work.
 
I would be suspicious of a program which insist on such an onerous eating pattern. I think that the concept of anyone having to eat every three hours - especially through the night is ridiculous... I certainly did not do anything like that on my big weight loss project a few years ago. The bottom line is that it is total calories in vs total calories burnt that counts... Some people can stick to this if they invent little rules like having lots of little meals, not eating after a certain time or not eating before a certain time... These are just methods that some people find useful for limiting calories...

Steve has not posted on this forum for some time - but he did write on the subject of timing meals

I suspect that his opinion will be of interest to you - since your question has been triggered by his article.
 
Enough sleep is a factor in weight loss - interrupting sleep for a meal you don't want? Nonsense. Stay away from it.
 
I agree Steve, I look at it very simply, at any time, If I get hungry I eat, If I'am not hungry I don't! simple as that, having a time you have too eat is nonsense too me, If I fill up my gas tank this morning, at 8am and drive 1 mile all day, tomorrow at 8am I sure don't need any more fuel!! nope! of course I will wait till I have emptied my tank!! I have read all that myself, saying you will stop digestion or shock your body etc. I have not found that to be true at all, I had to ask myself many times ,What is the obsession I have that I have got to eat,at any given time??? I have lost 96 lbs by simply what I just said, and not over filling my Tank!! I have a hard time drinking plain water, So I keep a 2qt pitcher of Crystal Light on the counter, If I feel hungry I drink a glass full of room temp Crystal Light, I go thru up too 4qts a day helps me flush my system, keeps me hydrated, this for me has worked great, just cause I feel hungry does not mean I have to load up on fish or anything else, You have got to do whats works best for you, for a mid morning snack a hand full of almonds,is great!! or a cup of Berries and 2% cottage cheese is a great treat for me,
 
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