Health Link: Looking to gain muscle? Buy Weightloss Bullshit
By Groovybabe • Aug 16th, 2007 • Category: article, weightloss rulesHere is a no nonsense article about how to lose weight. I think it really highlights where many of us fall down, particularly in our attitute towards the process.
So I’m wearing my Exercise Scientist hat today.
And my Psychologist cardigan.
And my steel-capped, ass-kicking boots.
I may be blunt.
Okay, I will be.
But honest.
Possibly… politically incorrect.
Okay, probably.
Will possibly say what you don’t want to hear.
Feel free to look away… now.
Hmm.. still here huh?
Thrill-seeker.
Crazy kid.
Even though I’ve spoken way too much for way too many years about getting in shape (in the course of my work)… and I’m kinda over it, recent events (stuff in the media here in Australia and several random conversations) have compelled me to write this post.
It seems we’re still missing the point when it comes to losing weight (effectively and permanently).
If you, or someone you know, needs to lose weight, pay attention and/or pass this post along.
Conventional thinking tells us that losing weight is essentially a physiological process; lift this, run there, stretch that, get your heart rate up, decrease your calorie intake, no carbs after three (crapola) and increase your energy expenditure.
Mostly good advice.
And traditional approaches (by the medical profession and the fitness industry) tell us that weight loss is essentially about three key variables; exercise, food and lifestyle.
Oh yeh, and more education.
And to a point, they are right.
But only to a point.
I’m here to tell you that while exercise, food, lifestyle and education are indeed important variables in the process, without doubt, the biggest determinant of weight loss (or gain) is what’s going on in that nine pound (four kilo) thing sitting on the top of our shoulders.
Yet the psychology of weight loss is rarely discussed (in any depth) by the ‘experts’.
And in my humble opinion, that’s because many of them don’t get it.
It.. being the head stuff that goes with the body stuff.
If you have been, or are currently, overweight, then you absolutely know that losing weight is first and foremost a psychological and emotional process.
I was a fatty (200lbs, 90kgs at fourteen)… and when I got my head in the right place, my body followed.
I thought different, chose different(ly) and created different.
Q. What really determines weight loss (or gain)?
A. Attitude, thinking, self-control, mind-set and ultimately, decisions.
We know what to do.
But we don’t do what we know.
We’ve never been more educated.
Yet we’ve never been fatter.
We’ve never had more resources.
And we’ve never made more excuses (heard them all).
We’ve never had more reasons to lose weight.
And we’ve never wasted more time.
But people don’t wanna hear this message because it’s too fundamental and obvious.
And it requires real effort, sacrifice, work and self-control.
No, we’d rather talk about weight-loss theory number ten million or the latest ‘breakthrough’ pill, powder, potion, product, gizmo or gadget.
Or that amazing new weight-loss book.
‘Cause we need another one of those.
We want quick, easy, convenient and painless.
We are soft.
We are precious, lazy and lack self-control.
We are the quick-fix society.
And the instant-gratification generation.
And the fat generation.
We want an answer that doesn’t require effort or sacrifice on our part.
And it is this mentality which keeps us (us, the society) fat.
If the answer to Global obesity was in fact, more education, information or resources, then we would all be getting leaner by the day because we’ve never been more educated, informed or equipped when it comes to diet, exercise, lifestyle and all that ‘obesity-related stuff’.
Here’s some random food for thought (nice book title)… on obesity.
(You can still look away at any time).
1. External change needs to be accompanied (or preceded) by, internal change (for it to be lasting).
2. Most people who lose weight regain it (over 95%) because they haven’t really changed their attitude or thinking. They change their behaviours for a while but deep (deep, deep) down they haven’t really changed their core thinking, beliefs, attitudes or standards. On a subconscious level many people are waiting for it (the diet, the fitness kick) to be over.. so they can go back to being ‘normal’.
And when they do eat less and exercise more they (often) slide into a deprivation mentality… constantly telling themselves that they’re ‘missing out’.
3. If we tell ourselves that it will be a painful, horrible process… it will be (for everyone).
Attitude = outcome.
4. The sooner we stop looking for easy and start looking for effective… the sooner we’ll start to see real (forever) change.
5. Weight-loss martyrs are a pain in the ass… “I’ve been so good… I’ve been so good.”
6. While food, exercise and lifestyle are important ingredients in the weight-loss process… it is our head which determines how we eat, exercise and live.
Which in turn determines our physiological state.
7. The fat person with all the knowledge, education and resources… and a crap attitude.. will stay fat.
8. The fat person with limited knowledge, resources and genetic potential.. and a great attitude… will produce much better results every time.
9. The sooner we stop getting in shape for ‘events’ (weddings, birthdays, reunions, parties) and start getting in shape for life… the sooner we’ll start to see forever results.
10. The fitness industry and medical profession have a one-dimensional approach to weight-loss; physical. This is ignorant, naive and ineffective. Losing weight (effectively) is a complex, multi-dimensional process (physical, emotional and psychological).
11. Losing weight is not about finding the right program, diet, supplement or drug; it’s about finding the right attitude.
12. Many (okay, most) fat people make excuses and tell lies.
A lot.
Just ask the ex fat kid.
Yes, I know this sounds offensive but if you had experienced the thousands of conversations with as many fat people as I have… you’d know that I’m telling the truth.
You can get offended… or educated; it’s a choice.
13. By the way, ‘fat ‘ is not an insult (in this discussion)… it’s a physiological state.
14. The sooner we call fat what it is (as opposed to deluding ourselves by calling each other full-figured, big-boned and heavy-set) the sooner we will get serious about addressing obesity in a real, practical, no bullshit way. Perhaps we should worry less about political correctness and more about heart disease, diabetes, bowel cancer and the plethora of other obesity-related conditions.
“Whatever you do.. don’t mention the ‘F’ word.. you might hurt her feelings; she’s not fat, she’s… voluptuous!”.
15. We love to play the blame game.
We wanna blame someone or something for our obesity.
It’s a time thing.
It’s a genetics thing.
As long as it’s not a ‘me’ thing.
Otherwise I might have to get off my ass and take responsibility for my fat self.
If you’re still talking to me, let me know your thoughts and where you’re from.
PS. If you want to explore this subject in greater detail, there’s a book called FATTITUDE which ain’t too shabby. Not sure about the author.. but apparently the book’s okay.
Taken from here
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Points I would agree with:
- Calling a spade a spade - You really do need to acknowledge that the word “fat” is just a description and not a personal judgement. I used to call myself anything but fat, I could not even utter the word for the longest time and would become offended of its use toward me. But then I realised it is just a word. People use it to describe a state of being more often than to offend me. Once I realised this the word lost it’s power and I was on the road towards self acceptance. Something you need before you can successfully lose.
- Physiological versus psychological - Obesity is not just a physical disorder, it is a psychological one too. And until the powers that be start to recognise this fact, the global obesity opidemic will only go from worse to worse.
- Attitude, thinking, self-control, mind-set and ultimately, decisions. - this is what will in the end achieve the results we want. But we have to put in the hard work first.
Groovybabe is 14.9 stones today and has lost 2lbs at her last weigh in.
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I don’t completely agree with the article, of course (having a very good weight loss, lifestyle change & maintenance book plus some genetic &/or health factors making weight loss hard, as you know). I do with your points. I’m glad I’ve never really had the psychological problems associated with obesity. That must be so hard.
I think the writer is wrong in it that the psychological issues are not discussed: they ARE, by nutritionists and weight loss experts, at least here in Finland. However, what people normally listen to, are people who market dieting fads such as the South Beach diet, Atkins, you name it, and those do not stress the importance of making changes within your head. Anyone who has an inkling of smarts in their heads should know that just by dropping something out of your diet will not make you less fat: one needs to realize that there has to be a permanent change in our attitude towards eating, exercising and whatnot. And also, if we drop one item from our diet that we are used to, there seems to be more of a chance to binge on it later on. I don’t like the idea of the forbidden fruit at all. Everything (except smoking, heh) is good or ok for you, but in moderation. The fad diets promise miracles and people end up using them to look good for that one wedding, like the author mentions, but when they return to their normal eating habits, they’ll bloat up again. I actually should not say ‘they’, I should say ‘we’. I’m still learning that I do not have to finish a plateful if I am full–it’s something from my poor student days when I wasn’t sure if I’d always have enough food. I’m not mentally there quite yet, but I’m trying.
So I think the article should be more aptly named “Fad dieting-thinking tells us that losing weight is essentially a physiological process”. With that rant over, I agree with pretty much everything the author says.
By the way, and this is not mentioned in the article, but what I find sad these days is that exercising is always equated with “trying to get slim”. I wish that that mentality would be changed too. Kids should be taught about why exercising is important for us: not for weight loss, but keeping us healthy. Now whenever I go for a jog, people comment on how I “can now eat anything today” because they have been so brainwashed to think that people go for jogs to just burn calories–not to keep their hearts, lungs and muscles healthy. No wonder there is a stigma for fat people to start jogging: everyone is keeping an eye on them to see whether they can lose their weight or not! Who cares whether these people are just otherwise trying to maintain their health. Argh.
Anyways. Thanks for the post, that was very informative.
trying to make my rounds to see how everyone is doing. you’re first!
good article…thanks for your comment.
“Obesity is not just a physical disorder, it is a psychological one too”
Hear hear. The first thing I do when miserable, stressed etc is eat.
Naiiad - I personally believe that if you are obese there are some psychological issues in there somewhere. Of course, I don’t consider you obese anyway, you’re more overweight from what I imagine.
Rosabel - I think you have a valid point that the professionals are seeing obesity in a psychological light. According to my Psychologist friend, they are starting to pursue that as a line of enquiry but it was not always the way. My point, though, was more about the government. The govy has all these anti-obesity programmes, they want to raise awareness and reduce obesity and yet all they offer is diet and exercise. Most doctors here actively deny obese people the right to counselling. I think if they offered it, it would be much more beneficial than putting people on anti depressants, which seems to be the line of thought.
You also raise good points about the thinking behind exercise. There should be a culture of exercising from a young age for health reasons not just something you resort to in times of desperation. As is very much the case in the UK. I hated exercising when I was young but am now very much committed to the idea of exercising for the rest of my life, whether I weigh 136lbs or 250lbs. I actually couldn’t imagine life without exercise. Not only had it made me lose weight and improved my cardiovascular equipment, but its been so clearly improving my mental state as well. I feel on a whole new level in terms of mental health since I have been exercising regularly.
Lady T - thanks!
Jo - Does exercise help? It definitely helps with my state of mind, which in turn helps to control my compulsive impulses towards binging.
I’m sorry for missing that governmental part, my bad! I think what is going on here is also that we talk about child obesity, then the importance of exercising, and only after that as an aside “and by the way, the whole family has to exercise and everyone has to change their habits–you can’t just tell your kid to do it on his or her own, make it a life-long thing”. So you are right, the main motivation still is dieting. Bluh.
You are so right! I used to loathe exercising too: I just didn’t see the point as a kid, because it was really unpleasant for a chubby kid as myself. Nobody taught me how to exercise in a meaningful way. That should be changed.
Well I didn’t explain properly I just said “the powers that be” so its my fault really!
I’m still technically obese. Actually, no. I don’t binge. I don’t really care what people think. I’m not ashamed. I get annoyed that I can’t move like I used to and I just don’t feel as healthy. I also hate that clothes won’t sit right on me. My biggest struggle is eating enough to keep my metabolism up. I put the weight on because of psych drugs. I have eaten wholefoods most of my life. Maybe it’s because I have my neurology or that I have bigger issues to deal with but I don’t feel any reason to be ashamed or anything else. I will lose the weight and keep it off– so long as my body and schedule cooperate.
Naiiad - Even if you do binge and are obese and have major psychological issues (like me!) then there is still no reason to be ashamed. Being ashamed is where the problems esculate!
But you’re right to point out that those with medical problems may not have psychological issues. However, while I accept that you fall into this category, I think it is very few people who actually join you there.