I think it's always important to remind ourselves that context is everything, especially when it comes to the weight loss journey all of us are on. Basically, I made a list of things I always ask myself when approaching diet, exercise, weight, weight loss, and fitness. Then I answered my own questions and found the explanations and reality of the assumptions I tend to make. I'm sharing it in the hopes that it might help someone on their journey too.
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What's the secret to losing weight? Is it discipline? Is it a diet? Is it something else?
I think this was the hardest question to answer and also the major reason I've Yo-yoed in my journey. This is the second time I've seriously taken this journey and I needed to answer the questions to be able to rationalize what I was doing.
For me, there are two simple secrets.
1, eat at a deficit. This sub has people doing Keto, Intermittent Fasters, Paleo, Veganism, vegetarians, pescatarians, and so many others, but the bottom line has always been Calories In Calories Out. No matter what you eat, as long as you are at a deficit you will lose weight.
2, keep the routine simple. When people talk about habits of successful businessmen or athletes or whatever else it comes up in one way or another every time. Steve Jobs wore the same jeans and black shirt all the time. Warren Buffet has the same suit he wears all the time. Your favorite baseball team or the frat dudes or sorority gals all went to the gym and ate at the same time. I spent a lot of my time looking at what they looked like rather than the process they followed to get the results they got. But then I tried the routine myself. I had a great gym and a great schedule. I went to the gym from 8pm to 10pm every time. When I was a beginner it was twice a week. As I got stronger I started going more often. -
Can I lose weight in a specific area?
I think this is the question I look back on a feel most frustrated with myself for asking. It has to do with a lack on understanding what it is at a very basic level. The simple answer is, unless you are already relatively small/ fit, no.
Why?
Well, think of fat as storage. Any excess food that you consume becomes pooped out or, in the case of sugar, turned into the unit stored in fat tissue. Your body is made to store fat in certain areas, your hips, your gut, your butt, your chest/boobs, and your thighs. After a point, it will also show up in your extremities, neck, face, etc. It stores them, but it stores them pretty evenly everywhere. -
The natural follow up question. So where does muscle and working out fall in?
Muscle, unlike fat, is a functional unit. You build muscle to do more work. Your work out muscles which you want to work harder. Your core is your abs and back, they give you the balance, stability, and control for movements of your torso. Your legs will let you carry heavier loads and/or move for longer. Your arms will let you push, grab, and pull heavier things and how you use them will help with the type of work you do better.
Think of the gas you put in a car. If you aren't turned on and going anywhere the gas stays in the tank right? The gas in this instance is food. Now imaging that you keep getting gas at a steady rate. If you don't use it, you can put that gas in smaller tanks and store them on/in your car. That is fat. If you continue to fill extra tanks, then you put them wherever you have space but if you never get used they just sit there.
Now, think of the engine. The engine is what makes work possible. It is the muscle. In a normal car it'll take you from point A to point B and it'll be pretty uneventful. Now think of a sports car, monster truck or semi/ lorry. Those cars have a lot more power so that can move more weight, go faster. That's how they go faster and work harder. The muscle is the same way. We build muscle so that they can do more work. Doing more work requires more energy. So even if they have a continuous flow of gas, if they're using it, they won't need to store it.
A small clarification on types of muscle using cars.
A sports car goes from A to B quickly. A normal car will get there and if it tried to keep up it would take a greater toll on the car than the sports car because it was built for speed. That is how you can look at a sprinter vs us normal people. Lots of power.
A semi/ lorry truck can move a great amount of weight for a great distance. It uses more gas, stores more gas, and has more power. A normal car attempting to pull the same weight/ heavy weight? Forget about it! Either, something would break, it would try hard but not get very far before running out of energy, or a combination of both. That's something like a boxer, swimmer, or football player. Lots of endurance and power.
Anyways, it's not a great analogy, but I think the idea is there. Regardless, to burn more energy, you have to eat less and/or move more, that is the only way the extra gas in the spare cans gets burned off. -
How do I stay motivated?
Everyone has moments of weakness. Everyone. But recognizing a momentary lapse and becoming discouraged because of one moment aren't the end of the world. So, you build in flexibility. I eat at a 750 calorie deficit so that if I get tempted by a cookie or a piece of chocolate on one day, I can have it and still be okay in my loss. -
What should I expect?
The biggest thing for me, is to be realistic. I can't go from the Michelin Man to Ryan Reynolds overnight. I can't even expect myself to do it within a few month and sometimes ever. I might not have the body shape to ever look like those people, but as long as I know where I'm going and I'm honest with myself, I know I'll be somewhere that makes me a lot happier looking at myself in the mirror than I am now. -
What is the difference between weight loss and physical fitness?
This one was huge for me.
Weight loss is simply that, losing weight and poundage. Weight loss isn't a guarantee of a six pack. It isn't the guarantee of big muscles. It isn't even the guarantee that your 'goal outfit' will fit you well. What it is, is the ability to control how close you can get to those goals efficiently and effectively. For me, a distinction is also the gym. You don't need the gym to lose weight. Of course you'll lose inches and feel better, but when you see those little stubborn things, like the love handles, small biceps, or lack of tone in the booty or anywhere else you'll have to turn to fitness, working out, and/or gym.
People use the word fit a lot, but what is it? Physical fitness for me, is having a body that will do what I want it to do at any given moment. (Okay maybe I'll need to stretch and warm up first, but you get the idea.) If I need to be fit enough to run a 5k, then I'm going to have to start with walking. I can build my stamina with walking and then introduce some running. After a while I'll be able to run more and eventually I'll reach the end goal of the full 5k. For someone who wants something more aggressive, it'll probably take more time, but the concept is the same. The end goal is for your body to do what you want. That's why you build muscle. It is a functional unit. They can increase in power in in endurance depending on how you work them.
Finally, I'm sorry if this went on for a bit. This sub is a great place for support. I suppose, this is my way of saying thanks and giving back a little.
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