Why is it so hard to lose weight?

How hard is it to lose weight?

Looking at the world around us it is easy to think that weight loss is a complicated proposition.

A quick google search would have you justified in believing that if you don’t do specific workouts on an exacting schedule or eat the right food at the tight time with the right supplements you are doomed to be fat forever.

Don’t forget your water.  Did you drink your 8, 10, 12 or however many glasses of water you are supposed to have daily?

Did you get your 8 hours of sleep last night?

All of this is important but when you are just starting out all you need to be concerned with is calories in vs calories out.

Make small changes and learn the details about calorie composition, timing, workout routines as you go.  Experiment with what works for you.

Accept that you will make mistakes and learn from them.

If it is so simple, why am I still fat?

I ask myself this question on a regular basis. I need to lose 60 lbs.  Last year I told myself that I would get myself in shape and lose the 50 lbs that I need to lose.  The year before I was sure I was going to lose that extra 40 lbs that I was carrying. I see the trend and I assume that I am not alone in this.

If I knew why I couldn’t stick to any plan or why my motivation fails so easy I would package the answer and retire from my day job.

What are my sources of motivation?

I don’t know.  I thought when my wife and I had a little girl that I would get in shape for her. I bought Brendan Braziers Thrive Diet and Thrive Fitness books.  I poured over the books for a week.  I set myself a start date to become vegan and I planned.

For 2 months I exercised daily, I planned out my meals so that I had all the adequate nutrition.  I even choked down the shakes with a flavour that could only be described as so may layers of ass.

I dropped 40 lbs, my energy level went up, I performed better at work, I went from a painfully slow runner to a not quite so slow runner.  My skin cleared up and my hair and nails looked strong and healthy and I was sleeping better than ever.

 

 

Why did I stop?

It was tiring. My every waking moment was about planning my food for the day. All I did was think about food.

If you ever put yourself on a restricted diet you quickly realize how big a part of North American culture social eating is.

I was in the best shape I could be to live my life to the fullest and I was missing out on too much.

I have had similar success with weight watchers. Unfortunately, I have also had epic failures with weight watchers as well.  I lost weight and had so much fun with P90X. Then I stopped. Clean eating was great. Then it wasn’t.

Motivation, time and money.  I am lacking each to some degree.

Losing weight is simple but it isn’t easy.