what should i choose?

[jessmeow]

Hi everyone

So I've been thinking about starting sureslim or Cohen's style diet but I've read some mixed reviews. I see that the majority of people do lose large amounts of weight and i understand it's quite strict, which is fine but I've also heard that lots of people put back on the weight after stopping/finishing the program. And of course, it's rather expensive. I think i would actually prefer to just stay fat then lose weight and put it back on (again) but i also think i am the unfortunate type of person who needs extreme diets to achieve any success (cutting down portions, making healthy versions of meals or going for walks simply makes no difference, seriously).

All advice welcome

[Blitz]

The problem with restrictive diets is that they are not "real world" solutions. They are imposed on your lifestyle and never made into your lifestyle. That is why the vast majority of people who go on them fall away. Those that stick it out in the end also have a high failure rate in keeping it off because, again, they haven't made it their lifestyle.

Losing weight requires four things.

Firstly, it is about making healthy choices. Eating a balanced diet which will keep the calorie intake down whilst still be satisfying and sustainable.

Secondly, it is about portion control. That means learning to eat the right amount. If you are maintaining that means the amount that a normal person of your height and censored would eat. When you are losing weight that will mean less food than a normal person while still giving your body enough to "tick over".

Thirdly, it is about exercise. Burning energy to rid yourself of fat and make muscle which will raise your metabolism. When you start you will start slowly with a walk. As you get fit you will have to up the pace and increase the intensity and length of your exercise. For example, when I started I did a gruelling ten minute walk (I was very unfit!). At the height of my weight loss exercise I was doing an hour on my exercise bike, an hour swim and an hour jog.

Lastly and most importantly it is about getting your head right. Getting your thinking to the place where losing weight is no longer a wish nor a want but a MUST. If you've got the right mindset you will do the other three things but without it you will fail.

My job is a magician. When people find out that I've lost a lot of weight they ask me what is the magical secret. They expect a magic wand solution. My answer to them; "One sweat drop at a time." It is just plain hard work. There are no magic solutions. If there was I would have used it.

Wishing you all success for your future
Kim

[justbegin]

Hi there!

I found your question so interesting because I was just listening to a podcast today that applies to your question, especially the bit where you wrote... "I am the unfortunate type of person who needs extreme diets to achieve any success".

What I was listening to today was a talk about how our beliefs lead to our attitudes, which lead us to take the actions we take, which cause the results we get, which result in the lifestyle we have. This guy specifically mentioned diets, and how a lot of people make the mistake of trying to change their weight by focusing on the action step, which in most cases is a change of diet or exercise. He said this will never work, because as soon as we stop that action we're still left with the OLD beliefs and attitudes that got us where we were in the first place, which will then bring around the same old actions, results and lifestyle as soon as we stop the diet.

I wonder if you'd be open to thinking about it this way... If you knew that your beliefs and attitudes were causing all the actions, results and lifestyle you have, would you be open to changing your beliefs and attitudes and let the rest flow on from that? It's a big shift, but it's worked for me in the past in this way... When I truly decided I wanted to weight a lot less than I did at the time, and I mean TRULY decided, that was a big day for me. Because it meant facing up to the fact that my future, thin self wouldn't be able to munch on chocolate every day, and she wouldn't be able to drink a lot of alcohol... basically I had to make an honest decision and be honest with myself about choosing what I wanted, and what was more important to me. To be thinner, or to eat the foods I love so much. Because at the end of the day you just can't have both. Sure you can have a treat now and then, but you ask anyone who's at a really healthy weight how much of those foods they eat and they'll say not much. So once you TRULY decide, the rest will flow on. If you're tempted to pick up some chocolate, just check in with that thinner woman you want to be and ask if that's the sort of food she eats. Ask her what she thinks about it. For sure she won't want you to pick up and eat that food. Does it make sense how the actions flow out of our beliefs and attitudes?

I hope this helps. I didn't want it to sound like a rant, but it's such a deep topic with me.

Best of luck! I honestly hope you have huge success in the changes you want!

[Blitz]

Hey justbegin -welcome to the Forum.

I liked your post. What you are talking about is getting your head in the right place. Weight loss is all about facing REALITY and being prepared to change. Unfortunately most people who want to lose weight don't want to face reality, are not prepared to pay the price and certainly don't want to change their lives. Oh, they don't mind a little inconvenience for a while but nothing that will affect their lifestyle forever. Without change - how can there be any different outcome possible?

When I was losing my weight I often wore a beanie that had the word REALITY on it in large letters. It reminded me constantly that I was finally getting real with myself, family, friends - and with my God.

Kim

[JP1]

This thread should be a must read to everyone that visits here, so much sense spoken and Kim you are spot on with your comments, it's mainly in the mind that the battle is either won or lost and certainly there are more mind games even after you have been successful.. I actually find the weight loss relatively east once l am in the right mind frame but its the education during the maintanance period afterwards that has basically given me problems even though between 2008 and 2011 I did have some moderate success in this.. I am still trying to learn as much as I can about this transitional period as it will be the difference between me living the lifestyle or else falling back to the same traps that I have in the past..

[Blitz]

I really feel that the penny is dropping for you on this. You are "getting it" JP.

It is not a game that is played and then we walk away to play again another day. This is our life...it is for keeps. Maintenance is about LIFESTYLE - what style is our life going to have to keep the weight off permanently? That is the decision for the head.

Kim

[JP1]

I really feel that the penny is dropping for you on this. You are "getting it" JP.

It is not a game that is played and then we walk away to play again another day. This is our life...it is for keeps. Maintenance is about LIFESTYLE - what style is our life going to have to keep the weight off permanently? That is the decision for the head.

Kim

I hope so Kim, I certainly know the mechanics, it's putting it into practice for a lifetime that has been the problem.. Just maybe remembering how much sweat I've shed getting from circa 112 Kgs to below 100 Kgs will be incentive enough for me to NEVER breach this milestone again.. more on some ideas I have to achieve this once I get a firm foothold in the 90's

[Blitz]

Where the rubber meets the road - that is where the friction is!

I'm basically a lazy person. I always said that if I was going to lose the weight that I needed to, that it was going to be a one time event. I wasn't going to do it again and again...far too much hard work! I wasn't going to play at it...I just was going to do it. People ask me all the time - "are you going to keep the weight off?" I tell them yes, that it is easier to keep the weight off than putting it back on and having to take it off again. I did the hard work...I'm not going to go there again! It is too hard...and I'm too lazy!

Kim

[JP1]

Where the rubber meets the road - that is where the friction is!

I'm basically a lazy person. I always said that if I was going to lose the weight that I needed to, that it was going to be a one time event. I wasn't going to do it again and again...far too much hard work! I wasn't going to play at it...I just was going to do it. People ask me all the time - "are you going to keep the weight off?" I tell them yes, that it is easier to keep the weight off than putting it back on and having to take it off again. I did the hard work...I'm not going to go there again! It is too hard...and I'm too lazy!

Kim

Yeah l hear you, unfortunately I've been there before and failed! Hopefully l will have learned a few lessons this time.. Agree easier to keep it off than go throgh the whole thing again and again!

[Blitz]

A new day...means a new beginning! You have past experiences that now leads you to new insight.

Kim

[JP1]

A new day...means a new beginning! You have past experiences that now leads you to new insight.

Kim

Hopefully I am learning Kim, the experience of having to do it all over certainly reinforces lessons previously not learned.. I hope this is enough!

[Sarah91]

Losing weight and keeping the obtained desired weight entail focus, determination and self determination. You cannot be lazy to lose weight. You need to be vigilant and religious in doing the physical workout so you need to choose the best work out for you. Your interest and your hobby could determine what kind of exercise you like.

[Blitz]

I think a better word is the word "commitment". Those who want to lose weight have to be committed to changing their lifestyle. Those who have to maintain their weight must be committed to keeping their healthy lifestyle.

The key question is; how do you stay committed? I believe this is the key part of the change in lifestyle comes into it. You have to be committed to changing your very being...your character...who you are in the dark (when no one is watching). If you don't...you will eventually fail because will power isn't enough.

Kim

[JP1]

good comments by Sarah and Kim, yes all of those.. I will add education to the above, you need to know how the whole weight loss system works.. you dont need a doctorate in it but its surprising how many just dont get it.. its basically energy out has to be higher than energy in and you will lose..

[Blitz]

Education and experience...and sometimes the education comes from the experience!

Kim