Believe it or not, I graduated with a BS in Finance. I did not graduate suma, magna, with honors or distinction. Come to think of it, the Dean couldn't even look me in the eye as his limp handshake at the diploma hand-off indicated to me that I should hurry my ample ass off the stage and stop embarrassing this fine institution of higher learning. The long and short of it is, however, that after 4 years of college and 15 years at financial institutions I should have some facility in working with numbers and math. So why is it in my efforts to lose weight and get to a normal sized body, the basic equation of more exercise plus less eating equals my goal keeps getting so screwed up? 1+1=2 as in "hot mama 2 go" - yes?
Okay, so the math that's actually closer to what I've been using is 1(more exercise)-1(same/more amount of food)=0 as in gotz, nada, donuts, zilch, nothing. Zero results. It's true - I've certainly been upping my exercise but keeping my food intake constant, if not a little higher as in my very wrong-headed yet hard-wired reward system. It's taken me quite some time to be honest with myself as denial still very much exists in my vocabulary.
So it's back to basics. I've started my food journal again in hopes of getting back on track. The exercise is pretty easy to stick with. But my annual physical is next week and I was so hoping to show off a weight loss of at least 20 or more pounds, given that I've been working on it for the better part of a year now. No such luck. At this rate of progress I should be a member of Congress or Escargots Anonymous or something. But I'm determined - if not self-deluded. Math appeals to an anal retentive like me so much because you can't argue with the the outcome if the input is done correctly. And we retentives are all about doing it just so. Why do you think they're called financial anal-ysts?
9 comments:
Eons ago, when I did Jazzercise 4 times a week, I toned up a bit but lost hardly any weight. The reason? Stopping for not one but two(!) breakfast tacos after every class.
Took me a long time to realize that even with added exercise, I actually had to lower my calorie intake to lose the pounds.
It's such a process, this losing weight thing. Sounds like you've come to the right conclusion and hopefully will start seeing some results now!
It's never as easy as expend more energy-eat less= weight loss...especially when temptation is at every turn. Hang in there you are doing well. It will come.
I used to do the same thing! For a few years, I used to walk at a brisk pace 3, sometimes 4 miles a day and never lost a pound. Why? I drank Venti mochas with lots of whip cream and a few pastries.
You are right, it is easy to keep up exercise than it is to lower the calorie consumption. But, when you add the two components together it equals to feeling good! I know you'll get to that point!
It used be that I could be very active and not have to watch what I ate and how much I ate. Those days are long gone. I've learned that my metabolism requires both eating clean (meaning for me, little or no cheese as the biggest change) and exercise to lose weight. And the exercise needs to be both strength/muscle developing and cardio. Bike riding has made a huge difference because I love it. When exercise is felt as if it is penance for unhealthy eating -- it just doesn't work.
I read somewhere, I think from Tosca Reno, that the weight loss and maintenance ratio is 80 percent eating and 20 percent exercise. This seems true to me.
Good luck, Gigi. Seems like you've really hit upon something valuable with your thinking as reflected in this post.
It's unfortunate but diet makes up the most of our weight loss/maintenance success! I wish we could just work out more and be able to eat more without gaining weight but it just doesn't work that way. Totally sucks!
It's a rather simple equation, but much harder to execute it.
I can hardly think about your issues right now...Lee said no more cheese.
I really need to get back to tracking my food! That seemed to be the key for me too.
I wrote once 2+ 2= 22 because the weight just doesn't add up (or down)
Patty - LOL!
Yep, I used to use non-cheese food items simply as cheese delivery systems. Conquering my cheese addiction has made a huge difference. I don't even miss it. Really.
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