February 28, 2005
LOSING WEIGHT IS EASY. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS HARD!
Up until a year-and-a-half ago, I thought losing weight was difficult to do. Not true; losing weight is easy... in the simplest of terms, all you have to do to lose weight is expend more calories than you consume (keeping in mind that 3,500 calories consumed or burned equals one pound consumed or burned). That part's simple. The hard part about losing weight is keeping it off, and that for most people--myself included--involves behavior modification.
Officially, 'behavior modification' is psychotherapy that is concerned with the treatment (as by desensitization or aversion therapy) of observable behaviors rather than underlying psychological processes and that applies learning principles to substitute desirable responses and behavior patterns for undesirable ones. Unofficially, it's doing shit differently on a consistent basis.
Doing shit differently on a consistent basis is hard work. It's a lot harder, I'm learning, than losing between 50-70 lbs. Changing behaviors that took years to perfect is easier said than done. Going to the gym, eating well, getting a good night's sleep, buying the right foods, holding myself accountable and being responsible for my own health and well being... that's hard work (or at least it's proving to be so for me).
There's a lot more to say on this topic, I'm sure; and in the weeks and months to come I'll be doing a much better job of sharing my struggles and successes. Why? Why share this sort of information in such an open and public forum? Well, I've said before...
I'm a firm believer in the notion that people have an 'already and always' way of listening and relating to one another, and that until we choose to transform our lives, which involves sharing 'what we're up to' with those who experience us on a daily basis, people are not very likely to change the way in which they experience one another, which possibly stands in the way of our own transformation. In my case, this means sharing 'what I'm up to' with as many people as possible. I not only choose to share that sort of info here because I want you to know what's going on in my life, but also so you'll support me and hold me accountable when I lose my way or stray off course. If what I'm up to in this world is a secret between me, myself, and I, realistically, who's gonna keep me honest? Me... well, sometimes yes, but not always. I'm honest enough with myself to know that I'm only human and that I can't go it alone.
Those words are from a January 2004 post, and while they still ring true today, they mean nothing without action. The action that's bringing them back to the forefront is this... I'm home sick today, and while being sick isn't an entirely unusual event in one's life, there are things I should be doing to take better care of myself, and I just haven't been doing them as well as I should.
Posted by Mikal at February 28, 2005 8:22 AM
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One of the most difficult things I've found is, now that I'm exercising more is that I have to up my calorie intake for me to lose weight. Having 3 squares a day + time on the stationary bike causes me to drop faster than just reducing the number of Ding Dongs I eat. But I don't want to get in the mindset of "I have to eat more", because, what if I miss a day on the bike?
"They" say that you should find a type of exercise that you like. Well, there is no exercise I've consistently liked, which is why I'm in the situation I find myself. The bike is the least taxing, most private, and most easily quantifiable diet aid I've found.
I hope you feel better soon. I know that I haven't been keeping fit either, I need to start an exercise routine--hopefully this summer I'll get it going. Right now, I'm too focused on other things I need to do. :o)
