rant: The Perpetual Dieter

[suited]

Who knows one of these people, probably everyone. They're always "about to get back on their diet". The diet they've never actually been on. These are the people who have been overweight for the last decade, and always seem to have some new diet idea that's really going to work this time, despite the fact that they're too lazy to implement exercise (and most of the time dieting) into their regime. You can usually spot them pretty easily... the ********* at work who carries around a bag of fruit to snack on, somehow believing that eating some fruit is going to counter her entire lifestyle. They usually ask for advice about diet and exercise, you politely give it, knowing full well that they won't listen. Deep down, I think they know that too. I had one friend who was really skinny ask me how to bulk up, the same guy asked me for over 6 years, and he never gained a pound. I even helped him by detailing workouts and diet, and having him workout with me...I think he came a total of 3 times. I believe he somehow expected my answer to change from "just eat a lot and work hard in the gym" to "just take this magic pill". Don't be one of these people...

 

[why]

Ummmm...okay.

Thanks.

 

[celery]

This is what the entire diet industry thrives off. There's a reason bookstores have an entire section devoted to weight loss, and the zillion 6-minute ab varieties. Lots of people who want to lose weight without actually changing their lifestyle.

 

[rjmaiorano]

Originally Posted by celery

This is what the entire diet industry thrives off. There's a reason bookstores have an entire section devoted to weight loss, and the zillion 6-minute ab varieties. Lots of people who want to lose weight without actually changing their lifestyle.

+1

These people make other people very wealthy.

Capitalizing off other peoples laziness should be applauded, that is my rant.

 

[vitaminc]

i lost 45 lbs last year but gained 35 lbs. i blame it on my 3-month long foot disability...

 

[greg_atlanta]

I bet they all drink a lot.

 

[Thomas]

how many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb?

 

[hamish5178]

Originally Posted by Thomas

how many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb?

One, but that light bulb really has to want to change!

 

[Tarmac]

My weight has never had any correlation to what I eat, ever. Even though I have gone through stages of near starving, all buffet (freshman year college), all-carbs, all-meat, all-vege, no beer, tons of beer, etc.

It has ALWAYS been correlated to how much I exercise...

 

[lizmasc]

The best thing about having an healthy lifestyle is not to diet at all. Going on a diet kind of presupposes that you're going to leave it eventually. Better to have a regular and healthy, but not obsessive, lifestyle for the rest of your life. It's like it's better to be one of those people that walk a little bit every day and do the occasional (or regularly) pushups or pullups than someone who goes to the gym for 2 hours everyday and quits after one month

 

[wiscogooner]

Originally Posted by lizmasc

The best thing about having an healthy lifestyle is not to diet at all. Going on a diet kind of presupposes that you're going to leave it eventually. Better to have a regular and healthy, but not obsessive, lifestyle for the rest of your life. It's like it's better to be one of those people that walk a little bit every day and do the occasional (or regularly) pushups or pullups than someone who goes to the gym for 2 hours everyday and quits after one month

+1

Lifestyle, not diet.

 

[Taxler]

To me, saying you should never diet implies you're never focused on or aware of how much and what you're eating. If you're lifestyle allows that without adverse consequence then great, but I think most peoples wouldn't.

 

[wiscogooner]

Originally Posted by Taxler

To me, saying you should never diet implies you're never focused on or aware of how much and what you're eating. If you're lifestyle allows that without adverse consequence then great, but I think most peoples wouldn't.
It's an issue of semantics. "Dieting" meaning a short-term regimen that allows for weight loss/gains. "Lifestyle" meaning the way you live long-term. People who "go on diets" rarely keep the changes they achieve long-term because unless you make permanent changes to the way you live you cannot expect to reap the benefits in the long term. And it's not that hard to do. You just have to exercise some discipline which is like moving mountains for some people. It's 99% mental, takes the effort of forethought and preparation which most people aren't willing to do. Add on the idea that people have bought into that they need to "eat what tastes good" at every meal even if it's a fish & chips and 3 pints. Hedonism in reference to diet is why Americans are so fat as a nation.

 

[Taxler]

Originally Posted by wiscogooner

It's an issue of semantics.

"Dieting" meaning a short-term regimen that allows for weight loss/gains.
"Lifestyle" meaning the way you live long-term.

People who "go on diets" rarely keep the changes they achieve long-term because unless you make permanent changes to the way you live you cannot expect to reap the benefits in the long term. And it's not that hard to do. You just have to exercise some discipline which is like moving mountains for some people.

It's 99% mental, takes the effort of forethought and preparation which most people aren't willing to do.

Add on the idea that people have bought into that they need to "eat what tastes good" at every meal even if it's a fish & chips and 3 pints. Hedonism in reference to diet is why Americans are so fat as a nation.

I understand what your trying to say, but by those definitions, I don't know of anyone who has a lifestyle so perfectly balanced that they don't require diets to maintain equilibrium.