Negatism / Conceding To Failure Before Starting

[robblok]

It seems that people often give up before even trying it shifting the blame to Big Pharma, the food producers everyone but themselves. I do agree it would be much better if there was more education about what was good and what was bad for you. I also agree it is hard to get good healthy food. Also healthy food can be more expensive as unhealthy food. Also healthy food is not as nice or promoted as heavily as bad foods.

However even if things go against you i still believe you have the power to change things. I believe in freedom of choice and the power of changing things. Most people here left their country and settled here against all ods. So that shows you can make change. I don't believe i am bullying if I say at least 50% depends on yourself and your choices. Yes things are hard and stacked against you but giving up before you even begin is not an option. At least not for me.

I have always been taught by my parents that hard working and commitment pays off. Call it Calvinism or whatever but that is how i was raised, i don't give up right away. I feel its better to try and fail then not to try.

But for all you guys who think things are impossible weight loss wise look at the film below. That guy has had it a lot harder then most of you

[SlyAnimal]

Wow that's pretty amazing, it's surprising what people can do when they put their minds to it. What he did would be awesome, even if his legs/back weren't injured, but taking into account his injury.... wow....

For myself, for a long time, I always managed to find excuses and reasons as to why I couldn't lose weight. Either I didn't have enough time because of work, or I was on holiday but decided I needed more of a routine, or I lived in the city and was too shy to go running with so many people outside (and too shy to go to a gym), or there were too many soi dogs nearby, or it was too cold to swim, or too many people in the pool, or my gf was cooking too well for me.

All of these types of things were just excuses, as now I've found that it's really about making time and taking personal responsibility.

If I eat too much, that's my fault, if I don't exercise, that's my fault, if I eat McDonalds/KFC and drink beer, that's my fault. I can control my own actions, and am responsible for them, not anyone else. Much the same, I'm only 1 month into my training/diet, but if I can't keep it up that's my fault, and as a result I'll need to work harder to lose the weight I want to lose.

[tropo]

That was a great post Robblok, and I haven't got much to add other than I believe it's 99% or more up to the person, no matter what the odds. I don't think more than 1% would have any clinical reason preventing them from losing weight.

Jingthing put a whole new spin on obesity in another thread. He used statistics as an excuse to be negative about results. i.e. the statistical odds are so bad that it's hardly worth trying.

I love the old saying "there are lies, damned lies and statistics". What about the guy who drowned crossing a river with an average depth of 3 feet? He would have been OK if he learned to swim.

I think the biggest lie of all is that there are easy ways to lose weight which don't involve drive, motivation and willpower.

Edited January 30, 2013 by tropo

[robblok]

First off, i did not make this thread to slag off anyone or to put anyone down. I believe in the world that we live in its easier to make bad choices then good ones. Bad foods are everywhere and taste great (though personally after having been so long on my food program i don't have too many cravings i only get them when i give into cravings maybe there is stuff in there that does that). Other thing is bad food is often cheaper as good foods and more heavily promoted.

Also, for some people education plays a part in this many people are not keyed into what is good and what is bad, there is so much wrong information out there. I would love it if the government did some more research but making sure that lobbies did not influence results. For some people it truely is not their own mistake because they don't know what they are doing. But if you have a bit more intelligence you can shift through all the information and find the right stuff.

Second of also small changes help, but people often give up on those small changes because it does not produce direct results. Often people don't get overweight in just one year it often takes more time with a few kg a year. That is only a minor calorie surplus so imagine what a minor calorie deficit in the range of only 100 calories can do over a year (reduction of 4kg of fat but its hard to spot after a month). That will help to loose a few kg's too. That is not much if your really overweight but it will help. So also small changes help, like walking more or making healthier choices.

Now I to single JT out i applaud what he is doing and his changes do seem to benefit him. I just think that he worries too much about keeping it up. I feel its good what he is doing. Not everyone can keep up with a full restrictive diet and exercise. But even his changes will add up on the long run if he keeps to them. So i will not put him down, i just feel that some people are a bit too negative (and yes if you look at statistics there is reason to be).

However much of the bad results comes from people who dont fin a for them sustainable lifestyle change. They go on a diet loose weight and go back to what they did before. Then yes you set yourself up for failure. If you make sustainable changes and keep them up even minor changes it will help in the long run.

I am seriously thinking of changing even more, Tropo said i might lead a inactive lifestyle. If you take away the exercise i am sure he is right. I should walk more maybe find some nice spots around here to walk.

But also don't forget there is a 20% difference between those with real active thyroid and those who don't have that. Remember the example i set about the 100 calories a day even a 10% difference on a 2000 calorie burn is 200 calories, that is a big difference on the long run, it can add up to 8 kgs of fat. That is a few rowing session a week less for someone like that to do or a few runs less that they automatically get.

So i agree that some people have to work harder for the same results, that is not an excuse its a fact. But life is not fair as we all know it we have to make due with our limitations. But as this youtube clip showed amazing things can be done if you put your mind to it.

[tropo]

On the point of what's good to eat and what's not. This is not a simple matter of education because there is no agreement on even basic concepts. What would you propose they be taught.

Just some examples:

Some people are convinced very low carb diets are the only way to go. Others consider carbs an essential part of a healthy diet. To eat grains or not to eat grains. Should we eat a lot of fruit or not?

Then there's the debate about cooking oils. You've made comment about the quality of the oils used in restaurants here in Thailand and believe it's bad oil. I haven't even entered into the debate because the answers are just not easy to come by. You believe rice bran oil is the way to go. I'm leaning more toward coconut oil and palm kernel oil which are 86% and 81% saturated and more stable at high temperatures. Palm kernel oil is probably what most restaurants here in Thailand use and I can't see anything wrong with it.... but who knows???? (I cook with 3 different oils/fats at home - rice bran, coconut and butter)

Then there is the consideration that different people should be eating different foods based on many parameters.

The more we read the more confused we get.

An education is simply not possible.

We'll all be guessing until we're dead and buried.

Edited February 1, 2013 by tropo

[robblok]

Tropo, i am not saying ricebran is the only way to go, i also like the idea of coconut oil (real expensive stuff). Palm oil are you talking about the cheap oil they are selling here?. Thing is most vendors in Thailand will use the absolute cheapest oil and use it long. That is what i mean with bad oil. There is a major difference between a bit more expensive oil and not using it too long and the top oils that you or I choose. Then i really don't know what of the three oils is better but i am sure its better as those oils used in street restaurants and other ones.

The ecudation i was talking about is basic education as far as we are concerned. I would say stuff like dont drink too much soda. Dont eat all those sugary things. Really some people have no idea how it impacts health. Then later you can argue how low carb you should go and how you should tailor a diet.

I am not talking about getting the best diet right away i am talking avoiding the worst things. For some its hard to do because they really don't know what we take for granted.

[tropo]

Tropo, i am not saying ricebran is the only way to go, i also like the idea of coconut oil (real expensive stuff). Palm oil are you talking about the cheap oil they are selling here?. Thing is most vendors in Thailand will use the absolute cheapest oil and use it long. That is what i mean with bad oil. There is a major difference between a bit more expensive oil and not using it too long and the top oils that you or I choose. Then i really don't know what of the three oils is better but i am sure its better as those oils used in street restaurants and other ones.

I don't know what oils they use for deep frying here. I'm referring to single use oils to fry up meals in a pan. Palm kernel oil is cheap here because Thailand is a major producer and exporter of it, but I don't believe this makes it a bad oil to fry in.

I wouldn't recommend any deep fried foods to people trying to eat healthy. Deep frying always involves reuse of oil, so I don't think it would make a big difference what oil is used. i.e. It's all bad.

[robblok]

I am not frying anything actually i don't use much oil at all. i use a halogen oven to prepare most of my meat. I was talking about the roadside stalls and such.

I was always under the impression palm oil was bad but i could be wrong.

[tropo]

I am not frying anything actually i don't use much oil at all. i use a halogen oven to prepare most of my meat. I was talking about the roadside stalls and such.

I was always under the impression palm oil was bad but i could be wrong.

There's palm oil, which is about 40% saturated - it's red. Then there's the palm kernel oil which is used for frying. It's 81% saturated.

The reason why you probably think it's bad is because it's highly saturated. This is the general opinion about highly saturated fats.