Do tell. (dang character limit)
It's nothing revolutionary, just different for me. In the past, I've tried to lose weight by just exercising (lifting/cardio). That works ok for about 3 weeks, then I lose focus. You know who likes to lift? Weightlifters. That's it.
I've found that if I am training for something specific (my cyclocross races, for example), I've found it's much easier to continue on. I'm not losing weight because I am trying to lose weight, it's a by-product of me training for something. I think if you're goal is to lose weight, that is just unsustainable. That's why so many people fail. Who the hell works out just to lose weight? And more importantly, how long does that last?
A healthy body is the byproduct of a healthy lifestyle. The body shouldn't be the goal, because I think that your body changes too slowly to make that a feasible goal and you need a goal that will create a lasting change.
My wife and I are trying to create a more healthy lifestyle, which I have embraced via cycling, her via running.
I'm also being a bit more conscious of what I eat. I try and think about trimming 100-200 calories per meal off. That is pretty insubstantial, really. I have to think about how hard it is to burn 100-200 calories, and how much easier it is to just not intake the calories in the first place. Baby steps, really. That is another thing, I'm just trying to lose around a pound a week. Too radical of a change is too much to maintain.
I think that America is addicted to quick weight loss (pills, crazy exercise plans, low-carb diets, etc.) We, as a country, can't wrap our minds around living in a healthy manner. You have to create something that is long-term and easy to embrace. Taking up a sport is fun, sustainable, and will ultimately get you around people that enjoy being healthy. There is lots of material out there regarding sport psychology and sticking to an exercise plan (can't think of the appropriate term). Social support is something that is frequently regarded as contributing to active lifestyle positive changes. Another thing is just having fun. If you do something you enjoy, and it burns calories, it's much more likely that you'll stick to that versus plodding along on a treadmill for 45 minutes 4x a week. That blows.
That's a lot of random thoughts, but maybe you can find some truth in that and find some use of it.
