Sharing in case anyone else is in a similar boat.
So like a lot of people, I’ve been trying to lose weight for years, sometimes with success. Usually not. I’ve tried dieting a whole bunch, different kinds of diets, etc. One of my big things is I am addicted to soda and sugar, and when I’m not drinking soda, I’m eating to compensate.
I’ve been focusing on diet for years because I was told that’s really where the weight loss happens. And that’s true, in theory. But no matter what happened, I couldn’t stick with it and I didn’t see results fast enough to stay motivated.
This year I tried something different. I decided I cared more about endurance because I want to be able to go on long bike rides, so I’ve been ignoring diet and just working out. I did a lot of cardio to start and then I started doing strength training more, now I’m doing mostly strength training with like an hour of low intensity steady state cardio at the end. Now I’m focusing on body composition. The result? I’m having fun and I feel good about myself. I’ve been going to the gym between 4-6 times a week (I built up slowly but consistently from twice a week x 30-45 minutes each), breaking up muscle groups so I’m doing a different one each day, and I’m seeing the results I want. I’m not “losing weight” on the scale but I am getting leaner. I worked up slowly in both time and intensity and now I’m up to two hours in the gym per day, which I know seems excessive, but I feel good afterwards and not sore and I’m kinda letting my body dictate what happens. No injuries, no unusual soreness. I’m okay with knowing that it will be a while before I get all the way to my goal because I’m seeing the right progress markers.
Here’s the crazy part though. Since working out more, and focusing just on the exercise, the other stuff is falling into place. I started off drinking Propel at the gym, but the more I exercised, I found myself craving plain water. As time has gone on, I don’t even really drink soda at home now or any other sugary substitute. Nothing has been able to break me of that addiction EVER, but now the thought of drinking soda when I’m thirsty instead of water or first thing in the morning seems insane— it literally feels like sludge on my tongue. I don’t want bad food anymore because I find myself craving things for fuel, not taste, and thinking more about how little sense it makes to burn 900 cals in the gym only to eat 800 worth of junk right away after.
It’s been a few months and if I don’t go to the gym on a day I’m supposed to, I miss it. I feel like this is probably my life now, which is the first time that’s happened. So just a tip, I guess. Educate yourself and learn about efficiency, etc., but if you’ve been trying and trying and trying, maybe just find something you do actually like even if it’s not textbook and go from there. Don’t overthink it. That stuff they say about going one habit at a time is legit, but which habit is going to be different for everybody. Listen to your body, figure out how to make this fun.
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/tf5sbc/exercise_actually_was_the_key/
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