John Lee Taggart

Losing weight.

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I really want to lose weight. I am sick of it. It follows me around everywhere…clinging to me, dragging me down with no regard for how I feel. I have simply grew tired of this one sided relationship! So in desperation I tried to lose it in a shopping mall – I ran around a corner, and kept on running, hid in the bathroom for a little while…then meekly popped my head out to see if it had caught up, it hadn’t! But that moment of triumph was short lived…as it found me again in the food court. It always finds me eventually.

Fat GIF

One time I tried to lose it in the countryside, I thought I would take it out, and trek up a huge mountain to wear it out – give a  promise of a huge meal at the end of it, and then just leave it there – drive away, and let it starve to death. But then when I returned home, it was already in the kitchen, eyeing up the fridge and cupboards.

It will never leave me, I am stuck in this situation, and will be forever.

A friend of mine said she lost her fat, but it took over three years to do so…apparently it was agonizing, and there were a few occasions when she caved, and would meet up with it – ignore her better judgement, and have a date at Mc Donalds like the good old days! But after a while she cut it off completely…and rarely hears from it these days.

That gives me a glint of hope…maybe someday I can lose my fat too.

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126 responses to “Losing weight.”

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  6. You know what? That really seems to be how it works. For me, I’m doing great and staying away from my fat, but then I’m coming up on a deadline at work and it finds me when I’m preoccupied and not paying attention. Oh well – at least my husband still loves me.

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  7. Quite the timely post. I’m in the same hellish position. Just started a week ago taking a serious look at what I shove in my face. I’m determined to fit into some of my favorite clothes again. Burn this fat at the stake!

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  8. I’ve shed 38 lbs since February. You can do it. First you need to have people around you who will support you. Why don’t you have your doctor put you in touch with a nutritionist. They can help you with the food choices that will help you as well as other things. If you need someone to chat with I am more than happy to talk with you. I’m no expert but I’m happy to share my journey with you if I can help.

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    • Keith that’s amazing, so well done! You know what it is like it is the little things that catch up after a while, I guess like it or not my metabolism is slowing down and it is best to get into good habits now…rather than way later when it is a huge issue. Well, I am rambling – but that’s good advice, and I may just be in touch!

      Well done again, you should be proud! Amazing! 😀

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      • Just start out making small changes. If you try to do to much at once you’ll feel like it’s hopeless. Do something like cutting down on sodas to start. Then when you feel you’ve mastered that add to it. Pretty soon the habits will take hold. If you go to McDonalds try getting a hamburger instead of a Big Mac.

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      • It is tempting to leap in there, well actually that is what I am currently doing – see how long that lasts, of course the aim is to be healthy all around – not just lose weight and then add it all on again. Lifestyle change!

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      • That’s what you have to do. Just don’t follow diets. They are built to fail. Where if you make lifestyle changes you can live with you will see success.

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  13. Loved this metaphor. Really great writing, entertaining as always 🙂 Can’t say that I relate, since I rather have the opposite problem, but I can relate in that it’s hard to change your habits 😛 One of the earlier commenters said to try making small changes, and I agree with that. I think with anything, if you break down your goals into achievable mini goals you will eventually get there. If you find working out to be a drag, maybe grab a buddy and make them go with you. I’ve found that when you’re with somebody, time seems to go by quicker and you don’t really pay attention to what you’re doing. Plus, if this person is a real fitness bug, they will get you to the gym at the times when you REALLY don’t want to go. I’ve also heard that staying hydrated can help speed up your metabolism. Perhaps you can also try healthier snacks, like fruit/trail mix/yogurt… all of the usual snack foods like chips really have a lot of calories and salt. Wishing you the best!! We are all here cheering on the sidelines for you 🙂

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    • Thanks a lot, very motivating! I can relate with the opposite problem, I USED to be able to eat whatever and still stayed skinny as a rake…but now I eat a taco and my butt swells up like a bouncy castle. The struggle, ey? The diet is getting changed up, and I think with that I will find some success, I JUST LOVE TO EAT…and by eat, I mean eat unhealthy food. But I will do this. I have to. Do I? No, I do, I do.

      Will keep you updated, thanks for the support – really 🙂

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      • But bouncy castles are fun! 😛 (Hope you got a laugh out of that one) Anyways…

        You’re very welcome!

        Congrats on changing up your diet 🙂 Stick to it and I’m sure you will eventually see results. Looking forward to hearing your updates! May they be as entertaining as this one 😛 But hopefully with better news ahahaha

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  15. Glad I came across this post because I was in the same position just a week ago! It’s that feeling of not loving yourself knowing you can be your better self. I tend to gain weight when I live in colder places. When I lived in Arizona I was around 120-125 lbs always. When I moved to London, that went anywhere from 125+ to usually 130-135lbs. In my case, I was heavier in winter, gained fat to keep warm. And It doesn’t seem like a lot of weight, but when it’s FAT, it really shows. At least you can see it, and that’s annoying. For me the extra fat slows me down and makes me bloated and I just don’t feel good. I wasn’t happy. I wanted to have my Arizona body back.
    My motivation came from “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”. I wanted to be healthier, I wanted a lifestyle change, not a diet. I’ve tried every single diet out there probably at some point and my conclusion is that they don’t work. They just don’t make sense, because what you are usually doing is eliminating something that you will be eating in the long run for the rest of your life.
    Anyways earlier this year (January) I started making the veggie/fruit juices and smoothies and that really made a difference. I did it when I was home on holiday (10days) in Cyprus, and I started losing weight. When I went back to London, I honestly didn’t know how to feed myself, because I didn’t have an awesome blender and I wasn’t going to buy one since I felt like I was possibly going to be moving back to Cyprus. So to be healthier, I started eating more fruits and vegetables but eventually I gained the weight back because I wasn’t drinking those smoothies. I also got really sick, I was sick for 2 months and had to go get antibiotic prescriptions twice during those 2 months of the year. I was back home in Cyprus again in April and started the smoothies again and just like before I started losing weight.. I wasn’t doing anything crazy just eating normal mostly healthy meals and drinking 2-4 glasses of fruit/veggie smoothies a day. Anyways again I gained it back when I moved back to London eventually, because I didn’t have a blender.
    I moved to Cyprus in June and started the smoothies again at home and I started losing weight. Just about 4 weeks in, a part of our blender broke down, and we had to go to the store and order a new part to be shipped in and that took forever. I didn’t have the blender for almost 2 months and my immune system went down and I got sick again. I wasn’t happy and I was feeling down and I was taking antibiotics again. And then I was over the flu and after a few days I got a cold and went to get medicine again. I just recently got my blender back and this time I said to myself, Jelena, you are going to take this seriously and you are going to lose this bloody weight once for good, and there’s no buts, ifs or whatever about it. This blender was my life! It kept me healthy and happy. I wanted to do something healthy so I did the 5 Day Reboot this week from Monday-Friday. Here is the link for that: http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/rbwj_5-Dayplan0626.pdf I wanted to clean my body, and get rid of all the medicine I had to take this year, and toxins from coffee, alcohol and I wanted to get rid of this stupid fat. I will give you my personal recipes if you would like and tell you from experience how each day went and how you can prepare for it. I didn’t want to step on the scale until I saw the change, and I started seeing the change very quickly. I started at about 131 lbs and I was down to 127 on Day 4, and on Day 5 I was back to 125! I started waking up earlier and went to bed at about almost the same time and I had SO much more energy than others around me. My skin was glowing, I was sleeping great. This thing is truly motivating, energizing, uplifting and even addicting. If I had to lose more weight, I would extend the Reboot to 10 days, or 15 whatever works for you. The best thing is you aren’t doing anything harmful to your body. You are actually doing the opposite, you are consuming more fruit and veggies in 1 day than you probably would in a week. Your body is getting everything it needs. Today I can say I love myself, and I can smile again.
    I hope you give it a try, and feel free to ask me any questions. Good Luck! 🙂

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  16. We eat, we lose, we diet, we stuff our faces, never ending circle. I’m in the attempting to, though I’m not considered over weight and for my age I guess I’m ok, it’s more exercising with me …don’t want to see those wobbly bits though. I have a nuti bullet, and every now and then, I drink nothing but fresh veg juice, or fruit or both and do this 3 times a day for a few days. Or try the 5:2 diet, where you can eat what you want for 5 days, or pretty much your normal calorie intake, then for 2 days you quarter those calories, or eat the very least you can, drinking water. A friend of mine did this and she lost the wright she wanted, now this is her normal eating pattern. Right that’s all from me, going to get a chocolate 😜

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    • Maybe I need to do that…I have a friend who does, but she takes it to extremes…you know, detoxes and all that business. That’s not for me perhaps, I am just such an “eater”, or “foodie” or well…greedy you know what – that I just can’t go without. I switched up the diet recently, so let’s see how that goes! Chocolate sounds good right now though…

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  18. I manage to lose so much on a daily basis – my keys, money, my mind…! But those extra pounds, man, they’re hard to shake.
    (Mmmm, shakes! Ooh, I could do with a milkshake. And there in lies the problem!)

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  19. I feel you…When weight loss is a big issue, it’s a journey. So many emotions and thought processes involved in the mix. I’ve personally been trying to ‘eat from the soul’ and not from emotion. Fresh fruits, veggies, and natural foods like apples and home cooked food please my inner being any day over a value meal full of grease and ingredients that lead to medical complications galore. We must keep on going and encourage one another. God bless, dear friend! 🙂

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  21. You only need to really want it. As soon as you see the first results your motivation will grow! Go to the Gym or go swimming, or… and in addition simply change your diet. My husband lost weight (30 pounds in 8 months) only by keeping it at one serving per meal and substituting water for any sodas. Also he drank a lot more of water which also helps clearing the body.

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  23. Make fiber your friend!

    Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch, a pauper at dinner (most of us do the opposite).

    Walk, walk, walk (but not to McDonalds).

    Cook at home from scratch.

    Find rewards other than food (this one is tough but doable).

    It’s already been mentioned, but learn to love water. (I’ve heard adding lemon juice to it curbs appetite too).

    I want you to be happy!!! (Hence, the unsolicited advice!)

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  24. Sigh!! I have a similar relationship with my weight!! Its obssesed with me and will not leave me alone!! I am sure oy will find better partners, but no, it is will stay with me – through thick and never thin, through sickness and never health, through poor and never rich..

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  25. I have a recommendation for you. My dad was “over weight”, well, more weight than needed. And he did the master cleanse. Which is simple. Unless you have a food obsession that is horrific. Ok, so you drink these “lemonades” that taste pretty good, and are made up of maple syrup, and lemons, and cayenne pepper. (If you don’t like spicy, you don’t have to put much) that is all you drink. And trust me. Everybody thought my dad was gonna pass out, but not a single time. This part is not my fave, but if you put lemon, it’s yum. You drink 4cups of salt water. I think you have to google it cuz Idk how much salt to put. Google the rest…..

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  27. Don’t focus on numbers (weight, BMI, etc) because those are things that set you up for failure if you get depressed that they are not changing quickly enough for you.

    Just make sensible, small lifestyle changes. Portion control is critical. Find some activity that it’s enjoyable for you.

    Ultimately if you feel better, not only physically but emotionally, then you ate successful no matter what the numbers may say!

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  29. If I can do it, you can do it. A couple of tips. You have to exercise. If you hate it as much as I do that can be a challenge. For the most bang for your exercise buck, lift weights. 30 min. 3 times a week and you will be amazed. Of course, I’m a woman and women have much less muscle mass than men so any weight training is extra important. Have a cheat day once a week. I call it victory day. On victory day you can eat whatever you want. Makes it easy to be good the rest of the week knowing you can splurge one day a week. It is the only day I eat sugar. It also keeps your metabolism from shifting to starvation mode, meaning it slows down because your calories are low for too long a time, so then your weight loss slows and you hit plateaus. Trust me you will lose weight. I lost 70 pounds doing this. And have kept it off continuing to do it. Don’t make fat the enemy. Your body needs good fats to function properly and fat helps keep you satiated longer. Avocados, real butter from grass fed cows, and coconut oil are excellent healthy options. I eat 4 or 5 avocados a week and use lots of butter and coconut oil in my cooking. Did it while losing weight and still do. Food tastes better too! Dieting cannot be a way of life. You will lose weight and then gain it back when you stop. It must be a lifestyle change that you can not only live with, but enjoy. Good luck!

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    • Really sound advice – and I love you for taking the time out for me! Thank you, seriously! The victory day sounds GREAT 😉 but the other things are great too, I am currently tweaking things and seeing what works – gym is happening and diet is been addressed! It is certainly about making lifestyle changes and not just dropping weight and gaining it back!

      Thanks again! You are wonderful, and I appreciate it!

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  30. I was born with fat rolls and I still carry them today, just in other places. I did finally take almost 100 pounds off by following the no white diet, but the problem is two-fold. One, I look better but in society’s eyes I still look obese. I am still over-weight, I am not going to lie, and number two? I hate dieting my entire life. Thinking about it, deciding what to eat or not to eat, wishing I could eat like thin people do. It sucks big time. I am going to die one time, shouldn’t I be happy when that day comes by holding a twinkie in one hand and a bowl of ice-cream in the other in my coffin? LOL

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  31. Loved this post, very clever…as usual.
    I have 100lbs and a bit to lose and reading your post was so how I feel. It does take motivation, hard work and dedication to lose any amount of weight the healthy way.
    Non of which I have at this moment.
    Good luck to you, you handsome talented guy you.

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  33. You can do it! It’s a lifestyle change that starts with love, loving your body and focusing on the great things you have to offer this world. Once you begin to love yourself, then the health and fitness part kicks in, and you start wanting to take care of your insides so you’re healthier, active and energetic. Then you experiment with healthy recipes, workouts, sports, etc. And by going on this lifestyle journey that really starts with digging deep…you’ll begin to transform your insides and the weight loss will just be a byproduct. But if you don’t start with love, nothing good or permanent can ever really happen. Hope this helps. I myself have just started with love and am now eating healthy and staying active.

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  34. Only one way I know of, having done it myself, and now helping the Super Husband though it.

    We call it the two step-plan:

    1. Stop eating crap
    2. Walk 30 minutes a day. (We never use the E word, for, shhhh, Exercise).

    No kidding, that’s it. He’s lost 40 pounds by quitting the snacks in the afternoon (he now eats a decent lunch instead of skipping (protein, veggie, carb) and walks back and forth to work (about 20 mins each way).

    That’s it. It works. Give it a try. Bonus points for strapping on a Fitbit.

    Nora

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    • Thank you Nora! I am trying to quit it with the unhealthy snacks, and useless calories you get from just stupid unnecessary places. There’s just no need…I will never be a freakish calorie counter, but will just be more careful with it all. Your approach sounds spot on! Good luck to your husband!!! 🙂

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  38. I stopped trying to “lose” my weight. I decided to “release” it instead. Because, when you lose something, you inevitably “find” it again (as you have aptly described). But if you “release” it, then it is free to roam elsewhere, and you are free to move on. It might just be “semantics” but I do think that deep down, at least for me, we get into a co-dependent relationship with food, fat and cravings. If we get 100% honest with ourselves, we don’t want to give it up. I had to be willing to take the chance to see what it was like to live “eating clean” and making healthier choices. What works for me is that I don’t bring the junk into the house. If I feel I absolutely have to have it, I make it a conscience choice to go out for it. But, usually when I’m craving something crappy I’m either thirsty, need more protein, or tired. Once I recognize the trigger I drink something, eat protein or go to bed earlier. So far, this has worked out really well for me and my hubby. The weight just “released” naturally after we changed our thought process.

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    • That’s really, REALLY good advice. And it actually hits home in certain ways, thank you! I am trying to get settled into a totally new mind-frame, a totally new way of how I think of food and how I deal with it. Which sucks in lots of ways, as I am so used to just have WHATEVER I want, WHENEVER I want it (in terms of food!), so now I am trying to make healthier choices when shopping and eating at restaurants. Surely it will pay dividends. I can’t think I will stave off “bad” food entirely, but I will surely have a more healthy relationship with food.

      Thanks again for your words, has already helped me a lot 🙂

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  41. What she said.
    Don’t be too hard on yourself.
    You look good!!
    Try to eat healthy and avoid snacking….you’ll be ok 😉

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  44. You need to go on-line and try out the app “My Fitness Pal”. You type in what you eat and it tells you how many calories you just ate and how many you have left to go during the day (you tell it how much you want to lose over a certain period of time). It’s fantastic. You learn pretty quick what food has a lot of sugar in it which you should really stay away from because it’s easily converted into fat. It also can track your calcium, iron, carbohydrate levels etc. And it’s FREE! It also makes you pay attention to how much water you drink…8 glasses a day which you also record. Once you get the hang of it, buy yourself a Fitbit Flex (wristwatch…about $99.00) which tracks how many steps you’ve taken/exercise then it automatically adjust how many more calories you can eat per day. It also warns you if you’ve been stupid and haven’t eaten enough, which I did on several occasions. I’m telling you, you are going to love this program and you see results and learn a lot about food along the way.

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    • Phew, maybe I should check that out! I hate knowing what is in my food…because it is almost always BAD, haha! But it certainly is helpful when it comes to trying to get into a good healthy routine. Thank you for letting me know about it 🙂

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  45. You can also post your progress…that might give you extra incentive to stick to how many calories you eat per meal!

    A good way to start your day is to drink hot water with 1/2 lemon in the morning. It cleans out your system and improves your liver function.

    You may want to watch out for stuff like orange juice which has about 35 grams of sugar (divide by 5 equals 7 tsp of sugar). Ideally, you should only have about 7 tsp of sugar per day. “My Fitness Pal” will tell you when you’ve gone overboard.

    Honestly, you got to try it. It’s difficult at first while you navigate around what foods are best to eat, but it will keep you motivated when you start to see results.

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  46. I was once if your shoes. All jokes aside it really is difficult to become the person you want to be. I struggled with my body and looks for so long that I developed an eating disorder. I lost 50 pounds and was only 80 at the end of my eating disorder. I still wasn’t satisfied because then I felt too skinny. You just have to realize why it is that you want to lose weight. I realized that if it is a insecure thing because society makes us feel that we have to be a certain size then I don’t feel like someone would ever be truly happy with their body. Do you feel uncomfortable with your appearance because it’s not within the standards of some or is it more of a health thing? Lose weight because you want to be a healthier you and be happy to be who you are. You look fine, John and I wish you well! 🙂

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  47. You need to be really motivated and really want it! I’ve been trying, I have good and bad weeks. Try to find what works for you the best and stick to it as much as you can. But don’t be too hard on yourself either! Life’s good!

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  50. This made me laugh, I’ve been going through a rough patch (weight wise) the past few years. This has just motivated me even more… Thanks

    It’s those evil calories, that keep sneaking into our cupboard at night and sewing our clothes smaller 😛

    You can do it.

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