Part 2 of Lifestyle Change: Set up to fail

After going well over the 200 lbs. mark, I decided that I needed an at-home training program. I was convinced that if I just

• followed the right plan 
• did the right exercise
• ate the right foods

that my body would be well on its way to changing! This is it, I thought. I'm going to do it this time. I made it through 8 of 12 weeks before it became too much of a hassle to stick to. In the short term, I lost 10 pounds, but I felt like a failure because I didn't finish.

I set lots of weight loss goals that I never reached:

• Lose x pounds in so many weeks
• Before I turn 30 I'll lose x pounds
• By the end of the year, I'll lose x pounds
• In the next 6 months...
• Before I turn 35...

There's a pattern here that simply does not work. Setting a date and a weight and expecting that getting there is do or die. If you don't make it, it's demoralizing. If you do, it's not sustainable because now what?

This idea is the top marketing strategy of the fitness industry, and gyms in particular:

• Go three days a week and transform yourself!
• You can lose 12 pounds in 12 weeks with a personal trainer.
• Join our pounds challenge and get a free t-shirt (to advertise for us)

It's a zero sum game, they claim. Just match the calories in with calories out. Cut calories, get active, and you'll succeed.

I was so convinced that if I were just more active, I would lose weight.

Like many people, I was duped by the "get fit" hype. Many people do lose a few pounds after joining a gym. They go three days a week for awhile. Then life gets in the way, while the gyms happily take your monthly dues and your body changes back.

Over the years, I'd gain 10 pounds, lose 10 pounds, back and forth. It all came to a head about a year ago when I could no longer wear my jeans. They were just too tight and I was not going to buy new ones.

All I could fit into were my stretchy gym pants. This led to the "Summer of the Black Pants" and yet another goal: get down to 170 by December 31st.