August 16, 2011
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Can Anyone Lose Weight?
I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking to a physical fitness expert who had been in the business for 15 years.
The woman was also a nurse. She mentioned that pretty much anyone could lose weight and be thin. She said she had not met very many people in life that could not lose weight. She said people just make excuses.
She mentioned that people tend to make excuses related to their health. She said women would say they had thyroid problems or other medical problems that prevented them from losing weight. But she said if a person could physically walk into a gym, that they could lose the weight.
She said it was just a matter of them coming to the place where they stopped making excuses and started to be self-discipline.
Can pretty much anyone lose weight?
Comments (58)
Well I do agree that a lot of people make excuses. I haven’t lost any weight since May and that’s all because I use my messed up knee as an excuse to be lazy. A lot of people make excuses and lack motivation
and I’m finally first to comment oh yeahhhhhh!
It’s definitely harder for some people, but I think pretty much anyone can.
Absolutely. You just have to want it bad enough to do whatever it takes. Change your diet, exercise. And stick with it. It’s a lifestyle change.
Of course… it’s keeping it off that’s the problem
I agree! I think most people can lose weight. But we all know people who have been overweight since they were young and do have thyroid issues. So, I think there is a rare person who will not be able to lose weight.
But I think most people just make excuse after excuse to not lose weight. Unless, you have had your thyroid tested and are on medication for it, it is not your thyroid. There are also some other conditions/medications that cause people to be overweight.
It is easier to act like you are doing everything right and suffer from low metabolism. But research shows that the more you weigh, the higher your metabolism actually is. Losing weight is burning more calories than you need and that’s the bottom line. Most people don’t accurately know what they eat in a day, let alone added up for the week. And to lose weight you really need to exercise and change your diet. Not just one or the other.
If I can lose weight, then anyone can. I’m a lazy fatass lard, too. I’ve lost almost 30 pounds since May.
I just started a fitness program, I’ll let you know in a few months if I’ve lost any significant weight, lol. I will admit though that it all depends on a person’s situation and self-motivation. I know, personally, that I go through phases where I have lots of energy and I exercise and keep on top of house chores for a few weeks, and then I crash and don’t want to do anything and just sit around for a few weeks after that. If you’re stuck in a mental rut, going out to exercise can seem like you’re trying to walk across a bed of hot coals. Its kind of like writer’s block, lol.Once you knock that wall down though, if you manage to that is, then there’s no reason why anyone couldn’t lose weight.
(pops my head up, praying to the porcelain god) huh? I’m uh… losing weight the right way.
Hell yes! I HATE it when people use excuses! They need to just admit they’re LAZY.
Absolutely! I completely agree with her (and not because I was a nurse and nurse practitioner). BUT, I was also one of those people with a medical excuse–was on steriods for multiple years because of very severe asthma. However, once I quit letting the steriods be my mental block, I was able to lose weight. Now, I didn’t lose much while I was on steriods, but lost a little bit of what I had gained. But the mentality was there, and was able to lose close to 50 the year I got off the steriods, and now whenever I get on the steriods again (and I have been on them multiple times). It’s about getting over the mental block, yes, people with thyroid problems, diabetes, on steriods etc can lose weight, it may be minimal, but they can still do it.
You COULD lose weight, but if you have hypothyroidism or are on a dose for schizophrenia of a second generation anti-psychotic, it would be pretty hard. For someone on those medications, they would have to spend a LOT of time at the gym, probably an unhealthy amount. My mom is living proof that someone who is 5’6″ and under 120 lbs at 54 can have hypothyroidism…but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s healthy, since she eats incredibly small, pre-controlled portions EVERY day (ex. 6 almonds for an afternoon snack and always skipping lunch).
I don’t think those are excuses because they’re very real causes of weight gain, believe me. Though I do think people can keep it under control if they put in an extreme amount of effort, it would be a disservice to say it’s just as easy for them as it is people without those circumstances or conditions.
*Also depends on what you think “thin” is. Healthy BMI or under 120 etc.
I’m one of those lazy people that make excuses not to exercise
I think so, yeah.
Yes. I do admit there are some people with legitimate conditions that make it very difficult to lose weight. Hell, I suffer from hypothyroidism, myself. However, anyone can do it with the right motivation and tools for exercise and eating right.
yes everyone can. so stop making excuses.
Everyone no…but pretty much everyone yeah. I think studies have shown that something like 2% of obese people cannot physically lose the weight due to some type of condition or another.
I do recognize that while just about anyone can lose weight, it is definitely harder for some than others. So personally, I don’t really care and don’t really judge. I have a fast metabolism and luckily I love playing sports. But if I didn’t, I know I’d be too lazy to actually go to a gym to work out.
It’s odd how few people in Somalia or Ethiopia or Mozambique are overwerght. Eat a little less & get your butt off the couch & you’ll begin to lose weight. If you put it on over 10 yrs. It might not come off in 2 months, but it’ll come off.
I was on anti-depressants for 4 years and I gained 80lbs even though I played sports every night of the week for 2 hours. I also have another medical condition. It’s hard for me to lose weight.
Yes. My mum has a slow thyroid, she’s 114lbs. I have PCOS and have a friend with PCOS. Both of us are in the 120-130 region. So despite our conditions dictating we should find it difficult to maintain a healthy weight, we do.
I could agree that MOST people can lose weight, if they take the necessary steps. However, I’d be careful not to say ANYONE can and let’s not pretend it’s going to be easy for everyone. It’s not necessarily that they are lazy, some people will genuinely have a hard time with it.
well, any person locked up somewhere without food, or very little food for a period of time would lose weight…..
healthwise though, isn’t blood pressure etc more important than the actual weight?
Absolutely. I preach this all the time.
If you’re so obese that you can’t stand up, probably not.
Sure, amputation. Duh.
almost anyone could but:
a) it’s way harder for some people than for others. while it’s possible for everyone, it might take some people eating less than 1,000 calories a day and working out at least an hour a day, which is just not doable for a lot of people. Others can lose weight and look great by just cutting soda out of their diet and going for a walk once a week, it all depends on the person
b) if someone’s only a little overweight I think we put way too much pressure on people to lose that weight. sure if you’re 300 pounds you really need to lose some, but if you’re only 15 over then it’s really no big deal. plus, a person’s outward appearance is not always the greatest judge of their weight. Some people look chubby but are perfectly within the healthy range for their height, others look phenomenal but are actually over or under the general range.
so yes, anyone can lose weight, but that’s not an excuse for the horrible treatment of fat people in this country.
Most people can-with discipline. That doesn’t make it okay, though, to dump on peole who have more of a problem that way. I have two siblings, and several friends, who can’t win for losing in that department.
I -KNOW- if I cut out pop, fast food, and start exercising, I will drop the pounds I’ve gained. It’s a lifestyle change. Sedentary job vs. keeping fit. I want to do it, but I fear if I don’t see results I will just say “screw it” cause eating salad is not my idea of good eating. I love good food. Sigh.
It is most definitely harder for anyone with a health problem, but it can absolutely be done. You just have to want it bad enough, and it helps to know that if you keep trying it’s going to improve whatever health problem you have!
Yup.
yes, they can. it all has to with the amount of effort they put in.
Yes but it can also be psychological. We shouldn’t judge a total person based on an outward flaw. Some of the best people I know in life are overweight and they work hard but they have a weakness for food.
There ARE conditions that make it extremely difficult to lose weight. Check with a doctor if you think you have such a problem. My doctor says I have no such excuse. He just tells me to consume fewer calories than I use.
http://thyroid.about.com/od/loseweightsuccessfully/a/weight-loss-diet.htm
I think most people can lose weight, they just don’t have the self discipline to.
Any answer other than yes would pretty much be an excuse really.
It’s a matter of discipline and self motivation. I think anyone can too.
Yeah, I think most people could. It’s wanting it and being motivated enough to stick with it; you didn’t gain the weight overnight; it’s not going to come off that fast either! Working retail has certainly opened my eyes to a lot of the BS people have going on in relation to weight. We have my coworkers…many of whom look at me and ask what I do to stay thin; well, I watch what I eat and work out. “After working here, too?? How do you have the energy? I’m surprised I’m not thinner after being here all night blah-blah-blah…” Yes: it takes more work than you would think to burn calories/lose pounds! Then we have the customers…don’t get me wrong; I’m not about to stand there and completely judge someone based on their weight and diet; I could really give a rat’s patootie what the person next to me weighs. But I see what people buy in the way of groceries. I can’t not. The over weight crowd? Isn’t buying healthy stuff. Period. TV dinners and frozen pizzas and snack cakes and soda. And I do get that sometimes? That’s all that kids will eat. I have three! I’m 5’8″, 135 pounds and firming up! How? I don’t eat the same stuff that I buy for them. Yes! It’s in the house and…I pass it by! I know there are a handful of things that I just wouldn’t pass up: Oreos. Hot wings. Sour cream and cheddar potato chips. So? I don’t bring those things home, but the rest of it, I can see it, think about it, say, “No. That’s not what I should be eating.” and get something else! (In a perfect world, it’s not what the kids should be either, but their weight is fine and it’s what they will eat so…we run with it. We put them on our regular diet a year or so ago and it turned into starvation here and then stuffing themselves with crap at their dad’s. It seems far better to let them have some “not-so-great” food here than to have them go hungry and then binge on Hostess cupcakes almost every weekend.) And low-and-behold! It works! I’m not overweight!! Shocking, isn’t it?
I think this is true. It’s all a matter of willpower.
I hate that whole hypothyroidism excuse. I have an underactive thyroid and have since high school, but I’ve never have had any weight problems. I worked with two sisters who both had the same thing and they were pretty big, but they ate a lot and didn’t work out. I ate a lot, but I worked out. I have been the same weight since high school for the most part and whenever I gain weight, I start watching what I eat and work out so I can lose the weight. No problems ever losing weight. People who use hypothyroidism as an excuse are just lazy.
I want to gain weight.
It’s probably easier for some than others, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for the people who have a more difficult time with it. I have the opposite problem: I can’t gain the weight I want to, and I’m wondering if I’m just lazy or if my body is just meant to be 125 lbs…
@lightnindan - Yes, it’s so odd how people who are starving to death can’t manage to gain weight.
Trust me, there are plenty of fat Africans. Hint: There is a correlation between having easy access to calories and being overweight.
i lose weight on a daily basis when i don’t even mean to.
it’s def not hard. people are just lazy
I’m thin, but sometimes when I’m sick and take meds, I get paranoid of the side effects and it is sometimes a self fulfilling prophecy or placebo effect of sorts in my case, because I’ll read that it might cause drowsiness and then later I’ll start to feel dizzy or itchiness might be another side effect and I’ll start to feel itchy. sometimes it is actually true while other times I have anxiety when I’m sick, so I might go on webmd and look up the symptoms,etc and then start to panic~ this is just me though. it might be different and extreme for others, so in extreme medical conditions, it might be impossible or very difficult.
People hire me based on my incompetence. My incompetence makes my coworkers feel good about themselves. When I tried to get any work done, I would be reprimanded. When I do a lot less, I get applauded. If I kept acting like a pushover, people loved it. It’d sad that the world feels good when they can pick on weaklings. Does god feel good about himself when he sends us tsumamis and earthquackes?
Of course it is very hard to lose weight. It shows that half of the world don’t understand the other half. I never had this problem but i observed that it is not just a question of excuse or laziness. It is a question of metabolism. It would be like a very skinny person trying to gain weight. That also would be very hard. Think!
I love Oprah, but this reminds me of when she said she couldn’t lose weight because of thyroid problems, but she did become pretty skinny at one point. So yes, pretty much anyone can lose weight. Keeping it off though…
Weight is carbon atoms. You can’t ‘work’ them off at a gym. A physics prof at U C Berkeley worked out the math, said you would have to clime 2600 flights of stairs to ‘burn’ one third of an pound of fat. The reason people loose weight at a gym isn’t the work they do, it’s the increase in breathing they do. You lose weight by breathing it out as ‘carbon’ dioxide. So eat less and breathe more, you don’t have to work your ass off, just raise your breath rate by doing some light exercise and make a habit out of it.
Sure, this person is technically correct. Everyone can lose weight. Thyroid problems be damned! You know, it’s like saying you can earn $60,000 a year, your $8 an hour job be damned! You just need to work over 20 hours a day. So sure, everyone can lose weight. You just need to quit making excuses why you need to work a multiple times harder than those under normal healthy conditions. It’s just those damn excuses keeping you back. Don’t get your diet corrected or take medication to fix your under producing thyroid enzymes, or solve the underlying problem. Just work out more you lazy bastard!
@bamzilicious26 -i lose weight on a daily basis when i don’t even mean to.
it’s def not hard. people are just lazy
This has got to be one of the dumbest things I’ve heard in awhile. So because you lose weight so easily, it must therefore be easy that everyone else can lose weight? I used to be a personal trainer. I’ve completed a marathon. And I check my stats regularly. I’ve been running on average 2-3 miles nearly daily for the past 3 months and haven’t altered my body composition at all, and my diet has stayed roughly the same. The only thing that has changed it, hey, I can run better. I’m far from lazy, but losing weight can definitely be hard. The only thing that seems to come easy is blatant ignorance and stupidity.
@bryangoodrich - blah blah blah, you’re offended, who the fuck cares. xangans just love to jump down people’s throats and retort at every little comment that’s made, i seem to have forgotten while i was gone.
that comment i made was actually sarcastic. it was satire. i’m not stupid. and i’m actually a doctor. so yes, i know losing weight and gaining weight is different for each person depending on their metabolism, genes, tendencies, and habits.
thanks for your very angry comment, i appreciated it.
Perhaps. It is EXTREMELY hard for people to lose weight in their 40′s and 50′s. I had my children later in life (early 40′s) and it has been a bitch trying to get those pounds back off. I’m 53 now and even my doctor just shrugs and tells me that I’m getting older and it will be hard. So, sure when you are young thinking that people are just too lazy to drop those pounds is common but once you actually age it becomes much, much more difficult to remain slim.
@bamzilicious26 - Oh, you’re a doctor? Then how about you go eat a dick.
@bryangoodrich - gladly. it’s one of my favorite things to do.
ignorance is the biggest problem. losing weight is all about knowing the mechanics of your own body and tailoring a life style that will be some what simple to maintain and effective. If that means you’ve got to work around certain health issues than so be it. If you’ve got the know how it wont be too much of a problem.
it’s not true.
some people would never lose weight.
Fantastic work man, keep your heads high you did it.
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