Would you rather have an amazing figure by eating a restrictive diet and exercising or be slightly larger (not obese)and not ripped by eating whatever you fancy?

[malificent7]

Like most women i love food but would also like a leaner body. Is the slog of dieting really worth it?

That said, training is her life and for her it's her relaxation time?!
you see it as punitive and restrictive but she experiences it as indulgent and enjoyable

I'd rather be my shape and size and have treats and a life than my diet be as restricted and have to do as much training as my friend.

That said, training is her life and for her it's her relation time?!

I have to say since discovering I could actually run (thought I really couldn't very well since a cross country experience at Secondary since discovered correct technique and pacing) I love to keep doing it. I feel like I've been given a gift and have to keep metaphorically pinching myself (=keep going out running) because I still cannot quite believe I can run and enjoy it. I'd always secretly envied runners but thought it wasn't for me. So yes, it can be relaxing, exhilarating and enjoyable! I love running chat too. Read articles watch YouTube videos on it. I feel better for it and miss it when I don't do it.

Oh goodness I'd rather be skinny a million times over.

I don't like the feeling of extra pockets of flesh hanging around anywhere.

My idea of true happiness is wearing skinny trousers with a shirt tucked in + a belt. I'm superficial.

Totally the later. TBH, kind of the choice I've made. I'm basically quite slim but always had a large tummy proportionately... I decided long ago that God didn't intend me to have a neat, trim waist and that honestly the 'joy' I'd get from having a small waist via dieting and constant exercise did not outweigh the happiness I'd feel by having a tummy and being able to do things other than exercising, and mostly being able to eat what I like.

Some people get a great deal of satisfaction from eating a clean, (you might say, restricted) controlled diet With very little processed or 'junk' food, and doing lots of exercise. Maybe that's why it's not as simple as sacrificing 'delicious treats' for a slimmer body. It could be that the body is the by-product of the healthy lifestyle they enjoy. Let's not kid ourselves- lots and lots and lots of people have 'unusual' food behaviours. I certainly do. For me, controlling my food and monitoring what I eat is far more enjoyable than a slice of cake. Once I started running long distances I really noticed when my diet was poor my performance suffered- now if I want to beat times or run further, I need to modify my diet in order to achieve it, and not damage myself. Being active has made me respect and protect my body, starting with what I put into it, more than I ever have in my life before now.

I definitely see going for a 20km run on a Sunday morning as a luxury/treat/ enjoyable pastime and not a chore. It's many people's idea of hell on Earth.

I'd rather be my shape and size and have treats and a life than my diet be as restricted and have to do as much training as my friend

But you might not need to go to those extremes. I ‘m not that obsessive.

I visit the gym five days a week for an hour. I eat sensibly but I’m not averse to the odd takeaway or fried breakfast at the weekend. Rarely eat cake as I haven’t got a sweet tooth. I’m not sure that I have an “amazing” body but it isn’t bad.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3588931-12-and-a-half-stone?pg=4#

Once I started running long distances I really noticed when my diet was poor my performance suffered- now if I want to beat times or run further, I need to modify my diet in order to achieve it, and not damage myself. Being active has made me respect and protect my body, starting with what I put into it, more than I ever have in my life before now.

Yes, I enjoy looking at all the nutrition and how people tweak it to affect their performance. I also like cooking and am generally interested in food so enjoy the challenge of making tasty stuff which meets my requirements.

Sproink, looks pretty amazing to me! You look like a bikini model!

I'm your height and have been you weight but have always had a bit more of a rounded belly. I'm just over 10 stone now but aiming to lose a bit more weight. But I'm pretty happy with the way I look, just know there's room to lose more fat. The running and my eating plan is going well though. As I have said it's enjoyable.

@thenewaveragebear1983
Exactly! I get a massive buzz out of being a total health freak and focusing all of my life around my exercise regime, I'm perfectly aware that other people would hate it but it works really well for me

I'd definitely rather be slim - not thin - there's a difference.

I've lost weight and am currently very toned (arms & shoulders) although my legs need a bit more work. I love getting nice comments from friends regarding my weight and the clothes I can wear knowing my many gym sessions have paid off.

I love wine, crisps and snacky food but find normal meals a pain. I hate cooking and only make decent meals as I want the kids to eat well.

That said, training is her life and for her it's her relaxation time?!

you see it as punitive and restrictive but she experiences it as indulgent and enjoyable

exactly. I don't understand why people think that exercising must be a chore. Ski, dance, run... if you are hooked to something, or to a range of activities, why wouldn't you want to do it as often as possible?

I find it hard to understand that someone actively dislike physical activity. There are so many different things you can do, I go nuts if I couldn't do anything at all. Going faster, jumping higher, learning something new, there's always enough to push yourself.

I genuinely wonder, what do people "allergic" to sport actually do? How do you use your free time when you do nothing physical?

I genuinely wonder, what do people "allergic" to sport actually do? How do you use your free time when you do nothing physical?

Have you never heard of reading, sketching, painting, making stuff etc? The list of non-physical pastimes is practically endless.

I hate sport. Always have. At school I worked out that if you didn't sign up for a particular sport, you weren't on anybody's list to miss so you could get away with not doing any.

The only "sport" I'm any good at is shooting. You can do that lying down.

Have you never heard of reading, sketching, painting, making stuff etc? The list of non-physical pastimes is practically endless.

yes, we do that too. But not moving when you are lucky enough to have a body that allows you to?

I hate sport
What does that even mean? You have tried them ALL? You would be happy stuck in a bed, even wheeled around, everywhere?

It's quite sad really. You never know what will happen. One day you will regret all these years wasted.

I would always always choose slim!

yes, we do that too. But not moving when you are lucky enough to have a body that allows you to?

You do realise that it is possible to move without actually engaging in any kind of sporting activity?

Would like to say the second option but no, I feel better when slim.

I don't do one or the other, my grandma always says eat a lot of what's good for you and a little of what you fancy, and always make it taste good. I eat a healthy diet most days, some carbs some leanish meat (student so tend to need to get what's reduced and freeze it, but I try) and mostly veg, I always cook it in a good sauce (canned tomatoes and various spices to make different dishes usually) and try not to use too much salt. If I want something sweet, I'll usually have some kind of fruit. I eat like that most days, but about twice a month or so I might get a hankering for some chocolate, or a pizza, and if I can afford it financially I'll have one and not feel guilty for it. Yes I'm a bit overweight, I do excercise both to improve my mental health and to improve my fitness, but I'd rather live this way than go back to either restricting and being miserable or eating whatever I wanted and feeling guilty about it afterwards.

Up until the past few years, I've been somewhat overweight all my adult life - varying from really quite heavy (never obese) to just over healthy BMI range. Times when I got into the zone and lost 20lb, I'd feel absolutely terrific, so much happier. So while I'd never want to be obsessive about diet, for me being slimmer makes me happier than eating whatever I want.

I would rather be able to eat what I want and be thin.

I have been eating plant based since January. I did it primarily because my psoriasis was out of control after DC3 and a bout of strep throat.

Weight loss has been a by product and as 12kg lighter I can really feel the difference. I have been training 5 times a week and there have been massive health improvements.

I sleep like a baby after years of borderline insomnia, my skin still has some patches of psoriasis but it is no longer raw and itchy, I have more energy and my previous back pain is gone.

Being healthy isn't the same a being beautiful. I still have all the sagginess 3 kids and age bring but life genuinely feels easier.

I am currently nursing a non-sports related knee injury and will be getting surgery this month. Not having the extra weight and the muscle strength and flexibility I have are making my recovery far faster than it would have been a year ago.

Your body is a machine. You can give it a fancy paint job or actually take care of what is under the bonnet. I personally don't worry about how I look too much but am focused on keeping my engine running as well as possible.

You can have both if you exercise

I am also a massive believer that if someone says they have sport, it is because they haven't found their sport yet. We all think of the usual suspects but there are so many different options out there. It is one of the failings of school PE for me that teachers don't have the resources to use these sessions to expose kids to as many different activities as possible to they can find their thing whether it is ballet or orienteering.

Hate not have.
Totally ruined my own point with a typo

I'm category A, bmi 20. I love feeling strong and fit and looking good but I'm the first to admit that it's a prison of sorts (and if I go too far my period disappears and I start to get a lot of injuries). I'd love to be category B but would be too scared to give up the control. I know it's pretty messed up but I try to be kind to my self about it, the culture we live in is such horrendous bollocks

I am 5'4" and went from 64kg and 54kg and I am so much happier and confident at 54kg. This psychological benefit has far outweighed any transient pleasure I got from my previous food choices and had a positive impact on my work and social life.

I did it through the fast800 and so whilst I now have very few carbs on an ordinary day, I will happily enjoy wine and extra helping of pudding at dinner parties, holidays etc.
I find it's a way of having my cake and eating it (pun intended) i.e. I needed these self imposed rules to help with willpower.