My biggest problem is staying motivated/dedicated. If I don't see results I like on the scale, I just give up. I eventually start up again, but it's a vicious cycle. I have regained and lost the same 10 lbs countless times. Can't ever get out of the 260s.
Why are you starving yourself? I was doing the same thing, at some point, I was eating smaller and smaller portions to lose weight but I was gaining weight instead. If I remember correctly if the body is starving it goes on an emergency state and holds on to fat for the emergency.
And why don't you eat when you come home? I come home and make a salad and maybe fish with it and I am done in 45 minutes. Before going to sleep I eat half a banana. I feel it has soporific effect but most people don't agree on this. I also found out that good organic cucumbers make good snacks.
I don't starve myself. I just started doing weight watchers and I'm eating three meals plus two snacks. But after years of benging all day lond everyday. Its a change. I was just saying I hope my body ajusts soon.
Before I started losing weight, my biggest struggle as to why I got to where I was was definitely portion control. In both food and alcohol.
Once I figured out my plan my biggest struggle was night time eating. I was used to eating a days worth of calories after dinner. I've definitely cut down on most of my nighttime boredom eating but it definitely still is my biggest weight loss struggle.
As for overall health, having motivated to work out continues to be a big issue for me. I had a gym membership for 2 months and did pretty well during that time but I just can't afford it anymore. I need to make sure I make the time to get some sort of exercise in on a regular basis.
Dating and social lif...going out for dinner/drinks seems to be always happening, and I hate it! I don't drink alcohol (calories) and food is a struggle.
Freaking counting calories. When I started, I thought it would be exercise. What a joke! I now love running, and do it often. I look forward to it. My weight has been stalled from all the stinking calories I eat. I mean, I am happy I'm not moving up, but it has been a real struggle to have one good calorie day let alone consistently good calorie days throughout the weeks. I'll keep on doing my best.
Embarrassing to admit but alcohol. I rely on it for both stress and pain relief. I'm a high anxiety person who lives with chronic daily pain. Sometimes I get tired of dealing with the pain and let the vodka do it. Better than vicodin, that stuff literally makes me insane ... when things aren't going well life wise, my go to is to have a drink. Quicker than meds and less side effects (for me) but totally shuts down fat loss.
Social events where there is food or going out to restaurants I like. Also, red wine. While it's good for you, it's still extra calories I don't need. But man, after a tough day at work, it's so lovely to pour a glass of red wine and cook dinner and then watch a favorite show.
Mine is carbs. I crave them a lot, especially at night, and it's so frustrating! I can go without chocolate or candy....but pretzels, crackers, pita chips, bread....it's so hard to limit myself when the craving hits.
Snacking, especially in the evenings, portion control and a love of bread and red meat are all big issues but I'd say the biggest as far as hindering weight loss is how freaking picking I am!
If its healthy I don't like it. The only vegetables I like are steamed broccoli, green peppers, onion, lettuce (smothered in dressing), and cold, no salt out of a can green beans (I like potatoes and corn too but I never count them as vegetables) Fruits are the same thing only texture is also an issue. I can eat raw apples and watermelon but I dislike either the taste or the texture of pretty much everything else. Thank god for smoothies, without them I doubt I'd ever eat any fruit. I don't like fish either unless its white fish covered in batter and fried aka fish sticks.
It's hard to eat healthy when you don't like anything healthy! >
I don't understand how calory counting works. Do you make distinction between calories from sugar as opposed to fat, for instance? Are there any threads where this is discussed? I am losing without counting calories.
There are a lot of threads about calorie counting. If you have a smartphone you can download MyFitnessPal or LoseIt app which helps you keep track of your calories. Some people make distinctions between their calories but I don't. I just avoid sugars and most carbs and doing so helps me stay within my calorie range.
Alcohol lol!! It is almost impossible to live in a dorm and not get drunk at least once a week, especially in the summer!
Also every time I visit my family or am invited to birthdays etc. I can't say no to cake and all the delicious treats.. and I tend to overdo it, because I don't allow it at home :/
Overeating out of boredom and cravings (the number one reason).
Not sticking with my workout routine long enough.
Not having access to more of the healthy foods I would like to have.
All of the above except for TOM/hormones (that phase of my life is over, thank heavens!).
Seriously, in reading the posts, we have a lot of trouble with sweets, salty, processed foods -- no one said, I ate 3 vegetable packed salads last night with a squeeze of lemon juice -- mainly because they react with the same receptors in our brains that handles street drugs. I haven't conquered it yet, but I've accepted that I am addicted to sugar/starches/HFCS and all those other feel good foods.
School: Most people want to avoid the Freshmen 15 while I'm trying to lose the personal 65. I'm a university student now so that keeps me walking around a lot for exercise. But with cafeteria options its hard to always try and eat healthier and do portion control. Not to mention the fact that I only get about 10 min. to eat it...just hard. One day at a time.
