What are your biggest challenges or obstacles?
 

Hi everyone:

I was thinking about this the other day especially after labor day weekend. I am curious what your biggest challenge or obstacle has been in your weight loss journey? And what if anything you did to overcome it. One of mine is eating when I am stressed out or upset. It happened this weekend. First thing I did was go to the fridge but I closed it and instead went to get my walking shoes and took a long walk. When I got back I was no longer upset or stressed or hungry. Yesterday I was so stressed at work, so instead of going to the snack machine, I took a walk around the building. I won't always be able to take a walk when this happens so i will have to find other things to do to keep my mind occupied so I won't think of food.

Love to hear suggestions or your biggest challenges and solutions.

Karen

i have a couple

first is a thin husband who can eat my entire calorie alotment for the day for breakfast

2nd is my teaching schedule at the U. which doesn't allow for lunch until late in the day by then I am starving

s

My biggest challenge is snacking in the evening. Some nights are better than others. I'm going to get a cup of tea after this. That always helps.

I'm at a stay-at-home mom, and I am 12 steps away from the pantry all day. This is definitely my biggest challenge. I just have to be really choosy in the groceries I buy, and I also have pretty good willpower.

I have the same husband. he eats and eats and it takes alot for him to put on weight. I think he has the fastest metabloism in the west. So even though we eat healthier, he can eat three times my portion. I have learned not to hold it against him but sometimes it is hard.

I used to snack alot at night but that bad habit has gone away. usually cause I have water, green tea or a glass of 1 % milk around 8:30. That usually fills me up till bed now. Or if I do get the urge, I come to 3FC and check in:).

My biggest challenge has always been consistent exercise. I'd start a program and go hog wild for a month or so and then quit cold...to combat that I now walk for my main exercise and have a couple friends who will join me at least once a week each and I drag the dog the other days. My other issue is night time snacking...I loves me some chips and salsa while I watch CSI or whatever...like many of you I now drink herbal tea or skim milk. Now if I do "sin" I add a few fruit loops or something to my skim milk, but it can still be just as big a challenge today as it was 2 years ago.

Thanks for posting
 

momaspank

It helps to hear how others deal and what obstacles they have overcome. I was reading another post and you said something that stuck about if you mess up at one meal that doesnt mean you have to continue doing it all day which is what i would normally do.

lovnmom

I too will go in spurts where I exercise like a fiend and then something wil happen to make me slack off, Either I get sick or hurt myself or I am just to darn tired. Then it is hard to get back into it. So right now I am just walking 30 to 45 minutes 4days a week at a moderate to fast pace ( I like to change it up). Next week i plan on adding some strength training. We have a gym at work which I joined several years ago and definetely was not taking advantage of it. I plan on getting my oneys worth :D

My biggest problem was a glass of wine or two to "unwind" in the evening. Then, what the heck, a few chips never hurt anyone, then "I deserve more, life is short..." since I have not had any alcohol in the home since mid-August the weight has fallen off (I've been keeping to my WW points and I find it sooo much easier).

I feel so much better now, I can look at the clock and say "Wow, it's 9 pm, I've kept to my points and not been hungry."

That's what is working for me right now, anyway!

-Susan

I am a housewife, also in and out of the kitchen all day, and all though I can inhale a ton of calories that way, at least I only have healthy foods in there. I can't get tempted beyond recognition by typical triggerfoods like potato chips or pastries. However, when I go down the mountain, into town a couple of times a week, that's where all of the temptation is, and I have to be really super careful to not let myself get too hungry, as when it is an errand day, so I've learned to bring some food with me to hold me over until I get home. I have a young and spirited German Shepherd I take hiking every morning, so that's non-negotiable , according to her :D I don't have kids or a husband that distract me, in fact, my husband eats less than me at dinner it seems (the only meal we share). My husband is very supportive of the idea for me to cook differently in order to lose weight, he is not a problem.

I have a real problem with low self esteem and a husband who doesn't talk much at all, which means offering praise, or approval, so I get very little in the way of "Hey ! Lookin' Good !" , I have to do it entirely out of my own motivation, which is good on one hand. Being the soul reason to better myself for only myself is a difficult task. I have so much in my life that I'm grateful for , as so much seems to have finally arrived how I want it. Perhaps it is .... stagnation ... has overtaken me in recent years. Middle-aged and going into weird times with perimenopause, the war in Iraq and world affairs in general, etc. all make me in constant anxiety mode, thus, I self-medicate with food.

So , anxiety and motivation are my big obstacles, for I can't maintain my discipline when my emotions are raging, or my lack of caring has sabotaged and I feel like breaking glass. Fortunately exercize greatly softens anxiety, and keeps the motivation up, so I suppose, I should exercize longer with greater intensity to make sure. I have to keep remembering I *am* really overweight, and it's *not okay* , and I will feel so much better on the other side of this journey, hey, even half way there will be a huge difference. Its all like a very complex puzzle, which piece fits in where and affects what in order for the next piece to fit in. Exercizing more often and drinking more water and staying out of negative self-talk and denial, are my answers at this time.

What a great thread! Thank you, dolphinlvr....

For me.... I *think* attitude has been my biggest challenge.

I have always envied 'yo-yo' dieters because at least they could lose the weight. Losing weight is something I've never, ever been able to do. Unfortunately, I always believed that I could only eat less than 800 calories a day to lose weight. I'd literally starve myself for a month and lose maybe 10-12 pounds, and then, when I just couldn't starve myself anymore and I started eating again, I'd gain the same weight back. I've accomplished a few noteworthy things in life, including going back to school to get a degree in my 30s and then completing my master's degree. But, I could never lose weight. I've never been at an ideal weight, so I don't really even know what it is for me.

But... something happened this summer... I found this site and fitday... I guess when all the moons or fates or stars were aligned. I signed up at FitDay on August 1 and though I'd been reading here, I signed up in early August.

For the very FIRST time in my adult life... the last 23 years... I just KNOW I can do this. I refuse to even consider that I can't. I don't know what happened. I can't explain the change. At first, I kept expecting to wake up and it would all be a dream. But.. It's been 5 weeks now.. (almost) longer than I've ever starved.. longer than I've ever been able to stick to anything weight/fitness related. I'm as certain today that I'm going to succeed as I felt when I began. All I can really come up with is that somehow I got an attitude adjustment. I've been so grateful for it everyday.

Thanks for letting me share here.

Best wishes to everyone.

Challenges and obstacles? Yes, to all of the above.
Stay at home all day snacker here --- I've combat that by leaving the house and joining every committee/club/board I can --- only to discover they serve donuts at most meetings.:dizzy:
Night time snacker too --- I took up knitting or watch movies instead of TV. I discovered it was a hand/mouth thing or a commercial break thing.
My largest obstacle is my unwillingness to exercise. At all. I lay in bed knowing it would feel so much better if I could say I walked today, but I don't.
I read all the motivation here and yet still I sit. Somebody kick me!

I know this is very general, but life. Between work, home, health, it all gets to me and at times I don't know what else to do, so I binge.

Hm. It's a really good question. I think there are two things for me:

One is that I own my own business so I don't have any real set schedule. W/out a schedule, I have to remind myself to eat on a regular basis. I have to plan and stick to my plan, otherwise I wind up missing meals and then eating like a horse in the evening because I'm starving.

The other is hopefully something that will change ... and it's just that I've been going through a huge amount of personal change over the last year, which has been incredibly stressful. I vacillate between not eating anything from stress and eating everything in sight because of stress. Neither one is terribly healthy.

However, I think those situations - all of them - may have turned a corner and things are finally starting to stablize, so hopefully I won't have to worry about *that* going forward.

.

Woow this is so helpful
 

I wasn't sure what kind of response I would get to this thread and I have to say this is great to hear that alot of us have the same obstacles and some advice on how they have overcome them or that they are still struggling with them. I love this sight and all the people in it. You make this journey easier to handle and I am so glad I found all of you.:hug:

Karen

HowdIGetHere
 

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I read all the motivation here and yet still I sit. Somebody kick me![/QUOTE]

Consider yourself kicked into action. Just set a goal that you will walk 2 or 3 times a week. Post it on the fridge or bathroom mirror. That's what i had to do when I first started. Now I look forward to it. I am not a morning person so I only walk in the morning on the weekend or when I am off of work. It's hard enough for me to get out of bed in the morning to go to work. Otherwise I do it at lunch or after dinner. Even if it is just 15 or 20 min it's a start. So before you got to your committee club or board meeting tell yourslef I am going to walk first. Just keep telling yourself you can do it over and over. Give it a try it can't hurt right?

YOU can do this :carrot::carrot::carrot:

my biggest challenge is: TIME

Yes I know if I *really* want to do this I would make the time. However (here come the excuses)

I live 130KM from work (or just over 100 miles) which has me commuting 20 hours a week. Can I do butt squeezes on the train? Sure. Do I really want to? No.

I work too much. It has it's rewards; I was just promoted to accounting team supervisor in July. But that means, I still work too much. 4 hours commuting each day and if I even leave on time at 5pm, I'm home at 7. Then I still have to eat dinner (Ron cooks usually) and by then I'm starving and I tend to overeat at dinner. Now, imagine when I leave at 7pm...

I get up at 4.30am. I know I need to change this and prepare stuff the night before to sleep in a little bit more, but to be honest, I really don't feel like it, once I've had dinner. I want to do other things. I want to spend time on hobbies (not that I have time for any), I want to spend time with Ron.

Can I go and take a walk at lunch? Sure. If I actually TOOK my lunch.

Do you see where I'm going here?

I have no problem preparing food and bringing stuff with me during the day, but the biggest challenge is... around Thursday I'm so tired that I give into that "I don't feel like it" monster and there are tendencies to think "I'll just get something healthy at the office". This, my friends, NEVER happens.

With all that, I'd like to go and do exercise at the gym. Do I? No. See excuses above. Can I work out at home? Yes - and many times I do, when Ron is cooking I can go on my elliptical. However, I get bored easily with the same old, same old and I like to do different stuff. I NEED to go to a gym, a class, go out for a walk, etc. This I don't have time for.

So maybe my other challenge is my attitude. When I PLAN and I exercise and I stay within my program guidelines, I am VERY successful. I lost weight on WW before and kept it off for 3 years, so I know it can be done. When this was the case I had a totally different life. I worked in the same town that I lived in. I rode my bicycle to work every day. I did no overtime. I had friends I went to WW and the gym with. I don't have any of that anymore and I find it very hard to do it completely alone.

I can't eat whenever I want or need to at my job. When it is time to eat I then overeat because I am hungry.
We also have to eat fast so my brain hasn't gotten the signal that I am full.
Very frustrating.
!:mad:
Mary

Photochick, can you talk about it a little bit? I"d like to get to know all of us here on the 40's forum, and try to know a little bit about each of our lives. :hug:

My biggest challenges are portion control and finding time to exercise because I have a child with a disability. My son is older (22) and has a job from 8-12 Monday through Friday and that is when I go to work too. If the office is really busy, I bring him back to work with me (my husband and I own our own business). I have a gym membership, but they frown about me bringing my son with me---plus after 30 minutes he is ready to go. My husband is wonderful, but he is one of those people who sneezes and loses 5 pounds! He works out a lot---he is a triathlete---so I have to schedule my day around his schedule. I need to find an excercise routine that I can do at home---I know there are DVD's out there, but which one???

Thanks to everyone being so open---It helps to know there are others out there with similar issues.

momforever, Could your hubby possibly give up some of his workout time and spend time with your son while you get in more than a 30 min workout? Just a thought.

While DH would be happy to give up some of his workout time, he is training for a half Ironman in October. Plus he works out early in the morning and has long workouts on Saturdays and Sundays. I need to look at our schedules to see when I can schedule an hour plus a day. I thought by finding a workout to do at home it would remove the excuse of not being able to workout at the gym. Yesterday, I saw a cable tv channel that has a variety of routines, so I am going to give that a try this afternoon to find the type of exercise I like to do from home. Wish me luck!!!

momforever, wishing you luck...I too workout at home. I live rural so access to a gym is difficult. It can be done. Good for you for searching for what works for you rather than giving up!

Honestly a lot of it is veryvery personal. :) I don't mind sharing a little bit - I've talked some in other threads about being separated from my husband and working through divorce issues, but aside from that, there's just a lot of stuff ... career and money related (the economy is really putting the hurt on small, luxury item businesses like mine), personally, family wise, etc.

The past year has seen some huge changes in my life and I'm at a bit of a crossroads in deciding where to go from here. I've had to come to grips with the fact that children will not be part of my life, that my marriage is in fact over (which means I will lose the only family I really have - my inlaws), that I might have to rethink my career, and ... several other things that I just don't want to share here (no offense to anyone! :) ).

I'm contemplating moving across the country and starting over - but whatever plans I decide make will have to wait at least a year until I can get some financial security in order. And that also puts me in a little bit of limbo with regard to moving forward.

Add to that, one of my dearest friends in the whole world is dealing with pancreatic cancer right now (I've posted about this before as well). He just underwent surgery (called a Whipple procedure in which they removed his pancreas, his bile duct, 40% of his stomach, and 4 feet of his small intestine) but they found cancer in his lymph nodes while they were in there. So obviously, that's not a good outcome.

So ... really just a whole heck of a lot of stuff that I'm dealing with and trying to figure out. :)

.

My biggest obstacle is the medications I have to get on from time to time. This last time was well over a 20 pound gain from them. I now don't get upset about it because I know it is the medications and not what I eat nor lack of exercise but it can really be a bummer. I am at that stage again. Just off the medications with the gain that I have just lost this year. I would have reached my goal at my birthday in november now that isn't going to happen. I did give myself a few days to be down about it now the work is back. Get the weight off I put back on and then go forward again.

Photo, I'm sorry to hear that your friend received further bad news after his whipple procedure. I recall that the two of you are very close. I will keep he and his family and you in my prayers.
Kristi

Kristi - thank you so much. He's been a huge support to me over the past year as I deal with other stuff and so now I'm trying to be as much of a support to him. It's a tough situation all the way around.

.

Like dolphinlvr, I eat when stressed (and bored!). I'm working on this, and just blew it big time last week.

Like 36 paws, I have a naturally thin (not skinny, but lean) husband who can eat massive Dagwood-type sandwiches at midnight every day without gaining an ounce.

I also have three healthy and lean kids who can pretty much eat whatever they want whenever they want. My 13 year old son can eat three times what I can eat!! Yikes.

The only other "weight challenged" individual at our house is my fat cat who is obsessed with ham (long story). My other cat (lean and sleek) has no food issues.

So... add it all up. That's my challenge. To live with all of them, deal with life's stresses and not pig out.

hopefuldreamer

I'm having a hysterectomy two weeks from today. I vacillate between knowing that I'd recover better if I lost a few pounds and was more active going into it -and- eating because I'm starting to get nervous about it.

:hug: for all of those going through crisis in their lives.

Photo
I know how hard it is to deal with a friend fighting cancer. Last year a good friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a partial masectomy cause it was in her lymph nodes. It was a long process but as of now she is cancer free. I know it's hard but being there for your friend is what he needs right now. Thank God he has someone like you to be there for him. I will put you and your friend in my prayers tonight.

Hang in there and thanks for sharing something so personal.

Hopefuldreamer
I was wondering where you were... good to see you posting again. I too have a thin cat but I have two fat cats. Precious always wants to eat our food plus hers

Susan - my thoughts are with you. Hang in there and be healthy. :)

Dolphin - Thank you! It's been a tough month for both of us and we just laugh while we cry ... and try to support each other.

.

This is a great thread. It's nice to hear you're "not alone" in all this. Stress is probably my biggest obstacle along with lack of sleep (sleeping disorder) and constant headaches. The weird thing is, I never had these problems until I got my tubes tied! Anyone else ever notice any weird corrolation to when you had problems with weight and a life changing event in your life? I swear it altered my metabolism! I never really had a weight problem prior and had had three kids! After kid #4 and 10 plus years later, I have no excuse as far as "baby fat" but it's been incredibly hard to stay focused on eating healthy and staying motivated to exercise. Frankly, when you're tired you don't feel like exercising. And, unfortunately, exercise doesn't give me more energy. If it did I'd feel like I found a magic solution to my weight problem. But, I'm not giving up. I love the treadmill and bought a Wii to try to keep moving. I figure at this point, anything will be helpful to get the blood circulating, LOL! Glad to see everyone here!

Wow Carole, I am so with you! I keep waiting for that "high" others talk about when they exercise, or becoming addicted to it. It does not energize me! After one solid month of 30-45 min. on my treadmill 5 times/week, I do feel better mentally and can tell I've built muscle though.

My doctor put me on ambien for sleep disorder (miracle drug!). I never had much of a problem sleeping when I was younger but yikes, pre- menopause has brought about some unwelcome things! Including extra pounds.

-Susan

Susan, you'll do great. Good luck! Try a walk with deep breaths when you're feeling nervous instead of eating, even just a short walk.

Susan, thanks for the encouraging words! I tried to take Ambien and it didn't work for me. I have Narcolepsy and one of the side effects is hallucinations and the Ambien just made them more intense and frequent - not good. I take Clonozapan and Melatonin to help me with some of my sleep symptoms and that helps somewhat.

As for the exercising, I applaud your determination and consistancy. I'm inspired!

I hate surgeries
 

I feel your pain already. Know body wants to go under the knife for any reason. I hope to is not because of something serious. I an fairly new to this forum so I apologize if you already told the story. Even though it is two weeks away, I hope eveything goes well and you have a speedy recovery.:hug:

Karen

awwwww..... thanks for caring. I feel all warm and fuzzy!! :cloud9: I haven't been here very long, and didn't think I'd be missed.

I am just juggling a lot right now. I'm an adjunct at a local college, and also write/edit/do web work from home. So, I'm juggling all that. Add three kids, a husband, a house, two cats and my elderly parents not to mention myself.

I try to prioritize my own exercise/food needs but like (I think it was) Velveteen, time is a real issue too.

Here's to juggling :joker:

hopefuldreamer

Best of luck on this. I wish you a safe and speedy recovery. Be sure to check in afterwards when you're up to it to let us know you're ok

hopefuldreamer

Hopeful
 

I have the thin/active husband problem. My husband will eat whatever you give him and if you don't give him anything, he just wont eat. Wish I had that problem. It's only the two of us and he doesn't usually eat much when he does eat and I hate to waste leftover, so I eat them. He is also rides his bicycle everywhere and anywhere. I hate biking.

I guess I am with most, by problem is life. There is food everywhere and problems are always around and in my collective memory, I have never really stuck to anything (maybe being married)

-Amanda

Oh my goodness! You folks are so sweet!

No no no nothing horrible. I've always had heavy painful periods. We've tried lots of meds, an endometrial ablation .... hoping I'd go into menopause soon but ... not ...
What I'm really looking forward to is getting rid of a nagging aching abdomen, lower back ... well, you know.
I've had 3 c-sections so I think I'm even pretty good about the surgical pain. Taking it easy? Resting? Gentle exercise? ... I can do all that.

Thanks so much!