I have been doing very well with my weight loss so far and have lost 25lbs by eating healthy, but it seems I can never multi-task when losing weight! I am either eating clean, but lacking in exercise OR I am exercising well and will eat anything in sight! I can never balance it out! Does anyone else have this problem? How do I overcome this?

I can definitely identify. Only rarely am I on top of both diet and exercise to perfection levels especially when I'm in top exercise form. For example, for most of last year I worked out pretty hard (kickboxing, running and step aerobics) for over an hour a day 6 days a week but it was pretty hard for me to stay within any reasonable calorie range. When I wasn't working out, I did much better at meeting my calorie goals. Suffice to say, I stayed within the same 5-lb weight range.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't really have an answer for you. I've scaled back my workouts a lot this year (I'm averaging about 3 days a week) and it's been much easier to stay within calories and lose. Another thing I've found helps me is staying hydrated all day especially after eating. I keep a bottle of water around me all day and this definitely helps. Also I've been trying to build in post-workout snacks which I wash down with tons of water. I'm not the most exercise science -inclined person in the universe, but I've been trying out plain yoghurt with a spoon of jam in it and as long as I wash it down with tons of water, I think it helps.

Ultimately, I guess the thing is that you don't have to be perfect at everything to succeed in this journey. Maybe do a little calorie cycling. Eat lower on the days that you don't workout and up your calories to factor in a few (planned) extras on the days that you do. We're all works in progress. 120+ pounds down and 3+ years after starting, I'm still figuring out what works and what doesn't. The important thing is to stick with it and keep plugging away.

I find I suck at multi-tasking often because I just pour so much of myself into something that there isn't alot of room left over for anything else. I found having a really good schedule helps me to turn on things at specific times and turn off other stuff. If I am too loose with it then it is far too easy for me to be taken over by one thing lol

Another issue might be that you are not eating enough to make up for the exercise and maybe your body is telling you so? Have your higher calorie days on the days you workout.

I also read some great articles about what to eat before and after exercising that might be helpful:

What to eat before you work out?
What to eat after you work out?
High performance nutrition

Hope that helps

I've actually had the exact opposite problem in the past. When I exercised, it motivated me to eat healthier. When I didn't exercise, I'd say **** it, and not eat healthy either. I had an "all-or-nothing" mentality. I guess that's considered a balance issue too lol.

Some people can't lose weight while engaging in a vigorous exercise program (because it stimulates their appetite so much) and some people can't lose weight without vigorous exercise. Find out which type you are. If you're the former, then maybe you need to focus on diet for now. Or look at what your pitfall is. When I feel a huge hunger attack coming on, I drink a protein shake. The calorie impact is small, but the satiety is big, and it can get me back on track for my diet for the day.

Same here...I obsessivally focus on something, and the second it dosen't go according to plan, I get frustrated, and fall off track..It sucks with weightloss

Honestly, if your having trouble balencing the two, you can try to just focus on your diet, which is what mainly helps in losing weight...and throw in some excerise whenever you feel modivated to do so...Your eating habbits are the key

Or find some workout plan that you enjoy and modivates you...If the gym is boring to you, pick up yoga, a dance class, running outside, go hiking, anything that keeps you moving...

I have fought this same issue in the past. I read somewhere that weightloss is 80 percent diet and 20 percent combined exercise and genetics. I believe this. I have trained for half marathons where I run 10 miles plus once a week and various other distances and actually GAINED weight. I knew all the cardio meant my body needed extra fuel, but I must have been overstimating how much I was really burning off.

And everytime in the past that i was trying to watch my calories or food choices I would seem to let exercise slip to where it was non-existent.

This time I have been able to manage to do both (for the first time!). FOr me the secret is not going too big on either one. I don;t have any half marathons that I need to train for presently so for cardio I only do it like 2-3 times a week and only 3 miles or less. I know three miles can be alot, but my bodies used to running more, and our bodies do well to adapt. Also I am not aiming for as big of a calorie deficit as I used to do. I am also ficused more on weightlifting than cardio when it comes to exercise. I'm hopeing to spend two more months really building a good lean body mass base, then at the start of feburary start adding miles again for the race I always do in April. I'm hoping that I can go to lifting twice a week instead of five times and shift that time to running. Right now I spend 45 mins to 1 hour 5 days a week on exercise. And I eat about 2000 calories a day. It was working really well the first couple of weeks. I ended up dropping the ball on tracking during the 4 days around thanksgiving, but managed to maintain the 5 lb weightloss I'd made.

So anyways I guess I'm a bit new to know if this approach is going to really work well or not, but I can say I have managed to do well at moderately exercising and moderatly calorie restriction.

I can't even keep two messenger windows open at once. I feel overwhelmed. But I look at exercise as something I have to do. Like brushing my hair or my teeth. I -have- to walk 60 minutes. I -have- to do my situps. By changing the way I looked at it, instead of being a choice, it became mandatory and just part of my routine.

I know exactly what you mean.

This time round however, I have been like wannebefitnessbuff - I have found that I love walking and do that 3 times a week at a level that I enjoy. I also do a dance class once a week. I am never exhausted after a session but feel energized. Before, I would not be able to walk for a week or brush my hair because my muscles where so sore.

I found my level of sustainability.... But perseverance does pay!

Good luck, I hope you find something active that you love.