What's YOUR biggest obstacle to eating healthy?

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Replies

  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Wine - every night. Any pointers welcome.

    Weigh in people, what works? I have friends that plan in the cals on Saturday or special occasions and limit alcohol consumption to then, and it seems to work for them ... (oh, and I LOVE your profile pic)

    I do a third of a cup of wine and dilute it with diet dew. But that's because I prefer it sweeter, and of course this results in fewer calories. Needless to say, violating wine in this manner is sacrilege, not to mention, such a small quantity of 13% ABV may not be enough to get most people buzzed, so I tend to keep this to myself :D
  • hjuh22
    hjuh22 Posts: 4 Member
    I'm sure everyone has special occasions lol bdays weddings parties. It's hard to stick to your diet when everyone else around is saying mmmmm the spring rolls are delicous. Sometimes my special occasions include the weekends
  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
    Busy schedules, other people and feeling socially obligated. Not saying they can't be worked around, just identifying the obstacles.
  • BoomstickChik
    BoomstickChik Posts: 149 Member
    Tom. I need at least 2 Reeses a month. It doesn't really trip me up, but when on a 1200 calorie a day diet, it can be tough to fit in those 210 calories lol. I'm the type that doesn't get caught up on eating healthy all the time because that's when it gets extremely difficult. If I want something like this, I make sure it fits into my day, with the exception of the occasional splurge day maybe once a month to two months.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    My personal obstacle is a large number of food allergies. I have to read every ingredient on every label that isn't a meat or vegetable or plain rice so that I don't accidentally eat an allergen.

    For you daily wine drinkers, I have a friend who counts #soberdays and rewards herself in some way for them. Her current goal is to not to drink until her vacation in May.
    I have another friend who stopped smoking by putting the cost of his daily pack of cigarettes in a jar. At the end of three months or so, he bought himself a motorcycle.
    Not sure those would work for you, but worth a try.
  • augustremulous
    augustremulous Posts: 378 Member
    Working too many hours, and not wanting to think about food during it. Just "pushing through," and then coming home in the evening ravenous enough to eat the whole world and go to sleep. I eat pretty healthy food, but I eat too much of it. And it's hard to limit portions when you're crazed hungry and stressed.
  • rsleighty
    rsleighty Posts: 214 Member
    I take it back. Fatigue is my second biggest obstacle to weight loss. The greatest is cooking for two human garbage disposals, otherwise known as teenage boys. How about making a 3 egg omelette stuffed with ham and cheese while I am "enjoying" my lovely bowl of 7grain hot cereal....LOL! Good Lord, I don't know where they put it!!!!
  • pie_eyes
    pie_eyes Posts: 12,964 Member
    Stress eating has been something I've been dealing with lately cause stress drinking isn't an option and

    I overeat at dinner time
  • pie_eyes
    pie_eyes Posts: 12,964 Member
    Also when I make dinner sometimes dinner calories are upwards of 700-900 calories which makes lunch hard
  • jademaid
    jademaid Posts: 13 Member
    My biggest obstacle is people at work bringing in snacks and offering them to me. I feel bad saying no.
  • spacecadetz06
    spacecadetz06 Posts: 19 Member
    Readily available and convenient food was my problem. I now cook midday meals a week ahead and freeze them.
  • ThickJoker
    ThickJoker Posts: 14 Member
    Mostly getting bogged down with repetitious foods/flavors.
  • Bourds
    Bourds Posts: 90 Member
    Work too long, get too hungry and then eat junk food
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    Time is my biggest issue. Most days I get up, drive to the gym (20 miles one way), get back home after a 2 1/2 hour average workout, have just enough time to change, get cleaned up and get to work. Get home from work at 7 or so. I'm not hungry in the morning, and don't have time to eat lunch, so I generally don't eat until 7 or later if I actually have to cook something. Then it could be 8:30. Luckily I don't keep chips or cookies or other junk food in the house, because that would be what I would eat otherwise.
  • aub6689
    aub6689 Posts: 351 Member
    my baking... the struggle is real. I have started offering random people baked goods after I have a baking urge. At least I'm making friends?
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    Free food / booze. If I'm at the office and someone brings in anything, sandwich, cookie, candy I take more than my share. I also have trouble at events that have an open bar and passed appetizers. I'll have a few more drinks because 'hey, they're free' vs having to shell out $3-8 for each drink. I'm cheap!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    The biggest obstacle for me is the amount of time it takes to cook vegetables in ways that I consider to be delicious. I end up have roasted frozen cauliflower every day, because it's easy and I like it, instead of a variety of veggies.
  • annajwagner
    annajwagner Posts: 8 Member
    Sweets are a big obstacle for me. I can mostly curb my chocolate craving by only buying rich, dark chocolate and eating max a couple squares a day, which is satisfying still. However, I love to bake and get the urge to do so every so often that just can't be filled with anything else. I do try to bring some cookies in to work so I'm not eating them all, but that only works so much.

    Craft beer is another big thing. I love it and would typically have at least a few a week. I've since aimed to have just one or at most two when out and limit my intake at home more.

    All that plus the fact that I love to snack and graze, and I generally dislike salad.
  • annajwagner
    annajwagner Posts: 8 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    The biggest obstacle for me is the amount of time it takes to cook vegetables in ways that I consider to be delicious. I end up have roasted frozen cauliflower every day, because it's easy and I like it, instead of a variety of veggies.

    I could eat roasted frozen cauliflower daily as well. I sometimes eat only that for dinner.

    Glazed carrots are also fairly easy and tasty, and asparagus grills well for a bit of variety.
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    jademaid wrote: »
    My biggest obstacle is people at work bringing in snacks and offering them to me. I feel bad saying no.

    I take it, eat a small bite if they insist on feedback, and then chuck the rest in the trash when they aren't looking.

    One of my co-workers noticed me doing this and was amazed that I would have the willpower to just throw the food away. I said sure it tastes good, but I don't want to be fat more than I want to finish this random baked good.

    My biggest obstacle is booze. I have found ways to cut way down on the calories in the drinks, but they haven't come up with a zero calorie alcohol yet. COME ON, SCIENCE!!
  • brant710
    brant710 Posts: 134 Member
    All the cookies and candy my coworkers bring into the office.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    The biggest obstacle for me is the amount of time it takes to cook vegetables in ways that I consider to be delicious. I end up have roasted frozen cauliflower every day, because it's easy and I like it, instead of a variety of veggies.

    I could eat roasted frozen cauliflower daily as well. I sometimes eat only that for dinner.

    Glazed carrots are also fairly easy and tasty, and asparagus grills well for a bit of variety.

    Good ideas, @annajwagner! Thanks.
  • brightresolve
    brightresolve Posts: 1,024 Member
    Glad I am not the only one who has trouble at work with proximity of foods --- I caved again this morning for a muffin from the deli that is literally 85 steps away (I have counted) ... stress, overtired, headachy, so extra food. BUT -- I can work out longer tonight and fit it in, so not the worst thing ever.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Mostly my tendency to want to eat whatever I think I shouldn't be eating. Lately that's been baked goods. Breads, cookies, etc.

    It's not that I think I shouldn't have them at all. I'll have some every day, and that's not going to stop. Nor does it need to - it's that I know I've been eating too high a proportion of my calories from them. There are days I've not gotten in quite enough veggies and fruit even though I could have with better choices.

    It does not help that bread, cookies or cake eaten the night before make excellent and easily digested fuel for early morning runs, while veggies, meat and dairy have been leaving me with acid reflux and/or intestinal issues on the same run.
  • Cyndiaquino
    Cyndiaquino Posts: 72 Member
    hiker583 wrote: »
    Mine is chocolate - I am addicted to it like alcoholics, I can never eat just one square, I eat full bar and then find it harder to go for second one. I also sometimes go into binge cycles where no matter how much and what I eat, I just want more. Still do not know the trigger for that.

    That's me! Chocolate is evil, lol. I can't have any in my house or it's all gone before you know it.
  • chaney3000
    chaney3000 Posts: 267 Member
    Fire house cooking.... these guys wouldn't know healthy if it slapped them in the face
  • maplesyrup10
    maplesyrup10 Posts: 52 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Nothing stops me from eating healthy. I think anything is healthy enough within the context of a balanced diet. What I struggle with is eating too much in general.

    Amen. Portion control is a HUUUGE obstacle