The hardest thing you had to overcome to lose weight?

hellohappycarla

Hello. I think this is already my 1000th try to effectively lose weight to no avail. I must be doing something very wrong because those who have successfully lost weight make it sound so easy to lose all that 50 lbs and more. :grumble: Having such a hard time bringing my weight down and looking more fit. Maybe I just need a concrete explanation on how it is properly done, you know what I mean? So first, I would like to know WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING FOR YOU GUYS TO OVERCOME in order to lose weight and how you overcame it? Maybe, just maybe, I'm experiencing the same thing and you could shed some light on the matter for me. Would appreciate your answers guys. Thanks! :ohwell:

missylectro

The hardest thing for me (at first) was getting off my butt and exercising... I did it by pushing myself... The second hardest was the calorie limit and staying under. This was actually easier at first than it is now

Oi_Sunshine

Getting a diagnosis for my Hashimoto's, and consistency.

robinaddison

Realizing that the 1/4 - 1/2 lb I lose on average per week still adds up to big losses over time. There's no fast and easy way - its a slog.

bfanny

Weekends

TheLadyBane

The hardest thing for me to overcome was my mindset. I was stubborn and didn't want to put in work or change my habits. I would occasionally fuss and mope and wish I wasn't so big but I did not do a single thing to change where I was. I had terrible habits. I remember feeling full but I would keep eating because there was food on my plate or I was bored and I wanted the mental/emotional satisfaction of eating even though my body was shouting "Enough already!".

After several days of continually ignoring those signals my body finally revolted. I remember waking up one day with absolutely no appetite. Everything looked gross. The only thing I could stomach was some fruit, eggs, and milk. After 3 days of feeling this way my brain finally caught on and realized that I was sick of eating the way I had been eating and needed a change. I was pretty heavy and the idea of losing weight was still too daunting for me to really commit to so instead I committed to cleaning up eating habits (more fresh fruits and veggies, less processed foods, less junk food), making a conscious effort to eat when I was hungry instead of when I was bored or need and emotional "fix", and to moving more. I could commit to those changes because they made me feel better immediately.

Of course this resulted in me starting to lose weight which was motivating and spurred me to continue these habits and add the goal of continuing to lose weight. I started logging my food and exercise. I chose to think of eating healthy and exercising as immediately gratifying activities that made me feel good right away and losing weight as a long term goal that I had to work towards. I realized to be successful I had to think of this as a lifestyle change and not a temporary change.

mattjft

The hardest for me was finding the right type of workout to do that I would do it without skipping ever. I wont say I look forward to doing T25 but I certainly feel weird when I dont do it on my two rest days. But I did not skip a workout through the whole 14 week program which to me says something major.

nesto610

The hardest thing for me to overcome was my mindset. I was stubborn and didn't want to put in work or change my habits. I would occasionally fuss and mope and wish I wasn't so big but I did not do a single thing to change where I was. I had terrible habits. I remember feeling full but I would keep eating because there was food on my plate or I was bored and I wanted the mental/emotional satisfaction of eating even though my body was shouting "Enough already!".

After several days of continually ignoring those signals my body finally revolted. I remember waking up one day with absolutely no appetite. Everything looked gross. The only thing I could stomach was some fruit, eggs, and milk. After 3 days of feeling this way my brain finally caught on and realized that I was sick of eating the way I had been eating and needed a change. I was pretty heavy and the idea of losing weight was still too daunting for me to really commit to so instead I committed to cleaning up eating habits (more fresh fruits and veggies, less processed foods, less junk food), making a conscious effort to eat when I was hungry instead of when I was bored or need and emotional "fix", and to moving more. I could commit to those changes because they made me feel better immediately.

Of course this resulted in me starting to lose weight which was motivating and spurred me to continue these habits and add the goal of continuing to lose weight. I started logging my food and exercise. I chose to think of eating healthy and exercising as immediately gratifying activities that made me feel good right away and losing weight as a long term goal that I had to work towards. I realized to be successful I had to think of this as a lifestyle change and not a temporary change.

^^^100% exactly THIS for me! By the way LadyBane, awesome job! I saw your ticker and it totally made me creep your pictures.... LOL! Keep it up...

lbishop232

The hardest thing I had to overcome was to continue to workout when I was working 60 hours a week! Also continuing to workout when the scale is stuck!

fitfabforties

eating

fivethreeone

excuses

boatsie77

...accepting and appreciating my body exactly as it was at every step along the way.

ARoman51

For me was that i always need something new that motivates me, until i found a really cheap Garmin Forerunner and i mean REALLY cheap like 5 bucks, i didn't even know what it was for but when i learned how to use it i got started and loose like 10Kg, eventually i lost interest and started gaining weight again, then i found MyFitnessPal and a new Forerunner and i started all over again.

so i think my point is that the most hard thing to get is motivation and people around you are there to help you!

LAnne16

I'm in no way a success yet.... But I am struggling with not wanting to restrict and knowing when enough is enough. I am working on being more mindful so I can tell myself that I don't really need a certain foodstuff and I'm just bored/emotional/lonely/etc.

kellyskitties

giving up the idea of rigid goals and perfection - I now have a destination loosely planned without a timeline. I also just keep going or resume, no matter how bad I just slid off. I used to be done because I didn't do it perfectly. Now, imperfection, that's ok - just resume and keep going. I don't set a lot of rules - I don't set a lot of strict goals - I am happier than ever and slowly, happily, moving in the right directions.

Rancerox

Weekends

Exactly. I have a rough time adjusting to any days off. During the workweek, the food and exercise routine is no issue at all. With the exception of Saturday lifting, the rest of the weekend is pretty shot.

I don't go crazy, but I do spend quite a bit of time gaming, and that knocks me off kilter even though I do eat primarily healthy snacks.

By Wednesday, the weight is usually back on track and so am I. It used to bother me quite a bit, but then I stopped caring. As long as the overall goal of weight declination was happening, I didn't mind.

medicablasto

realizing I didn´t have to eat everything that was put in front of me!!... and I don´t need food to celebrate or to stress less... the answer to stress by the way was movinggggg!

jayliospecky

There are people who make this sound easy?

xmusicloverr

Finally accepting that there is no easy or healthy way to drop 20 pounds a month. I'm actually still trying to let that idea go...

brower47

For me, the hardest thing to overcome was me. First, it was my ignorance. I knew about macros but didn't understand how they would affect how I lost weight. I never considered that each time I lost weight, I was losing muscle too, making each subsequent attempt to lose weight harder and harder. Next, it was my excuses. I don't have time to exercise. I don't have time to weigh my food. Then, I was always in a rush. I wanted to lose X amount of pounds by X date. I wouldn't set realistic goals, try too hard (too low of calories, too much cardio) and I'd burn out, regain and wait until I got the "motivation" to begin again.

Finally, I put it all together. I got rid of the misinformation (proper macros and appropriate types of exercise for my goals), got rid of my lame excuses (accurate food tracking and exercise were now akin to my job and parenting) and am taking my time. I started near 200 lbs over three years ago. I lose 10-15 lbs and then go into maintenance. I want to teach myself to live at these new weights. I don't want to be that statistic... again. Maybe it will take me another year to get to my ultimate goal of 130 (arbitrary as it is), maybe two but when I do get there, I know I'll be the healthiest, most well adjusted 130 I have ever been.

chunt87

Attitude and physical abilities. Weekends- I have a pretty active job so other than the gym there isnt much activity on the weekend. I need to work on that though. I have hypothyroid so all bets are off. I used to be about 210 pounds a few years ago. As long as you keep a positive attitude and try your best to not get discouraged you will be fine. It also helps me if I work out after work every day. Find an exercise you like and stick with it and it wont feel like an exercise for long. Data is a big helper too. If you find a way to quantify everything it might motivate you better

chele1028

Hi my friend!

The hardest thing was realizing wow, I really do need to exercise to lose this large amount of weight I had gained. Diets I tried in the past only took me so far, never more than 18-20 lbs. So this time, I set foot in the gym and never looked back. I didn't let excuses get in my way of getting healthy. I had to do this, I just had to move my body. I don't look at it as a diet anymore either. It is just a real way of eating, something I can live with. I just wanted it bad enough. You will do it! Believe that you can, and just do it. ;-)

Kitteneyes01

Limiting my candy intake. And starting to do physical activity. In the beginning I couldn't even walk half a 1/4 mile without being out of breath! Now watch me! I'm walkin' 5-6miles a day!:bigsmile:

litsy3

Admitting to myself that I was fat and that I didn't like it, rather than convincing myself I wasn't *that* fat and was happy.

Rowan813

Mindless eating. I can rack up way too many calories without realizing it or even feeling full. Having a little bit here and there really adds up. Keeping a food diary and making a plan is the best way for me to avoid extra calories and weight gain. I even feel better and have more energy when I eat the right portions of healthier foods.

Rachywascakes

For me, it was the enormity of the situation I had gotten myself into. To realise that the only way I could lose weight was to eat less ... And that I needed to lose a massive amount of weight. Once I had accepted that it was going to take a long time, the process has been a whole lot less scary. Reading the threads on here made me realise I could still have chocolate, popcorn, ice cream etc., but that I couldn't constantly eat it like there was going to be a world shortage!

epona08

The hardest thing I had to overcome was to continue to workout when I was working 60 hours a week! Also continuing to workout when the scale is stuck!

This.

I was pretty serious from about December to March and lost about twenty pounds (and kept it off). I still have another 25-40 pounds to lose to be healthier and happier but fell off the band wagon as my work schedule picked back up to alternating 45hr to 60 hr work weeks, plus a 45 minute commute. I'm getting back into it now to try to get the rest of the weight off but my hectic schedule is always the hardest part for me, both in regards to getting to the gym and to cooking better (e.g., not being lazy).

TeachTheGirl

The anxiety of getting myself to a gym and being around other people. It was crippling at times and I would feel tense and keep my eyes down, but now I just go in and get it done.

GiRock

When we retired in 1998, I weighed 252 pounds. From 1998 to 2011, I lost down to 220 pounds using the South Beach diet and kept it off by becoming more aware of my food choices. What I started doing was using an "in place of" diet. Instead of eating nachos, chips and dip, snacks, Blizzards in addition to a meal, I eat the treats in place of. About three years ago, in 2011, I had an issue with my stomach and got completely turned off to sweets and could only eat a small amount and got my weight down to 185 and held steady there until now in June 2014, I would like to get down to 150 pounds. Over the years, I have tried TOPS, Weight Watchers, Liquid Protein diet, and South Beach diet. Most successful was the Liquid Protein, when I got down to 140 pounds, but then gained it all back up to 252.. Now down to 183 and keeping the journal of food, exercise, and knowing what my calorie count is helps. I exercise daily. Be honest with yourself when logging the calories and exercise. The loss may be slow, but it will be there. Almost all the women in my family have been overweight so genetics may play a part. It took me years to put it on, I can't expect to take it off in one month.

_KitKat_

Getting over my denial, realized I didn't recognize myself and only weighed 2lbs less than my 6' husband (I am 5'4)...then got pissed, then said but nothing changed...must be a medical issue, well blood panels and my doctor looking me in the eye and saying"nothing is wrong medically with you, you caused this". Went home thought my doctor of 10+ years had lost her mind and missed something. Educated myself, looked at the last 3 years and came to the realization that I was over snacking at night and had gotten lazier.

Once these facts hit me as truthful, the rest has been pretty easy. I have never watched weight before and even after 2 kids always maintained from 130-140 and fit, in 3 years I gained to 179. Not big to some but HUGE for me. As soon as I accepted responsibility and owned my actions that caused the gain, it was the kick in the pants I needed for action.

caitconquersweight

Consistency is the thing that's made it hard for me over the years. I'd start, try to change too much too quickly, and would quickly lose steam as soon as I was stressed or went out to eat. But for whatever reason, I've stuck to it this time. It's also extremely difficult for me to ignore my overeating cues and stick to healthy foods. It doesn't happen every single day anymore (usually when I'm PMSing, like now), but there are times when I get a terrible urge to eat everything in the house that's made of chocolate, peanut butter, and dairy products. I've avoided super mega major horrible binges, but sometimes the urge is so hard to fight off.

Oh, and getting the motivation to exercise. It's not so bad anymore, but sometimes I gotta bribe myself to get off the couch.

Another one is finally accepting that this is going to take a *long* time. I didn't put on all this weight overnight, it's slowly been packed on over the course of 10+ years. I'm not going to lose all of the weight in the next six months, probably not even in the next year. But every loss is better than the alternative. I try to take it one day at a time and remember how far I've come.