Does "lifelong change" sometimes seem daunting?

amselby81

That's what I'm shooting for. I want to be healthier for the rest of my life, not just to get to some goal weight. I want to live longer than my mother, who died of a heart disease at the age of 60. I want to have a better quality of life than many of my family members. I want to be active in my old age. So why does it sometimes seem so scary to think of living this way permanently? I see cookies and think, "Ohhh, I want one so much, but I won't b/c I'm trying to lose weight and live healthier." Sometimes I do eat cookies, but I'm more conscientious about it now. I think about my food choices, whereas I used to just eat whatever I wanted. And the thought of always thinking about it scares me for some reason. Is this part of the adjustment stage or something? Is it normal to be a little afraid of not being able to always eat what I feel like eating? The thought of exercising everyday scares me too. Here I want to be more active, but just thinking about doing it so much seems overwhelming. I guess b/c I wasn't active at all for most of my life.

Truly though, something's going to be lifelong no matter what I do. If I do decide to eat whatever I want then I will probably end up with heart disease or diabetes, and then I will still have to watch whatever I eat for the rest of my life. I know that what I'm doing is right, but when will I truly embrace it?

blackcoffeeandcherrypie

There are two schools of thought here. The first thing that springs to mind is that you are being too tough on yourself, and that's why it seems so onerus. Treat yourself, have a day off from exercising, let yourself have some cookies and avoid the guilt by fitting them into your calories. I am honestly amazed by how easy this is, how full and satisfied I feel. But I don't sweat it if I fancy a pizza or some Chinese. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Get comfy for the journey.

The other school of thought is that maybe you haven't gone far enough. I was always craving sweet things, biscuits, danish pastries, cream cakes, sweet creamy lattes. Then I read a fairly horrifying book about sugar that convinced me it was responsible for much of my ill health and weight problems. So I totally quit processed sugar. And the weird thing is, it's so easy now. I never crave it. I wouldn't go back to my sickly coffees if you paid me. I look at chocolate and sweet things with amusement and incomprehension. I just can't imagine wanting it anymore. The moral of this story is that sometimes it's easier to go all the way than it is to go halfway, something in you changes and it all clicks.

Finally. The important thing is that you need to find what works for you. But do keep trying, because spending every day miserable is not going to make you happy or healthy. Enjoying it will make you much more likely to stick with it in the long run.

davidjohnb17

I look at chocolate and sweet things with amusement and incomprehension. I just can't imagine wanting it anymore.

I cannot explain how much I want to feel like this :P The only thing stopping me from diving into the packs of biscuits in the cupboard is the desire to reach my goal and because I don't wanna have to go through this all over again! I'm just hoping one day eating and living healthily will become routine and something I don't even think about.

alpine1994

I totally agree with you. What helps me is knowing that I have already made a lifestyle change from how I used to be. I used to eat whatever I wanted and never exercise. I started out making slow changes. Started with a healthy breakfast and kept the rest of the days the same. Then a few months later, started bringing healthy lunches instead of getting takeout. Then it was healthy dinners. Then no desserts. Then healthy snacks. Then exercise, etc. Now it's just tweaking and staying motivated. We know what we have to do to be healthier, and we do it already.

I can't imagine going back to my old habits now, at least not permanently. My labor day weekend was horrible because it was my mom's and boyfriend's birthday, BBQs galore, partying....! But now it's over, and back to normal. And I feel so much better. I used to drink all the time and eat whatever EVERY DAY. Can't even believe I wasn't bigger than I was.

Take it one day at a time!

ObtainingBalance

There are two schools of thought here. The first thing that springs to mind is that you are being too tough on yourself, and that's why it seems so onerus. Treat yourself, have a day off from exercising, let yourself have some cookies and avoid the guilt by fitting them into your calories. I am honestly amazed by how easy this is, how full and satisfied I feel. But I don't sweat it if I fancy a pizza or some Chinese. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Get comfy for the journey.

The other school of thought is that maybe you haven't gone far enough. I was always craving sweet things, biscuits, danish pastries, cream cakes, sweet creamy lattes. Then I read a fairly horrifying book about sugar that convinced me it was responsible for much of my ill health and weight problems. So I totally quit processed sugar. And the weird thing is, it's so easy now. I never crave it. I wouldn't go back to my sickly coffees if you paid me. I look at chocolate and sweet things with amusement and incomprehension. I just can't imagine wanting it anymore. The moral of this story is that sometimes it's easier to go all the way than it is to go halfway, something in you changes and it all clicks.

Finally. The important thing is that you need to find what works for you. But do keep trying, because spending every day miserable is not going to make you happy or healthy. Enjoying it will make you much more likely to stick with it in the long run.

The person who wrote that reply is very smart^