Saboteurs

Celebrate that you've lost 33 pounds. That means youre doing something right. Congrats!

As far as saboteurs, the only person that is to blame - to put bluntly - is YOU. Nobody is putting a gun to your head and telling you to eat the chocolate bar, or the candy or the chips. The decision is yours to put that food in your mouth. Sure, it makes it harder when it's out there in front of you, but you'll always be confronted with challenges that test your resolve. If it's important to you, you wont let it bother you.

For instance, I LOVE craft beer. And I could easily drink a six-pack a day. But since I committed to losing weight and getting back in shape, I told myself I will only reward myself when I reach my goal.. not before. So last weekend, I went to a cinema drafthouse (awesome beers on tap - love this place) and CHOSE to drink water and eat a salad, even though all my friends were drinking beers. We also went to tour 2 different breweries and a distillery - and I only sipped a few tasters that equaled to less than a 10 oz in total. I accounted for those calories and instead of pizza or burgers for dinner, I again made the conscious decision to have a salad.

This is HUGE for me. This is what I was afraid I wouldnt be able to do. Peer pressure, going out with friends and feeling left out if Im not drinking, etc. But you know what? Im not doing it for them. I'm doing this for me. And you know what else? I wont let anyone else dictate how I live. I wont let someone guilt me into eating garbage. I will make the choice to eat and drink what will get me to my goal.

So just because it's in front of you, doesnt mean you have to eat it. You have to stay strong and choose to make the right decision for you. Dont make excuses or blame others. When you reach your goal, you can have some of this stuff in moderation and it wont affect you as much, but right now its a trigger. You cant totally avoid everything and need to face your weaknesses. You can choose to rise up and be strong enough to not let it take control of you.

Just remember, you control your actions. You control what you do and put in your body. It's your CHOICE!

The way I have stayed strong so far is by keeping an eye on the prize. I know that better health and fitness feels a hell of a lot better than any food tastes. I wont let anything come between me and my goals. I thrive on progress and results and once I've made my mind up on accomplishing something, I see it through to the end.

So hopefully I was able to spark some motivation or encouragement with this - I wish you all the best!

I don't have one because no one is out to get me. I am fully in control of my intake.

For instance, I LOVE craft beer. And I could easily drink a six-pack a day. But since I committed to losing weight and getting back in shape, I told myself I will only reward myself when I reach my goal.. not before. So last weekend, I went to a cinema drafthouse (awesome beers on tap - love this place) and CHOSE to drink water and eat a salad, even though all my friends were drinking beers. We also went to tour 2 different breweries and a distillery - and I only sipped a few tasters that equaled to less than a 10 oz in total. I accounted for those calories and instead of pizza or burgers for dinner, I again made the conscious decision to have a salad.

Didn't you feel sad that you were depriving yourself of the fancy beers and stuff?

I always have a little special rule, if it's something fancy/expensive/rare/new/homemade, I'll give it a try. It's mostly prepackaged crap (like those darn Doritos) that I try to avoid.

I don't think I have any saboteurs. Not that I've noticed anyway. If people give or offer me food, I appreciate it. If I don't want it, I say thanks and turn it down (assuming it's a casual offering, not a gift). I like it when people give me chocolate for my birthday! I try not to assume that they are trying to ruin my life. It's my choice what I eat or don't eat.

When i began, i cut chocolate out completely. 6 months and the most choc i had was two jaffas every few days. i didn't miss it. I do eat chocolate now but in moderation. I'm more aware of callories and nutritian now so feel i can allow myself things, in moderation. It may not work for you now, but give it time and i'm sure it will.

People don't bother trying to tempt me with things now as they know i'll say no. Though i do get the occasional "oh eat a few doughnuts". No thanks!

Part of changing your lifestyle is accepting personal responsibility.

You ever see someone practicing shooting a bow and arrow- i mean when they first learn?

There is always a teacher there standing on their right, watching them aim... breathe.... and just before they let loose... the instructor leans in and blows on their ear or makes a noise or startles them... and they miss their mark on their shot.

And this happens over and over and over until the apprentice can aim shoot and hit their target amid distraction.

Because you don't live in a controlled environment, whether at war or on a diet. There will be distractions always. You have to learn how to aim, shoot and hit your mark, no matter who is distracting you.

You have to hone your own skills so that you can still thrive and advance amid distractions.

Because if you concentrate on eliminating all the distractions or blaming all the distractions, instead of learning to work with them... then you'll never run out of enemies.

Stop fighting distraction. Spend that effort perfecting your focus and determination.

My mother.

She is always saying I am too thin and used to turn up at my house with food all the time. She does the same to my sisters. And it is always highly processed sugary stuff.

We all had to repeatedly tell her 'Food is not love'.

But she is a feeder.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=feeder

just focus on your goals don't let other to put you down and you have to control what you eat nothing you can do about what others do or eat remember is you that wants to change and i believe you can

My job. We don't have a fridge or microwave in the crew room, because in reality when you work in fast food they would rather you buy their food when you are on break. And I work at McDonalds. So, yikes. One EVM would blow my calorie allowance away. And lets face it, that side salad on the dollar menu isn't appetizing at all. Its not my kinda salad, being iceburg, carrot shreds, cabbage and a few cherry tomatoes. I like dark leafy greens and a variety of veggies. I get a shoebox size locker, too. So I often find myself leaving my wallet at home on purpose to resist but sometimes I am just too hungry.
My job does it in more than just that way too. I make minimum wage, and usually only get 15 hours a week, paid every two weeks. As you can guess, I have a tight budget.
My last saboteur is A's grandmother. We share a place with her, out of mutual benefit. We all moved in to this place because she couldn't keep her house but can't afford rent on her own. Sadly, she tries dominating everything. It drives me bonkers. I can't get comfortable, you know? A and I work for our money, and she's on disability, but she expects us to do all the chores, and damned if we can have use of any of the bathroom cabinets our set up our own appliances. Its got both of us ready to pull our hair out. Theres going to be a talk about it soon, because its making me stress eat *yeah, I should break that habit myself and I am trying but emotional disorders and coping mechanisms are often pals*. Another way she is my saboteur is she eats my food, or throws it out because she thinks the fridge is too full when its half empty. I buy A's and my groceries for the most part, but budgets tight so I can only afford so much. I get what healthy food I can. Then she eats or chucks it, or does things I find disrespectful. On days where I have worked off enough calories, I like a bit of pasta. I had a jar that I had opened of vodka cream sauce (not cheap) in the fridge. I was out of town for a couple days and when I came home I found it up in my portion of the kitchen cabinets. It had sat in there while I was gone and soured. This past week, she ate all of my sandwich supplies. Seriously. She went on this wacky no sugar diet (which unless your doctor recommends for a reason, you should not do. Its dangerous) and was eating nothing but romaine, carrots, and cucumber. What happened? She binged a few times. But since all she bought for herself was that (though I bought some other stuff for her too) and everything else she bought herself had sugar, she ate my turkey and cheese. Which I don't mind sharing, but jeez let me know at least if you ate that much because I don't like going to make a nice healthy wrap and finding it one slice left. She's also been raiding my coffee beans. Homemade cappuccinos are one of the few less than healthy things I make room for in my diet, because that little guilty pleasure makes eating healthy easier. A just bought me an espresso machine for christmas, along with lots of supplies and some wonderful dark, dark roast coffee beans that smell like heaven.
So, shes stressing me out and my supplies keep disappearing and my job pays me too little to keep up with any of this crap lol...
At least I don't live with my parents anymore though. My father always crushed all hopes and attempts to get fit.

My Saboteur = Me

I cannot control what others do (nor do I want to) but I can sure control what I do. If I let someone influence me it's my own fault.
I have to keep a wary eye on myself

This. No one in my life attempts to undermine me. Everyone around me is supportive, caring and positive. I'm very blessed that way.

I, however, am my own worst enemy, and not just in weight loss but in many aspects of life: work, money, study, etc. And I honestly don't know why I do it. But I do, and I have to battle with myself every day.