What's holding you back?

FitCitrus
FitCitrus Posts: 15
in Getting Started
Last night, after an interesting confrontation with a manager at my job, I ran home and stuffed my face with all the junk food I could find. I even made a special trip to Taco Bell to grab some Cinnabon Delights (devil in a ball). Before I had my food failure, I started my day off well! I had a green smoothie for breakfast, and a very delicious, protein filled lunch.

After the confrontation with my boss, I started thinking very negative about life, fearing I was going to lose my job over something so petty. I'm finally understanding that fears and worries are holding me back from even beginning my lifestyle change. Junk food comforts me so much! Now that I understand that I'm running to junk food for emotional reasons & not only because I'm greedy, hopefully that will help me kick start my healthy lifestyle change.

What do you think is holding you back or held you back for so long from achieving your weight transformation goals?

Replies

  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    Fear that losing my fat insulation would let X in that would hurt me.
  • Sarah4fitness
    Sarah4fitness Posts: 437 Member
    Misinformation.
    I believed the hype from such "health" magazines as Shape, Fitness, etc. I was afraid if I lifted heavy weights, I'd "bulk up" and look like a female bodybuilding professional, but with fat on top. I believed I "build muscle really fast" and that I knew the right way to "tone" my body by doing light weights for lots of reps.

    I also refused to adhere to a diet long enough to create results. I sought a quick fix, and would do crash diets for 1-2 weeks, see that initial water weight drop, think I'd "done enough" then go right back to my habitual eating.

    I educated myself. I asked people whose physiques I admired, and I got the information I needed to alter my own body.
  • simsburyjet
    simsburyjet Posts: 999 Member
    What held me back for years was believing I was in good shape though I was 20lbs overweight.
    Once I did lose the 20lbs I look back and realize I was in deep denial, especially about my former
    fat stomach.
  • christa279
    christa279 Posts: 222 Member
    Laziness, fear of commitment, misinformation, and lack of motivation.
  • MicheleMWolf
    MicheleMWolf Posts: 49
    The easiest answer that I can give, is that I'm holding myself back because I'm scared that even after I lose weight, I'll still never be good enough for my family (immediate and extended).
  • Matt82007
    Matt82007 Posts: 23 Member
    Friends. I live with a long time friend and his wife and kids. No room in the fridge for me so I either eat whatever they're having or go to a restaurant. Makes it impossible to plan my meals. I didn't even realize the problem until recently when I looked back on my situation when living alone a few years ago where I was four pounds over my goal weight while making it a point to get extra calories because my focus was on building muscle back then.
  • ncrugbyprop
    ncrugbyprop Posts: 96 Member
    The fact that I kept rationalizing that I was still a big, powerful dude and carried the weight well. I couldn't admit to myself how much I had changed in 10 years. I keep a picture of myself when I was in top condition taped next to a current one. One day they'll look very similar, except they'll probably be a little more gray in the present :)
  • mystian
    mystian Posts: 14
    Fear of failure. I've been yoyoing on the same 10 pounds forever. I feel like a million bucks when I am just 10 lbs lighter (at 150). But for some reason I let myself - stress eat- even though gaining the 10 lbs back causes more stress.

    Vicious cycle. I am going to have to burn the weight off with more exercise! Thank you daylight savings!
  • ojosh089
    ojosh089 Posts: 32 Member
    Lazyness and drinking which always was accompanied with fast food(because everything you eat when your drinking taste awesome). Friends didn't help either since they always wanted to go out a lot. All old habits.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    So far everything has been going smoothly but I know something that derails me is getting out of my routine. Like if I go on vacation and take a few days off working out, or go camping, or to get-togethers with lots of food. I worry about getting way off track this summer.

    I also always thought I had to eat healthy ALL the time, never have pizza or chocolate in order to lose weight. This time around I've been eating everything I like and it's been much easier to stick with.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    My inability to handle stress in a productive way. My method now of playing video games and eating is obviously not working.
  • Adc7225
    Adc7225 Posts: 1,318 Member
    Fear that losing my fat insulation would let X in that would hurt me.

    This - and just not wanting the attention from the opposite sex!
  • worknprogr3s
    worknprogr3s Posts: 24 Member
    Fear. Plain and simple. Fear of failure is the biggest, but I also fear that losing the weight won't make me happy like I think it will.
  • polkadotmoon
    polkadotmoon Posts: 25
    Two things.
    The first is laziness, it takes far more effort than some people are willing to admit to change the habits of a lifetime, especially when your entire family think eating that amount of food and doing so little is completely normal. When your entire family think being obese is an inevitable part of our genetic parcel it's easy just to shrug your shoulders and go with it.

    The second is a very deep rooted fear that losing weight won't make any difference to my life unless I work on my self image, and I find not hating myself a little harder than reducing portions and upping my physical activity. I don't want to put the effort into losing the 80lbs+ I want to get rid of only to find I'm just as miserable as I am now, but without the ridiculous comfort blanket of being fat. I use my obesity as an excuse for why I'm not more social, and if I take that away then I may have to face up to the reality that my fat was not the issue, and that is scary.
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    Great post!!!!!

    some great (and sad) realizations.

    Fears I couldn't and laziness. Its "easier" to eat the junk food, the fast food, have my pop to wake me up, etc.
    Cravings... sugar cravings... junk cravings.

    We are worth more than our weight, or what others think of us. WE ARE WORTH IT. If others still look down, then they can go away!

    Stay with the fight to be healthy
  • MissMonicaC
    MissMonicaC Posts: 67 Member
    Fear. Plain and simple. Fear of failure is the biggest, but I also fear that losing the weight won't make me happy like I think it will.
    I can attest to this one for sure. And laziness, in the sense that its easy to throw a boxed dinner the oven while I laze around and watch tv. We get accustomed to these things, and its hard to break the habits.. but my health depends on it so I gotta stop it now.
  • ashleyisgreat
    ashleyisgreat Posts: 586 Member
    I can relate to so many of these posts!

    Laziness is a big one. It's so much easier to just eat without ever thinking about the consequences! Another one is fear of failure. If I try and fail, then I will feel like an idiot and a loser. I'll be embarrassed.

    But, I hope I can say that these are the things that WERE holding me back. I'm here and I'm doing this! Change initiated. Full speed ahead, boys!
  • Erin29ga
    Erin29ga Posts: 22 Member
    Being lazy...no motivation...not sure if what im doing is the "right" way to do it...my family doesnt have weight to lose...so they complain after the food that I've cooked.
  • FitCitrus
    FitCitrus Posts: 15
    So many great & relatable responses! It's always reassuring to know that there are others feeling the same way you do. Sometimes you (well I) feel like you're the only one struggling to get things moving.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Fear holds me back, with many things in my life. I'm a worrier so I constantly think of the what ifs, instead of thinking positive
  • Nishaab0214
    Nishaab0214 Posts: 1 Member
    Afraid of Failure .

    Came to the conclusion that if I can fail myself over and over again then I can fail anyone and anything. and that most definitely is not me . I DO NOT fail and know that i'm failing. It's time to start over. Create a new life for myself. Do what some have said was "Impossible". but I'm Possible and I Will Overcome This Fear. It's Time To Be The Change I Want To See .
  • Sztheday
    Sztheday Posts: 31 Member
    Your post is incredibly thought provoking…and I can relate to just about every response. Being a stress eater myself, I think the solution is figuring out other ways to deal with the stress, before the stress occurs. Easier said than done!
  • cloverfield4
    cloverfield4 Posts: 52 Member
    What is holding me back?

    Fear of failure - I've tried this so many times, why should I think this time I'll be successful?

    Denial - it's not that bad, I'm not that big!

    Laziness - it takes a LOT of time and effort to make permanent changes.

    Emotional Eating - I'd rather eat than feel my feelings.

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