Why is it so hard

kellykat2
kellykat2 Posts: 87 Member
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Why is it so hard for me to set my mind to exercising and eating healthy and sticking with it. I always seem to find some excuse not to.

Replies

  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    It's hard to change our habits. It's just part of human nature. When I'm trying to make a change and having a hard time sticking with it, I'll stick Post-Its everywhere to remind me, or set alarms on my phone. For me, the first week of making a change is the hardest, and overall it takes 28 days for a new habit to become second nature. Try putting Post-Its in your kitchen to remind you to eat right, setting an alarm to remind you to exercise, and don't buy unhealthy foods. If they're not in the house, you can't eat them! Also, adopt the mantra "Just Do It!" When you find yourself talking yourself out of exercising or whatever, just give yourself a little shake and say, "Do it! Right now!" If you don't let yourself procrastinate, you'll get things done. Good luck!
  • freerange
    freerange Posts: 1,722 Member
    Habit, Human nature, and society. Your whole life has been one long habit of eating anything you want, anything that “taste” good. Human Nature is to take the path of least resistant, and society has “evolved” to easy, cheap, high volume food production, none of which is healthy.

    So change your habit, “MAKE” yourself do it every day until it becomes habit, change your Nature to think, best not easy, and thumb your nose at society.
  • fatt_tony_13
    fatt_tony_13 Posts: 16
    You really have to want to do it. Not saying that you dont. Instead of finding excuses not to, try finding reasons to do it. That is how I motivate myself to get healthy.
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    Why is it so hard for me to set my mind to exercising and eating healthy and sticking with it. I always seem to find some excuse not to.

    Your body is yelling at you "WAIT, THIS IS WHAT I AM NOT USE TO DOING! STOP MOVING" But once you get past the first week or so of really dedicated working out it gets better and you start to feel better and on and on. Tough part is pushing a disabled car out of the road, once you get it on the down hill it's easy to move it.
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
    It's just easier not to but if you stick to it after 2 weeks it will be easier. The first week is always the hardest. I've been working out for over 2.5 years. It gets easier. However, you will always have them days where it just feels useless.
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
    I felt like giving up last week because I seemed to be holding on the the last two pounds until my goal weight. But you really do have to want to do it.. Not want to get there, but you have to want to do what it takes to get you there, if that makes sense.

    I really like what the above poster said, finding reasons you want to do it. I bet you have a lot!

    A lot of it is about control.. control your eating habits, what you put in your mouth, what groceries you buy, and not putting yourself in situations where you are sabotaging yourself. I was frustrated that I wasn't losing weight for a good month.. I'd lose a pound but then gain it back the next week. Meanwhile though, I was still buying cookies and chips.. which is fine in moderation, but I would make a meal out of it. Not really portion control!

    You can do this! It won't be easy, but it's do-able!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Exercising and eating healthy are necessary for good health. The problem is, is that many people see them as optional. We have to change our mindsets so that we see them as mandatory. We all want to be healthy, so we all have to exercise and eat healthy - no excuses. When you fail to exercise regularly and fail to eat healthy, you're essentially choosing poor health - you may not feel unhealthy now, but eventually it will catch up with you. Do you really want to make that choice?

    Schedule exercise into your day - don't allow yourself to work it in "when you have time" - I know from personal experience, it won't likely happen. You have to see it as something like a dentist appointment or work or something of that nature - NOT OPTIONAL.

    I agree with ajweekley - don't buy unhealthy foods. Make grocery lists ahead of time and stick to the lists, don't buy extra junk. Try to make most of your meals at home - it's much healthier (and wallet-friendly) to make meals at home than it is to eat out.

    You might benefit from reading this book called "The Beck Diet Solution" - it's not about diet, but rather about how to change your mindset and habits to make weight-loss attempts (whatever program you're following) much more likely to be successful.
  • fitmom125
    fitmom125 Posts: 87
    I agree with you all old habits are hard to break. I'm with you katkari, It is hard. It wasn't until this morning that I started cardio excercises. Yesterday I slipped and went over my calories, but today I'm more focused. I guess it just how motivated you are to lose weight. My motivation was my fitness friends. I noticed that they were actually striving to reach their goals, so I finally went for it this morning. You can do it just push yourself.
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