Let's be real...

Thrasherbabe
Thrasherbabe Posts: 68 Member
in Motivation and Support
Tell me your biggest downfall when it comes to a healthy lifestyle? What gets in the way? What prevents you from eating healthy or working out?

I used to be a very clean eater and would be able to control cravings... that was when I was single. But you see, now I have a boyfriend (for the past 7 months) and granted he is very in shape, but he can get away with eating things that my body never has! But.. I still cave. "Can I have just one of your cheetos? or two... or three".. It's a hard habit to break. All those little things add up during a month and thus- no loss in fat. I will say I have put on quite a bit of muscle though- one of the great things about having a workout partner who truly pushes your weight lifting limits.

So, now that I was not only brutally honest with you all, but with myself... tell me, what's bringing you down (or lifting you up? :smile: )
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Replies

  • kathangel2012
    kathangel2012 Posts: 8 Member
    What makes me fall off track is the lack of success, eating healthy counting calories and everything I put in my mouth and working out 4-5 times a week as well as MAKING myself move my body during the day not just at workout times and still very little weight or inches loss that's what makes me fall off the track. I think why bother but then I eat regularly and don't kick butt at the gym and the scale creeps up and that freaks me out to start the cycle all over again. So frustrating...
  • maddyk91
    maddyk91 Posts: 193 Member
    Over the past two years, as long as I have been seeing my boyfriend, i put on about 35lbs. I have lost 20 of them now in the past few months, but I still struggle with saying no to Chipotle and sushi....which we do one or both about 2-4 times a week....
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    For me it is scheduling. Specifically, having responsibilities other than "just do whatever I want when I want," AKA "being an adult" :p . If I had no other responsibilities in the world, I could exercise when I want, where I want. But that's not real life so I do what I've got to do to work it out.
  • acollis1
    acollis1 Posts: 167 Member
    Stress (has totally derailed me for a few weeks now)! A husband, 2 kids, and a full time job. When I come home exhausted and don't feel like cooking, it's very tempting to give in when the hubby says "let's get something". When I was single I'd simply make a smoothie and call it a day :)
    At least I ALWAYS do my workouts, they are just like brushing my teeth to me, I just gotta get my mouth on board, at least I know I'm good at maintaining!!!!!
  • amypet469
    amypet469 Posts: 8 Member
    I wish I knew what is holding me back! I have cleaned up my diet, I work out like a fiend. Kudos to My Fitness Pal for finally making it easy enough to record all this stuff - exercise and food diaries - but let me warn you all, the older you get, the more those pounds really want to hang on!
  • oORosadaOo
    oORosadaOo Posts: 97 Member
    Left to my own devices I would eat way less but living with my boyfriend who is a fantastic cook makes me veer off course all the time. He has more weight to lose than me but keeps pushing me to eat more, later and more unhealthy. Also hangovers make me eat like there's no tomorrow, so it might be a good idea to drink less lol...Not helping as well: my boyfriend makes fun of my workouts, I have to lock myself in the study to exercise. :(

    Today I managed to stay within my calories in spite of the churros binge of last night, but it was hard!

    Feel free to add me, everybody, I can really use the support!
  • LAH3001
    LAH3001 Posts: 9
    edited October 2014
    For me it's snacking at night. I go the entire day being very diligent about my healthy diet, but often when I get home from work, I'm tired and just want to relax, read a good book/watch a movie, and snack after dinner. It's a habit I acquired when I was younger and I have a hard time breaking it. Snacking = relaxation is a bad association to make.
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,046 Member
    Booze. It's not really holding me back, and it doesn't prevent me from working out or eating healthy. But drunk me really loves snacking. I try to limit my drinking to social occasions, but even so, my progress would be significantly faster if I went cold turkey. But I don't see the fun in that. Life without indulgences would be no fun. I accept that drinking slows down my loss, and I live with it. I'm not here to punish myself or overly restrict things; I'm here to be the best me possible, and that involves tying it on once in a while. For me, it's all about maintaining a healthy relationship with food (and drink). Moderation in all things, including moderation.
  • BraveNewdGirl
    BraveNewdGirl Posts: 937 Member
    edited October 2014
    I absolutely hate working out and I absolutely love procrastinating. Self-motivation, in terms of getting my rear in gear, seems to be my biggest downfall. I have, however, managed to keep myself on track (mostly) in terms of what I put in my mouth!
  • rgrady33
    rgrady33 Posts: 48 Member
    Beer.

    <eom>
  • lauriehouse
    lauriehouse Posts: 17 Member
    Drinking has been holding me back. I've got to learn to better control how many drinks I have, especially on the weekends.
    Also, I've been inconsistently going to the gym. Will go regularly for a week or two, then not go for a week or two, always feeling too tired to go.

    This has to change!! I want to get fitter and healthier!
  • agal129
    agal129 Posts: 215 Member
    Being around others who don't eat the same way as me.

    As well as not having a planned schedule on the weekends.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Stress, depression, being a picky eater, and living paycheck to paycheck.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Hunger. I can make the best choices, I still get hungry a lot. And I have a sweet tooth, which makes it even worse if I happen not to make the best choice.
  • awolf2011
    awolf2011 Posts: 265 Member
    I say my family, but I don't want it to sound bad. I have 4 wonderful boys and a very loving and supportive husband. I find myself making dinner, eating with my family, then wanting to sit down and play with them until it is bedtime. By the time all 4 kiddos are in bed, it's 9:15 and I'm exhausted from working all day and then coming home and having family life. So, it isn't that my family is what prevents me in a bad way, it's just that I want to spend time with them more than working out. But, I'm determined to squeeze in a 20 min workout at least 4x a week. The weekends are the hardest but we are usually running here and there anyhow, so it's harder to fit in workouts.
  • sherambler
    sherambler Posts: 303 Member
    Several things, but emotional eating (especially stress eating) and scheduling/making time have been the most difficult and have definitely held me back from being as successful as I want. These are sort of larger problems with many sub-problems that are triggered. Emotional eating leads to binge eating leads to shame leads to not logging. You get the idea. I'm making progress with these things though and am slowly but surely finding out what works for me and when.

    Absolutism is another one. An example is not working out at all if I can't get my full routine in. I know that getting 20 mins in is better than nothing, but in the past I've used not getting a full workout in as an excuse to get me out of exercising on days I maybe don't want to or can't, so it became a bad habit that took a while to break.
  • blukitten
    blukitten Posts: 922 Member
    It used to be weekends- but got past that and now control my eating on the weekends. Now I think it is the medicines that my doc has put me on to help me with the conditions that make it harder for me to lose weight. I have PCOS, Hypthyroidism, and anemia. The meds are iron- nausea, metformin- stomach side effects, and thyroid meds which seem to be making me tired. I am not gaining and still losing weight but I haven't been to the gym but like twice in the last two weeks and I have no desire whatsoever to go to the gym cause I am sooooo tired. My workout motivation wasn't that great to begin with but atleast I was at a point where I would go by myself atleast a couple time a week if not everyday,, now my motivation is non-existent.
  • kayla1025
    kayla1025 Posts: 104 Member
    Mine is work lunch having fast food easily accessible its just easier to go grab something. I have 3 kids and work full time, plus their sports...so my time is limited at home and would rather not spend it meal prepping...which back lashes obviously to un healthy quick stops.
  • kaseasteele
    kaseasteele Posts: 86 Member
    Working 14 - 18 hour days.
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    Snacking, at work, at home, where ever I am. I eat healthy meals for the most part. Breakfast lunch and dinner are great, then I east some snack. The snack may not be bad for one serving, but I don't always stop at one serving. A 1/2 cup of ice cream is difficult for me.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    junk food. i love it. i usually have something "naughty" every day!
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    edited October 2014
    Yeah i am the same I just plain like the food. I wouldn't be able to live my life happily if I was never able to eat chocolate or ice cream or pretzels etc. Thankfully this I have enough self control that this is a minor blip and not a major problem.

    I also actually like a lot of healthy foods quite a bit. Whenever I go for a run I literally obsess over the healthy food I'm gonna have once I get back in. I dangle it in front of myself like a mental carrot. Helps me get through the run lol.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    Stress, depression, being a picky eater, and living paycheck to paycheck.

    ^^^^this.

    Also: perfectionism (I ate too much....then give up) and I don't like being told what to do.
  • Jlee197853
    Jlee197853 Posts: 6 Member
    Beer/alcohol. Usually when I start, I have too much, then get the double whammy of binge eating after!
  • DaFibble
    DaFibble Posts: 152 Member
    CaffeinatedConfectionist wrote: »
    Booze. It's not really holding me back, and it doesn't prevent me from working out or eating healthy. But drunk me really loves snacking.

    An issue I have right now, too! I think I drink too much, too often. I enjoy it but my self-control goes out the window, both while being drunk and with the impact of a hangover. A problem I'm having with cutting down is that I almost always only drink when my wife does. She loves it and does not feel it is detrimental to her at all. When I say I'm not going to drink but she should go ahead its makes her feel guilty, but I don't want that!

    Anyway, the fact I'm complaining about it shows how little I have to complain about.
  • Kontxesi
    Kontxesi Posts: 86 Member
    Hmmm. I guess I have a few:

    1. I was raised on computer games, and they'll always be one of my favorite things. I can easily go a whole day with my only movement being trips to the fridge and bathroom if I'm not careful.

    2. When I'm with other people, I have a hard time not eating what they eat. Whether it's giving in when my boyfriend wants to go to a buffet instead of going home to cook dinner, or my mom offering to buy me something from the concession stand at a marching band competition.

    3. I have narcolepsy, which renders me perpetually exhausted. A lot of times I decide I'm too tired to cook, or too tired to go to the gym/walk the dogs. This leaves me with a completely sedentary day fueled by sugary convenience foods.
  • Fitfully_me
    Fitfully_me Posts: 647 Member
    My biggest downfall when it comes to a healthy lifestyle is trying to do it all. I tend to get involved in a lot of things and sadly, I tend to put "me" on the back burner when there isn't time to do it all and something has to be cut. & by "me" I mean trading in the time I would exercise and cook meals for other things that need to get done...

    So in essence, what gets in my way, is me.
  • Kellyfitness128
    Kellyfitness128 Posts: 194 Member
    BEER. Haha, my major weakness. On top of the alcohol calories, I rarely work out the next day after a night of drinking, I sometimes overeat when I'm drunk, or I'll overeat the next day if I'm at all hungover. I've been good lately about not eating after drinking and trying to eat less on days I know I'm going to drink, and that seems to help.
  • sengalissa
    sengalissa Posts: 253 Member
    Social events. So glad BBQ season is over! Potlucks... because I want to try everything.
    Now it's just birthday parties coming up but that's not too bad.

    Other than that I am very strict right now and the progress motivates me.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    edited October 2014
    ha! i can use profanity without being starred out

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