What is the biggest hurdle you have come up against?

Options
mrboothy56
mrboothy56 Posts: 22 Member
edited December 2014 in Motivation and Support
I thought it would be a good idea for people to share the hurdles they have faced and how they managed to continue / get back into whatever health goals they had set themselves through the challenges. I hoped that others can draw motivation and perhaps inspiration from something like this. Also people may have gone through similar things and can talk about their experiences together, provided they are comfortable doing so!

I guess I'll kick it off... I can't say I'm old enough to have experienced many hurdles but the ending of my first relationship knocked me out of my routine for around about 8 whole months, basically cancelling out all the hard work I'd put in prior to that. It was a pretty morbid time! It took me a good deal of time (and therapy!) to erase the whole thing from my thoughts but I feel like this year I've taken huge strides mentally and feel happier than ever with life and especially training.

I hope this thread is something that can grow and help others in the future.
«13

Replies

  • maryrichen
    maryrichen Posts: 14
    Options
    My biggest hurdle for me is almost daily. Whenever people just bump or ignore me due to the stigma my current job carries I try to remind myself that doing what they do to me is not the way to go and just let them pass. Sometimes though I just cannot take the attitude that I get from those who are my elder that think that I am doing what they think I am doing and just call them out. The hurdle for me is maintaining a cool persona when it seems that only those who feel the need to be rude for no reason towards me and turn it around as me being the better person by not saying or doing anything back to them.

    (If my problem is a bit muddled in the statement it happens to be my temper.)
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Options
    Fear.


  • Milenac93
    Milenac93 Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    Stress and depression. I get into these negative cycles where I just think what's the point? Sometimes i have to say to myself that this life might be my one chance to explore this fascinating planet we live on so I want to have a body that lets me do that to the best of my ability :)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited December 2014
    Options
    Injuries and arthritis. It's very hard to stop yourself from wanting to do more when your body can't. So it's hard to know your limits, you kind of figure them out when you run into them and hurt yourself (again). Sucks because fitness makes such a difference in all aspects of health, including mood.
  • liquoricecat
    liquoricecat Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    The realisation that I'm never going to 'escape my shape' (big hips with very little definition between waist and hips - even when I'm at my skinniest!) Sometimes the idea that I'm never going to have the small-waisted hourglass figure I envisage makes me question the point of what I'm doing. But hey, it's better that the tiny little bit of definition between waist and hips is muscle rather than flab, I guess. So I'll keep going :)
  • Megsw89
    Megsw89 Posts: 17
    Options
    My many excuses. Sometimes I will be on my A game for a few weeks and then some minor occurance can throw me off track. I found moving back to my home province harder because health isn't at the forefront here. So I am surrounded by enablers and have become one myself. That I would say is my biggest hurdle is to eat and exercise for the body I want, not the body I have.
  • shadowloss
    shadowloss Posts: 293 Member
    Options
    The Past is my biggest hurdle. All the habits and traits that I have developed over the course of my life that are detrimental to my health and well being. Now it's a constant mental "opportunity" every day to replace the bad habits with the good.

    Some days I want to give up and ask myself if it's worth it? Then I stop and ask myself why I'm doing it in the first place and realize, the reason I'm going through this change is because I wasn't happy or satisfied with where I was in my life. So in order for me to reach the next level I had to put myself out there daily and fight the fight so that the 2nd half of my existence can set the course for how I'm remembered once I'm gone. Strong, determined, successful, courageous, kind, motivating, loving, and a good example for my kids!
  • adge1475
    adge1475 Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    Drug addiction. I relapsed in January and my success in the gym (lifting, strength) went away with it. Lost a year's worth of progress in a couple months. I got clean again, stayed clean, and now I'm better off than I was before. I know my triggers, I stay the **** away from them. You can't change what happened, but you can sure as hell stop it from happening again!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Options
    Injuries and fear of further injuries. I miss the days before I found out how fragile bodies are.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    Options
    injuries. So as not to get derailed, I found things I could do within my limitations at the time, e.g., water aerobics. I never just sat around and allowed myself to become a couch potato again.
  • DallasSusan
    DallasSusan Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    Depression. This is my one year anniversary with MFP. I've lost 39 pounds. And instead of feeling celebratory, I feel gloomy.

    I lost weight the right way, gradually giving up unhealthy foods for healthy ones. I never had a sweet tooth, so sugar wasn't a problem. I never ate junk foods nor snacked in between meals. So what did I give up to lose weight? Anything made from wheat or corn. That means no bread, no pasta, no tortillas, no pitas. I still eat modest quantities of potatoes (baked or boiled) and rice. That's it. That's the only change I made. Amount of exercise I get each day is the same. I still enjoy a glass of red wine or a shot of gin in the evening.

    What have I gained? Pain in knees and hips is gone. That's about it. I keep telling myself that is a very good reason to have lost the weight. But I was hoping to feel better emotionally. I don't understand.

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?
  • adge1475
    adge1475 Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    DallasSusan wrote: »

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?

    I hit that speed bump at year two. It lasted for several months, but I got through it. I've been using MFP since 2010 and it's definitely never felt like a chore since that time period. How long have you been going through this?

  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    Options
    DallasSusan wrote: »
    Depression. This is my one year anniversary with MFP. I've lost 39 pounds. And instead of feeling celebratory, I feel gloomy.

    I lost weight the right way, gradually giving up unhealthy foods for healthy ones. I never had a sweet tooth, so sugar wasn't a problem. I never ate junk foods nor snacked in between meals. So what did I give up to lose weight? Anything made from wheat or corn. That means no bread, no pasta, no tortillas, no pitas. I still eat modest quantities of potatoes (baked or boiled) and rice. That's it. That's the only change I made. Amount of exercise I get each day is the same. I still enjoy a glass of red wine or a shot of gin in the evening.

    What have I gained? Pain in knees and hips is gone. That's about it. I keep telling myself that is a very good reason to have lost the weight. But I was hoping to feel better emotionally. I don't understand.

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?

    Are you enjoying your meals? Very important! Have you reached your weight loss goal?
  • DallasSusan
    DallasSusan Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    adge1475 wrote: »
    DallasSusan wrote: »

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?

    I hit that speed bump at year two. It lasted for several months, but I got through it. I've been using MFP since 2010 and it's definitely never felt like a chore since that time period. How long have you been going through this?

    Since July.
  • adge1475
    adge1475 Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    DallasSusan wrote: »

    Since July.

    Well, why DO you keep doing it? I mean, there must be something about it that makes you keep going, even if it's just habit. Maybe, if it's not a scary thought, you could try NOT logging your meals every single day, and see whether or not you feel comfortable. That can be kind of an overwhelming idea for some people, and it kind of goes against the entire purpose for this site, but if it's cause you to feel depressed, then I wonder if taking a step back wouldn't be so bad.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Options
    DallasSusan wrote: »
    adge1475 wrote: »
    DallasSusan wrote: »

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?

    I hit that speed bump at year two. It lasted for several months, but I got through it. I've been using MFP since 2010 and it's definitely never felt like a chore since that time period. How long have you been going through this?

    Since July.

    Have you been depressed in general or just when it comes to the weight loss thing? Are you still trying to lose? I have yet to hit a goal weight, but I have seen threads and blogs by those who have, discussing how they expected life to just suddenly become awesome once they're weren't overweight anymore, and when it didn't they found that really brought them down emotionally. Could it be something like that?
  • DallasSusan
    DallasSusan Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    DallasSusan wrote: »
    adge1475 wrote: »
    DallasSusan wrote: »

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?

    I hit that speed bump at year two. It lasted for several months, but I got through it. I've been using MFP since 2010 and it's definitely never felt like a chore since that time period. How long have you been going through this?

    Since July.

    Have you been depressed in general or just when it comes to the weight loss thing? Are you still trying to lose? I have yet to hit a goal weight, but I have seen threads and blogs by those who have, discussing how they expected life to just suddenly become awesome once they're weren't overweight anymore, and when it didn't they found that really brought them down emotionally. Could it be something like that?

    It's probably something like this. I'm almost at a BMI that is considered normal (as opposed to overweight or borderline obese, which is where I was). I guess I expected losing weight would solve other life problems. Uh, no. I guess it doesn't. Thanks for the support, everybody. These blues have really taken me by surprise.
  • oedipa_maas
    oedipa_maas Posts: 577 Member
    Options
    My not replacing emotional eating with different behaviors. I am an emotional eater and I also have a severe mental illness that knocks me on my butt with regularity. When I'm afraid or lonely or upset I still turn to food and eat until I'm comforted--which is, without exception, when I've eaten too much. I need to find other ways to comfort and soothe myself. It's hard. Food has been my go-to since I was a child. But at least I am utterly clear about the issue and what I need to do to break free. Awareness isn't enough, I know, but I am determined to jump this particular hurdle. Baby steps!

    Exhaustion from work also seems to derail me in the evenings. I'm so fatigued it's hard to pull together dinner, let alone do anything else. I believe in the power of habit, though, and have gotten in the habit of at least making a good dinner. I also try to walk to the park with my pug in the evenings when I get home, rather than taking a much shorter walk with her around the block. Some day I would like to do my yoga DVD, or something else that involves my body, but right now I'm still focused on cooking healthy meals.

    I guess my mind is my biggest hurdle. It tells me things that aren't true--"Why bother, you'll always be fat?" "It's going to take forever to get to your goal weight, you'll never make it." "You're ugly and useless" is the worst one--and I need to combat those defeatist messages with new ones. I *can* do it, I *can* be patient and positive, and most of all, I *can* find self worth in everything I do, I can stop talking to myself in a way I would *never* do with others. I fight the negativity all the time.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Options
    DallasSusan wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    DallasSusan wrote: »
    adge1475 wrote: »
    DallasSusan wrote: »

    I have gotten so tired of food. Planning the meals, shopping, controlling the portion size, eating, cleaning up the mess, logging what I ate. I don't know how I'm going to keep on keeping on. Anybody else feel this way?

    I hit that speed bump at year two. It lasted for several months, but I got through it. I've been using MFP since 2010 and it's definitely never felt like a chore since that time period. How long have you been going through this?

    Since July.

    Have you been depressed in general or just when it comes to the weight loss thing? Are you still trying to lose? I have yet to hit a goal weight, but I have seen threads and blogs by those who have, discussing how they expected life to just suddenly become awesome once they're weren't overweight anymore, and when it didn't they found that really brought them down emotionally. Could it be something like that?

    It's probably something like this. I'm almost at a BMI that is considered normal (as opposed to overweight or borderline obese, which is where I was). I guess I expected losing weight would solve other life problems. Uh, no. I guess it doesn't. Thanks for the support, everybody. These blues have really taken me by surprise.

    ((hugs)) - feel free to see a doctor, if you haven't yet. Maybe you just got a little 'brain sprain' that's knocking you for a loop. BTDT.

  • DallasSusan
    DallasSusan Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    oedipa_maas wrote: »
    My not replacing emotional eating with different behaviors. I am an emotional eater and I also have a severe mental illness that knocks me on my butt with regularity. When I'm afraid or lonely or upset I still turn to food and eat until I'm comforted--which is, without exception, when I've eaten too much. I need to find other ways to comfort and soothe myself. It's hard. Food has been my go-to since I was a child. But at least I am utterly clear about the issue and what I need to do to break free. Awareness isn't enough, I know, but I am determined to jump this particular hurdle. Baby steps!

    Exhaustion from work also seems to derail me in the evenings. I'm so fatigued it's hard to pull together dinner, let alone do anything else. I believe in the power of habit, though, and have gotten in the habit of at least making a good dinner. I also try to walk to the park with my pug in the evenings when I get home, rather than taking a much shorter walk with her around the block. Some day I would like to do my yoga DVD, or something else that involves my body, but right now I'm still focused on cooking healthy meals.

    I guess my mind is my biggest hurdle. It tells me things that aren't true--"Why bother, you'll always be fat?" "It's going to take forever to get to your goal weight, you'll never make it." "You're ugly and useless" is the worst one--and I need to combat those defeatist messages with new ones. I *can* do it, I *can* be patient and positive, and most of all, I *can* find self worth in everything I do, I can stop talking to myself in a way I would *never* do with others. I fight the negativity all the time.

    I understand about getting overwhelmed, especially by the harsh inner voice. That's why when I started MFP a year ago I resolved to do only one thing: clean up my diet. Period. No trying to exercise more or any other self-improvement projects. Just make one change at a time and stick to that. This may sound a bit nuts, but I wanted to be doing only one thing that I could get discouraged by. A year ago I set my weight loss goal at 30 pounds because I thought that would be freakin' impossible for me. Well, by July, just six months in, I had lost those 30 pounds. I eased up on myself, went into what I thought would be maintenance mode, but I still lost another 9 pounds. I can attest to what I've heard other people say: that when it comes to losing weight, it's about 80% diet, 20% exercise. So good for you on staying focused on cooking healthy meals. From my own experience, I know that's the most important thing.

Categories