Unexpected Challenges

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Sereneinsanity
Sereneinsanity Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
You know, it's the strangest thing... Logically I can grasp and understand the process of losing weight: you eat/exercise off enough calories to keep a deficit under the amount required to maintain your current weight and voila! You lose weight. I grasp it, I have a good handle on what it takes for me personally, the best way to go about it, calculating in my head, keeping myself accountable, etc. I have all the mechanics and all the tools to make losing weight a fairly simple process, and thus far it has been fairly simple. CICO... And yet... There's a part of my brain that stubbornly refuses to accept the thought of me at my desired weight as a reality. Maybe it's because I've never been there before, or because I've spent so much time daydreaming about it that it seems just that - a dream, a fantasy that is unrealistic and far fetched. I doubt this phenomenon is limited to me, I'm sure others have experienced it. I think the most difficult process is not in the diet or exercise, but in ignoring the voice in my head that says "You CAN'T, you never have and you NEVER will." It's not even as simple as chalking it up to poor self-esteem, because truthfully I'm fairly equal and honest with myself; I know my worth, my strengths and weaknesses. Yes I have areas I'm working on, but apart from basic feminine insecurity I'm fairly chill with myself. No, this is something different, It's like my brain has been trained in the way it pictures itself over the past 25 years of life, and healthy/fit/attractive doesn't fit anywhere in the manual. I can fantasize all day long about my goals, but when I try and tie those goals down in concrete reality my mind balks. It's like the difference between imagining I can fly, and physically standing at the edge of a ten story building saying, "Come on now, this is reality, lets fly!" My brain says "Nah, bro!"

I think we all expect the biggest challenge to be sticking to a healthy diet or to an exercise routine, but what about those challenges specific to our individual battle? I think we probably all have challenges that were completely unexpected, or that were never mentioned in the billion and one "How to lose weight" advice blogs we've read. What's yours?

Replies

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Nothing really comes to mind. The weight was already gone as soon as I decided to get rid of it, it just didn't know it yet.

    I guess something that might fit is just how small many serving sizes actually are.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean about dreaming about something for so long that it doesn't feel real when it happens. I didn't get that with dieting as such, but have had it for many other things!

    Personally I've never had a problem believing I can get to my goal weight, but I kinda don't think I'll ever get the body I want. Partly because I don't think I'll ever have the commitment to do what would be necessary, and partly because I'm very aware that the body I want isn't possible for everyone.
  • KAWittler1970
    KAWittler1970 Posts: 74 Member
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    I know what you mean. I lost alot of weight and was with in 5lbs of my goal maintained it for a while and now i am up 30 lbs. its like another person in my head that says you deserve to be fat to bad that voice is louder then the one that says you deserve to be skinny
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
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    Don't think about your ultimate goal, it is scary. Think in MINI GOALS of 10-15 lbs, when you have reached your first mini goal congratulate yourself and move on to your next one and so on. Before you know it the 10 - 15lbs will accumulate and become 100lbs (or whatever your ultimate goal is. Really good luck - you CAN do it you know :)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    edited September 2015
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    My recommendation is to practice this with other things. Depending on your lifestyle, let's say running a 5k event or doing a stand-up routine at a club or going to an open mic night. Do SOMETHING that takes work and effort on your part, but has an end date involved (even if it's a flexible end date). I think once you start setting short-ish-term goals with end dates, it gets easier to understand you're a human being who can accomplish things you set your mind to.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    My challenges have been more on the physical side, although I've the head battles too. One fitness. Friend said on day, "We have to ding louder than the noises in our head!" She didn't mean it as anything profound, but it had become one of my mottos!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    "We have to sing louder than the noises in our head!"
  • asideofarmao
    asideofarmao Posts: 4 Member
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    I like Ding haha!
  • Sereneinsanity
    Sereneinsanity Posts: 23 Member
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    Haha, I like *ding* too.
  • Sereneinsanity
    Sereneinsanity Posts: 23 Member
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    @WBB5 - I think that's one suggestion that really does help. When I am zoned in on losing weight and getting to my goal it becomes all-consuming - something on my mind all day and that I daydream about. Not a healthy habit in any area of life really. But I have a great many other irons in the fire at the moment, so those help distract me some from the impatience to lose weight. I have no few responsibilities that I must focus on, and that forces me to live a very balanced life. I think I do need to set some personal goals, aside from my responsibilities though. Maybe develop some new hobbies, or even just find some good books to read, something that will give my mind rest from things that I HAVE/NEED to do and time to rest in the I WANT to do.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    Sereneinsanity wrote: »
    @WBB5 - I think that's one suggestion that really does help. When I am zoned in on losing weight and getting to my goal it becomes all-consuming - something on my mind all day and that I daydream about. Not a healthy habit in any area of life really. But I have a great many other irons in the fire at the moment, so those help distract me some from the impatience to lose weight. I have no few responsibilities that I must focus on, and that forces me to live a very balanced life. I think I do need to set some personal goals, aside from my responsibilities though. Maybe develop some new hobbies, or even just find some good books to read, something that will give my mind rest from things that I HAVE/NEED to do and time to rest in the I WANT to do.

    I heard a thing once. You need three hobbies to be the best person who can give the most to others who rely on you. One that keeps you physically healthy, one that feeds your soul, one that can make you money/exchange with others for something you can't do.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    I see from your profile that you are young and have never been at a healthy weight. Maybe meeting with a dietitian and/or a therapist would help in your case, since what you are attempting is a completely new lifestyle and a getting a completely new perception of how you will look and feel like? No, I am not saying that you cannot do it alone, but maybe a professional could proved the support and even the simple "tricks" you need to help you in your journey?
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean - thank you for posting.

    Just for the record, you can totally be whoever you want yourself to be. This is your life, your journey.
  • nichalsont
    nichalsont Posts: 421 Member
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    I understand the science and can do the math. My biggest challenge is to figure out why I overeat and what the triggers are. Until then, I won't be successful long term in reducing my weight or developing a healthy lifestyle. Baby steps - cutting out snacking between meals and taking evening walks right now. Can't take on too much at once or I become overwhelmed and stressed which leads to overeating.
  • Sereneinsanity
    Sereneinsanity Posts: 23 Member
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    @WBB5 - You know, that's a very interesting point! I've never thought of it like that.

    @aggielikik - While a dietician might be very useful, I would unfortunately be choosing between being able to afford the dietician and being able to afford food, lol!
  • Sereneinsanity
    Sereneinsanity Posts: 23 Member
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    @Pinkpixie - Just the whole mind over matter thing, lol.

    @nichal - I've dealt with some killer cravings, but I don't think I could classify myself as a binge eater, thank God. Though I have downed a full bag of lays salt and vinegar chips before, lol, those suckers are my weak spot. I feel for you, we all have our weaknesses and struggles, you got this though!

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