How on earth did I allow myself to get like this?

gbonner1205 · September 2016

I am a terrible procrastinator in my personal life with a terribly demanding job. I leave it all at the office and come home after 12 hour days exhausted, eat and crash. I try desperately to break the pattern, but my damn cell phone keeps ringing and text messages keep coming. I have to find a way to do this or I'm going to be dead in two years. I am 55 pounds over weight. I can barely get up a flight of stairs. WTF!!!

tulips_and_tea · September 2016

Really sorry to hear you're struggling. Is there any way you can work fewer hours? Or be OFF the clock when you're not at work? Anything to reduce that stress would be a great start.

After that, don't beat yourself up. That will only create negative thoughts. Start small. Change one eating habit for a week or so and then add another. Keep building on that. Exercise helps relieve stress and gives you energy but it doesn't have to be strict or scripted. Just go for a quick walk around the block.

cmriverside · September 2016

Yeah, I agree that you have to carve out some "OFF" time. Are you a business owner?

amgreenwell · September 2016

I would start as the other posters suggest, give yourself a time to actually quit work each day and don't answer cell phone calls or text until the next working day. Unless you own the business there is no way you can get personal time in when constantly working. Say you will only answer calls/texts between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. (or whatever schedule works for you)
After you give yourself a break and some off time, you'll see you've got a little extra time for you. Taking a ten minute walk in the evening in the neighborhood.... it is a start....and you'll feel great after some fresh air and a little mind-clearing time.
Calorie in and calories out is the way to go, if you ask me. Once you've decided to live for you, just remember to eat healthy foods that make you feel good....and LOG LOG LOG everything you eat, being truthful about what you are eating.

You can do this!!!

michelle_more2live4 · September 2016

I empathize; it took me quitting a job I loved anf taking 6 months off so I could get healthy and happy. I am just re-entering the work force and I am finding if I go for a walk at lunch and then a walk immediately after I get home I can get in 45-60 mins of exercise. I am also making smarter choices by brining my lunch to work, yes it is only pb&j with a piece of fruit but it stops me from gorging and fills me up until I get home. I am also incorporating 8-10oz of water and that is helping me get up from my desk at least once an hour. I wish you all the best and I know you can do small changes which lead to big changes. Good luck in your journey!

dolezalovaeli · September 2016

I understand how overwhelming it might feel - you have some sort of lifestyle and now all of sudden it seems like you need to make a lot of impossible changes practically overnight to be healthy. But you don't have to flip your world upside down overnight! All it takes is a few small steps every day. You are living a stressful life and stressing about exercise and nutrition is putting even more pressure on you, locking you in a vicious cycle.

In terms of nutrition, start small. Stick to eating something healthy in every meal (like a piece of fruit or vegetable) for your first week. Once you feel confident about taking it to the next step, have one healthy meal a day. When you're comfortable with that, have two healthy meals a day.

I understand it is overwhelming to think about working out after full day at work, being exhausted and all. How about giving it five minutes of your life? You can survive anything for five minutes, right? Stick to five minutes a day for the first week. Next week, try adding a minute or two. Eventually, you will build a habbit and you might even find yourself enjoying it. Make sure you have at least one rest day every week - if you're worried about breaking the cycle, by all means exercise on your rest day, but don't do anything harder than stretching.

And last but not least, it is important you feel happy and balanced. Every day in the evening, have some time for yourself. Turn off your phone and do something you like. Have a hot bath, watch some tele, paint, play guitar, anything that makes you feel great. And make sure you get a good night sleep.

And remember - it's not a race. Start small. All you need to worry about is today. You don't have to think about making it the next day, year or month - all you need to think about is today. And if you don't make it one day and you break the chain, do not beat yourself up over it. Start again with that particular habbit - not where you left off but from the beginning, the five minutes workout, 1 healthy thing at every meal or a relaxing activity before going to bed, until you feel like you can take it to the next level again. This will make sure you won't feel overwhelmed after dropping out and will smoothly get back on track.

gbonner1205 · September 2016

Thanks guys. I was having a moment. Great advice, all of it. Much appreciated. Wow!

the0cuteness · September 2016

Replace some meals with Soylent. Then you won't have to think about food and save yourself buckets of time. I haven't done this myself, but a bunch of MIT students are doing it to save time.

socajam · September 2016

gbonner1205 wrote: »

I am a terrible procrastinator in my personal life with a terribly demanding job. I leave it all at the office and come home after 12 hour days exhausted, eat and crash. I try desperately to break the pattern, but my damn cell phone keeps ringing and text messages keep coming. I have to find a way to do this or I'm going to be dead in two years. I am 55 pounds over weight. I can barely get up a flight of stairs. WTF!!!

When you get home, turn the phone off and take that hour to do something for yourself.

Now fall is here, I promised myself to walk every, failing that I will do a DVD, but I have to do something. Would like to lose 25-30 lbs by year's end. I am tired of being fat, it is not a happy place to be. Good luck.

mollylautz · September 2016

I am in a similar boat. I am a 50ish hour per week employee and find it exhausting to even think of grocery shopping let alone making my health and body a priority, but as the others on the board have said, little changes add up. You can do it!!!

SavedByGrace26356 · September 2016

Is it possible to find another job? Stress will kill a person and being overweight doesn't help as you know. You have to find a way to have 'down' time and if this job won't allow it then maybe it's time to look for something else. Good luck!

How on earth did I allow myself to get like this?

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