Personal Weight Loss Barriers

Let’s be real for a minute. I struggle with a lot of things in a lot of different areas. Commitment doesn’t come easy to me, whether it’s in relationships, making simple plans, OR sticking to a diet and workout regiment. 

I’m one of the first people to say “ME” when asked about interest in a certain program or product and that first week, I will probably give it 110%! But when week two comes around and the excitement has  faded, goodbye resilience, hello unhealthy habits. I’ve got to be stronger than my habits. I’ve got to create NEW ones so I can get myself on track. My habits in need of breaking include but are not limited to: watching tv in bed, waking up late AND pressing snooze 4 times, skipping breakfast, wasting time, eating in the bed, drinking sweet tea and sodas, and eating lunch out instead of taking lunch to work.

Another barrier is having junk food in the house. Oh, if it’s accessible, I’m gonna eat it. I BINGE eat at night. I may be a perfect nutritious cherub during the day, but once I’m in the bed and watching TV (combo destined for failure) let the good times roll. Ooh, buttery rolls. I have a roommate and I can’t control what she buys, but I don’t eat her snacks. I eat MINE. I’ve got to make clearer and more conscious food choices about what I allow into my house. I know how limited my self control is. If I could make one bag of Ruffles Sour Cream And Chedder last a month, it would be okay. But I’m going to have that bag gone in less than a week, maybe even 24 hours.

My self doubt also stands as a barrier. I have a constant nagging feeling of “you aren’t going to stick to it, why even bother?” I think the way we see ourselves defines our success. If you see yourself as a failure, you will probably fail. It’s going to take a lot of work, motivation, and probably sounding-crazy-talking to myself in the mirror affirmations, but I hope I can finally see myself as a success and not a failure.

The last barrier is an excuse I love to use, probably my favorite excuse in the book. And that excuse is time. “I don’t have time to cook. I don’t have time to workout. I work all through the week, when am I supposed to plan, buy ingredients, and prep my meals?” This is a false but very comfortable excuse. Truth be told, I’m lazy. I’m an introvert who needs time alone to recharge. I prefer to spend my free time reading or watching tv. But I’ve got to get serious. Cooking can be as therapeutic as a good book. 

So, there they are. My personal weight loss barriers. Now it’s time to completely knock them down and go forth in this journey!

What are the barriers in your own journey?

Gotta start somewhere...

“I HAVE to make a change.” The thought has crossed my mind countless times over the past several years. I’ve always been tall, which I’ve always counted as a blessing, because I can hold more weight than if I was short. I’ve also always been slender, at least since I lost my baby fat at around age 14. But I’ve never been healthy. 

Throughout the years, I’ve started new trendy diets and training mechanisms like couch to 5k or Pinterest challenges only to throw in the towel in about a week’s time. I’ve read a mountain of self-help books, only to be empowered for about a day, quickly losing enthusiasm with each approaching meal or Netflix marathon.

Anxiety has always been a crippling factor in my life. As a kid and into my college years, I vomited every morning before school, work, even church. I don’t blame my parents for not taking me to a doctor...who really wants to shove anti anxiety medications into a kid’s mouth? But I do wonder how things would have been different had I had medical attention early on. Once I was in my early twenties and sick and tired of my anxiety, I saw a physician. He tried me on celexa and Effexor. Neither had a major impact on my life and I began to feel my doctor wasn’t taking me seriously. So I went elsewhere. This physician started me on Paxil. I gave it about a 6 month trial, with no help. 

After taking Paxil, though, I started gaining weight. It was slow at first. Then it seemed like one morning I woke up and I was fat.

I currently take no anxiety medication and although the morning vomiting has subsided, I’ve gained over 50 pounds. Now I feel anxious AND fat. And anxious about being fat.

Since I turned 26, 5 months ago, it’s been a downhill slide. I’ve noticed small tasks become large hassles. I’m out of breath climbing one flight of stairs, my clothes no longer fit, I can’t reach to close my car door once I’m inside. Really stupid, menial examples but they all add up to equal a massive amount of frustration and disappointment that I’ve allowed myself to become this way.

I’ve seen what obesity can do to a body first hand in my family...every single member of my family is somewhat obese. It’s “normal” but that doesn’t make it okay. They all have major health issues, ranging from diabetes to high blood pressure.

I have this fear that if I don’t take control and tame my willpower, I’m going to give up all together. I’m going to continue gaining weight and lose all of my confidence, happiness, and sanity along the way.

This is why I’ve created this blog. I need an honest place to check in. To brag about my accomplishments and to cry about my struggles. It’s all about progress and I want to have a place to share mine.

I will be implementing Chris and Heidi Powell’s app, Transform, for the first part of my process. I need some guidance and I need to get my mindset in the right place.

I’m excited/scared/hopeful about this journey and I am ready to be the person I’ve always wanted to be.