Healthy Habits: Overcoming Obstacles

"There's a boulder in the road! How am I supposed to deal with that?!"

Bad Habit: Giving up when you encounter obstacles.

The Easter Bunny delivered masses of candy last night, and a wonderful chocolate-filled care-package came from Grandma Barbara today too.  Everywhere I look, there's delicious temptation. I confess that I had chocolate covered almonds in my mouth, when I sat down to write this post.
The point is...there are ALWAYS obstacles to weight loss!
They happen seasonally, because of social issues, health issues, and some people argue that there are financial issues too.

YES, you will hit roadblocks! 

NO, you don't have to give up! 

You can work around every obstacle!

Seasonal Obstacles:

• HOLIDAYS: Easter will keep happening. So will Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
• PARTIES: Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, or any celebration that includes food.
• WEATHER: Rain, cold & snow make it harder to get outside and exercise (especially if you don't have a gym membership.)

Seasonal obstacle are probably the easiest to work around, because you KNOW when they are coming. There's time to make a plan and follow it through. One woman from our Weight Watchers group went on a week long business trip at a hotel with great food. She looked over the menu and realized that there were two dinners with desserts that sounded divine. So she made a plan. She ate reasonable portions and chose healthy meal options throughout the week. She skipped all the other desserts except the two that were part of her plan. She enjoyed those desserts without any guilt, and she tried to compensate for the extra calories by skipping the dinner rolls. By the end of the week she found that she still lost one pound and felt great about herself, her planning and the food she chose to enjoy.

You can make a PLAN for your holidays & parties. You probably have a pretty good idea about what's being served on Holidays, and a little forethought and planning can help you walk away feeling good. For instance, I love the stuffing recipe we have at Thanksgiving, but it's loaded with butter and sausage. I can PLAN to have the stuffing I love, and skip the roll and the creamed cauliflower I don't love. And I choose not to guilt myself about it, because I only eat this stuffing once a year. I also find that if I brush my teeth after dinner, then I'm less tempted to keep picking at leftovers. I have a fresh taste in my mouth, and I don't want to be bothered with brushing again.

When at parties, find good conversation! Enjoy the talking or entertainment away from the buffet table. Literally turn your back to the food, and let the out-of-sight-out-of-mind principle work FOR you. Another party tip is to eat fruit and vegetables before you go, along with a glass of water. That way you don't arrive at a party starving and surrounded by fatty horderves and desserts. You can take it easy on the buffet and remind yourself that you ate before you came.

As for the weather obstacles. If walking is your primary exercise, go walking in the mall. Or buy an indoor piece of exercise equipment, or exercise DVD to do. They even rent exercise DVD's at the library.

Social Obstacles:

• "Aunt Carol gets offended if I don't have a seconds of her food!"
• "My husband rolls his eyes and groans whenever I serve a healthy dinner."
• "My kids REFUSE to eat fruits and vegetables, so I feel like I'm wasting time and money if I buy them."
• "My friend went on and on about the dessert she's bringing tonight, she's expecting me to eat it."

These obstacles seem like a mine field. Especially when dealing with loved ones. You CAN work through around them though. My first suggestion when it comes to eating healthy is to START WITH YOURSELF. Trying to change YOUR eating habits, and your spouses, and the kids, and your parents, and your best friends all at the same time is a recipe for disaster. Make a plan for what you are going to eat and do, and carry it through quietly and cheerfully. Some people will notice and some won't. Some will make comments that are discouraging.  Some people say disparaging things because they feel threatened or criticized when they see others making healthy choices that they secretly feel they should be doing too. If you are working to lose weight, just smile sweetly at the nay-sayers and say, "Oh, I'm just trying to take better care of myself."  You can tell 'Aunt Carol' that the food was still "delicious as always" or find something else positive to say.

When it comes to changing your families health habits, LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Cultivate your own healthy habits, and the kids will naturally follow. Be patient. Remember that with kids, it may take 10 or more attempts over several months to introduce a new food. Studies suggest that involving children in meal preparation is an important first step in getting them to try new foods.They're more willing to sample something that they helped to make. Nagging and badgering aren't effective ways to change habits, so be cheerful, and show the family that eating healthy makes you feel happy. People who love you will want to see you happy - you're nicer to be around. And that happiness and healthy living can be contagious.

Physical Obstacles:

• "I have a bad (knee, foot, shoulder, whatever) and can't exercise, so there's no way I can lose weight."

I've mentioned my friend Vickie in other posts. She'd joined Weight Watchers and was having success when she was involved in a HORRIBLE snow mobile accident. Multiple bone fractures, surgery, months of recovery, but she was determined not to let this tragedy knock her off course. Caring neighbors and friends wanted to bring in meals, so she and her husband politely asked that any food given be simple and healthy (baked chicken, fruits and vegetables.) People happily complied, and Vickie lost 65 pounds over the course of that year, and she did it all without exercise.

I've had my own health obstacles. Over a year and a half ago, I developed some serious problems with my feet. I have plantar fasciitis, bursitis and heel spurs. I was being fitted for orthotics (special inserts in my shoes) when I began my weight loss journey last year. The process of adapting your feet and legs to the orthotics takes a month. During that time, the doctor told me that I could not exercise. He said, "Don't even walk your dog, if you have one." I thought it was a crushing blow to my weight loss plans, but it turned out to be a blessing. That first month of Weight Watchers, I was forced to concentrate on the eating aspects of the plan, and I think it helped me to not get overwhelmed. After a month of developing better eating habits, I was ready to incorporate exercise.

I have to thank my sister, Kelli, for what followed. She'd participated in a beginners triathlon and was encouraging me to join her for a second. I had always used running as my primary form of exercise, but the triathlon broadened my horizons. I rediscovered how much I enjoy swimming. My husband loved the chance to go biking with me, and these two new forms of exercise took the pressure (and pain) off of the heels of my feet. I participated in two triathlons last year and hope to do some more after this pregnancy. If my feet are giving me trouble, I mix up my exercise routine with swimming, biking and weight lifting. There are so many forms of exercise out there, that even if you are limited in one area, I'm sure you could find something else that will work for you.

Financial Obstacles:

I was watching a news story about "Health in America," and I was shocked to hear some people claim that they couldn't afford to eat healthy. They said that chips and soda were cheaper than fruits and vegetables. They also showed this same family eating fast food for every dinner, and having to pay for diabetic medication and testing supplies.

HEALTHY LIVING COSTS LESS NOW & LATER! This family could easily satisfy their hunger better with produce than empty chips and soda. Eating fast food is twice as expensive as simple home cooked meals that truly nourish the body, and the need for diabetic medication could be eliminated or significantly reduced by healthier living. Yes, there are a lot of products out their that charge exorbitant prices because they are organic or try to claim unusual health benefits, but I'm convinced that regular fare in your produce department will give you what you need at a reasonable price. Wash fruits and vegetables well and stick to those simple close to nature foods. Think of the money you're saving yourself in future health costs! Think of how you improve your chances of avoiding diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer, and all the expenses that go with those painful diseases. Living healthy saves money and increases your joy in life.

One final note: Don't give in to an all-or-nothing mentality. Just because you overate at lunch, doesn't mean that your day is ruined, and you should abandon all restraint at dinner. If you find yourself colliding with an obstacle, get up and dust yourself off. Get back on the path. If you over eat at one meal, go lighter on the next. Don't give up on healthy habits or on yourself.

Expect Obstacles, so when you encounter them, 

you're ready to find the best detour. 

You'll soon find yourself happily back on track. :D