I read a LOT of blogs. I find useful information, recipes, fitness tips, etc. I also see my own behaviors in others writings and it helps me be accountable to myself. It also gives me a broad picture of the types of obstacles we face on our journey to "Health & Nutrition".

This journey is not a Saturday afternoon drive through the park. It is an arduous journey over difficult roads with many obstacles. While some are unavoidable (injuries, illnesses, family crisis, etc) many are. We tend to erect our OWN obstacles. It's almost as if we are "reluctant" to reach our destination or want to "prolong" the journey.

I'm no psychologist but I have lived decades being obese and I recognize that we set up our own obstacles. Let me list some. Perhaps you will recognize some of them. We can't knock them down until we see them accurately.

1) Free food can't be passed up. If they offered you free poison would you take it? How about free garbage? A lot of the FREE food we eat is detrimental to our healthy journey. Free is not CALORIE free. How often do you eat the samples at the grocery? Those calories COUNT. Are YOU counting them?

2) But I had a coupon! Re-read number 1.

3) It was a celebration. There are too many holidays in a year to eat with abandon and I won't even mention the 6 week buffet from Thanksgiving to New Year's. Some holidays drag on because we can't resist the 1/2 price Halloween and Easter candy (see #1 again). Then there are the birthdays - ours, family, friends, coworkers, weddings, funerals, office parties, etc. Not to mention church pot-lucks, fellowship meals, poker night, Bonco, Girl's night etc.

4) I'm between challenges so I'm taking a break. A break from what? Your body does not quit absorbing calories and turning them into fat just because you are not currently in a challenge! My personal physician recently said that weight regained quickly is ALL fat.

5) I'm too tired to cook. You don't have to cook to eat healthy. You can buy prebagged salad, veggies, fruit, healthy frozen entrees, sandwich fixings and soup ready to go!

6) I like to eat out! Me too! I have a list of "healthy options" for all the main restaurants: McDonald's, Wendy's, Subway, Applebee's, Chili's, Friday's, Uno's, even Red Robin. You just have to have your plan before you go and STICK to it!

7) I don't have time to exercise. Everyone has time. You don't have to do it in one long session. Have 5 minutes waiting at the busstop? Do Calf raises, Side Bends, Hip Flexors, etc. On hold with technical support - grab two weights and do some bicep curls, triceps extensions and squats. The same goes for standing at the copier. There is always time for fitness!

8) I'm on vacation! Even on vacation you can make better choices. Getting fitness can be fun - hiking, kayaking, swimming, dancing, and walking! Make "better" food choices. There is always a BETTER option even if you don't eat the watercress sandwich with a glass of water (joking). My point is just that you CAN be healthy even while having fun!

These are just some of the obstacles we set up for ourselves. I do think for people that have fought obesity for years there is a bit of a "fear" about getting to goal. For some of us our obesity has been an EXCUSE to "not". The "nots" vary from individual to individual but as long as we can tell ourselves "they didn't like me because I was fat" or "they didn't promote me because I am fat" we don't have to question if it was some OTHER reason.

Bottom line - this journey is difficult enough - don't erect your OWN obstacles!

PRESS ON!