Fill in the blank: If I [blank], I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because [blank].

[Anonymous]

cut carbs/love carbs

[Anonymous]

If I watched what I was eating more closely and exercised more / I don't because I started dieting when I was 13 and it's done a number on my mental health

[Anonymous]

Eat chocolate, ice cream, pizza, drink wine

It’s delicious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll go first.

If I stopped eating in restaurants 1-3 times per week, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I find it to be such a relaxing and fun ritual with my husband/family.

If I made time to exercise every morning, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I'm stuck in a rut of "sleeping in" until my baby wakes up.

If I counted calories more precisely, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because figuring out the calorie counts of our homemade meals intimidates me, plus I don't want my kids to see me weighing my food on a food scale.

Wow, that's a lot of eating out.

I know. But it's just become part of our routine, and I'm not sure what to replace it with. E.g., in a typical week my husband and I will go out to dinner ourselves on Fri or Sat to get some alone time away from the kids. On Sat or Sun, we will take the kids to lunch after the playground. Both rituals are very enjoyable, but I think it's def hindering my weight loss goals.

Honestly doesn’t seem like a lot of eating out when you frame it this way. Maybe keep it to just 2x and push yourself to choose healthy options at restaurants? I used to excuse myself from choosing healthy options under the guise of “this is a special occasion and I don’t always have access to this type of food” until I realized I actually could pretty much access that food whenever I wanted.

All restsurant food makes me gain weight and it takes days to get back down to where i was. Even 'healthy' options.

[Anonymous]

If I starved myself, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because my body needs nutrients.

I lost a ton of weight from depression during the pandemic. Now that life is mostly back to normal I am eating more of a regular diet and have gained ten pounds back. That is not from overeating. It's from just eating like a normal person. And I work out like crazy because I enjoy it. I think I just can't eat three squares a day and stay thin. My body wants to be bigger and I am fighting it like hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll go first.

If I stopped eating in restaurants 1-3 times per week, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I find it to be such a relaxing and fun ritual with my husband/family.

If I made time to exercise every morning, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I'm stuck in a rut of "sleeping in" until my baby wakes up.

If I counted calories more precisely, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because figuring out the calorie counts of our homemade meals intimidates me, plus I don't want my kids to see me weighing my food on a food scale.

This is the site I’ve used and it works very well and is entirely free: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076

As to the other part of your comment - there is nothing whatsoever wrong with your children seeing you portion your food in healthy amounts. American sized portions in sit down restaurants and fast food and school lunch programs are NOT healthy portions! Where will your kids learn healthy eating habits if not from you?

If I had minor kids in the home, I’d have a portions poster on my fridge to help them guide their own eating habits - what does a snack portion of nuts really look like? What is a portion of fruit for a snack? Etc. - ESPECIALLY if you let them eat any ultra processed foods like chips, cakes, cookies, etc. They definitely need to learn to take a portion - 2 or 3 cookies - and put the bag away, not carry the whole bag to the computer or TV screen and consume mindlessly until feeling sick.

Nothing wrong with teaching portions, whether by weight or size. Nothing about that is disordered at all. Free range munching UPFs (which don’t trigger fullness/satiety like healthy whole foods do) IS disordered eating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I starved myself, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because my body needs nutrients.

I lost a ton of weight from depression during the pandemic. Now that life is mostly back to normal I am eating more of a regular diet and have gained ten pounds back. That is not from overeating. It's from just eating like a normal person. And I work out like crazy because I enjoy it. I think I just can't eat three squares a day and stay thin. My body wants to be bigger and I am fighting it like hell.

What kind of crazy workouts are you doing?

Cardio drives hunger and higher food consumption.

Weight lifting builds muscle and increases metabolism, which buys you more calories in the diet.

Weight training is much better bang for weight loss buck than intense cardio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll go first.

If I stopped eating in restaurants 1-3 times per week, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I find it to be such a relaxing and fun ritual with my husband/family.

If I made time to exercise every morning, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I'm stuck in a rut of "sleeping in" until my baby wakes up.

If I counted calories more precisely, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because figuring out the calorie counts of our homemade meals intimidates me, plus I don't want my kids to see me weighing my food on a food scale.

This is the site I’ve used and it works very well and is entirely free: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076

As to the other part of your comment - there is nothing whatsoever wrong with your children seeing you portion your food in healthy amounts. American sized portions in sit down restaurants and fast food and school lunch programs are NOT healthy portions! Where will your kids learn healthy eating habits if not from you?

If I had minor kids in the home, I’d have a portions poster on my fridge to help them guide their own eating habits - what does a snack portion of nuts really look like? What is a portion of fruit for a snack? Etc. - ESPECIALLY if you let them eat any ultra processed foods like chips, cakes, cookies, etc. They definitely need to learn to take a portion - 2 or 3 cookies - and put the bag away, not carry the whole bag to the computer or TV screen and consume mindlessly until feeling sick.

Nothing wrong with teaching portions, whether by weight or size. Nothing about that is disordered at all. Free range munching UPFs (which don’t trigger fullness/satiety like healthy whole foods do) IS disordered eating.

OP here. You are totally right that we need to teach our kids healthy portion sizes. But I come to this from a very delicate place. I grew up watching my mom weigh EVERYTHING she ate on a food scale or measuring cup. It did not teach me healthy habits. I’m still trying to figure out how to not mess up my kids. But just instinctively, I don’t think it will be good for them to see mom measuring how much soup to take, for example, while everyone else just ladles up their bowl and eats to satiety. Idk where the line is, but something about that feels icky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll go first.

If I stopped eating in restaurants 1-3 times per week, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I find it to be such a relaxing and fun ritual with my husband/family.

If I made time to exercise every morning, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I'm stuck in a rut of "sleeping in" until my baby wakes up.

If I counted calories more precisely, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because figuring out the calorie counts of our homemade meals intimidates me, plus I don't want my kids to see me weighing my food on a food scale.

This is the site I’ve used and it works very well and is entirely free: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076

As to the other part of your comment - there is nothing whatsoever wrong with your children seeing you portion your food in healthy amounts. American sized portions in sit down restaurants and fast food and school lunch programs are NOT healthy portions! Where will your kids learn healthy eating habits if not from you?

If I had minor kids in the home, I’d have a portions poster on my fridge to help them guide their own eating habits - what does a snack portion of nuts really look like? What is a portion of fruit for a snack? Etc. - ESPECIALLY if you let them eat any ultra processed foods like chips, cakes, cookies, etc. They definitely need to learn to take a portion - 2 or 3 cookies - and put the bag away, not carry the whole bag to the computer or TV screen and consume mindlessly until feeling sick.

Nothing wrong with teaching portions, whether by weight or size. Nothing about that is disordered at all. Free range munching UPFs (which don’t trigger fullness/satiety like healthy whole foods do) IS disordered eating.

OP here. You are totally right that we need to teach our kids healthy portion sizes. But I come to this from a very delicate place. I grew up watching my mom weigh EVERYTHING she ate on a food scale or measuring cup. It did not teach me healthy habits. I’m still trying to figure out how to not mess up my kids. But just instinctively, I don’t think it will be good for them to see mom measuring how much soup to take, for example, while everyone else just ladles up their bowl and eats to satiety. Idk where the line is, but something about that feels icky.

Dieting since 13 PP from above, and I totally agree with this.

[Anonymous]

If I cut out soda completely, or even just reduced it to an occasional treat, I could lose the 5 pounds I don't need more easily, but I don't because it is literally my only vice (well, besides DCUM) and whenever I try, I make it about 3 weeks and then I have a tough work day or I'm tired and I think "you know what would really perk me up?"

Sigh. I wish I liked coffee or tea as much (the problem is they are actually too caffeinated -- soda is very sweet plus the perfect mildly caffeinated drink to perk me up without making me feel jittery).

[Anonymous]

If I could get some help or someone else to help take care of things once and a while (the house, the kids, me, everything) then I might not feel like eating out is the easiest way to feel taken care of right now and the easiest way to be just a little less exhausted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I stopped drinking alcohol entirely, I could lose that last 10 lbs but I don;t because I dont' want to.

Me too.

I thought so too but i have 2 close friends who stopped drinking in the past 2 years : women in their 40s who were a bit chubby but not clearly overweight and were drinking too much (like half a bottle of wine in evening on weeknights and a bottle on friday/saturday nights). They have enjoyed the other effects of not drinking anymore (happier, less angry and depressed etc..) but they both GAINED a LOT of weight and crossed into the overweight category.

I think the alcohol wasn't the calorie % they thought it was compared to rest of their diet and i suspect they overly compensated on deserts, sweets and snacking to deal with the addiction. Just like cigarette smokers.

[Anonymous]

If I didn’t work, I could lose weight more easily because I would have time to exercise daily, but I don’t quit my job because I like having a roof over my family’s heads.

[Anonymous]

If I stopped eating in restaurants 1-3 times per week, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I find it to be such a relaxing and fun ritual with my husband/family.

If I made time to exercise every morning, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because I'm stuck in a rut of "sleeping in" until my baby wakes up.

If I counted calories more precisely, I could lose weight more easily, but I don't because figuring out the calorie counts of our homemade meals intimidates me, plus I don't want my kids to see me weighing my food on a food scale.


Wow, that's a lot of eating out.

That is probably how often I eat out. When I meet up with various friends, lunch or dinner is often involved. We have a small house that's not updated, so I'm not inclined to host, and apparently neither are they.

[Anonymous]

If I didn't overeat to soothe my depressed feelings, I'd lose weight. I don't change that because the suicidal thoughts start creeping in.