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Why is it so hard to lose weight?

🦊WanderingMaple591Helpful Perspectives Given: 0Member since Recently

I'm not insanely overweight, but it is something where I keep trying to make a conscious effort in order to get slimmer and go consistently to the gym, but I keep messing up somewhere in the process before I can really see the results and really stick to it. I have bad eating habits, and I'm not the best at resisting unhealthy food when I set my mind to it, but it's also not impossible. I started participating in Lent these past few years, two years ago I gave up chocolate, and once I actually managed to do that this year i completely gave up unhealthy food. For how prevalent junk food is in my life, I thought it was going to be impossible. However, I took it week after week, and actually managed to pull it off. I was insanely proud of myself, but because ever since I ate junk food to congratulate myself, I'm been slowly gaining weight since, where all the progress I made from Lent is gone at this point. Ever since high school, once I gained a certain amount of weight I've kept it on ever since. I used to participate in soccer and basketball and was in decent shape, but now in college I'm not in anything, and I haven't been disciplined enough to continuously go to the gym even though most times I enjoy working out and playing sports. I just want to be consistent to the point I can go back to the shape I used to be in when I was in high school, just hopefully with more muscle this time.

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Been Through This

🦉 SilverRiver499

Losing weight and fighting bad habits are definitely difficult, and the fact you were able to make it through Lent is super impressive. You've shown yourself that you have the discipline in order to achieve your goals, the issue is when you make a mistake how you let it compound rather than let it be a one off. It's impossible to be perfect all the way through, but messing up and then locking back in rather than making excuses and messing up more makes the difference. For me, I give myself small, manageable goals. Instead of going to the gym and working out for an hour and a half multiple times a week, make the habit just showing up to the gym. Whether you spend fifteen minutes or two hours, make yourself the person who consistently shows up to the gym. The consistency is more important than the quality of each time you're there. If you look at it that way, you can achieve a lot with less effort than you think necessary. Best of luck on your journey!

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