The Daily Roadblocks in Your Weight Loss Battle

It's never going to be easy, but here's how to get back up and win the battle against extra pounds.
It's never going to be easy, but here's how to get back up and win the battle against extra pounds.

By Pamela Nisevich Bede, M.S., R.D., Runner's World

Like most things in life, the treadmill at work carries a slogan. It reminds users that "Every day is a challenge," and we need to prepare mentally and physically for the daily challenges set before us.

But as I look around while running in place, I realize that most treadmill users probably aren't in training for the challenge of a marathon or working toward a new PR. No, most are driven into motion with two simple goals: improve health and lose weight. And if you too are starting off the year with the goal of finally (!) losing an incredible amount of weight or finally (!) losing those last few stubborn pounds, then you know that the treadmill slogan is all wrong. Every day is not a challenge. Every day is a fight.

(TRY THIS: Our 5-Step Run-to-Lose Plan is simple, pain-free, and won't make your weight loss battle harder than it has to be.)

It's a fight with the coffee barista who asks if you want extra whip or cream and sugar. Hint: Opt for clouds in your coffee comprised of skim milk. Your waistline and blood-cholesterol levels will thank you later.

It's a fight with the cashier who asks if you want to super-size your order. Hint: The answer is unequivocally NO, today and always. Go with a small or medium; your pocketbook, waistline, and triglycerides will thank you later. (Here are five more ways to keep your calories in check.)

It's a fight with the guy behind the counter who asks if you want fries with that. The answer needs to be a polite and automatic "no." Grab a side salad or some fruit and yogurt instead.

It's a fight with your internal voices that tell you you're hungry when actually you're really thirsty. So remain hydrated--especially important for runners since we're out there sweating most days of the week--and keep those false hunger voices at bay. (Follow these 9 Golden Rules of Hydration and you'll be fine.)

It's a fight with emotions such as loneliness, boredom, sadness, happiness, you-name-it-ness that drives you to eat rather than deal with the issue at hand. You can't focus on what's really bothering you if you're knee-deep in a bucket of mint chocolate chip. So stop avoiding the thing or person or emotion, and make the resolution to stop drowning your sorrows in sugar and instead face the music while finding a healthier coping mechanism (like playing an instrument or painting or cleaning or reading).

RELATED: The Best Foods for Weight Loss

It's a fight with your waitress who looks annoyed when you ask for a salad instead of fries and have the audacity to ask for the dressing on the side. Hint: When the dressing arrives, dip your fork into it and use sparingly. And smile because you're doing something you can be proud of later, and it's probably not your last meal. If it were, would you really be dining on deep-fried spuds, anyway?

It's a fight with your coworker who appears kind enough to bring in a box of chocolates for the rest of the office. Hint: Skip the sweets, go for a run, and then decide once your workout is over if those extra calories are really worth it. (PLUS: Here's how to survive the Top 5 Social Fat Traps without missing out on the fun.)

It's a fight with your internal voices that tell you to take a day off from running or cycling or breaking a sweat in general. Guess what? You take a day off, and the downward spiral begins. You're bound to feel like a sloth. And then you're going to be disappointed in yourself. And then you're going to turn to the chocolate chip cookies because ever since childhood, cookies have made everything better. And then tomorrow you're more likely to take another day off because you're still stuck in a food coma. See where I'm going? In the fight to lose weight and be healthy, there are no days off. Sure, there are injury-induced days off. But that doesn't necessarily mean you can't do sit-ups or leg lifts or pushups during commercial breaks while watching TV. Or that you can't take a walk around the block after dinner. Just do something other than eat chocolate chip cookies.

Speaking of those chocolate chip cookies, losing weight can be a fight with your darling mother or grandmother who made your favorite dessert simply because that's how she shows love. Instead of feeling guilty and compelled to indulge, why not say, "Thank you so much! I'm full at the moment, but I look forward to enjoying this later," and then change the subject by talking about the weather.

MORE: 10 Golden Rules of Weight Loss

Losing weight is a fight with your inner voices that keep telling you that your thighs are fat, or you would be more successful/popular/loved if you just weighed a little bit less. Hint: It's time to realize that by simply weighing a bit less, the world or your personality isn't likely to change. It's time to be kind to ourselves and be our own biggest fan. And maybe, at the end of the day, you don't need to lose weight, after all.

But if you do, or if you need to fend off those negative voices that continually bring you down and convince you that you aren't good enough, then it's time to gear up. Get your boxing gloves ready, lace up your running shoes, and get ready to lean in. Because this is a fight that you absolutely, 100 percent can win. You simply have to be ready each and every day to go out swinging.

TRY THIS: Here are 50 Ways to Jumpstart Your Weight Loss Goals for 2014.