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What are your biggest challenges with eating?

Michelle May

Eating challenges

Eating challengesWe are working on something really cool for the new year, but before it is ready, I really need your input…

What are your two biggest challenges when it comes to managing your eating?

Please post your two challenges as a comment on this blog post. If you prefer, you may comment about your challenges with eating on our public Am I Hungry? Facebook page instead.

I really appreciate your input and I look forward to hearing from you!

P.S. For more about the challenges people have with eating, read Why do we turn to food?

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248 thoughts on “What are your biggest challenges with eating?”

  1. Eating when transitioning from one activity to another, even when not physically hungry.

    Eating while traveling for companionship, even when not physically hungry.

    Prophylactic eating to avoid physical hunger; i.e., such as before leaving my home to go to an appointment.

  2. 1. Time to spend on cooking healthy meals.
    2. Forcing myself to take the time to eat mindfully, instead of mindlessly.

  3. Eating mindfully is one of my biggest challenges. So often I find I am on autopilot and don’t even realize what I’ve done until after it’s too late. When I do attempt to slow down and be mindful, my mind wanders constantly.

  4. The biggest challenge is accepting myself as I am and being kind to myself for being who I am. The more I do that, the less recreational eating I do. That’s my only challenge.

  5. My two biggest challenges when managing my eating are failing to plan and feeling overwhelmed with restaurant eating. If I plan my food for the day, I’m mostly successful at sticking to my goals, but if I do not and leave it to chance, there’s possibilities that I may make unhealthier choices. Restaurant eating is challenging and always has been – I feel overwhelmed by the amount of options and it’s harder to make the healthier choices when so many unhealthy ones are available especially when eating out with others who are not conscientious eaters.

  6. 1-someone gets irresistible junk food or sweets to my house.its really difficult to control.they get finished fast
    2-hunger at night that needs to be dealt in order to get sleep.

  7. Two biggest challenges — 1. planning meals; having food in house that is satisfying 2. stopping and assessing if I am really hungry or just caught up in the moment eating out of habit or stress –Sue

  8. 1. All the people in my workplace who bring a constant stream of goodies that are not part of my plan for the day.
    2. My husband who doesn’t eat all day and expects me to feed him all night long, but not to eat any of the things he is having….

  9. Sweets, particularly chocolate is the biggest issue for me followed by an occasional (every couple of months) to just eat like everyone else. I love the healthy way I eat, but sometimes you just want to bust out and pig out with the best of ’em.

  10. My two biggest challenges are making choices from the overwhelming amount of food available and eating only when hungry. Working fulltime, managing a household means there are many times when I’m hungry and there is nothing available, or I eat because I won’t get to later when I do get hungry. Recently I was off for 5 weeks post surgery. My blood sugars were under better control because I ate when I was hungry, and could limit the food available to what I really enjoy that is within the parameters of my Diabetes diet. I actually had to reduce my insulin intake. So the challenges are related to the busy lifestyle.

  11. Only two?
    Finishing everything on my plate, even if I am full
    Junk food around that no one else wants to eat, but don’t want to throw out
    Eating/drinking while watching TV or reading
    Coworker treats
    Losing incentive when the scale doesn’t show results
    ….

  12. My 2 biggest challenges when I eat mindlessly (which I have been doing a lot lately) is STRESS and Boredom.

  13. My challenge number one is not to eat when I am postponing work or if work is boring or frustrating (I am a teacher and have to read , grade and give comments on a countless number of student essays ). Challenge number two would be to stop eating when my stomach is full but am not satisfied because the food did not give me the pleasure I was hoping for.

  14. My two biggest challenges are eating at night and free food, especially sweets. During this time of year, treats are everywhere. It is hard to resist Danish pastry in the break room, chocolate candies brought home from hubby’s job, and all the goodies at the various holiday parties. I am able to pass by the sweets in the supermarket, but when they are right in front of me, and there are no barriers, I have a challenge with self control.

  15. I live alone, and it’s so hard for me to consider cooking for one worth the bother. So much easier to eat potato chips in front of the tv. Another is feeling overwhelmed with how to manage the small amounts of special ingredients when cooking for one. After I use the tablespoon of sour cream, what do I do with the rest?

  16. biggest challenges are stress eating (really being able to calm or soothe myself) and boredom. For instance, when I am at home in the evening after work, tired and bored and want to eat, but really too tired to do any activity–I just want to eat in the evenings.

  17. What are your two biggest challenges when it comes to managing your eating?
    Sometimes I wish it was as simple as knowing what to eat or having time to cook or grocery shop because that feels like a manageable problem to me but it feels worst/harder than that…I seem to have made up my mind that it is “too hard” to eat right so I eat whatever I want to and honestly that isn’t working for me. I moved and changed jobs over the last 4 months and that’s all I can think about 🙁 I want to feel like myself again.

  18. 1. Tendency to overeat foods that taste really good.
    2. Not planning ahead for meals (last minute decisions).

  19. Stress… I took off 30 lbs this year.. now down to 25 and I notice lack of sleep and stress are the biggest influencers on the amount of food I eat… I’m trying to learn not to repeat but sometimes you know no one is perfect.

  20. PMS each month is a huge hurdle for me. Also, staying in the eating mindfully mindset. I’ll do really well, see some changes, and start thinking that maybe I can have this candy, cake, cookie, etc. after all.

  21. I binge any time I push past the point of fatigue to get a project done. A frequent occurrence since becoming a single mom.

  22. My two are:
    1) By the end of the work day, after giving everything and eating well, I feel the need to decompress/reward with something yummy or decadent.

    2) Weekends, vacations, days off work become a free-for-all of going and getting my favorite foods.

  23. My first challenge is that I am on disability, so having enough money to buy healthy ingredients to prepare better meals is really difficult for me. It’s often cheaper to buy junk/processed food. My second challenge is preparing healthy meals on a consistent basis; I seem to last only a couple of days at doing this before I’m back to months and months of bad eating habits.

  24. My biggest challenges are:

    (1) Understanding that there is MORE and that food is abundant and I do not have to eat EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW; and

    (2) Realizing that “What do I want, what do I need, what do I have” is not always a sensible exercise when I have to pack my lunch at 7AM, and that at 12:30 I might NOT have what I want and what I need, and what I packed (wanted and needed at the time) might be diametrically opposed to what I have. So, long story short, I sometimes find that often my lunches at work are not as satisfying as breakfast and dinner might be. I would love you to address that in future work. It helps that I try to bring only food that I love so that cuts down on problems, but having almost mastered this at dinner and breakfast, I am acutely aware that lunch does not always take care of my needs other than fuel – if I even eat it.

  25. 1–Not realizing at the moment that I’m mindlessly or emotionally overeating–I’ll THINK that I’m actually hungry, but afterwards I realize what it was really all about.
    2–Having a hard time believing I don’t need to starve/count calories to get healthier.

  26. 1) I can’t seem to bypass the junk food at the supermarket. Somehow it jumps into my basket and when it is in my home it gets eaten before the veggies,fruits.
    2)not enough time to cook healthy meals

  27. 1. Eating before an exercice / training even though I’m not hungry.
    2. Stop eating during a meal: I’m not physically hungry anymore but I still continue eating. That usually happens when I started eating without a real hunger.

  28. 1. Portion size…I always seem to think I am hungrier than I end up being; hence, I load up my plate.
    2. Sometimes I end up grazing through the day especially if I am a bit bored.

  29. 1)Eating alone relatively quickly and having more, before satiety sets in…(and it not being a social event, as it has always been, my whole life, until this year).
    2) Evenings – hunger and boredom before going to sleep at night

  30. Snacks and dips at parties – I have tried eating before hand but this is so my weakness I have a hard time with this.
    Boredom – I know I tend to eat when I am just plain bored and even if I have “healthier” snacks I will just eat too much of those also like carrots!

  31. Sugar addiction.
    Changing habits of “reward” and “escape” that include sugar and TV after work. I can change habits around just about any other activity or time of day, but when I get home from work I still struggle to stay present and mindful and truly care-ful with myself.

  32. Eating between meal times – eating at my desk because other people around me are eating – even though I’m eating healthy food I shouldn’t be snacking between meals – also I do the same thing at night when I go to another room to watch tv – I’m in the habit of cutting up an apple into 20 pieces and some cheese cut into little cubes and eating these slowly over an hour or two.

  33. 1) eating at night, sometimes when hungry and sometimes when I know I’m not…and it’s always dessert. After I’ve eaten too much and I feel uncomfortable, I say “now remember this feeling for next time and ask yourself if it’s worth it,” (because sometimes it might be) but it’s so difficult to think of it until after the fact.

    2) Portioning food out…also related to #1 above. I’ll even say to myself, “If I portion _____ out and put the package away, I probably won’t get up for more, but if I leave it in front of me then I will likely snack on more than I intended and feel uncomfortable.” And even though I know that, I still bring the food package over. And eat more than I intended. And feel uncomfortable.

    So I guess my real challenge is…having all the knowledge, being very mindful of why I’m making the choices I make, having all of that awareness…and still making the decisions that I know lead to discomfort.

  34. 1. Eat only in the right place (at the table, mindfully)
    2. Eat only when I´m really hungry (no emotional eating)

    I´m working on These two challenges, even if the most important one is another: stop thinking about food and start living.

  35. The first and biggest challenge is my husband, who is a diabetic, that loves junk food. He is a picky eater and when I cook, I cook with him in mind. He likes a lot of fried foods and pasta.
    The second biggest challenge is the office candy dish, the office cooks who bring in delicious foods and the office birthdays, the office lunch order in….the office.
    The real problem is that I have no will power. When the kids were small, we didn’t have great jobs and food was hard to come by. Now that the kids are grown and my husband and I have excellent jobs with good pay, I can afford to eat and don’t want to ever go with out again.

  36. Two months after bariatric surgery, still crave certain tastes, not taking the time to plan ahead and emotional eating.

  37. First challenge is when it’s cold I tend to sit around more than normal. Second is when I get bored and can’t find something to occupy my time at that moment.

  38. 1. Weekend eating. Making bad choices (pizza, fast food); not being on a schedule, therefore, not planning or having healthy snacks nearby
    2. Eating fast. I feel as if I’m always in a hurry, so I eat fast.

  39. 1) Night time grazing 9pm-11/12sih.
    2) Making a commitment to shop & plan meals for the week so I am not left to fast food fall back.

  40. 1. Still overeating when I am uncomfortably full.
    2. Staying on track and believing that i can still get to my goal even when I feel like I am failing.

  41. Eating to stuff down feelings.
    When I get home, my plans cook go out the window and I eat out or microwave an unhealthier option than what I had originally planned.

  42. 1. I don’t eat enough calories in general.
    2. The calories I eat are fatty driven.
    3. I don’t eat enough protein.

  43. nebaker@chartertn.net

    My biggest challenge is that I don’t know what hunger feels like. I thought that the time when I have been without food the longest is first thing in the morning before I eat breakfast. I have tried to feel something different then, but have been unsuccessful. How can I eat only when I’m hungry and only as much as I need when I feel the same before and after I eat? I DO know what it feels like when I have eaten WAY too much, but I don’t think I ever feel hunger.

  44. My biggest challenge is that I don’t know what hunger feels like. I thought that the time when I have been the longest without eating is first thing in the morning, before eating breakfast. So I tried to feel hunger then. I don’t feel any different. How can I eat only when I am hungry and only as much as I need when I don’t feel any different before and after eating? I DO know what it feels like to eat WAY too much, but I don’t know what it feels like to be hungry or need food.

  45. Cooking for 1 (I’m recently separated)
    RIght now, neighbors bringing over holiday treats (I’ve either given them back, with love or given them away). One kind neighbor asked if I would like these treats, and I was able to say no thanks.

  46. my two biggest issues are:

    1. don’t cook and eat out a lot. I live alone and cooking is just not pleasant anymore so I eat out or eat frozen entrees. try to add veggies or fruit but usually don’t. need ideas for cooking ahead and freezing so I only have to do it once per week. or making better choices when eating out. even seemingly healthy choices have more fats etc than cooking at home.

    2. graze. I am constantly wanting a TASTE. not hungry but want some flavor in my mouth all the time. mostly a habit I know but how to break it is a challenge. thanks

  47. My two biggest challenges are :
    1. Eating when I am not physically hungry
    2. Continuing to eat when I am satisfied

  48. Eating socially and wanting to follow suit with other people or not be a bother

    Eating slowly vs. feeling rushed in day to day life

  49. My two biggest challenges with eating are:

    1. Stress Eating – Mindless eating as a defense mechanism trying to deal with stress.

    2. Co – Eating – Navigating a house full of inappropriate foods bought by others.

  50. In our house the easiest place to work seems to be at the kitchen table. There is room for my books, computer and a TV on the table. The challenge is that the refrigerator and oven are located right behind where I sit. I constantly find myself looking for food and smelling food. I eat a little a lot….
    The 2nd challenge is teaching school where I seem not to be able to eat on a regular schedule, work late, and do not work out… My 5 small meals a day seems to be no meals until I go home and sit at the table….No walks, no small meals and sitting in the kitchen. I seem to know the problems yet don’t seem to have the control to change…I hope writing it down like this may help…..

  51. My biggest problem/issue is that although I am much happier with my shape and accepting of my body. But, what happens when the spouse/significant other isn’t? I really thought my increased self-esteem would be catching. I am older, I will never look like a Victoria Secret Model. But, I would like my husband to find me attractive-physically.

  52. My two biggest challenges are:
    1. When I work at home in my home office. I have a lot of work or long day ahead and I just reach for food and mindlessly eat . It’s not boredom really but almost a bit of anxiousness.

    2. In the evening after supper. It feels like dinner wasn’t enough and I’m missing something. I need to eat more. I’m not hungry but again, I’m a bit antsy and want to munch. It’s not always sweet or salty, but can vary with my mood.

  53. My two biggest challenges with eating are resisting the goodies when I am not hungry that people bring to work and portion control. I always think I need to eat more than I do.

  54. My two greatest challenges
    – working till 8 pm without a dinner break so I am extremely hungry when I get to have an evening meal
    – finding non perishable snacks that include protein since I don’t eat protein bars or many other processed foods

  55. Two of my challenges:

    1. Remembering there is abundance and to feel comfortable that enough is sometimes a small amount of food.

    2. Making more healthy choices, eating what makes me feel physically good.

  56. 1. Breaking old habits…i.e. eating as a form of self love/comfort
    2. Learning to slow down and think about what I am doing, learning to be mindful of what I put into my body and asking myself what I really want…overeat -stay uncomfortable in my own skin vs. Eat healthy and feel healthy.

  57. 1) Getting back in touch with my hunger signals after years of counting calories and eating on a strict schedule. I basically only sense hunger when I am about ready to gnaw on my own arm, at which point I am so hungry that making good choices ends up impossible (or I am in a place where there aren’t any good choices).

    2) The busier I am, the less I want to eat, which suggests that it isn’t actually related to hunger. The problem, of course, is that it is hard to relax and recharge without overeating.

  58. I would like a way to connect with others who live in my area who also live the Am I Hungry principles. I’ve attended two retreats and completed several of the 8 week sessions both in person and virtually but would like a way to delve deeper and more frequently and on an ongoing basis to continue to reinforce the skills learned. I think Am I Hungry is the absolute best program out there!!!

  59. Ha, just two? I think consuming alcohol derails me by not only adding extra calories, but by also making me not care that I’m adding extra calories. Also, sometimes when I don’t feel like taking the time to cook a healthy meal, I end up eating fattening junk, and too much of it. If this pattern continues on for too many days, I find it difficult to get back on track.

  60. My biggest challenge is getting in tune with my hunger signals. I rarely feel hungry. I do a lot of eating because of stress, boredom, loneliness…. I could list just about every human emotion here…. you get my meaning!!

  61. I am always in such a hurry that I rush through my meal so I find eating mindfully a huge challenge. My other challenge is just plain stress eating!

  62. 1. I am on the road a lot and need to plan lunch and snacks that are easy to eat when out and about.
    2. Planning breaks in between my coaching sessions when I am scheduled to coach for 4 – 6 hours straight!

    Thanks for everything you guys do at Am I Hungry?

  63. kathy_ives@yahoo.com

    1. Taking the time to plan meals and shop for healthier choices.
    2. Develped hapbits that I have a hard time breaking..diet coke, sugar.

  64. – Resisting the urge to eat even though I know I’m not hungry (it becomes a serious psychological battle)

    – I am getting better at eating the foods I love in moderation, however, the calories can still add up when I often want pizza, sweets, etc. I have difficulty deciphering when to eat the foods I love and when to choose a healthier option…

  65. For me, it is trying to figure out what to eat when I am home alone. I usually do not feel like eating. I do not want to prepare a big meal for just myself, hate doing dishes, and TV dinners and sandwiches get really old after a few days. Sometimes I end up eating a piece of fruit and a glass of milk and call it good.

    When I make an effort to eat on a regular basis, I end up eating too many calories. I do not eat large portions and I do not eat unhealthy foods. Maybe finding the right caloric intake for my energy expenditure is my problem.

  66. 1. When not hungry, I can now recognize what is really going on and I have other coping skills to deal with those feelings, but usually will still choose the food , finding myself unable to choose the healthy alternative. Maybe this is habit and familiarity?

    2. Eating mindfully.

  67. 1.Food planning for east meals I will do. Used to cook alot but no longer enjoy cooking at all. I buy food and it rots in the refrigerator.
    2. Have taken your Mindful Eating class twice; all the information is good but superficial. Could not get to the place where learned emotional patterns drive me. So now I can be mindful and still make bad food choices or overeat!

  68. 1. Planning to eat regularly & healthily. I get busy and don’t eat all day. Then, when I’m hungry, weak and dizzy, I completely over-eat late in the evening.
    2. Eating while distracted with a book or the television. It is impossible for me to eat mindfully when I’m concentrating on something else.

  69. The two biggest challenges are: Eating at someone’s house or at an event, and being polite by eating, and I want to eat, those things I normally do not eat or should avoid.
    The second is I can do well for a while, enjoy the healthy choices, but then just crave the familiar taste of a good pizza or other comfort food.

  70. My biggest challenges are stress /time limits that cause me to eat absent mindedly and not being able to decompress after work.

  71. My biggest challenges is to stop my hands putting stuff into my mouth that my stomach doesn’t want while my mind turns a blind -eye to what’s going on. So my challenge is to get my mind to stay alert at all times and stop my hands from bombarding my mouth with stuff but still let my stomach get what it needs.

  72. 1) Stopping bingeing once I’ve started. It feels almost as if my brain chemistry changes and all I want to do is eat. It takes me a few days without bingeing to get back to my ‘normal’ non-bingeing mental state.
    2) Being invited to a friend’s house for dinner. I’m anxious that I’ll eat too much beforehand and won’t be hungry, and that means that all I want to do all day is eat. Then I worry that I’ll have to eat more than I want to be polite and that they’ll push left-overs on to me and I’ll binge on them when I get home.

  73. 1. As most items in grocery stores are geared for more than 1 serving is it difficult for me to throw food away. I am conditioned to not waste and most definitely not to throw food away. So I will eat the food to get rid of it. I wish that food items could be geared for 1-2 servings.
    2. My cravings for foods are horrible. I try to just eat 1 piece of candy or 10 chips, but once I begin eating I lose control and eat til I’m ready to burst or til the food is all gone.

  74. 1) My biggest challenge is accept that mindful eating is a process and that it will take time. This is not a quick fix diet or exercise program. Participating in the “Am I Hungry” program is a conscious and committed decision to make a change in my daily habits. And it will take time.

    2) My second challenge is to stay motivated . It would be good for me to be able to continue meeting on a weekly basis with others in the program.

  75. My two biggest challenges are 1) Stress derailing motivation to do any form of mindfulness whatsoever! And 2) not treating mindful eating like another sort of diet (i.e. becoming frustrated when I ‘break the rules’ – I’m still at a stage where I think it would be easy for me to rebound to an eat-repent-repeat diet cycle).
    Despite those challenges though I’m so greatful I discovered your work Michelle, it was a real revelation! Thank you!

  76. 1. Eating really healthy then taking a bite or two of something sugary makes it all fall apart.
    2. Right now – Holiday’s with family.

  77. My mindful eating goes right out the window when i am feeling uncomfortable about doing something that perhaps subconsciously I don’t want to do but won’t admit to myself. An example is: picking up my mother in law to stay with us during Christmas – I pulled over before arriving at her place and stuffed a big candy bar down , I wasn’t hungry but couldn’t talk myself out of not doing it.
    Or while working on a project with a time limit. I use food to stay calm and focused. I am trying to use herbal tea instead as an alternative to sweets or salty snacks but my brain shuts down sometimes and on autopilot I reach for mini marshmallows or chips. I have not figured out how to stay mindful during these times. I’m a Jekyll and Hyde personality .

  78. My two biggest challenges are: my sweet tooth – hard to have a small portion when there are sweets in the house, and stress eating – still working on a different response when stressed.

  79. One of my most challenging eating problems is that we just found out 6 months ago my husband has Alzheimers. So we have changed everything about our eating habits and have gone totally organic. Now I find myself having such a hard time to choose different organic meals. It is really a field I am not familiar with. But I am trying. Then it has been very emotional because he was never sick a day in his life. So emotional eating comes into play a lot. I miss my sweets also!!! I am very happy that a group of us are doing the Stop Dieting, Start Living meeting again. I will enjoy the group for the companion ship and the ideas that they bring to the meetings!! Thanks so much for all the wonderful information you bring to all of us.

  80. 1. I desire that something to finish off my meals, usually something sweet, usually in the evening, but I have trouble stopping with just one bite, I feel the need to finish whatever I start.
    2. I do not do well with food choices when my schedule varies or I am out of my environment for routine.

  81. Two hardest times to NOT eat:
    *When someone has made me feel unimportant/invisible/not worthy of their time or
    doesn’t acknowledge me for all I do for them. (My love language #1 – gift of service)
    **Eating in restaurants or other places when there is not much that is healthy and/or I can’t figure calorie content of foods/beverages.

  82. 1. resisting the urge not to multi-task while eating….
    2. eating when i’m hungry…being equipped to eat what i want (i.e. healthy if that’s what i want) the moment i decide i need to.

  83. 1. Too much unstructured time; lack of substitutes for dearth of fulfillment in a once very demanding and fulfilling career.
    2. Inability to resist the urge to eat when transitioning from evening (watching tv; finishing glass of wine) to bedtime.

  84. I follow a plant-based diet and have very healthy eating habits. Yet, I notice that at night I often don’t stop eating until I am uncomfortable; secondly, I tend to eat again before bed even though I am rarely hungry–

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