The Obstacle Meter

A 32-question survey to identify and overcome your personal eating obstacles

Basic nutrition advice—The Dietary Guidelines for Americans—recommends consuming water, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, lean meats, nuts, and legumes while limiting alcohol, sugary beverages, added sugars, sodium, fatty meats, and ultra-processed foods.

Most people already know this. The problem is that there is a huge disconnect between “knowing what to do” and “actually doing it.”

Healthy eating depends on overcoming life obstacles rather than simply understanding dietary guidelines.

What is the Obstacle Meter?

The Obstacle Meter is a 32-question survey designed to help you identify and overcome your personal eating obstacles. The tool contains solutions tailored to your individual responses.

The survey mimics dietitian counseling sessions, offering multiple potential solutions per obstacle for you to implement.

The 32 Obstacles

The Obstacle Meter covers barriers including:

  1. Time - Not enough time to meal plan and prepare meals
  2. Money - Cost of eating healthier
  3. Knowledge - Not knowing what to eat
  4. Culinary Skills & Equipment - Lacking cooking skills or equipment
  5. Meal Planning - Needing help planning weekly meals
  6. Availability - Running out of healthy food at home
  7. Access - Difficulty accessing healthy food (transportation, location)
  8. Environment - Surrounded by calorie-dense food at home, work, or socially
  9. Willpower - Lacking willpower to eat healthier
  10. Favorite Foods - Not wanting to give up favorite foods
  11. Work - Workplace prevents healthy eating
  12. Travel - Difficulty eating healthy while traveling
  13. Social Network - Too much dining out with friends
  14. Family Dynamics - Household members’ dietary preferences
  15. Hunger - Diet-related hunger preventing healthy eating
  16. Palatability - Healthy food not tasting good or being monotonous
  17. Snacking - Daily junk food snacking habits
  18. Food Reward - Living to eat rather than eating to live
  19. Portion Sizes - Trouble controlling how much you eat
  20. Caloric Density - Tendency toward savory, high-fat/carb foods
  21. Eating Out - Eating out too often
  22. Boredom - Eating or drinking due to boredom
  23. Stress - Eating or drinking due to stress
  24. Depression - Feeling depressed
  25. Sleep - Not getting enough quality sleep
  26. Vigor - Too tired to cook at end of day
  27. Exercise - Not getting enough weekly exercise
  28. Priority - Healthy eating not being a priority
  29. Support - Lacking support for dietary change
  30. Accountability - Needing someone to hold you accountable
  31. Willingness to Cook - Little to no desire to cook
  32. Self - Being your own biggest obstacle

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