Need Help With Self Control

My goal for the past year has been to lose 20 pounds and be at a healthy weight. I lost 10 lbs from running and the elliptical, and my diet is pretty good. But some weeks are worse than others. Sometimes when my friends go out to applebees/bdubs/bars - I CRAVE cheesecurds, burgers, etc. I always feel guilty after. But these diet craves happen from once a week to 5 times a week. Does anyone else feel this way? Like some greasy foods can literally be comforting? And what do you do to suppress these craves?

Replies

  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    You do not need to avoid those feeds, just need to be conscious of the fact that they are usually dense in calories. That said, you'll need to watch the portion sizes and fit it into your daily calories so you'll still end up in a deficit.

    In short, eat a smaller portion of it.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    Why do you feel guilty? You need to get to a place where you have a healthy relationship with food & not feel guilty for eating some of your favorite foods in moderation. Sometimes restricting a certain food or food group entirely can lead to binging. You can eat cheeseburgers, french fries, ice cream, candy, etc. & have it fit into your daily calories. A lot of restaurants now list their nutrition info online & if it's a mom & pop restaurant you can select an entry that you feel is closest to what you ate.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    I don't have cravings because I don't deny myself of any food. You know more of those weeks are coming up so plan ahead of time. Allocated for the calories by saving or earning the calories ahead of time.
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    Put it in the food log BEFORE you eat it.
    Seeing all the calories usually scares me out of eating it (haha)

    But understand that an occasional treat is totally ok and nothing to feel guilty about :)
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    Plan out your day in advance. Log the foods in your diary. Applebee's is easy because the calorie counts are on the website. When you see how many cals are actually in a bacon cheeseburger, it'll help you either make a different choice, or have it but skip the fries & dessert.

    Or eat something else with the comfort factor, like battered fish, which is greasy but not as high-cal as the burger, because, fish.

  • erikakane214
    erikakane214 Posts: 17 Member
    one day i wanted pizza so i didn't have breakfast so i could eat the pizza and still be under my calories. not the best idea ever but it worked and i had my pizza :)
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    one day i wanted pizza so i didn't have breakfast so i could eat the pizza and still be under my calories. not the best idea ever but it worked and i had my pizza :)

    sometimes you just gotta go there.
  • HappyAnna2014
    HappyAnna2014 Posts: 214 Member
    My goal for the past year has been to lose 20 pounds and be at a healthy weight. I lost 10 lbs from running and the elliptical, and my diet is pretty good. But some weeks are worse than others. Sometimes when my friends go out to applebees/bdubs/bars - I CRAVE cheesecurds, burgers, etc. I always feel guilty after. But these diet craves happen from once a week to 5 times a week. Does anyone else feel this way? Like some greasy foods can literally be comforting? And what do you do to suppress these craves?

    I totally understand where you are coming from. I have a healthy relationship with food, but I like to eat, which is why I am overweight. I am fighting this same battle. It is a daily battle. I like vegetables and lower calorie items, I just eat too much of them (yes, it is possible). The main thing that is helping me is looking at store websites and seeing all the awesome clothes that I will look good in if I don't eat too much. :)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I'm similar. I've found that good decisions lead to more good decisions, and bad decisions lead to more bad decisions. So while the first few days can be really hard, I find that it does get easier. The flip side, is that a 2 slices of pizza or a burger or whatever else usually leads to a whole pizza or 2 burgers and wings and fries, etc.

    Ultimately, the temptation never goes away, it just gets less consuming mentally.