No self control

Options
goodallmelissa
goodallmelissa Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I know all the right things to do to lose weight by eating a healthy diet and exercise but I have been in a rut now for about 6mons. I have no self control when it comes to bad foods. And on top of that I am a closet eater so those around me don't know of my self sabotage! How to I get out of this! I need someone to be accountable to!

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,564 Member
    Options
    Eating healthy foods has very little to do with weight loss...eating less than you burn does. You can fit those "bad" foods into a calorie deficit, but make sure you have the room for them and hit your macros/micros along the way.
  • Protranser
    Protranser Posts: 517 Member
    Options
    If you won't be accountable to yourself (you're not alone, many aren't) then you may want to consider in person accountability rather than virtual. I suggest joining weight watchers, or finding an over eaters anonymous group.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Options
    First, you need to understand how weigh gloss works. You need to be in a calorie deficit, not just "eating healthy" (whatever that means to you). Count your calories, include things you love, use a food scale. If you want it, you'll get it.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    Options
    My suggestion is to figure out what you are trying to medicate with food. It is not hunger, is it boredom, stress, depression, anxiety, pain, fatigue? Once you identify what you are trying to treat, find a treatment that is more effective than food. Start keeping a diary when ever you want to eat something, write down what you are feeling and what thoughts brought those feelings up. Seek treatment for that issue. Once the other symptom(s) are relieved you will be able to abstain from eating for feelings or situations other than nutrition and hunger relief.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    If you want to eat junk food, do that! And don't feel badly about it.

    It makes much more sense to be happy doing the thing you want to do than to do it and be miserable about it.

    When you're ready to lose weight, you will. Until then, enjoy eating whatever you please.
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
    edited October 2015
    Options
    I used to be a closet eater but I don't really think the food was the issue. I felt unappreciated. The food I ate in secret made me feel like I was doing something just for me. I grew up eating at a very, very uncomfortable dinner table as a child, interrogated like a criminal. Then I got married and my husband who grew up the same way as myself is repeating the past with our kids. Now at home we all eat alone. It's not ideal. So I'm trying to stick to my calories, at least at maintenance and hopefully under. It's been slow but I'm hopeful that I'll be at goal by next spring.
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
    Options
    daniwilford wrote: »
    My suggestion is to figure out what you are trying to medicate with food. It is not hunger, is it boredom, stress, depression, anxiety, pain, fatigue? Once you identify what you are trying to treat, find a treatment that is more effective than food. Start keeping a diary when ever you want to eat something, write down what you are feeling and what thoughts brought those feelings up. Seek treatment for that issue. Once the other symptom(s) are relieved you will be able to abstain from eating for feelings or situations other than nutrition and hunger relief.

    Oh yes, this is what I meant. Thank you Daniwilford for saying so eloquently what I was trying to say :smile:
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Options
    goodallmelissa wrote: »
    So I know all the right things to do to lose weight by eating a healthy diet and exercise but I have been in a rut now for about 6mons. I have no self control when it comes to bad foods. And on top of that I am a closet eater so those around me don't know of my self sabotage! How to I get out of this! I need someone to be accountable to!

    Are you depriving yourself?

    Are you trying to subsist solely on kale, green smoothies and chia seeds?

    There really is no need to try to follow a deprivation diet.

    For sustainable, long term weight loss and maintenance, you need to eat the things you like within your calorie limit. You can do this!
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Options
    goodallmelissa wrote: »
    So I know all the right things to do to lose weight by eating a healthy diet and exercise but I have been in a rut now for about 6mons. I have no self control when it comes to bad foods. And on top of that I am a closet eater so those around me don't know of my self sabotage! How to I get out of this! I need someone to be accountable to!

    There really isn't such a thing as bad foods, only bad portions. Sure, you may find some foods are not worth the calories and eliminate them, but don't give up anything in order to lose weight that you won't give up for a lifetime, because you need to use the weight loss as a time to build the habits that will keep your weight off.

    Self control is a limited resource, and it gets fatigued. You have to find a way to reduce the willpower required.

    I would recommend Switch as a good book about driving change. I did a recent (and very long) post about my interpretations of the book's lessons from a weight loss perspective.

Categories