Motivated by food? HELP

ispymo

Hi,

I started trying to eat a bit healthier about three weeks ago, and did so well for the first two weeks. I'm 145lbs but really want to get down to sort of 130lbs ish.

The basis of my "diet" was to not be too strict, I restricted my eating to only meals, introduced breakfast into my day and started eating more fruit/veg. I didn't cut out anything in particular because I know that I just would NOT stick to it. I would still eat a small pudding after dinner, normally like a chocolate mousse or mince pie etc. The last week has not been so successful - I've found that I am SO motivated by food, it keeps me working, keeps me doing, persuades me to exercise etc. I think this is how it al started, back at Uni it was 'Urgh this essay is horrible, every 100 words I write I can have a biscuit' or 'work for half an hour and eat a bag of popcorn'.

I think basically I need advice and motivation. I have hit the big wall and am not getting anywhere, I keep finding myself buying bags of popcorn or biscuits to get me through work. I am quite a fussy eater, don't like many things with flavour (ie spicy things, saucy things...), I don't like nuts or seeds... so I struggle on things to snack on.

I have been doing the 30DS alongside spinning classes twice a week, and I lost around 4lbs in the first two weeks which I was SO happy with.

emmycantbemeeko

For starters, I'd strongly recommend starting to actually track your food. Seeing how many calories are in what you're eating vs how many you burn is SO enlightening. You don't have to start restricting at first, just track honestly. Realizing that eating a biscuit every 100 words of a 3K word essay could easily put you over your daily calorie needs just in biscuits might help you rein that temptation in.

Personally I find using food as a motivator is a dangerous spiral for me. I also find eating very habitual, so simply breaking the habit of expecting a snack at a certain time, after a few days adjustment, goes a long way towards not eating those extra calories.

If you are a very reward-motivated person, you can work with that framework- you just need to stop using food as the reward. I find a two-prong approach helps- one is to view weight loss/fitness achievements as rewards, and not just big ones. Using a fitness tracker app that gives badges helps with this- fitbit has them, and I get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing stars on the days I hit all my goals, or getting a new distance record. I also personally love when I hit lot at the end of the day on my MFP diary and it gives me the "If every day were like to day, in five weeks you'd weigh X" pounds message, and the pounds are lower than I would expect. I KNOW it's not a prediction- I might weigh more or less than that in five weeks, because every day will likely not be exactly like today. But it's a confirmation that I made good choices today, and a motivation to make similarly good choices tomorrow. And on those occasional days when I don't make good choices, it's a sobering reminder that if I keep on this path, I will stall or gain weight back.

It's about realigning your reward/motivation system to connect the things you're doing right now (going for a walk, not eating another biscuit) with the things you REALLY want (to be fit and lose weight). If you've got your eye perpetually on the prize five minutes from now (another biscuit) you will never get to the prize a few weeks or months from now (a smaller, healthier body).

If you don't find those internal aspects sufficiently motivating, there's nothing wrong with substituting in non-food rewards like some time doing an activity you enjoy, a trip to the salon or spa, a little non-food treat you wouldn't normally buy. But do be cautious with those- you don't want to wind up replacing an over-snacking habit with an over-shopping habit. It's much more effective, in the long run, to learn how to connect what you're doing right now with your mid-and-long-term goals.

callsitlikeiseeit

i will use lots of things as (semi) motivators but never EVER food. whether its clothing, a new lens for my camera, something for the house, whatever. but never EVER food.

food is fuel. some of it more nutritious than others, but all fuel in some aspect. i make room for all the things i want - chocolate, booze, you name it, i eat it.

motivation truly comes from within. if it is important to you, you WILL make the necessary changes. everyone has excuses. i could have used the two moves, two deaths, separation from my husband, business ups and downs, friend drama, kid drama, family drama... any or all of it as an excuse last year. but i didn't and i lost 80 pounds.

jflanaganasl

A note on snacks - I am a popcorn addict so I feel your pain. I switched from microwave popcorn to just buying the kernels in bulk and popping my own. I use the smallest pot I have to restrict how much I can make. Also, when you pop over the stove, it's WORK! you have to keep shaking the pan, so every time I go for popcorn, I think "Do I really want to do all that work?" Combined with the fact that stove popped popcorn is better for you (even pretty nutritious!), this has helped me a lot with my snacking.

kshama2001

ispymo wrote: »

Hi,

I started trying to eat a bit healthier about three weeks ago, and did so well for the first two weeks. I'm 145lbs but really want to get down to sort of 130lbs ish.

The basis of my "diet" was to not be too strict, I restricted my eating to only meals, introduced breakfast into my day and started eating more fruit/veg. I didn't cut out anything in particular because I know that I just would NOT stick to it. I would still eat a small pudding after dinner, normally like a chocolate mousse or mince pie etc. The last week has not been so successful - I've found that I am SO motivated by food, it keeps me working, keeps me doing, persuades me to exercise etc. I think this is how it al started, back at Uni it was 'Urgh this essay is horrible, every 100 words I write I can have a biscuit' or 'work for half an hour and eat a bag of popcorn'.

I think basically I need advice and motivation. I have hit the big wall and am not getting anywhere, I keep finding myself buying bags of popcorn or biscuits to get me through work. I am quite a fussy eater, don't like many things with flavour (ie spicy things, saucy things...), I don't like nuts or seeds... so I struggle on things to snack on.

I have been doing the 30DS alongside spinning classes twice a week, and I lost around 4lbs in the first two weeks which I was SO happy with.

When I have the munchies for high carbs foods like what you mentioned, it turns out I haven't been eating enough protein. With sufficient protein and fiber, I have no urge to snack.

SarahxApple

Try and delay it, it's hard to break out of the motivated by food mentality, so when you get to those 100 words, really ask yourself do I want/need that biscuit, have a glass of water, stretch, walk around the block push it so you do another 100 words, then think again. I'm a boredom eater, vegetarian and try as I might I do not like nuts/seeds. Also switch it around so you alternate biscuits with grapes (or another sweet fruit) or smaller biscuits. I have both chocolate hobnobs and nice biscuits in the office at work and if I really want a biscuit but it doesn't quite fit my calories I will opt for the nice biscuits (at 41 cals a biscuit).

elaineamj

I started with drinking a glass of water whenever I felt the urge to snack. (My water hack).

The last couple of times I got hangry and had hit my calorie limit, I told myself I could have a healthy snack AFTER my workout. Found that I lost the cravings after working out. So now I also have a workout hack

Pre-logging snacks and treats have helped me change my mind or make better choices. I have found that I hate looking at red numbers lol!