New Normal

sbrodkey

Here's my story, wondering if anybody has had a similar experience.

I've come to believe that weight loss, for me, is mostly an issue of food volume (and to a lesser degree food type). I do not have a junk food issue so it's not like I am reaching for bags of salty crunchy things or sweets. I do not like fast food either, so no issue there.

I do like a relatively large volume of food at my meals. Meats and starches in ample quantities are on the menu. That, combined with a changing body (I now gain weight eating the same volume of food that used to keep me stable 20 years ago) has caused an issue. For a variety of logistical reasons I end up eating in restaurants or at functions often. What I really want to do is develop an approach of eating less food. I don't think, generally, what I eat is "bad" from a nutrition perspective. That stated, I do believe some fine tuning (say ordering a salad with oil & vinegar vs. blue cheese) is in order and that needs to be part of the plan.

It's all very challenging because I literally can't eat the way I am accustomed to eating because my body had changed as I go through adulthood. It's very hard to get my mind wrapped around the idea that a plate full about half of the food as I used to eat is about the right amount for me now.

I'm also in a variety of social situations where alcohol is present. I honestly don't think having a cocktail or a glass of wine is a bad thing in and of itself. I'm not particularly inclined to not consume these things as they are socially fun and sometimes expected. That stated, it does add to the overall picture of intake reduction.

My question to myself is how do I "right size" my caloric intake and re-train myself to literally consume less than I used to because there is a "new normal" for me?

If anybody has the same experiences, please share. Thanks.

amyoung78

I agree. When I first started with MFP I had a hard time controlling my portion sizes. It's nice to know the serving sizes are all built into the MFP app. I still eat what ever I want but just in moderation and stick to serving sizes. I have also learned that veggies have fewer calories, more nutrition and keep me fuller longer so I can still eat those salty and sweet snacks that I sometimes crave. BTW, now that I have been with MFP for 4 months, I crave the snacks less.
My work place always has junk food on the table. Last week alone I had 4 days where I have to walk by cupcakes, cakes, donuts and ice cream. I had to keep telling myself I won't see a smaller number on the scale if I eat them. Down two pounds this week, so not giving into the temptation obviously worked.
Feel free to add me as a friend. You are not alone!