I overeat and hate exercise....

iowasweetie101

That is a terrible combination. I have done really well the last 2 months but I really, really want to eat something horrible for me, like Mexican food. I know if I do eat Mexican I won't have one chip, I'll have 20. I want cheese dip. I want all that stuff. But if I start, I'll end up eating 1,500 calories in one sitting.

It's making me crazy.

I hate working out. I hate the gym. I hate running. I hate sweating. -I have been doing all of these things the last 2 months but I'm afraid I will stop anytime because I hate it so much.

I love food. I love bad for you foods. I love pizza and burgers and Mexican. -I haven't had anything fried in 2 months, I haven't had real pizza or Mexican in 2 months. I've had healthy homemade pizza and healthy homemade Mexican. It's not the same.

But I want to continue to lose weight. It's such a battle in my brain. I feel crazy!!

aquarabbit

Start small. Start by tracking your food. Be totally honest about it. Then maybe try to start substituting your unhealthy foods for healthy alternatives. There are so many great blogs that show alternative ways of cooking classic meals. Bobby Deans a good one. Skinnytaste is a great blog, and Chocolate Covered Katie is great for desserts. Try to make things homemade. Remember it's a process and if you just try to do everything at once, you'll might burn out, binge, and feel bad. Taking it a bit slower will help to make these changes in your lifestyle as opposed to dieting. And it doesn't mean that you can't have something terrible every now and again. I had McDonald's last night. It was still within my calories. Once you get the food under control (which to me is the most important part) start with the exercise. Try a few different exercises and see what you like. Once you start seeing results, you'll eventually look forward to it. There's a reason that the saying "the first step is the hardest" relates to getting fit and healthy so well. But you have to take that first step. It's not easy, but it's worth it.

iowasweetie101

Oh, I have been. I have a trainer and work out 6 days a week. I have been making food at home but it's not the same.

I'm just mentally exhausted from the battle.

LazyGuy91

Unfortunately, a lot of this weight-loss game is mental. I still struggle with overeating here and there. When it happens, I make sure to workout twice as hard.

Mentally, I keep the ideas of weight loss and reducing anxiety as my top priorities. Kinda tough to explain where I'm going with this, but just get it in your head what is most important and focus on getting it. If it is really what you want, you'll get it.

gigglybeth

We all love those foods. What's not to love? They taste good! Even people who are a healthy weight love those foods, but they choose not to live on a diet of them because they choose to be fit instead. They can see the long-term success instead of that short-term pleasure.

No one is saying you can't ever have those junky foods again. Just have smaller portions. Instead of the full size back of chips, get the small snack size or instead of an entire pizza order just a slice and work them into your calories.

If you hate what you are doing for a workout, find something else that you don't dread. I hate running. I was trying to force myself to run and I started hating going to the gym. I finally realized what was happening and one day I screwed up the courage to venture out of the cardio area. I found that I LOVED doing weights. Now I actually look forward to lifting days at the gym. There are tons and tons of ways to exercise and I'm sure there is something you will find that will excite you.

amtru2015

For the eating, i have 1 cheat day a week where i can have whatever it is that ive been craving---pizza, mac n chz, whatever. As for the gym, that is just something you will have to discipline yourself to do. Focus on the fact that you never regret a workout when you are done and all the fat you are burning when you exercise.

Ed98043

The only reason I've made it this far is because I have the foods I really want sometimes. Every other time I've tried the "all or nothing" diet I've given up. Deprivation is just not a long-term solution. And how else am I going to learn moderation for after I reach my goal? If I just go back to my old way of eating, I'll gain all the weight back. I have to find a sustainable way of eating for life, and realistically that doesn't include making any type of food totally off-limits.

Cindyinpg

The only reason I've made it this far is because I have the foods I really want sometimes. Every other time I've tried the "all or nothing" diet I've given up. Deprivation is just not a long-term solution. And how else am I going to learn moderation for after I reach my goal? If I just go back to my old way of eating, I'll gain all the weight back. I have to find a sustainable way of eating for life, and realistically that doesn't include making any type of food totally off-limits.

Me too! And find an exercise you love! Try kickboxing or Zumba!

Seik3n

The only reason I've made it this far is because I have the foods I really want sometimes. Every other time I've tried the "all or nothing" diet I've given up. Deprivation is just not a long-term solution. And how else am I going to learn moderation for after I reach my goal? If I just go back to my old way of eating, I'll gain all the weight back. I have to find a sustainable way of eating for life, and realistically that doesn't include making any type of food totally off-limits.

Totally agree. I still eat all the stuff I want, I just limit the portions and frequency of said portions. I'll buy a burger but leave the fries. Get a small ice cream cone instead of a sundae. Buy a small pizza instead of the large, and only do it once a week instead of twice. I'd fail if I had to give up the foods I enjoy, just have to find a good way to work them in.

metacognition

Small changes. If you keep doing challenging exercise your body will get used to it and your mind will actually crave it.

Mexican: find substitutes that you like.

For example

1/2 cup fat free refried beans
1/2 cup brown rice pilaf
4 oz chicken breast coated in 4 tbsp salsa
top everything with 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese and pico de gallo (diced onions tomatoes and cilantro leaves with with a dash of olive oil for flavor)
Use 2 tbsp of plain greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.
sliced avocado on the side if you want

You can find things that substitute for the bad stuff and taste great.
Don't even focus on calories now. Don't see this as restriction. See it as loving your body.

The body resists change - any kind of change, even if it's good. You will get used to healthier foods, less food, and even exercise if you make them a habit. Your taste buds will get more sensitive to the flavors in healthy food. Eat more protein / fiber 6 x per day and your hunger levels will go down. The rest is a mental game. Avoid the stuff that's addictive and easy to eat in large amounts - like white carbohydrates and high sugar junk food drenched in saturated fats.

squeakyfish

Why not try some things that don't seem like traditional exercise. Learn to kayak, join an indoor rock climbing gym, try some different classes, sign up for a race or event, so you have a goal to challenge you. I agree treadmills and elliptical and weight lifting are mind-numbingly boring and I only do them occasionally. In trying to find something I enjoy, I've developed a love for kettlebell class, biking, kayaking and even running, which I swore I would never do willingly again. Find something you enjoy and it will help it all come together and not seem so much like drudgery.

gmallan

In terms of the hating exercise thing, set yourself a challenge to try one new activity a week/a month until you find something you enjoy. Think outside the square

LivvieO

Since you hate exercising have you looked at other forms of movement like dancing, swimming, hula hooping or even pole or belly dancing. There are tons of other forms of movement that can be fun, fascinating and burn just as much or more calories than going to the gym. As for your desire to eat unhealthy foods, live by the 80/20 rule. As long as 80% of the time you are eating healthily, its ok to treat yourself the other 20%. Keeping in mind depriving yourself of something you love can be counterproductive to your goals because it could cause you to binge.

smantha32

That is a terrible combination. I have done really well the last 2 months but I really, really want to eat something horrible for me, like Mexican food. I know if I do eat Mexican I won't have one chip, I'll have 20. I want cheese dip. I want all that stuff. But if I start, I'll end up eating 1,500 calories in one sitting.

It's making me crazy.

I hate working out. I hate the gym. I hate running. I hate sweating. -I have been doing all of these things the last 2 months but I'm afraid I will stop anytime because I hate it so much.

I love food. I love bad for you foods. I love pizza and burgers and Mexican. -I haven't had anything fried in 2 months, I haven't had real pizza or Mexican in 2 months. I've had healthy homemade pizza and healthy homemade Mexican. It's not the same.

But I want to continue to lose weight. It's such a battle in my brain. I feel crazy!!

It always sucks to start with. If you keep going, push through the hate, you'll probably start liking it eventually.
Exercise is great once you're not out of shape. But you have to push through to get there unfortunately.

AlongCame_Molly

You don't have to stop eating all your favorite foods. Cutting yourself off from everything you love is the #1 fastest way to guarantee a binge. Want pizza? Have *A* slice. Want a burger? Have one! Just make sure it fits into your calorie goal and it's all gravy! (Yeah, you can have that gravy, too! Just not ALL of it. )

levicrouch

Try taking on one item at a time. Instead of trying to fix everything, work on the most important thing to you. Ditto on the mental aspect, weight loss and exercise are mostly mental things.

When i was training for my marathon, i thought i was training my muscles, turns out what i was really training was my brain. I had to learn how to deal with what my body was feeling and my mental reaction to it. You body will try and quit sooner than your brain will let it.

ninerbuff

That is a terrible combination. I have done really well the last 2 months but I really, really want to eat something horrible for me, like Mexican food. I know if I do eat Mexican I won't have one chip, I'll have 20. I want cheese dip. I want all that stuff. But if I start, I'll end up eating 1,500 calories in one sitting.

It's making me crazy.

I hate working out. I hate the gym. I hate running. I hate sweating. -I have been doing all of these things the last 2 months but I'm afraid I will stop anytime because I hate it so much.

I love food. I love bad for you foods. I love pizza and burgers and Mexican. -I haven't had anything fried in 2 months, I haven't had real pizza or Mexican in 2 months. I've had healthy homemade pizza and healthy homemade Mexican. It's not the same.

But I want to continue to lose weight. It's such a battle in my brain. I feel crazy!!

I will honestly tell you that if this is your approach, that weight regain is highly likely. Abstinence from food you actually enjoy will usually cause disdain (as you're showing now). You'll end up caving, and that's when binges happen.
You won't eat like this forever more than likely, so once you reach your goal, chances are you'll indulge. Weight returns and you'll be disappointed at all the sacrifice only to have it be trumped by a few days of eating.
You should be trying to learn how to limit yourself. It's really much easier to do than actually disregarding food you love altogether.
You don't have to work out and sweat to burn calories. You can just be physically active (stairs, walk as much as possible to reachable destinations, even fidget) and burn the same amount of calories in a day, as you do in 30-45 minutes of exercise.
I tell this to you as a trainer who has seen this same scenario umpteen times with clients.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

kaseysospacey

Ive gotten over the overeating by avoiding bad trigger foods and logging 100#%, then I can look and see places to improve and Im also more aware of portion size

auroranflash

That is a terrible combination. I have done really well the last 2 months but I really, really want to eat something horrible for me, like Mexican food. I know if I do eat Mexican I won't have one chip, I'll have 20. I want cheese dip. I want all that stuff. But if I start, I'll end up eating 1,500 calories in one sitting.

It's making me crazy.

I hate working out. I hate the gym. I hate running. I hate sweating. -I have been doing all of these things the last 2 months but I'm afraid I will stop anytime because I hate it so much.

I love food. I love bad for you foods. I love pizza and burgers and Mexican. -I haven't had anything fried in 2 months, I haven't had real pizza or Mexican in 2 months. I've had healthy homemade pizza and healthy homemade Mexican. It's not the same.

But I want to continue to lose weight. It's such a battle in my brain. I feel crazy!!

I will honestly tell you that if this is your approach, that weight regain is highly likely. Abstinence from food you actually enjoy will usually cause disdain (as you're showing now). You'll end up caving, and that's when binges happen.
You won't eat like this forever more than likely, so once you reach your goal, chances are you'll indulge. Weight returns and you'll be disappointed at all the sacrifice only to have it be trumped by a few days of eating.
You should be trying to learn how to limit yourself. It's really much easier to do than actually disregarding food you love altogether.
You don't have to work out and sweat to burn calories. You can just be physically active (stairs, walk as much as possible to reachable destinations, even fidget) and burn the same amount of calories in a day, as you do in 30-45 minutes of exercise.
I tell this to you as a trainer who has seen this same scenario umpteen times with clients.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

^ I agree with this. Diets fail because people who manage to lose the weight through deprivation end up going back to their old ways of eating and, of course, gain it all back. It's yo-yo dieting. It can't be, "I hate this, but I'll do it until I'm at X pounds". I think every woman I've ever met has done this in the past. It's torture, you're constantly on edge, criticizing yourself and forcing yourself to do things you don't want to do. A life of misery that society and the weight loss industry tells us we have to lead to be acceptable.

You need to figure out some sort of balance. Maybe you're wanting too much too soon as far as results go? Fat lost quickly is also quickly regained. You may have to just ease off on yourself and find a happy medium.

You don't have to run, but an after-dinner walk with a friend/relative or your dog might help you to destress. Having weights around by the couch helped me, if I was watching something I would just pick them up and do some reps. Little things help, too. Just do what you can and you'll find yourself increasing your activity and challenging yourself at your own pace.

I mainly exercise because I like to eat, and I will never give up pizza. Ever. Pizza and I have a never-ending bond that will outlast any marriage.

Also, fat free refried beans are disgusting.

Don't eat crappy food. It will make you miserable.

alikonda

I hear ya on the overeating -- I can't order pizza at home because I know that as much as I should only have 1 (maybe 2) slices...if I try, I can pack away that whole pizza. -And boy is it delicious- BUT! I haven't given up pizza entirely. I will eat it out in public - restaurants and parties - where I have enough self consciousness to keep me from gorging myself. Drinking a lot of water and eating veggies to slow down the consumption of the allowed portions helps, too!

For some of the other food cravings...focus on the flavours or textures you like best and make use of them at home! I looooove Mexican food, but realize that restaurant-style Mexican cuisine shouldn't be a part of my daily diet. So I make "homemade" tacos/burritos often - line wrappers with lettuce/spinach, cook whatever veggies & beans I want, and use lean protein (chicken, fish, shrimp, scrambled eggs) to finish it off. I'll usually skip the rice (that never adds too much flavour, anyway!) and limit myself to two tortillas a day (those things really pack in the calories!). My (personal) secret weapons to making these homemade tacos satisfying? Fresh cilantro, chipotle powder, and salsa!

A good arsenal of spices and herbs can really go a long way toward bridging the gap between "homemade healthy version" and the fatty stuff you are craving!

AleciaG724

Try swimming! I hate to sweat & work out, but I've lost 32# in 13 weeks just swimming! I met with a trainer for the first time ever & I can tell you I will not be doing any of that torture until the swimming stops working for me (I hit a plateau) or I lose my mind from boredom. Once I get close to my goal weight I'm sure I will need to sweat my *kitten* off to get the body I want, but until then I won't fix what's not broken.

I agree with the cheat day once in a while, or you will go nuts! I do it about once every 2 or 3 weeks. I also eat really, really big salads, with tons of veggies, but very little dressing, no cheese or croutons, etc. (sometimes almonds, pecans or walnuts) and a very light vinaigrette. You can leave it on the side & dip the lettuce in a little bit, or you can measure out the dressing & toss the salad with it, so it coats each leaf a little bit.

Lyadeia

I agree with ninerbuff. I would also add that you should really think about doing some mental training and learn to do positive affirmations. It sounds corny, but it really does work.

What I do is right down some goals. I write out weekly, monthly, yearly, and more long term goals. Then, I make positive affirmations from them. I write them down and say them to myself all the time. For instance, around Christmas of last year, one of my goals was to be wearing a pair of size 5/6 jeans that I had not been able to fit into in years. Instead of saying things like "I wish these fit" or "I will be happy when I can wear these again" I literally wrote down "I am so happy that I am able to wear these pair of size 5/6 jeans again. I am fit and I feel great!" Of course when I first wrote it down, it wasn't exactly true yet, but that's part of the affirmation process. You have to OWN your goals and believe that you have already achieved them.

In your case, the easiest thing to write affirmations about is what you wrote in your OP. Just REVERSE them. "I love to workout because I feel so fit and beautiful when I am finished." Things like that. Write them down. Say them to yourself outloud. Whenever those negative thoughts from that OP creep into your head, tell yourself those affirmations. Remind yourself why you are doing this.

Basically by doing so, you are training your mind to get in a positive mindset and to stop focusing on the negative. A lot of people do not realize just how mental a weight loss journey really is! But even those that do realize it oftentimes don't train their minds like they should. Of course exercise is important and calorie deficits are of utmost importance, but what good does any of that do you when your mind isn't right and you are much more prone to crazy binges?

Just my .02 cents.

jlmakela

oh. I can relate.
I DREAMED about (literally in a dream) eating a party size peanut M&M bag. It's the third dream about eating candy since I gave it up in April. (Though my husband reminds me that eating candy in a dream has no calories.)
But it is all mental.

Thoughts:
you are cutting off too much too soon. You won't sustain without some mental tricks or changes.
Trick 1, I gave up candy, but not dark chocolate (>70% dark). I still get my dark chocolate.(I love dark chocolate.) But you know, most "impulse candy" (peanut M&M's) is not dark, so it is amazing how much you don't eat. (Variation, "the only fast food I eat is...", "the only Mexican place I eat as is...")
trick 2- "I'm not dieting. I'm training for a 5k." Don't make it about weight or dieting. Unless you are prepared for psychotherapy (good for you if you are), then don't deal with all that baggage associated with dieting. Find another reason to eat healthy.
trick 3-set a goal and a date to achieve the goal. Make sure it has nothing to do with weight or dress size. why else do you want to exercise and eat healthy? races have the benefit of being an objective measure. (You either ran it or you didn't.) There is also always another race. But find a goal that works for you. ("I want to walk up all 6 flights of stairs to my office without being winded by this fall." "I want to bike ride in a 10 mile fun ride in October....) make it reasonable.
trick 4 find someone to "hold your feet to the fire." -hire a trainer, a nutritionist, or just have a fiend follow your diet on my fitness pal. You will need that person when you fall off the wagon.
trick 4- examine why you hate exercise. For me it was a few reasons. 1) I thought exercise was punishment for being fat. (really. I was always told, "your fat. exercise more." But everyone should exercise ) 2)I needed music or conversation or I get board.3) I had exercise induced asthma and didn't know it (It always hurt to run, but OMG, the inhaler works!) Maybe you need to do different exercises.

well these are some things I do.
maybe they will help you.

podgeford123

Exercise (especially gym) makes me hungry and bored. I only ride my bike now really. So I never really get hungry. Cravings often are for spices or paprika or so, have it in a water based soup. The fatty buttery feeling of junk, is exactly that, a fatty buttery gut. Remember that when you put those foods in your mouth. They are what is determining you; they are just junk - you do not need them, ease of on exercise and you will get less starving - try yoga instead. With my approach I have lost 17lbs (8% of my bodyweight) in 6 weeks, and its been easy...just tune into yourself, and dont beat yourself up

MyChocolateDiet

That IS a terrible combination

_EndGame_

Have a 1500 calorie meal, just do exercise that day, and keep the reward of your Mexican food in mind. Have a light breakfast and a light dinner, preserve those calories for the Mexican.

Alternatively, cut a bigger deficit of calories over the duration of the week, so you can "afford" to have a Mexican without it being detrimental to your weight loss.

I had a chicken chow mein and chips last night. In total it came to 1350 calories, and I was still under my macros, due to exercise.

You gotta speculate to accumulate.

KarenJanine

..If you hate what you are doing for a workout, find something else that you don't dread. I hate running. I was trying to force myself to run and I started hating going to the gym. I finally realized what was happening and one day I screwed up the courage to venture out of the cardio area. I found that I LOVED doing weights. Now I actually look forward to lifting days at the gym. There are tons and tons of ways to exercise and I'm sure there is something you will find that will excite you.

This ^
If you hate the exercise you're doing can you really see yourself sticking to it for years ahead of you? If not then it's not sustainable. Find something you enjoy, then it's not a chore.

I hate cardio in terms of classes or running or gym cardio machines, so I walk and cycle outside which I do for fun and it doesn't feel like exercise. I love lifting weights too because I love setting new goals and meeting them and knowing I'm getting stronger. Find something that works with you're routine, that you enjoy and that makes you feel good.

xomellyxo

I really don't see the harm in having something if you want it, if you can't just have one chip, have 20.
Just do it once, get it out your system and move on.
Don't beat yourself up about it afterwards, just let it go.

You might find that you go to have the mexian/pizza/whatever, you have some, and you don't actually want as much as you used to or like it as much as you used to.

Theres no point driving yourself mad over something.

What I do is count all my calories, factor all the naughty stuff in, then I know if I need to go running so I can have the extra portion then I do. I almost see it as a game sometimes, getting the number back to green when I've had more than I should've.


*prepares for barrage of 'omg thats so the wrong advice' comments haha*

Maaike84

Oh, I have been. I have a trainer and work out 6 days a week. I have been making food at home but it's not the same.

I'm just mentally exhausted from the battle.

Could you be overdoing it slightly? It's so much harder to stick to a lifestyle where no foods that you love, and too much exercise you don't like, are central. Couldn't you adjust your plan to allow for a little bit more room for fun, so that it's easier to stick to the regime the rest of the time? Sure, your weightloss might be more slow, but it's more likely that you'll continue in the long run.

Also am with the other people that say you can have something you love occasionally, and try to find a type of exercise that you do love or at least not hate with a passion!!

Good luck!! You already lost a lot of weight, that's amazing

tigersword

There's no such thing as a "bad for you" food. Fit it into your overall plan, and you won't be driving yourself nuts wanting to have it. I eat a pint of ice cream as a snack at least once a week. I plan for it, and make it fit into my goals. The only reason to ever cut any food out of your life is for a medical reason. Otherwise, just plan for it. Overall diet matters the most, specific foods are less important, as long as the overall nutrient goals are hit.

HollisGrant

I agree with ninerbuff. I would also add that you should really think about doing some mental training and learn to do positive affirmations. It sounds corny, but it really does work.

What I do is right down some goals. I write out weekly, monthly, yearly, and more long term goals. Then, I make positive affirmations from them. I write them down and say them to myself all the time. For instance, around Christmas of last year, one of my goals was to be wearing a pair of size 5/6 jeans that I had not been able to fit into in years. Instead of saying things like "I wish these fit" or "I will be happy when I can wear these again" I literally wrote down "I am so happy that I am able to wear these pair of size 5/6 jeans again. I am fit and I feel great!" Of course when I first wrote it down, it wasn't exactly true yet, but that's part of the affirmation process. You have to OWN your goals and believe that you have already achieved them.

In your case, the easiest thing to write affirmations about is what you wrote in your OP. Just REVERSE them. "I love to workout because I feel so fit and beautiful when I am finished." Things like that. Write them down. Say them to yourself outloud. Whenever those negative thoughts from that OP creep into your head, tell yourself those affirmations. Remind yourself why you are doing this.

Basically by doing so, you are training your mind to get in a positive mindset and to stop focusing on the negative. A lot of people do not realize just how mental a weight loss journey really is! But even those that do realize it oftentimes don't train their minds like they should. Of course exercise is important and calorie deficits are of utmost importance, but what good does any of that do you when your mind isn't right and you are much more prone to crazy binges?

Just my .02 cents.

GREAT suggestions. I'm doing this, too. It's improved the quality of my life 1000 percent.