Is it wrong to think...

Releven

That my inability to stop eating bad food isn't all my fault?

Don't get me wrong, it's clearly my fault for having terrible eating habits, what i'm getting at is the company that I keep as far as friendships clearly has an effect on how I consume my calories.

For instance, I am almost 210 pounds my goal is 190, maybe less if it's healthy. My friends, i'd say my 5 closest friends, weight over 240+ and it's not a healthy 240, it's a lazy, playing league of legends for 18 hours a day, pizza as a meal 9 times a week, mcdonald's the other 13 meals 240 pounds. None of them care about fitness, none of them care how they look, and none of them are changing the way they eat anytime soon. So here I am trying to make a better person out of myself physically and I feel like I'm stuck in this never ending cycle of fast food temptation. I know that "will power" is the key to my success but it's really hard after eating grilled chipotle chicken breast and green beans to see that these guys have left over pepperoni pizza and not want it to make sweet love to my taste buds. I walk around the kitchen a few times, pretending to do dishes, or pretending that I need to clean stuff up or do something in that general area in order to just be around it. I want to smell it, touch it, lick it, devour it and the voices inside me are calling me to it worse than the damn smeagol guy on lord of the rings, except, I know in my heart I do not want the precious.

I want to destroy the precious...

But how?

HacheraTsarine

Well, first off, good for you that you want to get healthier even though your entourage isn't. It makes it tougher so kudos.

I had junk food junkies as roommates when I first tried to lose weight. I cooked healthy version of our usual junk food for all (they all chipped in for the grocery shopping). We all had our junk food fix and I still was able to maintain an healthy weight loss. There are a lot of website presenting those recipes, or you can just type "healthy" in front of any recipe on Google too.

Hope it helps.

KANGOOJUMPS

it is your fault.

1PatientBear

That my inability to stop eating bad food isn't all my fault?

Don't get me wrong, it's clearly my fault for having terrible eating habits, what i'm getting at is the company that I keep as far as friendships clearly has an effect on how I consume my calories.

For instance, I am almost 210 pounds my goal is 190, maybe less if it's healthy. My friends, i'd say my 5 closest friends, weight over 240+ and it's not a healthy 240, it's a lazy, playing league of legends for 18 hours a day, pizza as a meal 9 times a week, mcdonald's the other 13 meals 240 pounds. None of them care about fitness, none of them care how they look, and none of them are changing the way they eat anytime soon. So here I am trying to make a better person out of myself physically and I feel like I'm stuck in this never ending cycle of fast food temptation. I know that "will power" is the key to my success but it's really hard after eating grilled chipotle chicken breast and green beans to see that these guys have left over pepperoni pizza and not want it to make sweet love to my taste buds. I walk around the kitchen a few times, pretending to do dishes, or pretending that I need to clean stuff up or do something in that general area in order to just be around it. I want to smell it, touch it, lick it, devour it and the voices inside me are calling me to it worse than the damn smeagol guy on lord of the rings, except, I know in my heart I do not want the precious.

I want to destroy the precious...

But how?

Just gotta be strong. It's not easy man, especially when your friends are not on board. Let yourself indulge once a week and just be strong the rest of the time. There's really no other answer. As you start to lose weight and get in better shape, you may be surprised at the interest your friends will develop in copying you.

Releven

it is your fault.

I'm fully aware I was trying to approach it with a bit of humor, but I do know for a fact it's def not helping me any, that is my problem.

jaxelrad22

I don't think it's entirely your fault, sugar and fatty foods react in a similar way that drugs do in our system, thus,we literally have a minor addiction to these foods. How you react to that is on you, but otherwise your cravings are real chemically and mentally. I am currently on a medical appetite suppressant program, and it has helped majorly with the cravings! Don't get me wrong though, I still have to resist the temptation of my favorite junkies, but this has given me the added boost I need to replace lindt chocolate w/ sugar free pudding etc. It is an option if you have tried consistently and can't seem to resist. Also working out helps the temptation as well, only temporarily, but you could give it a shot. Next time you go to grab the pizza do a number of push-ups and jumping jacks (your friends may think you've gone off the edge) but hey could be worth it. :laugh:

MoJoPoe

I have tried to focus some of the eating energy into food preparation energy. Finding recipes, shopping for the foods, preparation. I am sure your friends will eat whatever you cook. You bring the home-prepared food, they chip in for the groceries.

Also, a healthy gourmet is REALLY appealing to the right women.

toutmonpossible

No, there may be other forces at work. No one seems to know for sure. Bottom line: You still have to figure out how to eat the right amount for you to lose or maintain.

Zomoniac

Most of my friends are lazy and bad eaters.

I am not.

It works ok though, because I am not them, I am in fact me, a whole different person, with a different mouth and different legs.

themanda04

your whole post made me lol. like, literally out loud, not just breathing heavier through my nose.

are they roommates? that would suck to be trapped with all that temptation.

other than dumping all of your friends which would suck, i don't know that you can *do* anything about it other than just resist the temptation. you can try to educate your friends or provide healthier alternative foods, or just be a paragon of healthy living to them in hopes of encouraging them to change their ways.

assuming they're a bunch of forever alones, i'd say that getting in shape and parading a hot gf around would be the best motivating factor to swaying them toward your lifestyle. that's a big assumption, of course. (both that they reddit--lol--and that you don't already have a hot gf.)

fight the good fight.

whitlisd

I've done the whole fast food living too and it is very addictive. You are not to blame at all. You fell into a pattern with your friends and luckily, you are strong enough to break free and try and do something about it. It truly is the grease and the sugar that has you hooked. You just have to release it's grasp on you and you will be fine.

I call myself an addict because I cannot just go to a restaurant or fast food place and get a little "treat". Oh no, I have to get the 3000 calorie meal and then some. For me, and maybe for you, it's about treating yourself as a drug addict for a while. Would you go to where people were doing drugs if you were trying to get clean? No. Same thing for us. Realize that the fast food places are lying to you and don't care about you, then start to love yourself. In the process, don't go to them. Jaxelrad22 was very correct in what she wrote. It will take a long time to break the cycle of what the bad foods have done.

kayemmgee5

I don't think it's entirely your fault, sugar and fatty foods react in a similar way that drugs do in our system, thus,we literally have a minor addiction to these foods. How you react to that is on you, but otherwise your cravings are real chemically and mentally.

This^ ! My office mates indulge in treats and always bring enough for everyone. It took a LONG time....months....of saying "no thanks" to where I actually felt good about saying no to the junk. Instead of thinking of how much you want the pizza/beer/chips/fast food, think of a healthy meal you already have waiting for you.

The best advice I can give you is MEAL PLAN! Seriously. You will benefit from it so much, knowing what you're eating next helps with the cravings.

1PatientBear

You are not to blame at all.

Could not disagree more. We are ALL to blame with what we put in our bodies. If a person doesn't own that, they are doomed to failure in my opinion because they will always find another "reason" it's not their fault.

Releven

assuming they're a bunch of forever alones

Couldn't have described them any other way lol!

MinnieInMaine

I kind of like the idea that HacheraTsarin presented.. What about coming up with healthier snacky things for you all to eat when you get together with them? You could even volunteer to cook. There are plenty of alternatives to our favorite comforty/junk foods that are much better for us and still taste really good. And trust me, I'm not one for clean and fat free everything but I've still be able to lighten up a lot of my family's favorite recipes without much of a fuss.

This is kind of how I deal with BBQ parties in the summer. I make a big pasta salad that's full of veggies with a little low fat dressing, low fat cheese and turkey pepperoni so it appeals to the kids too. I know it's pretty low in calories so I fill my plate with that and take little tastes of whatever else looks good and no one thinks I"m "starving myself" and I most importantly, I don't feel deprived. One of the last ones they had pulled pork sandwiches. So I had a little of the pulled pork (no bun or cheese) with my salad and some veg and dip someone else brought.

xampx

Use this to your advantage! Look at your friends and see how you do not want to become them! Get healthy and hope that they will follow your lead.

My sister is huge - 260-270lbs possibly more at a guess, my mother is not AS huge, maybe 200 but shes only 5ft 2, they are both incredibly obese, as is my sisters partner, my uncle, most of my cousins etc. My sister has trouble getting off the couch without rolling off and is literally round! I passed on a bunch of my old clothes to her when they got too big and not one of them fits her.

Whenever I go home, sister ALWAYS wants a takeaway, a dessert after EVERY meal, chocolate every single day, an extra cake or snack after we have finished eating. My mum makes excuses for her, says she is trying to lose weight (has been for 10 years, and has only got bigger in that time - admittedly she was depressed for a while but apparently not so anymore. her idea of losing weight is to buy the half fat cakes and eat twice as many) and in my opinion she makes it worse by going for a trip to the garden centre for cake, or stopping for a McFlurry on the way somewhere or going for takeaway food with her. They use me visiting as an excuse to go all out and eat all this crap, and occasionally I will go along with it because I don't eat that stuff very often, I have pizza maybe once a month and get chinese food after a really heavy gym session, but usually I look at them and think no, I really don't want to turn into you, and thats the best motivation for me to keep losing weight and not giving in to temptation.

WendyTerry420

That my inability to stop eating bad food isn't all my fault?

Don't get me wrong, it's clearly my fault for having terrible eating habits, what i'm getting at is the company that I keep as far as friendships clearly has an effect on how I consume my calories.

For instance, I am almost 210 pounds my goal is 190, maybe less if it's healthy. My friends, i'd say my 5 closest friends, weight over 240+ and it's not a healthy 240, it's a lazy, playing league of legends for 18 hours a day, pizza as a meal 9 times a week, mcdonald's the other 13 meals 240 pounds. None of them care about fitness, none of them care how they look, and none of them are changing the way they eat anytime soon. So here I am trying to make a better person out of myself physically and I feel like I'm stuck in this never ending cycle of fast food temptation. I know that "will power" is the key to my success but it's really hard after eating grilled chipotle chicken breast and green beans to see that these guys have left over pepperoni pizza and not want it to make sweet love to my taste buds. I walk around the kitchen a few times, pretending to do dishes, or pretending that I need to clean stuff up or do something in that general area in order to just be around it. I want to smell it, touch it, lick it, devour it and the voices inside me are calling me to it worse than the damn smeagol guy on lord of the rings, except, I know in my heart I do not want the precious.

I want to destroy the precious...

But how?

Why can't you eat it? Are you allergic?

lisquito

I have to battle a junk food enabler in my workplace, and it gets sooooo hard, especially when the 3pm slump hits and I want a quick sugar fix! She is always offering even though she knows I am trying to eat better, it makes me kinda mad!

My best weapon for her offerings is to ALWAYS have something on hand that I LIKE to eat! I keep tasty, healthy snacks in the office fridge. That way, I can turn down just about anything she is offering and still feel like I am getting a treat! It also gives me a HUGE boost knowing that I am conquering my impulses and choosing to eat better in the face of adversity!

Even if they aren't super healthy treats, you can find things that are better than the foods your friends have around. Even ice cream can work itself in if you're careful about not overdoing it (Sugar Free Vanilla Klondike Bars 180 cal each!)

Last but not least....DONT torture yourself telling yourself you CANT CANT CANT have food you want, it will only hurt your chances overall, because you will be more likely to rebel against your eating plan. If you HAVE to have something...just have some! Having some unhealthy food isn't going to ruin you as long as you keep yourself in control, and be careful about how it affects your daily food plan. Honestly after a certain point I stopped wanting unhealthy food, because eating it really upset my stomach (all the grease, etc)

Stay strong, friend, and if all else fails - find people to add to your life who SUPPORT you meeting your goals, even when they don't match their own!

jwdieter

Get out of the house and don't eat the pizza. Also, maybe find some friends that do something (sports, hiking, lifting, etc). There are a lot of guys out there who don't play LoL all day.