I *honestly* do NOT understand...

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,692 Member
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    What helped me is when I started eating small , balanced meals every 3 hours. It keeps your metabolism higher than just eating breakfast lunch and dinner.
    It helps with satiety, but doesn't raise metabolism any more then 3 meals a day. This is an ongoing myth in the fitness/diet industry.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ShortInSeattle
    ShortInSeattle Posts: 44
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    Here is what has worked for me.

    1) Educate yourself on the impact. (If I eat this... My blood sugar and pressure will go up. My weight loss will stall...)
    2) Refuse to buy it. Ever. Skip the snack aisle. Stop going to the places that sell it. (Convenience stores, for example)
    3) When you see it, imagine it is a pack of cigarettes. Would you have "just one" of those? Nasty.
    4) When you think about it, change the subject. Don't dwell on it. Pick up a book. Go paint your nails.

    Take the issue of "should I have some?" Off the table. The answer is simply no. When you've reached your goal weight and maintained it for six months, you can revisit the question.

    The good news is that once you've stayed off the chips/junk for a while, you stop wanting it.

    Good luck!

    SIS
  • ShortInSeattle
    ShortInSeattle Posts: 44
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    Deleted (duplicate post)
  • rhinesb
    rhinesb Posts: 204 Member
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    My husband would suck down an entire bag of chips in one sitting. I got tired of the waste because as far as I was concerned that bag should have been on the side of a sandwich or something and should have lasted at least three or more separate meals for the two of us. So I completely stopped buying them for I would say almost 5 years. Just recently I started buying them again after he's gotten in shape and now he doesn't gorge himself. Those bags actually last now. I'm very proud of him

    There were foods that I couldn't have in the house. I couldn't have cookies, cakes, doughnuts, icecream etc... in the house without completely demolishing them. I mean I would literally eat them breakfast lunch and dinner until they were gone. I don't know what has changed but I can buy two or three quarts of icecream for the kids now and not even touch it. Actually for the past 10 + quarts I have only had one bowl of icecream. I seriously do NOT know what has changed. I don't even crave it like I used to. Cake too. I have four daughters so you can imagine how often we have a birthday cake *6 cakes a year* plus relatives and holidays etc... After one of my daughters party we had about 1/3 left. Now normally it would tempt me to no end and since I know I usually give in I decided to give each person in our neighbor's home a slice of cake. I left just enough for two more slices...one for the birthday girl and one for hubby. I was very proud of myself. Doughnuts I just won't buy. And if some how I just have to have them...then I make sure to share the doughnut love so that everyone gets some and no one gorges. It has been amazing.

    Now I totally skip the aisle that I know are just junk.

    Also one of my biggest triggers is chocolate bars like snickers, twix, butterfinger etc... Now mind you I don't buy them as I know I can't stop. I have issues at my grandmother's house as she has a HUGE stash of them and if I don't make sure I eat before I go to her house then I WILL bite that bullet and gorge on chocolate. Now at home I decided to help curb my sweet tooth by getting gourmet jelly beans. I really like them but they absolutely are not a trigger for me. When I feel that I need something sweet then I go grab 5-8 beans. For some reason it works for me.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
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    So this is really going to sound funny.. but when i first started.. i had a lock box. I filled bags of (at that time, chocolate was my trigger) chocolate pieces into ziplocks. I put serving sizes, or whatever i had alloted for the days calories into one baggie. The rest went into the lock box... and the key went to work with my husband. I would snack on the chocolate through the day.. (usually M&Ms) KNOWING at night, when i was in bed... i HAD to have some of that.. it was the end of the day, in bed i wanted it the most! Well, a few days.. i didnt have it.. and OMG it was horrible! Well, after that, i wouldnt TOUCH THEM all day.. then it dawned on me. If i can go all day without touching them.. why not go a few days? then a week? then two? then, i just stopped eating them all together. Before i knew it.. i had THREE BAGS (large bags, cuz thats what hubby bought) in the lock box!! So, he gave a bag to each of the kids, with the stipulation that if they slipped mom any... they lost their bag! Well, it never bothered me. Maybe i just got sick of them? Maybe the sugar was totally out of my system? IDK! But i just didnt want anymore! It was great!

    Now... lol.. im having issues with pasta! LOL! If i can kick that, ill be good! but omggggg it smells freaking amazing! <3
  • skinnymalinkyscot
    skinnymalinkyscot Posts: 174 Member
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    The other thing i forgot to mention in my post regarding junk trigger foods is because I now visualise the trigger food as basically poison, that cute exterior whether its chocolate or chips is hiding the fact its composed of hydrogenated fats, sugars and salts. So I dont feel Im denying myself anything at all , now i feel Liberated, like ive escaped from consuming poison.
  • rhinesb
    rhinesb Posts: 204 Member
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    I can say with all honesty, I no longer have any foods I 'can't stop' eating. Right now I have a half a pan of brownies that sat there for a week and will be going out with the trash today. I intended to put them in the freezer before they got stale, but just forgot about them.

    I've done this in two ways. One intentional, one accidental. The accidental one was when I discovered from my doctor that I was one of those people (and there are more than you might think) who actually, *need* more salt. I started salting my food as much as tasted good to me, and my cravings for junk food (usually high in salt) were very quickly gone. My body needed the salt and had to get it somewhere.

    The way I did it intentionally was simply to eat the food I'm craving - Every day if I wanted, every meal if I wanted. It wasn't long before I got tired of it and I could take it or leave it.

    I *never* substitute something else for the food I'm craving. My body knows the difference and my goal was to get rid of cravings - to take away the food's power - not just put them off for a time and have to fight constantly be fighting cravings.
    I wonder if I've had this problem. I actually NEVER added salt to ANYTHING EVER. Not joking at all. I only ever used it in baking recipes for get togethers.

    But here recently I've started adding salt to taste on my food. And also here recently I am no longer constantly craving sweets. Makes me wonder...hum....
  • tessi1993
    tessi1993 Posts: 186 Member
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    im the same (i also smoke some weed at nights, which doesnt help lol) my boyfriend can stop and i cant.
    latley i have been making my boyfriend hide anything that i dont want heaps of which seems to work.
    but i also dont buy them anymore. i buy 1 snack (like a packet of tim tams or cookies etc) so he can have them but as much as it pains me i have to say no!
  • FixIngMe13
    FixIngMe13 Posts: 405 Member
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    What has and is helping me is putting a picture of me at my biggest on my fridge, on my stove, my pantry and anywhere I go to reach for food. I have written under it.... Is it worth the calories? Is it worth the extra time in the park or in the gym? It has brought me to reality actually and I have done very well with it. And it isn't just for my trigger foods, but it is for all other foods also that I seem to binge on because I'm bored or upset.

    The photo idea has worked wonders with me...and I don't want to continue to look like that, so that is my motivation to stop while I'm ahead so I don't keep looking like that. It has worked.

    Good luck and I do hope that some of these ideas you are getting helps you. :flowerforyou:
  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
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    If you eat because you're hungry, you stop eating when you stop being hungry.

    If you eat for ANY other reason, what is the cue for you to stop? There isn't one. If you eat because you're stressed, bored, seeking comfort, out of habit . . . you will continue to eat compulsively past your point of satiety because you are seeking but not achieving an outcome that food ultimately cannot provide.

    Try to eat to satisfy hunger, nothing else. If you find yourself eating for any other reason, find an alternative activity to meet those needs.

    If you crave salty things, maybe you need more salt in your diet.
    :drinker:
  • cheeky0122
    cheeky0122 Posts: 38 Member
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    I'm with most of you on the salty snacks and I've found that, for me, putting what I *plan* to eat in a bowl and then rolling the chip bag up, clipping it shut, and putting it back up into the cabinet keeps me from coming back for seconds.
  • jen_zz
    jen_zz Posts: 1,011 Member
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    What has and is helping me is putting a picture of me at my biggest on my fridge, on my stove, my pantry and anywhere I go to reach for food. I have written under it.... Is it worth the calories? Is it worth the extra time in the park or in the gym? It has brought me to reality actually and I have done very well with it. And it isn't just for my trigger foods, but it is for all other foods also that I seem to binge on because I'm bored or upset.

    The photo idea has worked wonders with me...and I don't want to continue to look like that, so that is my motivation to stop while I'm ahead so I don't keep looking like that. It has worked.

    Good luck and I do hope that some of these ideas you are getting helps you. :flowerforyou:

    Will try that!
  • faithsimmons526
    faithsimmons526 Posts: 162 Member
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    So, how do YOU manage to not totally inhale your trigger foods? I would LOVE suggestions/ideas/advice! My waist begs you!

    I don't. But -- like you apparently -- somehow I get past it and stay on the journey. As long as we're winning, who cares, right?

    Btw ... did somebody say ... BUGLES???? Aww, crap, another bad day coming up lol.
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
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    I try not to buy too many. When I do, I portion out a serving and then put the bag/box away and out-of-sight. Not to say this works all the time but it really helps when I'm otherwise able to control my cravings.
  • aklove907
    aklove907 Posts: 118 Member
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    I have found that if I put a handful into a sandwich baggie and not have the entire bag in front of me, it works. I do not deprive myself, just watch the serving size. Good luck! I know it can get hard at times, but you can do it!
  • nikkylyn
    nikkylyn Posts: 325 Member
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    Great.....now I want chips
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    I'm baffled too, but for the opposite reason. I wish I had some advice for you. I'm more likely to not eat, because I'm busy with something else and didn't think about it. For me; three bites of something like chocolate, apple pie, etc., is enough to enjoy the flavor, four if it's really good, but I don't have any trouble stopping there. I don't like salty crunchy things, so I never eat potato chips, pretzels, that sort of thing, don't enjoy it. I honestly can't understand continuing to eat until you've finished the whole bag, as my husband can. Him: "It's just 120 calories a serving." Me; " But you ate the whole box, that's 10 servings, do the math!" Literally, I'd never do that because I don't want to and have no urge to do it. I can't tell you how to stop eating something you love, because three or four bites of whatever and I feel satisfied. MY problem is not wanting to get out of bed on a cold morning, go downstairs, and build the fire back up, because I didn't get up in the middle of the night and throw a few more logs on!! If I didn't force myself I'd put on weight all winter because I don't want to go out in the cold.
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
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    For salty cravings, I eat popcorn. The Fit Popcorn approved by the Biggest Loser is very taste and a serving is almost 4 cups. That's a bowl full. Or I eat a sheet of dry roasted seaweed from Trader Joe's - or crumble it onto something that I want to add a salty flavor to. A package is only 99 cents.

    For chocolate, I eat Kashi chocolate almond sea salt with chia bars. NOM NOM NOM

    For whatever I'm craving, there's usually some sort of better alternative (for me, anyway). I like crunchy stuff, so I snack a lot on these mini edamame crackers from Trader Joe's - one serving is 36 crackers. I also picked up a box of their pumpkin cranberry crisps and snack on those (12 per serving) with the Philadelphia whipped cream cheese - that's my new fave snack, I must say!
  • Naturebeckles
    Naturebeckles Posts: 44
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    ...how someone (not me) is able to STOP eating chips or bugles or cookies (insert trigger food here.) My trigger food: potato chips - or anything salty really. If there is a bag or box of something salty in the house I cannot NOT finish the entire bag or box. I am baffled by people that can eat just a few. My husband, for example, will eat just 4 or 5 chips and that's enough for him - I sit and look at him with awe. I generally don't have my "trigger" foods in the house but last week was a bad week and I went on an emotional eating roller coaster of a ride which culimanated in my finishing ALL chips in the house last night (not logged - too ashamed) and polishing off a bottle of wine (logged.) So, how do YOU manage to not totally inhale your trigger foods? I would LOVE suggestions/ideas/advice! My waist begs you!

    My trigger food is cookies. I love cookies. Cookies are God.

    So I don't buy cookies. If my father in law brings them over, or on the off chance I'm motivated enough to bake some, I will take one and put the rest up out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind - or at least takes more work to get them down from the top of the cupboard. I let myself have one a day until they're gone. I let the kids eat more of course.

    Not buying them ever makes them more of a treat and makes me enjoy them more when I do get to have them. that's what works for me.

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