Help Please.

R0ENIN8

I started with MFP a little over a year ago, had help from a friend and was losing weight. I started a new job that totally changed my routines, and went through a couple of surgeries. During that time fell off my diet and wasn’t able to exercise. I’ve gained the weight back plus some. I’m having a hard time getting back on track, Ive asked my wife to keep the unhealthy food out of the house she says I just need self control. She is partly right but it would help if I had healthier snacks. I just need some help getting back on track.

kommodevaran

Why don't you buy your own healthy snacks and ignore your wife's? Maybe you will like to hear this: To lose weight, you don't have to eat certain foods, or exercise, you just have to eat less.

TeaBea

Just start by changing one thing at a time. My snacks aren't carrot sticks, and celery. They don't have to be because my overall diet is good. Instead I use small portion packs for snacks: individually wrapped chocolate squares, single portion ice cream, and microwave popcorn. I still get a "treat" but it fits my calories.

I make sure to get in a good amount of veggies & fruit. I pack my lunch for work the same way I pack my breakfast. Maybe look into batch cooking on the weekend. Planning ahead is helpful.

Exercise can be anything. Take a walk after dinner if you can.

jgnatca

Volunteer to take over the grocery shopping. Reconnect with that supportive friend or find an equivalent. Move the high calorie snacks to the high shelves.

Consider your current weight to be ground zero and set small manageable weekly goals.

TavistockToad

R0ENIN8 wrote: »

I started with MFP a little over a year ago, had help from a friend and was losing weight. I started a new job that totally changed my routines, and went through a couple of surgeries. During that time fell off my diet and wasn’t able to exercise. I’ve gained the weight back plus some. I’m having a hard time getting back on track, Ive asked my wife to keep the unhealthy food out of the house she says I just need self control. She is partly right but it would help if I had healthier snacks. I just need some help getting back on track.

i agree with your wife.

if you need healthier snacks, then buy them, or put them on the shopping list for her to buy.

stop thinking of this as something you start and stop, its about sustainable lifestyle changes.

banana2girl

I sympathize. It's not hard when you feel you're being sabotaged. Getting started is the hardest part for me. (and then staying on).
Here are some things that may help.
1. Just try to summon all your control for three days. Absolutely no treats for three days. If you can use self-control and will power for just three days, then you lose the taste for those treats and by day 4, you won't even want them.
2. Focus on what you should eat. Try to get all of your vitamins and minerals through food. That means you have to eat a ton of vegetables. Plan out every meal and every snack for the next 4 days right now. Write them down and prepare and package whatever you can. If you're getting all the vitamins and nutrients, you'll be eating so much, you won't have room for any extra snacks.
3. On day 4, come back, report progress, and make your next 4 day plan, or simply reuse the last one if time is short.
4. You can do this. There will always be people who don't provide as much support as you'd like, so only focus on the changes that you can make and on what you can change. Good luck!

born_of_fire74

I understand where you’re coming from. My self control is practiced at the grocery store rather than in my home. By this, I mean I simply don’t buy things that I would regret eating later. If I do buy them, I have a very difficult time not eating them. So, instead of buying a dozen cookies and eating them slowly over the course of a week or ten days, I will eat all dozen cookies, usually within 2 days. As a result, I do not buy cookies at all.

My husband helps me out by not buying them either or, when he does, by not telling me about them. He had a box of chocolates left over from Halloween that he kept it in his truck for months until one day he let it slip to me that he had it. I polished off the entire box in very short order as soon as I was aware of it. Perhaps your wife could continue to buy treats for herself but just keep them secret so you are not tempted by them?

Keep in mind, too, that it is ok to eat treats and less than healthy snacks as long as they fit within your macros and calorie allotment for the day. I do on occasion eat a chocolate bar, a ~single~ cookie, a cinnamon bun etc. but only because I have all the protein I need for the day and still have calories to spare.

LZMiner

This is frustrating. I have teenagers so we have lots of fun carby goldfish, cheezits, cheetoes and chips...ALL the time! For me, they're triggers---one chip and I'll finish half the bag in 10 minutes. So...I stay away. It's not easy, and it's not natural, but then it becomes a contest with myself...and I want to win! Leaving the area helps, too. So if the kitchen counter snacks are tempting me, I leave the family room! Hang in there....and good luck!