I tried going IIFYM today - here are my results
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I think the point of going cold turkey on a permanent basis is where alot of us have a problem. Demonizing food with complete abstinence for the rest of your life is just not sustainable... When I first hit rock bottom, I had enough common sense to know I had to get a handle on my food addictions. I knew I had to mentally change my relationship with food first and foremost, that did not mean I couldn't ever have those foods I enjoyed ever again, I just needed to learn that I could enjoy 2 pop tarts and not sit down with a 12 count box and a gallon of chocolate milk and finish them both off in one sitting... So day 1 we literally brought in 2 - 32 gallon trash cans and empty the house of all trigger foods because at that time I had no choice but to remove those items from my presence until such a time that I could introduce them back in at a time I could have control over those foods and not the other way around.. So out they went and in I went into therapy to learn how to deal with my food addictions. What I found out was alot of my food addictions had less to do with the actual food and more to do with other issues that i was using food to suppress. (Severe Depression, Severe Social phobia issues, The loss of my parents 6 months apart, the death my sister, etc) Once I learned to deal with my emotions and I had a better understanding of my issues at that time I started reintroducing those foods that I enjoyed but of course in moderation and only if by preplanning they fit within the confines of my caloric intake and macros.. The majority of my day is filled with whole foods but I do plan discretionary foods too. (Last night it was Breyer's Reese's cup ice cream and hershey's chocolate syrup), Tonight will be an pop tart ice cream sandwich but the whole point is to never demonize any foods and learn to add these foods into your everyday life. Once you can successfully do this you will no longer struggle with binges, falling of the wagon, etc... This is more of a point than bragging but I can walk out to my pantry right now and there is several 12 count boxes of a variety of pop tarts in there, just to name one thing but I haven't had a pop tart in over 2 weeks but I have control over any foods now and they no longer control me so I can preplan my meals based on what I want and right now I am on a baking bread thing. (Pumpkin nut bread). This may or may not be how others approach their relationship with food but this is how I do it.... Best of Luck0
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Hi - yes food can be medication for those things you mentioned.
Downside is that temporary pleasure can bring on a month of extra weight which does not feel good, so what good is that in the long run
I started cold turkey on some things, and some things even now i leave out. but i dont think everyone stays on cold turkey method for long. I dont think that is sustainable forever. I think introducing some things a little bit might work but careful planning with it can work.
I am going to try to introduce a few things that i left off for now, but i will use what people have kindly corrected me with and then aim to keep it within MFP macros. Next Saturday i am planning to go have a slice of pizza and try to work on fitting that in properly.0 -
from experience going cold turkey leads to unwanted binges and over eating this is the cycle i was in i would cram everything i wanted to eat in a day and then restrict myself and feel awful.
Its been a month now and i have been following the IIFYM......i dont have days anymore where i just eat eat and then for a few days don't go near anything like that.
For example today was saturday and my kids wanted a mcdonalds for lunch, we went i chose a happy meal rather than a full blown meal as its 400 calories less, i will now have to work round my calories to have my dinner and snack on low cal food.
I really wanted some cake the other day so in the afternoon rather than my normal snacking i weighed a piece and logged it.....so i got to eat my cake within my calories but that also meant i had a couple of hundred less to snack on.....you just have to change your diary and foods accordingly.
You could of had a diet coke and skipped one of the sweets and saved one to fit in for tomorrow....just an example.0 -
From experience, going cold turkey leads to that for you. It may not be so for her.from experience going cold turkey leads to unwanted binges and over eating this is the cycle i was in i would cram everything i wanted to eat in a day and then restrict myself and feel awful.
Its been a month now and i have been following the IIFYM......i dont have days anymore where i just eat eat and then for a few days don't go near anything like that.
For example today was saturday and my kids wanted a mcdonalds for lunch, we went i chose a happy meal rather than a full blown meal as its 400 calories less, i will now have to work round my calories to have my dinner and snack on low cal food.
I really wanted some cake the other day so in the afternoon rather than my normal snacking i weighed a piece and logged it.....so i got to eat my cake within my calories but that also meant i had a couple of hundred less to snack on.....you just have to change your diary and foods accordingly.
You could of had a diet coke and skipped one of the sweets and saved one to fit in for tomorrow....just an example.
I also don't really understand this "cold turkey" phrase in this context. It seems to imply that IIFYM people are weaning themselves off of junk instead of cutting it out entirely all at once. I have zero intention of weaning myself entirely off of anything at this point.
So, my question for you is, with choosing a happy meal one day and a piece of cake another, did you actually hit your macros those days, or did you just stay under/at your calorie goal? Because IIFYM means more than just "not going over your calorie goal."
I keep hammering on that point because I want to make sure the OP understands the difference, and that IIFYM requires not only that you meet your calorie goals, but also your nutrition goals.
Also, about the cake or Lean Pocket having fewer calories than the 800 calorie sandwich... which one would fill you up better and provide more nutrients-- the cake, the Lean Pocket, or half the 800 calorie sandwich? These are decisions I make every single time I eat. Eventually you don't have to think too long about it, because you get to know which things will make you feel better, meet your nutritional needs better, and fill you up better. But just because I make these decisions more quickly now doesn't mean I don't go through the mental calculus every single time.
Oh, edited to add that I finally remembered to mention that my diary is public; feel free to look back as far as you like. I have daily logging of everything that goes into my facehole back to about June 24th. It'll be sporadic from there going back to the first of the year, and I had success commensurate to the commitment to faithful logging, which is to say, I lost zero weight during that time. (But I did get back a lot of the fitness I'd lost over the second half of 2012!)0 -
I'm not willing to open my diary at this time, but normal it looks like this:
Breakfast:
Coffee
Coffee creamer
Oatmeal bread, toasted with light margarine
Toasted coconut full fat greek yogurt
Lunch:
1 cup 2% cottage cheese
200 grams raw strawberries
2 graham crackers
Dinner:
6 oz protein
1 serving starch (potatoes or rice)
1 serving green veggie
Snacks:
2 servings raw veggies
1 serving raw fruit (peaches are in season)
1 cup low-cal ice cream (I like Edy's) or 1/2 cup higher calorie gelato
That's normally. This past week hasn't been normal so I've just been doing the best I can to at least get enough protein.
that sounds like a really great menu for the day
And the whole concept is that the ice cream fits her macros - and she has got fruits and veggies in.
Right and just for further reference, about the ice cream:
Edy's: 1 cup has 240 calories, 6 grams of protein, 7 grams of fat.
Talenti peanut butter cup: 1/2 cup has 260 calories, 13 grams fat, 5 grams protein
GS salted caramel gelato: 1/2 cup has 200 calories, 9 grams fat, 4 grams protein
So if I have a salad and grilled chicken for dinner and my protein and fat are solid, I'll go for the peanut butter cup or the salted caramel.
If I have homemade pizza for dinner and my fat's a little high and protein is not as high as it could be, I'll go for Edy's.
Make sense?0 -
aha,, i knew it
If you dont mind, can ilook at your food diary to see how you work it in?
Sorry, went back to bed (was only 3am my time.) And I don't open my diary to the public but I can give you the basic rundown. No ss, since I'm not on my computer.
Cream of wheat
3 turkey sausage
Two slice of toast
Grape jelly
White chocolate raspberry quest bar
Steak plate which is: Steak
Rice
Salad
Catalina dressing
Nutella fudge ice cream with strawberries, one cup
Shrimp (homemade with butter, spinach, and cherry tomatoes)
Pasta, whole grain
Multi vitamin
Nutella fudge ice cream with strawberries, one cup0 -
Hi - your post is an example that kinda freaks me out.. and which i was seeing and thinking, what???!!?? That one paragraph leaves a lot of wondering whats up with that? i dont get it how you can do that... i interpret that as you giving yourself much license to eat treats, but i have a feeling you eat that but within strict limits? Can you explain more specifically about those treats.
OP: you didn't direct this question at me, but I sense that you're struggling to hear the explenations that others have given, so maybe one more will help?
Firstly, I hear where you are coming from. I got heavy eating without thought, and clinging to comfort foods. So when I decided. To lose weight, my first order of business was to stop eating all those "bad" foods. Honestly, I was fine with that, at least for the 5 months I did it, but then I realised it was unneccesary. What was wrong with my old eating habits wasn't the second part (junky comfort food) but the first part (eating without thought).
So here is my process now: I want to eat something. Chocolate, ice cream, Wendy's fries, whatever. Ok, I think. I open my food diary. I CLICK TO TOMORROW. I think about my day's schedule, and figure out if the yummy food is in the house or somewhere I know I will be. Then I LOG IT. Then that evening I do what I do every evening, and log all of tomorrow's food. I look at the numbers. Hmmm, protein is light, can I swap out that banana at lunch for a greek yogurt? Hmmm, that yummy treat pushed my carbs up kinda high. Swap that breakfast bagel for eggs? Success!
I do this every day. Result? I have a yummy treat every day (sometimes more than one!). This also means that I feel secure in my food choices, that my lunch is packed every day, and that when I find myself hungry at 3pm I already know what to reach for.
This was a too-long, too-detailed explenation, but I feel like that's what you're looking for. This works for me, I hope it helps. Good luck and best wishes!0 -
I'm sure what IIFYM actually is has been hashed out already...I just want to add my diary from Wednesday as an example. THIS is what it means. I had ice cream, cookies, and a caramel apple:
[l]
[/URL] 0 -
I'm sure what IIFYM actually is has been hashed out already...I just want to add my diary from Wednesday as an example. THIS is what it means. I had ice cream, cookies, and a caramel apple:
[l]0 -
If its a day that I know we are going to get pizza, I plan for it. I eat a smaller, healthy breakfast and lunch (very lean protein and vegetables), and do a really good morning workout--like a long run or hour long circuit training. I've eaten 1/2 a pizza for dinner, and fit it into my calorie goal, because I planned ahead.Hmm , for those of you who can do it, props to you.
I cant.
Strange but im fighting it because of what it means to me. Like what i said above. I think i still have a food addiction I dont mean to go all psycho-babble on you, but i think thats it. I cant indulge in treats a lot becuse i cant stay within my MFP macros
how do you all do it??? How do you all who enjoy ice cream and pizza do it without going over your portions?
this is ironic because I indulged a little bit, I must have eaten a ton of food to get myself to where i am today If i didn't record that on MFP i would be wondering why i didnt' eat much but still had a lot of calories.
anyway it was just an experiment today. i dont plan to do this all the time.. but i might still have a little slice of pizza next weekend.
Can you tell me how i can enjoy such things without messing me up like today?0 -
from experience going cold turkey leads to unwanted binges and over eating this is the cycle i was in i would cram everything i wanted to eat in a day and then restrict myself and feel awful.
Its been a month now and i have been following the IIFYM......i dont have days anymore where i just eat eat and then for a few days don't go near anything like that.
For example today was saturday and my kids wanted a mcdonalds for lunch, we went i chose a happy meal rather than a full blown meal as its 400 calories less, i will now have to work round my calories to have my dinner and snack on low cal food.
I really wanted some cake the other day so in the afternoon rather than my normal snacking i weighed a piece and logged it.....so i got to eat my cake within my calories but that also meant i had a couple of hundred less to snack on.....you just have to change your diary and foods accordingly.
You could of had a diet coke and skipped one of the sweets and saved one to fit in for tomorrow....just an example.
So you got to have your cake and eat it too? Sorry, I just had to go there lol!0 -
Stolen!0 -
? Copyrighted image? Sorry about that. I removed mine.Stolen!0 -
to each their own..0
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I think she meant she liked it so much that she was taking it to use later.
? Copyrighted image? Sorry about that. I removed mine.Stolen! 0 -
I think she meant she liked it so much that she was taking it to use later.
? Copyrighted image? Sorry about that. I removed mine.Stolen!
^^yep, this0 -
Haha, that's probably true. My years on wikipedia are showing, we spent half the time watchdogging articles and deleting pictures that people didn't have permission to post. I messaged her and asked. I will repost it, if that's what she meant.:laugh:
I think she meant she liked it so much that she was taking it to use later.
? Copyrighted image? Sorry about that. I removed mine.Stolen!
^^yep, this0 -
Hi all - im back from my special event today. and I kept in mind what you all said. I didn't log anyting in yet, but i will tomorrow..
I learned something new from you all - I'm going to start pre-logging in what i plan to eat, and then see what i am working with, i usually log in things after i eat. i see it will be better to plan this way and see what i have left over or not.
I was able to eat a little of most food items tonight, and enjoy it, and i had one piece of cake rather than the other 4 desserts they had. I believe i kept within my MFP numbers too..
I love seeing the diary menus you all provided, because i see your not eating what I thought you were all eating the other day! i just needed to see it in order to know the truth, not just what my mind was interpreting.
In the past food has been something major in my life and I guess words can have a different impact, you see a half cup of ice cream and I see it as 2 cups. I dont want food in my life to control me, and good news, a lot of that craving i used to have is under control. getting better every day. so it will be easy for me to stick with this, even more, and those other fattening foods are not what i desire.
Well time to go to sleep again, but i will fill out todays diary tomorrow.. too pooped.0 -
I think pre-logging is an excellent tool, no matter what your eating plan is. I am doing tomorrow's meals right now, then bedtime. :yawn:Hi all - im back from my special event today. and I kept in mind what you all said. I didn't log anyting in yet, but i will tomorrow..
I learned something new from you all - I'm going to start pre-logging in what i plan to eat, and then see what i am working with, i usually log in things after i eat. i see it will be better to plan this way and see what i have left over or not.
I was able to eat a little of most food items tonight, and enjoy it, and i had one piece of cake rather than the other 4 desserts they had. I believe i kept within my MFP numbers too..
I love seeing the diary menus you all provided, because i see your not eating what I thought you were all eating the other day! i just needed to see it in order to know the truth, not just what my mind was interpreting.
In the past food has been something major in my life and I guess words can have a different impact, you see a half cup of ice cream and I see it as 2 cups. I dont want food in my life to control me, and good news, a lot of that craving i used to have is under control. getting better every day. so it will be easy for me to stick with this, even more, and those other fattening foods are not what i desire.
Well time to go to sleep again, but i will fill out todays diary tomorrow.. too pooped.0 -
I have a question if any1 can help pls... How do I adjust my macros? I really didn't have a clear understanding of IIFYM until reading this thread & now I want 2 adjust my protein & sodium... Btw- Ty for this topic... It has helped me gain a better understanding of good nutrition...
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