How do you do it?

kathryn2bfit

So I have the fitness and exercise figured out, I love my workouts. My struggle has always been with food and nutrition. As a busy mom, my eating style is grab what I can get which is usually not very healthy choices. I have it in my mind that since I workout out I can indulge on my sweet cravings. The problem is I am always indulging! What I need to know and what I need help with is how do you stay with your nutrition. How do you be honest with yourself on what you are truly eating? I know we count calories on this site but I don't log some of them, especially when it is just a bite here or there. How do you do it? What tips and tricks help you stay on the nutrition path? Any ideas as to why it is so hard for me to make healthy choices and ways I can stop lying to myself about what I am eating?

jlizgar

I try to log as much of what I eat as possible, im pretty good about it, because I like to see my numbers and if I can tell they are getting close to going over that is motivation for me to S T O P eatting!
I completely cut out soda as it was just empty calories and they can really add up, I feel so much better and now im not drinking away calories that can be spent actually eatting something delicious.
I try to drink a ton of water, that actually makes me feel full and curb my appetitie so I eat less often.
I can not recommend Menu planning to a busy mom enough! It has saved me...no more running out of ideas for dinner, not having anything to cook, running out for fast food etc. Now I always know what we are going to have, and I know ive got all the ingrediants handy to make it...it saves time & money!
Im also much more mindful now that im trying to take better care of myself and loose weight, I feel horrible if I willingly indulge on something that I know is super bad for me, especially if it puts me over calories....this doesnt mean I dont eat yummy treats, I just try to make them healthy as possible so that I dont feel so badly when I indulge.
Good luck to you!

nosidda

You have to log everything! Maybe you should just take a portion size of the food instead of just a bite. It may be enough so that you don't feel deprived and easier to count the calories. I believe that when you don't record everything it is a slippery slope. Also recording and journaling has helped me to learn that there are certain foods that will fill me up and are lower in calories. In the past I would have thought that I should avoid them because of the sugars such as an apple. I have grown an appriciation a apple becuase of the nutrition and the sweet. I also try with my kids to get a fun new fruit or vegatable every week at the grocery store to try. Hang in there and good luck recording.

millesun

Once a week I plan my meals....Yes I too am a busy mom who enjoys sweets. I buy things like sugar free popsicles, skinny cow ice cream. I pack my lunch for work the night before. I also log every last thing I eat...did ya know that 1 altoid has 5 calories? I tend to eat about 10 altoids a day and its thoes little bites that really add up. I know it is time consuming :sad: , but for me it has really helped me stop taking that little bite of this or that! It has also helped me when I am struggling with my sweet tooth.
Good Luck!

Motleybird

I went to the grocery store while hungry, by myself, no kids, no husband, just me. Then I told myself I could buy anything I wanted as long as it was fresh produce, fruits and vegetables. I came home with three bags of stuff, and the amount of money I spent was very small for a spur of the moment hungry shopping trip, only $12. I made home made pico de gallo which I've added to lots of different things. I've made guacamole and quick microwaved broccoli. I've had fruit for quick snacks. Just knowing that it's all sitting in there and will rot if I don't do something with it helps motivate me to actually use it.

As for writing it down, it's much easier to write down the plum I had for a snack than it is to write down candy. And it's sweet too!

As for my family, I had no takers on the pico, but the guacamole and the steamed broccoli disappeared from the fridge. You never know what they may end up liking.

rocknhair

First of all, I am the first to admit that I have only been on this site for a couple of weeks, and do NOT have all the answers. What helps me, though, is that I have the MFP application on my phone, and I am FORCING myself to enter everything, even those little nibbles, that I put in my mouth.

Being honest with yourself is the hardest part, I think. If you do not have the convenience of the application on your phone, what about carrying with you a little notebook and pen? I know you are busy, and writing it all down may be inconvenient. But maybe if you force yourself to write down each and every item you eat, you will think more about it before you eat it. Then when you get home and can enter it all in to the site, you will be sure not to miss anything.

Just a suggestion...

Keep at it. You will find the system that works best for you! Good luck!

cardboardboxes

I feel your pain!!! I just had a little epiphany today: just because I am working out, that doesn't mean I should add all those burned calories back on by treating myself to more food! I just burned them off... I need to eat like I want that fat to stay off!

My way of getting around it is to plan my meals. I really didn't want to do this - I'm a nursing student and I work as a CNA at the hospital... I'm busy! But I have SUCH a battle with food and snacking (and fast food), that I had to do something drastic. I now have quite a few low fat cookbooks that I use to pick a few meals at a time. I go to the store and only get the foods on the list for those recipes. Then I take leftovers to work for lunch instead of eating in the cafeteria (NO willpower! Will eat anything!).

It's hard. It takes more than the standard effort... you can do it though. Keep it up!

rpatiag

DISCIPLINE, MOTIVATION AND DETERMINATION!

jlizgar

In regards to meal planning....for those of you that dont like to do it, dont think you want to do it because of lack of time...here is a website that will take all the guess work out of it for you, and save you time & money! I use it and love it. They also have meal plan options for weight watchers points, low carb, low fat and gluten free diets!

http://e-mealz.com/amember/go.php?r=136459&i=l0

XFitMojoMom

This is what I've done to help me with what i call MINDLESS EATING...

Keep a large ziploc freezer bag handy and everytime you are about to take a bite here, or a sample there - put it in the BAG. Everything - even that hot dog end you just bit... even those grilled cheese crusts you cut off... everything. I did it for a week and was absolutely disgusted at what was in the bag:sick: Seriously - weighed it and it was almost 3 pounds of absolute zero nutrition that would've translated to who knows what on my hips/belly/legs... Seriously, gross.
I challenge you to try it for a week - be truthful with yourself.

You'll learn fast what you will want to put in your belly when you are hungry...

kathryn2bfit

Thanks for the advice and tips. It must be time to let go of my indulgences, my secret little sins, for something worth fighting for -- because IT IS worth fighting for.

Barneystinson

This is what I've done to help me with what i call MINDLESS EATING...

Keep a large ziploc freezer bag handy and everytime you are about to take a bite here, or a sample there - put it in the BAG. Everything - even that hot dog end you just bit... even those grilled cheese crusts you cut off... everything. I did it for a week and was absolutely disgusted at what was in the bag:sick: Seriously - weighed it and it was almost 3 pounds of absolute zero nutrition that would've translated to who knows what on my hips/belly/legs... Seriously, gross.
I challenge you to try it for a week - be truthful with yourself.

You'll learn fast what you will want to put in your belly when you are hungry...

This is a really, really good idea. I've gotten much better with avoiding mindless eating, but I still slip up sometimes on the weekends.

MyaPapaya75

Personally for me what works is sticking to a set calorie amount and I usually dont dig into my excercise calories BUT when I do I make sure I only eat quality extras...in other words I dont use them for icecream or extra things I dont need ....I stick to mainly fruits and veggies when digging back into them

Mookz0r

I was exactly the same - a bit here, a bite there, finish up the kids' leftovers, etc... and that was the problem. For a week before making changes I logged everything, warts and all, even if it was half a yoghurt, a biscuit or a half-finished coffee.

It turned out, my random snacking added up to around 700 calories each day! AND I realised that I was knocking back about 6 coffees each day too, which, with milk and sugar, mounted up to another 150 cals. My last thing was portion size for my pasta/rice/spuds. I was eating double the recommended amount... after all, well, a plateful is a plateful, no?!

Anyhow, that was my wake-up call. I changed my portion sizes to the recommended, and even though it looked like a pitiful amount, it still filled me up, which was a pleasant surprise. The snacks and finishing up stuff had to have a bit more self-control, but I got some rice-cakes (27 cals!) and hummus for dipping and now have one if I really want it. Life's too short to deprive yourself, but it'a about making the right choices. I substituted the coffee for fizzy water with a dash of lemon juice in it, although I still have my morning coffee....

... and hey presto, the weight dropped off (without actually doing any exercise!)!