Why can't I do this???

adorable_aly

Before you are about to binge out on coke and chocolate that you don't have calories for/aren't hungry/etc, go into your bathroom, take off all of your clothes and look at your body in the mirror. Tell yourself that with the coke and chocolate it'll be like that forever (when you're over calories). Without, you'll be how you were before.

Personally I think this is a horrible idea. Seriously, using you're body as some kind of punishment?! What happened to being accepting and compassionate towards oneself.

OP just try coke zero, or fit it into your Marcos and exercise portion control.

hwoeltjen

I have a few tips for you.

1) Take it one day at a time.

If you end up eating something you shouldn't, don't assume your day is blown. Get right back on that routine immediately. Forget about what you just ate. We all have relapses and cheat.

2) Don't set yourself up to binge.

Low calorie diets are the #1 reason people have trouble losing weight. A huge deficit is hard to maintain and leaves you wanting food constantly.

If you are having trouble, taking it slow. Cut your calories down to something you can manage. Don't worry about losing weight more slowly....you will get to your goal either way.

3) Eat Healthy....Then Look At The Cupcake.

When you get into that moment that you know you are going to eat something you aren't supposed to....realize a couple things.

You are obviously hungry......this makes temptations to eat unhealthy food difficult to overcome. Have your "go to" healthy food ready to go whenever these moments hit you. As soon as you feel like you are getting really really hungry...go eat the "go to" food. Maybe it's a veggie...maybe a pickle....and drink a cold glass of water.

Then see how bad you want that unhealthy food. It's going to be difficult trying to rationalize eating carrots over the cupcake. Don't think about it....just go do it.

4) Stop Thinking About Food

Whenever you start dreaming about that doughnut....stop yourself. Start thinking about how great it's going to be when you wake up tomorrow knowing you were strong....and didn't eat that doughnut. Try to think about other things. Keep yourself busy.

5) Drink WATER!

Drinking water will keep you full and helps with cravings. Make sure you stay hydrated. Whenever you feel like you are getting hungry.....get that cold glass of water and drink up.....and smile....this is the skinny you winning the battle.

nikilis

coke = high fructose corn syrup. its some bad ****, so quit that. go for diet coke instead.

in terms of everything else, just take 5 seconds before you grab it and try to say no.

buy carrots and eat them instead. you cant satisfy real hunger with junk food without eating like 1000calories or feeling sick. brain hunger will never be satisfied.

your brain is bored and hungry.

arc8706

There are lots of diet sodas that are zero calorie (or those 10 calorie sodas, my parents like those and I'll have them sometimes when they buy them. They taste pretty good), there are even some that are sweetened with stevia at the health food stores if you like to avoid artificial sweeteners.

As for chocolate cravings, I like to fit in a chocolate protein bar for a snack most days. The Nature Valley ones that have peanut, almond, and dark chocolate are probably my favorite. Kind bars are good, too. Those have the sweetness of chocolate for the taste and they have a good bit of protein so they are more satisfying than a regular chocolate bar would be. Also they have nuts and those are good for you, they provide healthy fats and some micronutrients.


And don't do the mirror thing someone else suggested. Don't be mean to yourself or use self-hatred to motivate. An unhealthy body image will not be cured by weight loss, anyway (once you lose the weight you will probably still not be completely satisfied with what you see in the mirror, so it's just a terrible idea). Instead I would stay positive and think about all the ways you will benefit from the hard work you are putting in now: getting healthy, moving more, having a higher quality of life, etc. It's probably not worth sacrificing all of those wonderful things to continue to go over your calories on a regular basis due to sugar cravings. Also focus on your success rather than your failures, and use that to keep you going.

Best wishes!

I_Will_End_You

Two words. Coke. Zero. :happy:

Yes! Coke Zero is amazing.

CrazyWhiskers

Well, I don't know if you're taking meds or not, but I am and it certaily makes it harder, but it doesnt make it impossible. Keep at it and try your best, it's all you can do Also I love coke zero too

mamma_nee

I can not drink anything diet - I would use seltzer with a wedge of lemon , It would probably be easier to wean off it after your sugar cravings subside.

tmauck4472

I thought I couldn't live without diet coke in my life, a year and half later I don't miss pop at all. In my heart I feel cutting back on complex carbs helped me stop my sugar cravings. I can bake all day long (and today I did) and only eat what I have to taste. Every time I go back to eating pasta's and breads, I crave sugar. I still have some but nearly as often as I used to .

NavyKnightAh13

Bump

Nana_Booboo

I THINK YOU STOLE MY STORY!!!

But once I get off sugars, including bread and pasta I do excellent.
I don't push or promote diets but to get off the "crack" or sugar it seems easy to follow a South Beach or The Sugar Solution life style.

I know from experience that sugar is addictive and its not just candy and cookies.

Hope you find your way and add me if you'd like.
Include a message, thanks and good luck!

jofjltncb6

I THINK YOU STOLE MY STORY!!!

But once I get off sugars, including bread and pasta I do excellent.
I don't push or promote diets but to get off the "crack" or sugar it seems easy to follow a South Beach or The Sugar Solution life style.

I know from experience that sugar is addictive and its not just candy and cookies.

Hope you find your way and add me if you'd like.
Include a message, thanks and good luck!

Alternatively, many find success in eating a diet including those foods but at a reasonable deficit. Some even find this success after multiple failed attempts at these kinds of elimination diets.

rickster2663

I like soda also in fact I still drink it daily. you can still get your soda rush without sugared sodas. I drink zero calorie cola's and after awhile I began to like them better than high calorie types. is this as good as water? probably not but it is a substitute I choose to make. regarding chocolate there is no reason to give it up completely just limit intake and add it to your daily log. I have lost over 100 lbs multiple times prohibiting myself from eating things I enjoyed eating. This time around I am not depriving myself, and I am having better success without the insane cravings. Good luck to you.

VelvetMorning

Before you are about to binge out on coke and chocolate that you don't have calories for/aren't hungry/etc, go into your bathroom, take off all of your clothes and look at your body in the mirror. Tell yourself that with the coke and chocolate it'll be like that forever (when you're over calories). Without, you'll be how you were before.

Personally I think this is a horrible idea. Seriously, using you're body as some kind of punishment?! What happened to being accepting and compassionate towards oneself.

OP just try coke zero, or fit it into your Marcos and exercise portion control.

It's positive reinforcement as to why we're all doing what we're doing. Most of us have come *so* far, and looking in the mirror can be a wonderful reminder that we CAN keep doing it, and part of WHY we're doing it. Everyone wants to look good; it's not a "punishment" to remind you of what is more important to you (and I'm assuming her aesthetics are more important or she wouldn't be posting a topic looking for mere suggestions of what others do). You should always love yourself, obviously. But looking at your tummy in the mirror can be one of the most motivational things in the world because of how hard you've worked, come, and dedicated to it. Her feeling defeated over chocolates and soda is a much worse punishment and feeling than looking at yourself as a morale booster to your dietary goals. I also feel as if you're presuming everyone looks in the mirror at their body with deep disappointment; not the case, see the above. I consider myself to be in impeccable shape and practice very good dietary patterns that allow me both freedom and health yet I too have weak moments where I want to just drive to Taco Bell and eat 3,000 calories in junk. I pull my shirt up, my pants down, and go, "I love what I've done. Taco Bell isn't worth it." and I fail to see how that is punishment. To each their own, of course, but perhaps it was just a misunderstanding of purpose of getting naked and its effectiveness. When my weight starts to go upwards, I do the same, and it's not a punishment to see my chubby little belly, it's a mile marker. "I'm a little curvier than I'd like now, let me cut back so I can be back to where I'm more comfortable; chocolate and coke isn't worth it as much as being /more/ comfortable in my own skin." I certainly wasn't implying that she should look in the mirror and start crying and squeezing her excess skin like a scene out of White Chicks. lol I hope that clears it up!

Kestrel45

Zevia. Zevia. Zevia.

It's naturally-sweetened soda.

Helps me more than ever.

Nana_Booboo

I THINK YOU STOLE MY STORY!!!

But once I get off sugars, including bread and pasta I do excellent.
I don't push or promote diets but to get off the "crack" or sugar it seems easy to follow a South Beach or The Sugar Solution life style.

I know from experience that sugar is addictive and its not just candy and cookies.

Hope you find your way and add me if you'd like.
Include a message, thanks and good luck!

Alternatively, many find success in eating a diet including those foods but at a reasonable deficit. Some even find this success after multiple failed attempts at these kinds of elimination diets.

As I said, I don't push these diets, I believe in eating clean and healthy and have lost over 65lbs doing so, and only by starting an elimination diet then reintroduction. HOWEVER if there is an addictive hold than I suggest to get away from it all until you can control it. Clearly you don't have that type of addiction.

jofjltncb6

I THINK YOU STOLE MY STORY!!!

But once I get off sugars, including bread and pasta I do excellent.
I don't push or promote diets but to get off the "crack" or sugar it seems easy to follow a South Beach or The Sugar Solution life style.

I know from experience that sugar is addictive and its not just candy and cookies.

Hope you find your way and add me if you'd like.
Include a message, thanks and good luck!

Alternatively, many find success in eating a diet including those foods but at a reasonable deficit. Some even find this success after multiple failed attempts at these kinds of elimination diets.

As I said, I don't push these diets, I believe in eating clean and healthy and have lost over 65lbs doing so, and only by starting an elimination diet then reintroduction. HOWEVER if there is an addictive hold than I suggest to get away from it all until you can control it. Clearly you don't have that type of addiction.

This wasn't about me.

harlanJEN

You CAN
of course you CAN

Questions to ask yourself :

do you want to?
Are you READY ?

If you truly have goals you want to meet and you TRULY are Ready and want to do it ... You WILL.

If not .... You won't .

floridagirl7264

More great ideas! Thanks so much. I didn't realize how addicting this stuff really is. I do have an addictive personality. When I quit smoking, I went cold turkey. I had a problem with alcohol and stopped it completely with some help. For some reason, with me, it's all or nothing. I have to start teaching myself that it doesn't have to be this way. But I do have to break the addiction first. I may not have the ability to eat just one little piece of chocolate without starting a binge. Some are saying that you really have to want to lose the weight, and yes you do. But I came here just to get some ideas to help me along the way. I'm so glad I did!

brower47

Maybe you're just not ready.

I wasn't ready from the age of 12-30.

Good luck finding your time.

bleumuffin

I feel ya, OP. I really do. That's why I finally started using MFP again. I've got a pretty addictive personality too, don't even get me started on how I'm going to stop drinking Dr. Pepper. But I've found that as long as I stay strong enough, I can get through it. Just persevering through it helps me so much.