overcoming eating way too much

snootmaster

I am still fairly early in this weight loss attempt (I also have started several times and fell off the wagon) but it truly feels different. Here is what is working for me this time-1) Minimizing processed foods-if I do not easily understand all the ingredients in a product then usually I do not buy it. 2) Along those same lines, I stopped buying "diet" foods-I will still eat low fat cheeses, low fat almond milk, etc but I am not eating things like sugar free jello and pudding, diet soda (pretty much now all I drink is water, almond milk and occasionally tea), diet breads (I have started baking my own bread), diet chips, etc. I think eating those things was creating more cravings rather than satisfying me. 3) As a natural progression of what I have been trying to do for years, I have really cut down on meat consumption. Not really sure if it has helped me stay on track or not but it feels good right now. 4) I have added a modest amount of exercise. I try to do some walking on days I am not working (work 12-hour shifts), additionally several times a week I do a short homemade calisthenics routine. When I am at work, I try to add more steps to my day. Regarding exercise, I came to the realization that adding something was better than adding nothing even if it is not a huge amount. I need to be able to follow through with something that works for my lifestyle. Definitely shedding that "all or nothing" attitude I have had in the past. 5) I try to have at least two snacks in addition to B,L & D. I try to make sure that the snacks contain some fat, some carbs, and some protein. (an example would be clementines and a cheese stick, or some nuts) 6) I try to stay really grounded to my motivation to lose weight. When I feel like I am less in control of my eating than I want to be, I take some deep breaths and think about why being healthier is important to me. Additionally, I think about what things have improved for me even after only a modest weight loss (less tired, less sweaty and therefore less stinky, less irritable, more sit down meals with the family since I am cooking a lot more, less achy, etc, etc). Believe it or not, just taking a moment to think about my motivations has kept me on track a few times. 7) Finally, this encompasses a lot of above, I really have taken a look at other weight loss attempts and tried to figure out where I got derailed. It is all a learning experience even if you did not have the scale success you wanted in the past. My best wishes to you!

Domineer

took me two weeks. On the first day, I cut my calories in half. I filled up with tea as a snack and had multiple cups of tea a day. Now, I can get cravings and fight them because I replaced those unhealthy snacks with tea before healthy well portioned meals. I consume about 1800 calories a day (at max). I've cut 20 lbs in 6 weeks with three consistent days of exercise per week.

jelineee

For me, the biggest way to curb my appetite for the day is a good morning cardio workout on an empty stomach. I find that I tend to eat healthier throughout the day when I work out in the morning also so its a win-win. Another important point is to make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day. Make water your best friend! I know some people tend to think that all calories are equal but I personally think that eating whole fruits and vegetables is the best way to lose weight and the only way to a healthful life. And plus fruits and vegetables are typically lower in calories so you can get away with eating more

lauren3101

Hello. As I REbegin my weight loss journey (for the zillionth time) I'd like some advice from you. For those who started out eating way too much etc. What helped you to gain control? How long did it take to adjust to eating a decent amount rather than eating in surplus? Do the cravings ever go away? Just looking for some ideas to get restarted.

Please, whatever you do, don't follow some of the advice I've read on here. You don't need to cut out anything, go low carb, or do a juice cleanse, and you certainly don’t need to feel hungry.

Firstly, make sure you are eating a decent amount of calories. So many fall off the wagon on here because they start out thinking less is more, they eat 1200 calories or less and end up so hungry they give up.
Have a read of this thread, it will give you an idea of how much you need to eat.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013?hl=road+map+2013

Secondly, one thing this site helped me learn that diet plans didn’t, was what food worked best to fill you up. I used to buy high sodium, nutritionally void diet microwave meals for lunch just because they were low calorie, and I’d be hungry again in an hour. Protein and fats keep you fuller for longer, if you keep them high, you’ll find it a lot easier to not overeat. I now eat things like chicken breast, hard boiled eggs and salad, salmon with cous cous, avocado etc for lunch, and it keeps me going till dinner.

Also, people often confuse hunger with thirst. Keep your water intake high, and you will eat less.

lauren3101

Hello. As I REbegin my weight loss journey (for the zillionth time) ... Just looking for some ideas to get restarted.

and OP redeactivated... :huh:

What?! I hate giving advice to no-one!

JoanaMHill

For me, eating foods that are high in fiber really helps me to feel full for several hours so I'm not tempted to eat a ton of snacks or have a bigger meal the next time it comes around. Of course foods that are high in fiber are usually bread, so they might be higher in carbs or calories, but since you have to eat less, it might not matter as much. Vegetables also have a good amount of fiber when raw, and they're generally low in calories so you can feel less guilty about eating more of them.

gmthisfeller

Troll. Really.

JoanaMHill

I almost miss the days of LiveJournal when you would see a strike through a username if the account had deactivated.

MinnieInMaine

:sigh: So glad I wasted the time and energy on a well thought out post... :grumble: (hm, thought we had a rolleyes smiley)

This ticks me off almost as much as when a bunch of people post great advice but the OP can only focus on the one jerk who says something sarcastic and ignores all the good feedback. Blah...people

gmthisfeller

I almost miss the days of LiveJournal when you would see a strike through a username if the account had deactivated.

+1

sjp_511

Fruits and veggies! Lots of volume for very little calories.