Those who've been successful at weight loss

Jbarbo01

Emotionally I am tired of fighting the little child that wants to eat all the things, I've been sitting at work for the past 3 hours fighting it. Trying to keep busy, drinking tea, having small snacks, and STILL I can't stop thinking about just eating all the food. Did you or do you not feel this way anymore? Or did you just fight the cravings bravely every time they came? How did you stay on plan to get to your goal?

thavoice

Emotionally I am tired of fighting the little child that wants to eat all the things, I've been sitting at work for the past 3 hours fighting it. Trying to keep busy, drinking tea, having small snacks, and STILL I can't stop thinking about just eating all the food. Did you or do you not feel this way anymore? Or did you just fight the cravings bravely every time they came? How did you stay on plan to get to your goal?

I have been a master at losing weight.

It has been keeping it off that has been the problem.

You just gotta take it one day, one meal at a time in the beginning. It does get better and easier once you stick to it and see the results. Once the positive results start showing there is nothing more motivating than that.

I am not sure how long you have been on your current plan but the so called experts say it takes at least three weeks of doing something consistantly to make it routine. Fight through it early. Best bet is to find some low calorie snacks to get you through those tough times.

Goodluck

SKME2013

I have been dieting since November and I lost 8 kg in the first 12 weeks. I am doing the 5:2 Fast Diet (you can google it) and frankly the beauty of it is, that it does not cost you anything and you do not feel deprived.

Two non consecutive days per week you are eating under 500cal and the rest of the week normally, up to your TDEE. So if I can not have the cookie today, I can have it tomorrow.
Stef.

thavoice

I have been dieting since November and I lost 8 kg in the first 12 weeks. I am doing the 5:2 Fast Diet (you can google it) and frankly the beauty of it is, that it does not cost you anything and you do not feel deprived.

Two non consecutive days per week you are eating under 500cal and the rest of the week normally, up to your TDEE. So if I can not have the cookie today, I can have it tomorrow.
Stef.

I am on the same thing. Have you joined the group on here for 5:2?

I absolutely love it and have been doing more of a 4:3 with it being M-W-F. I found the beauty of it by doing it for 24 hours on, 24 hours off, so you never really go a day without eating really and then a somewhat normal day.

Works wonders.

scraver2003

Why? Why do you want to eat all of the things? Why? Are you TRULY hungry? Are you bored? Are you feeling anxious about a meeting or deadline? Are you restless from sitting too long?

I have not yet been successful with losing weight... but I have FINALLY come to a place of peace. I have lots of tools lined up to help me now with my weight loss journey.

FOR ME, when I have the munchies at work, 80% of the time it is boredom. Boredom is the worst. I just want to eat things to pass the time. I had to practice at basically getting over it. I focus on my work, talk to a co-worker, go get some tea. Boredom is not a reason to eat. Period.

If I am truly hungry - I have an emergancy pack of beef jerky in my drawer.

If I am anxious about something - I talk to someone or get up and take a trip to the bathroom or furthest away water cooler. That usually helps me hit the reset button.

Look at WHY you want to eat everything, then deal with that issue.

wyattj99

I had that day yesterday since I was home sick but on a good day no since I eat every 2/3 hours and I preplan my logging with what I'm going to eat I don't get cravings. If and when I do I try to find a healthy version.

Jbarbo01

It is absolutely boredom. I'm so happy to have a job in this day and age but mine isn't the most challenging or even busy right now. I am not swamped or overwhelmed, of course I have things to do but there isn't much challenge to it. So sometimes as Im staring at yet another spreadsheet I just want some fritos or candy to liven up the day. It definitely sounds childish when I write it out haha. It feels like an itch I can't scratch, I've done all the things youve mentioned today. Gotten up for a walk, talk to a coworker, concentrated on work, had a small snack, and still childish me wants to eat for fun. Uhhh these are uplifting tips though, I shall press on and keep trying!

mlanders22

I take time to think about if I'm actually hungry or just bored.
I also pre-plan my entire day so if I am getting antsy about food I know I have a snack planned in a couple hours.

The biggest thing that has helped me though is knowing that no food is off limits. If I truly want something, I plan my day out with it as part of my macros. If I really want a donut and can't stop thinking about it I'll put one into my food journal for tomorrow and plan out the rest of my day accordingly.

_Zardoz_

Emotionally I am tired of fighting the little child that wants to eat all the things, I've been sitting at work for the past 3 hours fighting it. Trying to keep busy, drinking tea, having small snacks, and STILL I can't stop thinking about just eating all the food. Did you or do you not feel this way anymore? Or did you just fight the cravings bravely every time they came? How did you stay on plan to get to your goal?

My first thought reading this is that maybe your calorie goal is too low and aggressive? Personally i never really have any cravings I just over ate because it was there not for any specific reason by calorie counting this has enabled me to control that

lizzyclatworthy

If I am writing an essay I get like this so I drop my meal calories back down to as low as possible and allow myself to snack back up to my calories. some days I exercise to get extra and other days if I know it's going to be bad (deadline days) I upped my calories to maintenance and just sucked it up

Branstin

Are you drinking plenty of water? It helps me a lot.

krawhitham

The two things that have helped me are
1. Low to NO stress life
2. Timing of meals ex: breakfast 9 am 1st lunch noon, 2nd lunch 3pm and dinner at 8 or so.

Fortunately or unfortunately at this time in my life I dont have a pesky job to get in the way of my two successful wweight loss rules.

GiveMeCoffee

I don't have this issue, because I don't restrict my diet, if I want to eat something I fit it into my day, just smaller quantities (usually) than I had in the past.

In the past when I use to "go on a diet" I would cut calories way too much, restrict all the delicious foods, and I would get cravings like you are having, give in to them... and quit

Yesterday this picture below was 1 of 2 desserts I shared and it was AMAZING

pobalita

sugar-free gum can be a good distraction

Flabby_2_Fabby

sugar free hard candies - suck on them

dried fruit - it's crunchy like chips

Nabisco 100-Calorie Packs

twinteensmom

I have a little brat like that inside me, too. She is the one who whines "why can't i have just one candy bar? Why do THEY get to eat whatever they want and I can't? IT"S NOT FAIR!!!" To tell you the truth, I don't really know how I shut her up. I guess I just had to make my will stronger than hers(I sound like Sybil, I know). I know that once the weight started to come off and I had to buy new clothes cause the ones I had were falling off, that helped me find even more strength to shut her up! The thing is, my little brat is still there. She might be mostly muffled but, she still finds a way to speak up once in a while. Most of the time, I can ignore her but some days....not so easy. This is a long journey and I have discovered so much about myself along the way. Hang in there. Eventually, you will find the strength to shut up your child like I did. Add me for a friend, if you would like.

bajoyba

I take time to think about if I'm actually hungry or just bored.
I also pre-plan my entire day so if I am getting antsy about food I know I have a snack planned in a couple hours.

The biggest thing that has helped me though is knowing that no food is off limits. If I truly want something, I plan my day out with it as part of my macros. If I really want a donut and can't stop thinking about it I'll put one into my food journal for tomorrow and plan out the rest of my day accordingly.

This has kind of been my approach as well. I don't usually pre-log a day in advance, but I always have an idea of what my day is going to look like. I always try to get as much protein as I can (to stay full) and I always plan to have some form of dessert (to stay happy). Eating what I like and staying full has helped prevent snacking and straying too far outside my calorie goal. But sometimes I just get the munchies and want to eat something, in which case I'll opt for low-cal snacks like celery, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, popcorn, or string cheese.

It's been a process, but what has ultimately made the difference is a shift in the way I think about food. I still love food and eat it for enjoyment, but now I also eat it because of what it can do for my body. Paying attention to my nutrition along with my calories has really helped me make better decisions about what I eat, so I now tend to tweak my favorite meals and snacks so that they still taste awesome but also are more in line with what I need to hit my macro goals.

lyzmorrison

You have to remember why you are doing this. I have gone from a size 14 to a 6 b/c I kept myself inspired. I read the success stories on MFP. I read success stories on-line. I looked up exercises. I planned my fitness routine. I watched videos about how to swim better or run better.

Remain committed to your goals and do what you have to do to stay inspired. Every challenge you overcome will feed your internal motivation.

SLLRunner

I don't have this issue, because I don't restrict my diet, if I want to eat something I fit it into my day, just smaller quantities (usually) than I had in the past.

In the past when I use to "go on a diet" I would cut calories way too much, restrict all the delicious foods, and I would get cravings like you are having, give in to them... and quit

Yesterday this picture below was 1 of 2 desserts I shared and it was AMAZING

You didn't save any for me? :bigsmile:

OP, sounds like you are not eating enough. What is your calorie intake?

WendyTerry420

Look at WHY you want to eat everything, then deal with that issue.

So much this!!!!!!

Binge-eating and bored-eating are my two biggest foes!

Shaky44

I found the secret was to just log the food. Did I backslide? Yes. But if I knew I was going to log something, I was a lot less likely to eat it. Here are the two most common mistakes I think people make:

1) Set an unrealistic calorie goal. Calorie goals that are under BMR aren't necessarily dangerous, but they are difficult to maintain.

2) They stop logging on days they binge. You should DEFINITELY log your binges.

Lleldiranne

I'm just going to leave this here for you. Lots of good stuff, for taking off the weight, and for keeping it off.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Happy331

Cinnamon Gum works wonders. It calms cravings, has intense flavor and keeps your mouth busy.

Capt_Apollo

choose healthy snacks. right now, i'm having carrots and hummus. earlier i had two clementines. before that i had an apple.

seltzermint555

You have already been given great tips, but I just wanted to say that for me the key is in eating 3 meals per day and no snacks. And acting like my MFP-set calorie goal is *THE LAW* and not going over (hardly ever...maybe 1-2 days a month I go over).

I know everyone's different. For me, seven or eight little 100-250 calorie mini meals (for example) would be horrible. It works for some people but I would CONSTANTLY feel unsatisfied and "snacky" and be thinking about food. I currently have a pretty low daily calorie goal before exercise enters the mix, so on days I don't get any exercise (or very much) I'm at 1,270 and prefer to consume that 200/400-600/400-600. This is just what works for me. When I eat regular "real meals" I don't feel like snacking even when I am bored. But it is amazing what happens when I (for example) eat a lighter 300 calorie lunch. When I do that, I'm walking around the office daydreaming about caramels.

cmendoza13

For me, the more I think about foods I shouldn't eat, the more I want them. If the craving is really, really bad, I will go ahead and give in just because I know it's not going to go away. But I try to limit the quantity, eat it slower so that I enjoy it more and get the satisfaction that I need. And then I may go for an extra walk so that I don't feel too guilty about it. The more you restrict yourself, the more you will have the cravings. You just have to learn to eat in moderation and if you need to, try to make up for it the next day.

jbella99

If your work allows it eat sunflower seeds. I do this when I'm bored.

cwolfman13

Secrets to my success...

- maintaining a reasonable calorie deficit...I started out all gung-ho and really aggressive and soon determined that i was going to have much better consistency and thus success with a more reasonable deficit...this kept me from feeling super deprived, there's a big difference between a 1000 calorie per day deficit and a 500 calorie per day deficit.

- I am both a snacker and a volume eater; as such, I made accommodations for this behavior in my diary. I was pretty religious about pre-logging my day (though dinner would often change)...but I'd have my snacks and what not planned in throughout the day. In RE to meeting my volume requirements, I did thing like having 1 whole egg with 3 egg white scrambled rather than just two whole eggs...more food volume, less calories. I also took to adding heaps of vegetables to my meals and snacks...also adding tons of volume with little calorie damage.

- I quickly came to understand that this was going to be a process. i didn't have to do a 180* overnight. It was a lot of baby steps in the right direction that ultimately took me where I am (and I'm still and always will be learning). Just as an example, soda was a big deal for me. On average I drank between 3-6 Mt. Dews daily back in the day. When I first started out, rather than cutting those out completely I reduced my consumption over time...initially it was 1 per day (and I switched sodas)...then it was a one 3x weekly...soon enough it was one per week and then one every two weeks, etc. It was rather painless and I really pretty much got to the point where I didn't really even think about it anymore and the next thing I knew it had been months since I had a soda at all. Just a few weeks ago I had a Cherry Coke at my 4 y.o. birthday party and hadn't had a soda in about 9 months...it was so incredibly sweet I couldn't get it down...I just tossed it.

- I maintained a reasonable and sustainable exercise regimen. A lot of people really over-do things when it comes to exercise...they go from couch to balls tot he wall because they think that is what is necessary. Early on I realized that my exercise regimen had to be something that I could more or less stick with into perpetuity...not just while losing weight, but I realized it was going to be exceedingly important to my weight maintenance. Over-doing it often results in burn out and people tend to forget about having independent fitness goals...they make there exercise all about calories and forget about all of the numerous other benefits of rocking a good fitness regimen.

- I accepted the fact that there were going to be good days and bad days and in the grand scheme of things, if the good outweighed the bad, it was a net win. As time went on, I indeed had more good than bad days...as time went on, nutrition and my fitness just became more and more a part of me rather than this abstract additional chore. As these things took hold, I was suddenly less terrified of overindulging on a holiday or special occasion or going out to eat or for drinks with friends...these things did not define me and were only a small representation of what my life was becoming more and more about.

- As I dropped the weight, the scale actually became less and less important...I became much more fixated on actual health markers as well as fitness goals and hitting on those things rather than worrying about some number on the scale. Ultimately tings just sort of took care of themselves...I started eating for my health and nutrition and exercising for the sake of my general well being and fitness and the weight issues just kinda took care of themselves.

Mangopickle

Did you snack on a trigger food? There seem to be 2 types of personalities I see over and over again. The people who binge if they attempt to deny themselves a food item- for them, all things in moderation works. And those that certain foods, if eaten at all, trigger a binge or downward spiral. I am in the second category. As long as I don't eat wheat, rice or potato I don't even think about them. In fact all absorption with food or hunger between meals completely falls away. I actually become a normal person who eats normal portions of normal healthy food. Doughnuts, chips, fries, etc even when offered to me hold no allure. Some smokers can smoke a few cigs a month and never go higher. I have seen alcoholics rein in their drinking to 2 glasses a day and never stop but never go up again. For them moderation works. For me, avoidance of my trigger foods has given me so much freedom from the cravings that plagued me for 30years.

Brandolin11

You are not alone. There are hundreds of us on here who suffer from the same issue. The cravings. The obsession. The compulsion to eat. So bored, can't stop thinking about food. Always thinking about food, and dieting, and losing, and when am I going to get a snack, and I probably shouldn't eat that, but oh how I want that, and crap I just ate that, and oh why did I eat that I wasn't going to give in, and blah blah blah blah blah.......

Besides the weight gain, the toughest part about this is that this obsession never, never leaves us alone. We can't shake free of it. Sometimes we'll go for awhile without dealing with it, but it always returns. And sometimes returns with a vengeance, until we "get what we want" (by eating compulsively, or overeating (bingeing))....but in reality, we don't really want to do this, we simply want to be healthy and free. At the deepest part of us, we desire to be free.

Some of us, though we may not actually be an addict of any sort, have the *mindset* of an addict. Addicted to food, or snacking, or bingeing, or thinking about food all the time.... whatever it is, we have an addiction to some pattern of thought, or behavior. We're definitely hooked on *something*, but what???

I just want you to know that you are not crazy, and you are not alone. There are solutions, and there is help.

I dealt with this obsessive thinking for over 10 years. I binged my way from 125 lbs up to 203 lbs at one point. I am now back at about 128 and my mind is peaceful, clear, and I have next to no cravings anymore. How?

I decided to treat my "condition" like it was an addiction, even if I didn't actually have one. I found an organization called Overeaters Anonymous and dove into it - the literature, the meetings, etc. I read the AA Big Book, substituting the words, "alcohol" and "alcoholic" with "food" and "compulsive overeater" as I read it. The stories, principals, suggestions, steps, and tools in that program, when implemented, are nothing short of brilliant. The support you get from the people in the groups is like none other, because they "get it". It's a powerful program and I can't recommend it enough - esp. at least checking out the literature and seeing if you connect with it.

Another great resource is a book called "Trigger Foods" by Dr. Rhona Epstein. She is another fellow recovering compulsive overeater and has written this wonderful book that explains why we do this and how to overcome it using many cool exercises that help you delve into the mental and emotional stuff behind the behavior. It's cheap on amazon, I highly recommend.

Hopefully this is helpful. If you'd like to friend me, feel free. I post a lot of stuff about these issues and we have some good discussions among my friends. Good luck to you.

cthomas4579

I think while I was losing my first 20 pounds was the hardest.. When you think about it, it's a lot like quitting smoking. You have to keep at it. The hardest part by far is the Stubborn Pound! You'll be losing losing losing and then like someone pulled the parking brake while you hit a stone wall, the pounds stop dropping. MFP adjusts for your calorie intake while your losing but keeping to the calorie count you still lose nothing. This went on for just over 3 weeks. It was the most frustrating three weeks EVER!!!!! and then like fat magic out of the blue 3 pounds fell off over night. Just keep on doing it. Dont quit! No matter how bad you want that pizza, cookie, cupcake or hoho!

One thing that blew my mind - After about three months of eating healthy my wife had brought me to a greasy spoon for a burger - Now normally I'll take a burger and destroy it in seconds, however, not only was I unable to finish it (and it was a single!) but I thought it was disgusting. The grease literally made me feel sick to my stomach. I'm loving eating healthy now, I keep oranges and apples at my desk for snacks and that is just enough to keep the hunger gremlins at bay!