Those who've been successful at weight loss

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  • Brandolin11
    Brandolin11 Posts: 492 Member
    Here is a link to a free .pdf version of the Big Book: http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_tableofcnt.cfm

    And here is a link to find an OA meeting, if you're interested in attending one: http://www.oa.org/membersgroups/find-a-meeting/

    Here is Epstein's book for just $6.81 used on amazon:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1617951587/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&qid=1396384241&sr=8-1&keywords=trigger+foods+rhona&condition=used
  • Keliandra
    Keliandra Posts: 170 Member
    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?

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

    ^Agree with this. I had to work to retrain myself. Now, I only eat if my tummy is growling and my blood sugar is low. Figuring out the whys and whens of me emotional eating was the hard part.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Is the desire to eat all the time because you are hungry all the time or is it just an obsession with food and or cravings? One is easier to deal with than the other.
  • greentart
    greentart Posts: 411 Member
    For me, it's been a two-step deal. I had to cut out completely the things that I would binge and bored eat. Which falls into the bread and processed foods grouping. So no hard candies, and its not like I want to snack on nuts all day. For me, having a piece of cake today will lead to having it tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and why not have some ice cream too this time? I've realized these flaws within my eating habits, and am changing them. Step two, is that I've come to grips with the fact that what I want NOW (that piece of cake) isn't worth my major goal. I'm stronger today than I was yesterday, but not nearly as strong as I'll be tomorrow.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Nope, still a struggle most days. Will probably always be, to be honest. If I really crave something, and it's not a huge 500+ calories thing, I'll make room for it. I'm getting much better at moderation so I can have a couple cookies or chocolates within my calories and not eat the whole bag.

    The 'why' thing for me, it doesn't matter... I'm not bored. I'm not stressed. I'm not necessarily hungry. I just want the awesome taste in my mouth.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    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 ate what I wanted within reasonable portions.

    It's too hard to cut out things I love.
  • catchtheislands
    catchtheislands Posts: 25 Member
    You are less insulin sensitive at night.
    Try working out at night with weights and then chowing down on your sweets then.
    Technically your muscles should absorb all the sugar.
    Obviously don't do this everyday but its a trick body builders use.
  • TLTucker80
    TLTucker80 Posts: 123 Member
    I'm completely the other way. I feel that there's a skinny girl inside that the fat girl on the outside ate and the skinny girl is yelling to get out but the fat girl wont let her out lol. But have the same problems with cravings. There has been lots of good suggestions given that I will be trying. Thanks everyone.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    You are less insulin sensitive at night.
    Try working out at night with weights and then chowing down on your sweets then.
    Technically your muscles should absorb all the sugar.
    Obviously don't do this everyday but its a trick body builders use.
    Can you please provide legit sources that all people are less insulin sensitive at night?

    If you chow down those sweets even after working out at the gym and end up going over calorie goal you will gain weight. Working out with weights at night is not a solution to binge eating.

    Finding out WHY you binge and then taking care of that problem is what helps one learn not to binge eat anymore. I know, I used to binge all the time and have not done so for well over a year. I'm no longer scared of food either.
  • marcusriedner
    marcusriedner Posts: 16
    I'll preface this with that I eat low carb.

    I used to get vicious cravings for sugar and bread, it took about 18 months for them to fully fade away. I solved the problem with transference - when I would crave a food that was on the not-to-eat list I would eat a food that was on the list. Worked pretty good.

    When our son was born my eating style went sideways, and not-to-eat list items crept back in. That has triggered sugar cravings again, which I am dealing with using transference. So far it is working all right.

    Sometimes sugar cravings are a misaligned craving for fat, so one of my sugar craving fighters was to eat a piece of cheese covered in butter.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    ...one of my sugar craving fighters was to eat a piece of cheese covered in butter.

    Are kidding? Cheese covered in butter? I love cheese, and I love butter, but that doesn't even sound good.

    disgusted.gif
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    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?

    All the time.

    Well, not really all the time. Less than I used to, but there are still those days - when I'm emotional, hormonal, just down for whatever reason.

    Then I have a couple options: Plan for it with my own small treats that are satisfying but portion-limited.

    Or, occasionally, I eat all the food. But then I stop eating all the food and return to my plan.

    Generally, I do really well when I follow these rules:

    1) Exercise. This has literally nothing to do with the calorie burn, and absolutely everything to do with the improvement to my mood, outlook, and desire to eat well. Exercise is the glue that holds my **** together.

    2) Pre-logging. I log my day and prep my food at least the night before, almost without fail. I go to work knowing exactly what I will be eating and when. It's all prepped. If I eat as scheduled, I don't really get hungry, and it's MUCH easier to avoid the doughnuts in the break room having had a big, filling breakfast (always 500+ calories) and knowing I have two more big meals and several snacks ahead of me - including treats.

    3) Planning splurge days. Seriously, do you know how much easier it is to avoid getting a pastry from ABP as I take the elevator up to work in the morning knowing that I have a birthday party this weekend where I can have cake? Or saying no to an invitation for lunch out knowing I'm having brunch at a great restaurant with my family Saturday? When I was losing weight (I am maintaining now), I'd often get through the cravings by saying, "you can have it Saturday if you want. As much as you want." And then Saturday would roll around, and sometimes I'd eat it and sometimes I wouldn't want it anymore. But planning it for a future date helped a lot. Obviously, your results will vary - I was diligent when logging, and exercise a lot, so these splurge days never set me back (10 pounds a month dropped like clockwork until I purposely stopped/slowed).

    So, really, the old adage for me to never let yourself get too hungry, tired, or stressed helps.

    FWIW, I lost 133 pounds in 15 months and I've been maintaining since September of 2012. This worked for me. That inner fat kid will always be inside me, I know it. But my outer fit woman is taking good care of her :)
  • marcusriedner
    marcusriedner Posts: 16
    Cheese with butter. It's epic. Try it.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    ...one of my sugar craving fighters was to eat a piece of cheese covered in butter.

    Are kidding? Cheese covered in butter? I love cheese, and I love butter, but that doesn't even sound good.

    Depends on the cheese. I'm no butter-on-cheese professional (I prefer to just eat one or the other by itself), but cream cheese and butter is basically just a (added) sugar-free version of cheesecake or the filling in pumpkin rolls, for example.

    Of course, now I'm curious as to what cheeses would go best with butter....
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
    Haha I love how you put this!!. Yes i fight it off!! I have a bigger goal in mind than that little brat in my head! I love myself and should treat myself better then the youngin in me wants to :)

    To appease the child in me that wants to gobble up everything, i tell her that she must wait until the weekend to have her treats. OR if she wants lots of treats she MUST wait until my no cheat month end day.

    I remind her that I'm in charge and I know what i want and what i want is to be healthy! :)
  • NSalway01
    NSalway01 Posts: 1 Member
    I found a bit of fasting powerful to quiet the nagging. It is very difficult at first but forcing myself to not eat for the day developed my ability to ignore 'the child' and also reduced the volume of it's call. Currently I don't fast regularly but plan to work it into my life permanently as I just plain feel better when I do it. Immediate goal of trimming up is nearly done. Hope this can help :smile:
  • chatnel
    chatnel Posts: 688 Member
    I am the same. I am so bored at work all I think about all the time is food, what am I getting for lunch, oh and snacks in the drawer will be eaten even if I am full.

    Also doing once a week fasting, it does train your mind to not think about food however I can only do on busy days and if I distract myself with gym over my lunch break.
  • jeannevdl
    jeannevdl Posts: 33
    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

    2h2ds8w.jpg


    I totally agree with you, I eat what I want, but in limits. I have a few ground rules I follow though, since I cook 2-3 times a day for my boyfriend, and when we go out to a restaurant. These are simple...I will order a starter and a dessert (which I usually share with my boyfriend, even though he's having his own). If I order a burger I will take the half bun on the top off and the chips on the side I will leave..or someone else usually eats it. If I'm cooking at home I won't eat a portion after I cooked it, if I know I had my fair share eating while cooking.

    If I have a craving I usually listen to a song I like, practise music or I will even look at a photo of what I used to look like, and decide that I am better than that.

    I exercise a lot. 4-6 spinning classes a week, strength training 3+ times a week, perhaps 2-3 gym classes a week (yoga/zumba/step aerobics) and core exercises. I exercise because I love it, not just for weight loss.

    But then..some days (maybe once in a month or two) I go through my food cupboard like pacman. And my weight wasn't up or down the next day, because my body is used to consistency.

    My BMI went from 29 (verge of obesity) to 21.8

    I have hypothyroidism and PCOS. So if I can lose weight, really anybody can.
  • jwooley13
    jwooley13 Posts: 243
    I know that my moments of weakness are moments of stress or boredom. In those moments, as long as I am already well fed, what I really need is something to keep my hands busy. I picked up knitting and cross stitch to keep me busy and distracted while doing things like sitting on conference calls or watching TV. I may be 23, but I bet I can out-knit a lot of grandmothers :)
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    ...one of my sugar craving fighters was to eat a piece of cheese covered in butter.

    Are kidding? Cheese covered in butter? I love cheese, and I love butter, but that doesn't even sound good.

    Depends on the cheese. I'm no butter-on-cheese professional (I prefer to just eat one or the other by itself), but cream cheese and butter is basically just a (added) sugar-free version of cheesecake or the filling in pumpkin rolls, for example.

    Of course, now I'm curious as to what cheeses would go best with butter....

    I have my doubts that the type of cheese matters, unless it's some weird cheese that I don't eat anyway. And I don't eat cream cheese at all unless it's sweetened. I love cheesecake, but I do not like plain cream cheese.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Cheese with butter. It's epic. Try it.

    Only if it's a nacho cheese dip. :laugh:
  • marcusriedner
    marcusriedner Posts: 16
    ...one of my sugar craving fighters was to eat a piece of cheese covered in butter.

    Are kidding? Cheese covered in butter? I love cheese, and I love butter, but that doesn't even sound good.

    Depends on the cheese. I'm no butter-on-cheese professional (I prefer to just eat one or the other by itself), but cream cheese and butter is basically just a (added) sugar-free version of cheesecake or the filling in pumpkin rolls, for example.

    Of course, now I'm curious as to what cheeses would go best with butter....

    It's no different than eating a cheese sandwich where you butter the bread or put mayo on the bread, I just ditch the bread. I find it works best with hard cheeses like cheddar or poacher, but not ones that are aged longer than about a year (longer aged cheeses are too tasty to eat, the butter will lessen the flavour). Sometimes for a treat I will do cheddar with a bit of butter and a dollop of no sugar jam or mashed berries. Tres Magnifique.

    Also good is goat cheese spread on a slice of cheddar. Cream Cheese on cheddar is okay, but I rather like eating cream cheese with a spoon instead, or melting it into vegetables. (Seriously, mashed cauliflower with borsin cream cheese is divine).
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    I pretty much eat what I like. if I want something like a margarita I find a way to have it and still be within my calories. Have you tried the Kelloggs or Fiber one protein/fiber bars?? those are like candy bars but very filling. I like to cut them into bite sized pieces and drink with a big glass of water. this helps out a lot when I get the munchies. Plus I try my damdest every single day to get in at least 8-8 ounces of water daily. Sometimes its hard to eat extra food because I am forcing down my water. If you want the fritos so bad and cant get it off your mind then buy yourself the snack size and fit it in your calories but don't feel guilty after eating them if you are still in your calorie limit. Sometimes its best to get it out of your system/brain so you can move on.

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