Moderation DOES NOT WORK for me

mooncake3

Hi, Im new to this website. As you can tell from the title I don't think moderation works for me. I tried to keep moderation with unhealthy foods but I just dont like eating only 1. I have 2 problems. First I am a college student so I am still living with my parents, I would throw the food out but sadly im not the only one living here. Also I have to admit even if I did throw out the food I would order pizza hut then. I love food too much. How can I quit the junk food once and for all?

Camo_xxx

The world is full of temptations, the only thing that stands between them and you is self control.

zericaaaaa

unfortunately there aren't many secrets to this- its gonna take serious willpower. but here are some tips that have helped me-

1. I used to binge on junk at night, so now I set aside a good chunk of my calories to eat later in the evening. i'll have pretzel chips, salsa, string cheese, a fiber one brownie, maybe half a bagel even. it makes me feel like I'm gorging but I'm really not since I planned ahead
2. replacing junk with healthier alternatives- you can get pb2 instead of peanut butter, its only 45 cals for 2 tbsp. quest bars are great as well, they taste like candy but are so much better for you. If you want something that is considered 'junk' just get an individual single serving bag instead of eating out of a giant one
3. maybe you could ask your family if they could keep all the junk in a separate cabinet, and have a designated health food cabinet for all your snacks?
4. fruit fruit fruit fruit. throw some dark chocolate chips on there and you're set

but in the end, it will be up to you. if you want junk, just get some exercise and make the room for it!

hearthwood

Food is going to surround you for the rest of your life. You are going to have train your mind to eating smaller portions, including fast food, if you're going to survive, and live a happier, healthier life style.

Two pieces of bread turn into one, a piece of cake is now a sliver, one piece of pizza (depending on how large) is just one piece not two or more.

A Big Mac is now just a Big Mac without the fries, Sodas are now diet soda, etc, etc. etc.

Good Luck you can do this. It's simple math, calories in versus calories out.

Oi_Sunshine

What you are describing is not moderation. It's all or nothing.

True moderation means you eat healthy food and junk food, but eat the treats in reasonable portions. You can easily make room in your calorie goal for it, especially if you plan ahead.

Whether you say you can or you can't, you're right. Attitude will make or break your experience, so make it a good one!

srmchan

I love food too much. How can I quit the junk food once and for all?

I love food too which is why I eat very little fast food. What you love are the chemicals and sugar in fast food that light up your brain every time you eat it. That stuff is closer to garbage than it is real food. FWIW, I've been eating like a king since I started my fitness journey in April. In fact, my major problem is eating enough. I'm supposed to eat 2,400 calories per day but due to the exercise and the types of food I eat now, I find it difficult to eat such massive quantities. I can't imagine how much I'll have to eat when I move into maintenance mode.

Good luck with breaking your addiction. Feel free to send me a friend request if you want some meal ideas.

Sam

kittikat1119

As a recovering binge eater one thing I can tell you is that the less of the unhealthy stuff you eat the less you will crave it. The more of it you eat the worse it gets. If you can cut out the junk food for a while you will go through a type of withdrawal but once you get past that it gets way easier. I rarely have cravings and when I do it is usually for a particular macro nutrient that I am shy on that day.

However, when I went on a trip last month and was eating out non-stop I didn't make the best choices. As a result, I found those cravings creeping back in I am having to stamp it back out. If you stick with good habits and eat less and less processed junk you will wake up one day and find you are no longer a slave to food.

Good luck

Kalikel

If you want to stop eating that stuff, just stop. Tell yourself, "No." Like some else said, self-control.

If you cannot stop, see if you can find a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. They can help you figure out if you have one or not. They can also help you and work through why you want that stuff so much.

Liftng4Lis

First of all, you don't need to quit any one type of food. If necessary to get use to healthier eating, you may want to suspend it for a bit, but you're not getting rid of it. You need to realize, this is an inside job, no one else can do it for you. If you want it, you will do it and it WILL take work.

dopeysmelly

Moderation doesn't mean "no junk" if that's what you like. It means, well, moderation, and quite honestly, you'll need to accept that if you're going to succeed in your weight loss goals or it's going to be really tough mentally and emotionally for you.

cookieinbk82

Moderation does not work for me when it comes to chocolate. I cannot eat just one Oreo cookie or one chocolate bar. So I try to avoid it all together.

love8383

The world is full of temptations, the only thing that stands between them and you is self control.

this

Sabine_Stroehm

OP: YOU decide what works for you. YOU live in your body. YOU know, or soon will, what works for you.

I eat what I want "in moderation". What I want has changed.

I haven't had a pop tart in 12+ years. I don't eat store-bought cakes etc.

I build a diet around all the foods I want to eat (healthy nutrient dense foods) and then my discretionary calories are mine. Discretionary fritos? For me? NO. Leads to late night snacking.
Discretionary wine? Yup. No issue there.
Discretionary ice cream? Sure, but I choose no sugar added kinds.
oreos and the like? Meh, not worth it.

My pizzas are whole grain. My breads are whole grain, my pastas are whole grain. For ME keeping my blood sugars steady helps me moderate the things I want to eat, and avoid the things I don't want to eat .For me packing my diet full of nutrient dense, whole foods fuels my workouts and helps me manage cravings. Does choosing whole grain, healthier versions of comfort foods make me any less successful at "self control". Feck no.

I once saw a woman say she measured out 9 M&Ms. 9? Hell, I'd rather have none.

YOU decide what works for you.
You do NOT have to eat fast food, junk food, etc. "in moderation" if you don't want you. Some folks do better with a snickers, some folks don't.

A month or so ago I saw person after person saying that choosing NOT to eat pizza showed less control than choosing to eat one slice. Whatever. Eat what YOU want.

ItsCasey

Start with wanting to lose weight and be healthy more than wanting to eat junk food. Until that happens, the "how" part doesn't matter. Focus on why.

Also, don't replace peanut butter with PB2 under the false notion that PB2 is "healthier." That doesn't even vaguely resemble an accurate statement. I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with PB2 (except that it's had all the fat removed, which defeats the whole purpose of peanut butter). But it is most definitely NOT healthier than actual peanut butter. It just has a ton fewer calories because it is a ton less delicious.

cleback

Thats ok if moderation isn't your thing. It won't be easy to not eat those foods because of your living situation but the cravings do diminish the less junk you eat.

MrGonzo05

Ordering an entire pizza for yourself isn't exactly moderation. Are you sure you've tried it?

northbanu

Whether you say you can or you can't, you're right.

Love that.

MelodyandBarbells

Unfortunately I'm still weak when it comes to eating certain foods that are just RIGHT THERE. So I'll actually ask when you think you might be moving out and therefore able to control what foods you have in the house?

Ristia_Amore

The world is full of temptations, the only thing that stands between them and you is self control.

It's the truth.

I've learned that completely eliminating the 'unhealthy' food that we so intensely crave is a surefire way to make us gorge on it. If you make it taboo, you will want it even more.

FlowerFairy493

I don't have moderation on my own with sweet stuff. So I don't keep them in the house. If I want them, I have to BUY them in moderation to EAT them in moderation.

Autumn_Days

This may not be relevant for you, but it worked for me. I changed my night time routine (when I would generally snack on unhealthy foods). I used to sit down for the night and watch TV with some chips or ice cream. Now I still watch TV, but while doing other things, sometimes even just during the ad breaks... I do the dishes, clean up, exercise bike, treadmill, knitting, and sometimes I go to bed and watch something since I don't eat in bed, which works well.

I've also (almost accidently) changed the way I have been thinking about food. I'm sick of losing and gaining the same 3-4kgs, and just realised I want to stay on the losing (weight) path and that the foods I often craved and had no self control with just aren't a part of getting to where I want to be - and staying there! Now I don't crave for them ALL night until I give in, which is very new for me. I'm simply off to bed with a hot drink and I'm set.

I have had a packet of timtams sitting in my pantry unopened for ages now, and I haven't even had any urges to open them, which is amazing! I think for me it was all about getting out of the bad habits and forming new habits which aid in my journey, not hinder it.