My Biggest issue with staying on track...

C110266Chris♥

Preplan, preplan, preplan. I keep everything "bad" and "comforting" out of my house. Going out for dinner I plan my entire day and work out as much as I possibly can this week. The cravings, at least for me, do go away. I want this more than anything, though, and that is what truly keeps me going. If I do have to go back to the fridge, I have to determine if it's just my brain wanting food or if my body is needing it. I don't feel guilty about eating a healthy snack if my body is truly hungry.

You are so right. I try to plan but don't always. I find that I do best during the week at work bc it's a set schedule. Evenings are harder for me after dinner. I have to remind myself not to eat. Bad habit. Weekends are tougher too bc there isn't much of a schedule. I need to work on that. Thank you.

C110266Chris♥

Something that I try to do when I have temptations to cheat is to eat something healthy first. For example, if I want a piece of cake, I'll have a small apple first. Once I put something in my belly I realize that I was hungry, not that I wanted cake. Or if that doesn't remove the crazing, I don't usually eat as much of the "bad stuff" because I filled up partially with the good stuff.

I hope this helps! Good luck to you!

Thank you. I will try that. I find evenings are toughest for me, so i eat an apple on the way home from work, eat a healthy meal, and then after is where i have to really focus. Thank you thank you. I will keep at it and keep your healthy snack before junky snack thought in front of me.

C110266Chris♥

see if this link works.


http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tips-stop-emotional-eating

Will check it out when I get home thank you!

Shirley61

If you have to have comfort food or unhealthy snacks in the
house, keep them in a separate cupboard for the rest of the
family to eat. Or put a lock on it. :bigsmile:

When they see how you are eating maybe they will take the
hint and throw out the junk. We can only hope. :happy:

C110266Chris♥

Think of your favorite comfort foods and search the web for ways to make them "healthified". Look for healthier alternatives, that will still satisfy your cravings. Put portions on your plate, and put the rest immediately away in a storage container and into the fridge/freezer. Bulk up your meals with fresh salads, fruits and veggies, so you get to eat more volume and feel like you've had more than you really did. Try your best to use whole foods, no pre-packaged meals. They have hidden sugars and salts and often leave you craving more. If you cook your own recipes, you know whats in it. I cook big batches of things on my day off and freeze single-servings of them, so they're handy for work days. And, exercise. The more you exercise, the more foods you get to eat.

As for the mental part of this, man that's the hardest part. I have struggled with that for over a year, trying desperately to get back on track. There are so many reasons to give up, but there are much more important reasons to NOT give up. You deserve to be healthy, to have energy, to treat your body like a temple, to feel amazing in your jeans, to walk up the stairs without feeling out of breath, you deserve to feel great in your own skin. You have to find a way to get into your head and identify what is going to motivate you and shut that little "give up now" voice right up. Post positive statements on your fridge and cabinets as a reminder of why you're doing this. Look in the mirror every day and say "I can do this, I deserve this, I love me". And MEAN it. And if you don't mean it right now, keep on saying it anyway, until you do mean it.

Whatever happens, don't give up on yourself. Break that cycle of negative self-talk and focus on the healthy benefits of this journey. Both physically and emotionally, you will feel so much better. You can do this!

You are so right. SO MUCH of this is mental which i do struggle with. Everything is affected by that and not everyone understands. Thank you very much for your comment. This does hit home pretty hard. I will keep at it. Amazingly enough I love healthy food and enjoy exercise. I just need to stay away from bad carbs that make me feel horrible. That is what starts me off on the wrong footing. Thank you so much!

lambchop1042

Like Yoda says "Do or do not, there is NO try"

I always tell myself that when I'm "trying" to resist temptation. Stop trying and just DO IT! Lol, another quote (from Nike)

C110266Chris♥

If you have to have comfort food or unhealthy snacks in the
house, keep them in a separate cupboard for the rest of the
family to eat. Or put a lock on it. :bigsmile:

When they see how you are eating maybe they will take the
hint and throw out the junk. We can only hope. :happy:

Great idea. Thank you.

I just brought some natural peanut butter and quality honey to work to have if i crave something sweet or need quick protien. Hoping this helps.

Amelda66

I understand exactly what you mean. It's the being hungry that bothers me more than anything. Every day I start out trying and by the end of the day, I quite often say "screw it". I need a food with NO calories.

See_Jenn_Run

You should look for the book Body for Life for Women at your local library-it has good tips on how to deal with the "not caring" attitude. I eat when I'm bored, stressed, tired, etc. and that book helped me open my eyes to ways I could avoid that. Some of her best tips include:

signs you post on the fridge that say "The answer is NOT in here" and on your gym bag, yoga mat, whatever exercise thing you love that say "The answer IS in here". Even if you don't post the signs but repeat those mantras as you catch yourself walking to the kitchen, it might be enough to steer you away.

Coming up with "run to" and "run from" statements. I kind of struggle with overeating to the point that I feel uncomfortably full, like I've suddenly grown a "Buddha belly". So my statement is "Run to feeling lean and mean, run from a Buddha belly!"

Good luck with these struggles, I know for a fact it doesn't go away, but there are ways we can manage to treat ourselves as well as we deserve!

Madrow

Thank you for responding

I try to keep only healthy things in the home. I have 4 others there besides me though and I constantly hear that we have no food in the house because it's mostly just meals and fruits and veggies.

I live with 5 others all morbidly obese (except for my little brother who's probably just overweight). We go out to eat A LOT because it's cheaper for my parents to feed them the quantity of food that they want. So, pretty much every night, I have to watch them eat burgers and french fries, pasta, mac and cheese, pizza, and dessert while I have a salad or just stay at home to cook my own meal. I've even worked out in the living room with them all sitting on the couch eating entire pizzas to themselves before. Now, that's ridiculous! But I've pushed through and lost 136 pounds. Some days, I admit it gets to me... But it'll be worth it in the end.

Wow, that would be hard but way to go on the 136 lbs! I'm sure the example you set for your family will not be forgotten.

I also live with others who whine and complain about the so-called lack of food in the house. One teenager who can get a job and go buy his own food. One boyfriend who knows the healthy foods are best because he's diabetic anyway. One 4 year old and an 8 year old who do not have a say in what food is in the house and will eventually eat when they get hungry enough (not that they hate healthy food, there is actually a lot they like, but kids can get picky especially with commercials and friends glamorizing junk food). It was a struggle for the first few weeks, but everyone adapted and getting healthier motivates me to resist giving in to temptation.

C110266Chris♥

Thank you for responding

I try to keep only healthy things in the home. I have 4 others there besides me though and I constantly hear that we have no food in the house because it's mostly just meals and fruits and veggies.

I live with 5 others all morbidly obese (except for my little brother who's probably just overweight). We go out to eat A LOT because it's cheaper for my parents to feed them the quantity of food that they want. So, pretty much every night, I have to watch them eat burgers and french fries, pasta, mac and cheese, pizza, and dessert while I have a salad or just stay at home to cook my own meal. I've even worked out in the living room with them all sitting on the couch eating entire pizzas to themselves before. Now, that's ridiculous! But I've pushed through and lost 136 pounds. Some days, I admit it gets to me... But it'll be worth it in the end.

Wow that is amazing. Unbelievable. You have alot of strength to keep at it. I get it. We rarely eat out and I am always on everyone about making better choices. I just wish I had someone along side of me like a personal coach...when i need the pushing. boo. Guess that is what this is for. Thank you and congratulations on your great success! I will keep at it.

C110266Chris♥

I find that eating 6 meals per day and drinking lots of water helps me. Plus I get a snack around 7-8 pm so I'm not craving for food!

Thank you for your ideas. What do you snack on around 7pm?

C110266Chris♥

Your diary isn't available for viewing. It may have to do with the types of foods you are eating. I find that if I don't eat enough protein, especially early in the day, I start having cravings and think I'm hungry. You might try experimenting with your food choices to see what helps.

I need to find more protien. I really believe that if we are hungry for sweets our body is craving more protien. I need to keep something simple on hand. I have natural peanut butter and honey in my drawer here at work. Hoping that helps. Honestly work days are easiest. It's when i get home at night i have issues and on the weekend that are not structured.

C110266Chris♥

I agree with ahavoc about carbs. They will keep you hungry and craving more sugar. Try drinking a glass of water before giving in to the craving. Do you have any hobbies? Something to keep you busy and your mind off food. Take a walk, call a friend, read a book , work a crossword puzzle! Focus on your goals and why you want to achieve them. Keep raw veggies cut and ready to eat in the fridge... celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, radishes... whatever you like. You can do this! ahavoc gives some great advice here too... it really is all about choices.

Thank you for your thoughts. You are right. I need more hobbies, new local friends, etc.....things to keep me busy. You are so right!

C110266Chris♥

You should look for the book Body for Life for Women at your local library-it has good tips on how to deal with the "not caring" attitude. I eat when I'm bored, stressed, tired, etc. and that book helped me open my eyes to ways I could avoid that. Some of her best tips include:

signs you post on the fridge that say "The answer is NOT in here" and on your gym bag, yoga mat, whatever exercise thing you love that say "The answer IS in here". Even if you don't post the signs but repeat those mantras as you catch yourself walking to the kitchen, it might be enough to steer you away.

Coming up with "run to" and "run from" statements. I kind of struggle with overeating to the point that I feel uncomfortably full, like I've suddenly grown a "Buddha belly". So my statement is "Run to feeling lean and mean, run from a Buddha belly!"

Good luck with these struggles, I know for a fact it doesn't go away, but there are ways we can manage to treat ourselves as well as we deserve!

I definitely will look for it! Thank you for you advice. So much of this is mental. If i can just keep on track that way I will be Great!

C110266Chris♥

I understand exactly what you mean. It's the being hungry that bothers me more than anything. Every day I start out trying and by the end of the day, I quite often say "screw it". I need a food with NO calories.

Same boat Well, maybe we can give each other some extra motivation. Add me if you like I need as much motivation, ideas, tips as the next guy. I am going to check into the success stories. That may help me too. Thank you for commenting. It helps!