How did you learn to have more self discipline/control?

ajbeans

I wrote about this a while back. No matter what you choose to do, you're ALWAYS exerting self-control:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ajbeans/view/self-control-127334

fiberartist219

My former boss used to say that it takes two weeks to form a habit. If you struggle through the first couple weeks, it should get easier after that.

When it comes to foodie treats, I think it's much easier to cut back on things than it is to cut them out. However, if you're the type of person who can't have cake without eating the entire cake, it might be easier to cut out the candy cold turkey. If you can have just a few rather than eating a whole bag in one day, then you can probably just slow your intake a little each day.

marzahl68

It's a mind thing - Mind Over Body!
No, do you NOT have to have that candy! What's the worst thing that could happen to you if you don't have the candy? Answer that question for yourself.

What I'm trying to say is that your mind needs to be in control of your body. Don't tell yourself that you can't resist. Start telling yourself that you can resist and that hard candy isn't important to you. Most importantly, don't buy that stuff anymore! If it's not there, you can't eat it. Re-focus your thoughts onto something else whenever you feel you must eat candy.

I'm not that big with sweets but chips and salty stuff is my weak spot. For the first 4 weeks I stayed away from all of it. Eventually, I had a cheeseburger and you know, it wasn't all that great. I felt overstuffed, I felt horrible because I had eaten something with no real nutritional value, just a bunch of grease. I figured that the next time I would crave fast food, I would remember that feeling but the temptation hasn't come back. I think I'm done with it! It's all in your mind.

TheBraveryLover

Sugar can be addictive, so limiting your intake of it (or just going cold turkey on candy) for a few days can help with your craving for it. I know from experience.

As far as other "bad" food, you'll get there, eventually once you get used to eating healthier more often than not. That took months for me to control on a regular basis, as opposed to sugar, which took me a few days.

jjbraid

There is nothing more I want than to eat a big, hot, gooey, plate of cheese fries. The place I go to uses Merkts cheese. Then they place it in the hot dog steamers so all of the cheese melts so wonderfully. I dont even go into the store that makes them. I know I wont be able to resist. As far as everything else. I try to tell myself how I looked before and how I DO NOT want to look that way again. I must have been disgusting since all I get (almost every day) is people telling me how great I look. As I write this now, a coworker walked by and and said, "There's that skinny girl." Me skinny. How rediculous. You can do it. Stay strong!

Kagard11

This is the million dollar question! I have been searching for the answer recently because I have lost my dedication. I think I have found it today, and was able to make a conscious choice to not get a huge cup of corn chowder on top of the 2 boneless wings and have a nice salad with veges and a piece of fruit. I reached and then stopped dead in my tracks and thought about how badly I want to be thinner and how the poorer choice would just keep me on my same old crappy old path. It felt terrific!!!

lipglossjunky73

I limit myself to one, or a small portion. If I forbid myself, I get obsessed. If everything is still available to me, then life is easier. I eat whatever I want, and as a result, I don't want it that much! I let myself have some, not all. I budget my eating around a treat if I want it that much.

0PhAtDaDdY

I have no kind of self discipline, when I see candy I have to eat it (hard candy). I want to learn how to not eat the candy when I see it but I just can't say no. How did you learn to stop doing something. I need help. Thanks In Advance!

I have always been disipline and I have no idea why.. If I want to accomplish something I just have to complete the job....I stay at it until the mission is complete.. Why I'm this way I have not a clue...You must be the alfa dog when it comes to your health...

Shannon7713

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You do not HAVE to eat it. You WANT to. You need to learn that there is a big difference between those two things. Next time you get tempted, do something else. Walk away and think about why you are trying to lose weight in the first place.
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This is great advice. I think some of us, me espicially, forget why I want to lose in the first place... its so easy to fall back into bad habbits.

Shannon7713

oops^^ top half was a quote, lol

TubbsMcGee

By holding myself accountable for everything I do.
Ask yourself "do you NEED to eat it or do you just WANT it?"

ElizabethRoad

"Don't keep it in the house" is a great idea but it only goes so far. If you ever leave the house you will see it somewhere.

I stopped eating sweets/sodas/candy for a while until I got out of that cycle of craving them constantly. I don't recommend cutting something you love out of your life forever, but I cut it out temporarily and it worked for me.

Logging all my food helped me so much. I would always think "an occasional piece of candy is not going to hurt me" but then I didn't realize how frequently I was eating it. Once I started logging everything it instantly made me aware of what I was eating.

Another thing I find helpful is to remind myself: I am an adult. If I decide I want candy, I will go out and buy some. Turning down this particular piece of candy does not deprive me of anything.

And someone suggested hypnosis, which I think is a great idea too!

BrownEyedBetty

Out of sight ... out of mind... I don’t buy the things I know I will overeat. I just came across this realization a couple weeks ago. I was OBSESSED with cheese. I though well if I buy low fat cheese it would be okay... NOPE! I stop buying it and now I don't eat it.

For me it’s all about planning meals. I cook a lot more now than I have in the past. I try to plan out every meal. I work in the operating room and there are always reps bringing food for the staff (and it isn’t healthy food)… I literally have to stop and think “I bought my lunch from home and I don’t need any of the reps food.” It really has become mental for me. I have to stop and think "YES I want it but I don’t NEED it' But don’t get me wrong... I do slip up but I am more aware of my choices now. Hope it helps.

AdAstra47

Another thing I find helpful is to remind myself: I am an adult. If I decide I want candy, I will go out and buy some. Turning down this particular piece of candy does not deprive me of anything.

Oooh, I like this! Great way to think about it!

I think a lot of us get into this mindset: when I was in college, and later when I was unemployed, rule #1 of living on a tight budget was "never turn down anything that's free." Whether that's the cookies they offer you after you sell your blood plasma, or a box of half-stale donuts from the unemployment office break room, or whatever... accepting food automatically whenever it's offered gets to be a habit. But "I'm an adult, I have money now, I can buy my own food, turning down food does not deprive me of anything." I'll have to remember that.

Gutz333

"A moment on the lips, is a life-time on the hips" famous quote, my Khloe Kardashian! LOL

significance

I find it sometimes helps to get myself in the headspace where I can look at things like confectionery and think "that's not food." In a fairly real way, it's true: it has almost zero nutritional value. When I convince myself of that, I can walk past the confectionary and soft drink/chip aisles in the supermarket because - rather than being full of food that I want but can't have, I see them as being empty of food, but full of brightly coloured artificial stuff that is useless to me.