What’s your secrete to “NO”?

addy_rodriguez

My biggest problem is saying no to yummy foods (especially sweets). I’m currently looking into books about emotional eating and how to overcome it (I suspect that that is the root of my evil here) But I’d love to know from those of you out there… what motivates you to just say no to unhealthy foods?:flowerforyou:

keenercam

I am re-reading "Overcoming Overeating" which is a fantastic, insightful book. The way that I am learning to say "no" is to ask myself two questions: "Am I hungry?" and if the answer is "yes", then "will this nourish my body?" If the answer is "no," it really helps me to second-guess whether to eat something. I often eat the item anyway if I have the calories to spare, but going through that process at least helps me to be more cognizant of the decision-making process that goes into a more healthy eating pattern.

hawkeygal

I don't want to sound mean, and please don't take this the wrong way, but have you thought about seeking help from a therapist with this issue? While books are informative, receiving therapy may be beneficial too.

I has sought help with that same issue with a therapist, and it's helped immensely. I used the book The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person in conjunction with my CBT therapist. It really helped a lot. Major self discovery.

Dr. Beck is a very well respected researcher in the field of psychology, specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Hope this helps!

scottyroman

The only thing that keeps me away from unhealthy food is keeping buisy till im tired than i dont think about the good stuff and if im making unhealthy good food i make enough for everyone but myself and give it to the everyone but myself and make sure i eat something good prior to makeing it.

sarabeth120

I'm not sure if this will answer your question, but here's what I can suggest.

When I get the temptation to eat something between meals or that is not that healthy for me, I chew a piece of gum. I've found with this method that sometimes I'm just not hungry, I just need to give my mouth something to chew on for awhile. Usually, the gum will satisfy my need for the unhealthy food.

I don't know if this will work with you, but it works wonders for me.

cookiemomlane

Great suggestion about the Gum!

For me I have to ask those same questions, Am I hungry? Will this satisfy me?
But I also know that I have to allow myself to have these things on a limited basis so I stop craving them so much.

Good Luck!

H_Factor

I say no (most of the time) because I know what I don't like about being overweight and what I like about being healthy. I have written these things down and I review them to remind myself why I'm on the journey. I remind myself that the journey doesn't work if I go about it half *kitten*. Being mamsy pamsy about what I ate helped me become obese. I didn't like anything about that lifestyle. I can't be mamsy pamsy about the journey.

saying this, I do believe in treating yourself at times...planned times preferably...but occasionally and in moderation only.

andybenny

If you have something tempting you in your house you can do a few things...pour soap on it, put it in the trash, give to someone else. I mean physically go out and hand it to a homeless person, someone in your house, or take it to a neighbor in need. I personally have to make it gross like pour soap on it. I instantly don't want it.

goldninja

Drink a glass of water first because half the time you are getting hunger signals, you are really thirsty instead. Another good rule of thumb is if you are hungry enough to eat an apple, you are probably hungry.

H_Factor

If you have something tempting you in your house you can do a few things...pour soap on it, put it in the trash, give to someone else. I mean physically go out and hand it to a homeless person, someone in your house, or take it to a neighbor in need. I personally have to make it gross like pour soap on it. I instantly don't want it.

^^ wonderful advice. I'm a big fan of "out of sight, out of mind"....in addition to what I mentioned above. Despite my best efforts, there are still some things that I cannot have in the house (i.e., cape cod salt & vinegar kettle chips)....so I don't get them.

Freda43

I totally agree, I tend to over eat when emotional or bored. What do I do? Don't know yet lol, that's why I am on here apart from keeping busy and trying to think about the dress I want to get into when I open the fridge. Could do with an alarm on my fridge that would tell me to "step away from the food" that may help!

karagav

i try to take a moment and think about how i'm currently feeling (hungry, full), and how i'm going to feel after i eat it. i've had my share of binges and i know the crappy feeling afterwards, so it's pretty easy to remind myself of that if i'm going to make an extremely unhealthy choice.

LaceyJo5346

My main motivation is that I am going on a cruise in a few weeks. However, saying no to unhealthy foods is fairly easy after the first week or so. I had trouble for a long time because I work at a home improvement/grocery store and while working the cash register I was surrounded by sweets and pop machines and junk food (ie: chips, cookies) making it challenging. Once I made a promise to myself that I would eat better and fuel my body with fruits, veggies, lean meat and water instead of fast food and pop it made saying no to those foods much easier. Reading about what is in unhealthy foods also helps to say no. Another way of helping you say no is to cut out bad foods for one week.. If that's too much try 3 days.. When you start eating right and drinking water you will notice that you have more energy and you wont feel as run down. Noticing these things makes it so much easier to say no. An occasional big of chocolate here and there is OK. Don't feel that you need to cut out sweets altogether. One way of fixing your sweet tooth is by eating a lot of fruits. Peaches and pineapple are my favorites to snack on because they are sweet all by themselves. As far as the "emotional eating" goes, it is all in your head. Its a choice you make. If you have trouble and do binge eat, try to be more aware of what you are eating. If you crave ice cream, try sorbet or sugar free ice cream. If it is chocolate you crave switch to dark chocolate. I tend to want wine when I get upset or stressed but instead of picking up the Moscato I switched to Cabernet. Red wine is good for your heart and two glasses makes me sleepy.
I dont know if this is what you were looking for in an answer, but trust me once you switch over to fruits and veggies and water you will notice a huge difference. I hope this was informative and I wish you the best of luck.


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samdgood

i like sweets and i'm going to eat sweets. pie, cheesecake, fudge, reeses cup. but having something sweet is part of my plan and i like that part. i also like that i am eating healhtier than i ever have before. i am adding fresh healthy foods and cutting out processed foods. i am also a fast fiver. i eat during a five hour window and fast for 19 hours. BUT i don't stress about it. i picked a window that works with my lifestyle. most people have a later window while mine is 11 or 12 to 4 or 5 pm. and if i stretch it to 6 hour or 7 hour window once or twice a week... it's ok. i don't eat sweets every day but once or twice a week.

knowing you don't have to say no... knowing it's ok to say yes makes it easier and less stressful. i was gaining now i am losing. i didn't lose a single pound last week but i didn't gain either. don't stress. keep track of your food. when i eat mcdonalds and see the results after i add it to my food diary i don't want it next time. it wasn't that good anyhow. it's usually cold, it's too much salt and way too much fat so next time i think how about something that tastes good and is better nutritionally?

make a plan... keep track of your food... don't stress

by the way... i've lost 6 lbs since i started on fitness pal but i've lost 28 lbs total!

addy_rodriguez

WOW! Let me just say I am AMAZED at how willing to help and share their tips everyone on here is!
Thanks so much. There are some great suggestions on here!
Thanks a bunch everyone!

LauraLovesCamp

Don't say no. Say, "not now. Maybe later." That works for me!

addy_rodriguez

Drink a glass of water first because half the time you are getting hunger signals, you are really thirsty instead. Another good rule of thumb is if you are hungry enough to eat an apple, you are probably hungry.

LOVE THIS I WILL THINK APPLES WHEN I SEE CUPCAKES FROM NOW ON!

addy_rodriguez

I don't want to sound mean, and please don't take this the wrong way, but have you thought about seeking help from a therapist with this issue? While books are informative, receiving therapy may be beneficial too.

I has sought help with that same issue with a therapist, and it's helped immensely. I used the book The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person in conjunction with my CBT therapist. It really helped a lot. Major self discovery.

Dr. Beck is a very well respected researcher in the field of psychology, specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Hope this helps!

OH How I wish I could afford professional help.
The last time I managed to get my weight down I had a personal trainer and a well paying job. I think the fact that the economy hit me hard and now I’ll have to do this on my own sans professional help is one of the reasons it has taken me so long to get started. So for right now all I can do is absorb as much knowledge about the subject and do my best to put it into practice. Thanks a million for the suggestion

Kymmu

Don't buy it,
Don't make it
if it's near you......go for a walk.
If you can't get away from it, clean your teeth or chew gum....the mint overrides the other smell.
Go to the bathroom and check out your reflection, remind yourself why you are trying not to eat whatever it is!

_Ben

For me, its this app. The disappointment of seeing that I went over my calories, that those on my friends list would see it. I know its silly, but it really helped me

lmelangley

I'm committed to the calories MFP gives me. I know that if I eat high calorie foods, I'll end up hungrier than if I eat more nutritious foods. Every bite is a decision I own.

When I started this, I also discovered that half of the pimple/acne problems I'd experienced all of my life actually did come from my diet, not genetics. If I eat too much junk, it definitely shows. Knowing that helps a lot.

merzback

My biggest problem is saying no to yummy foods (especially sweets). I’m currently looking into books about emotional eating and how to overcome it (I suspect that that is the root of my evil here) But I’d love to know from those of you out there… what motivates you to just say no to unhealthy foods?:flowerforyou:

Ok, this is my thought- you don't have to ALWAYS say no to "yummy foods" If you think that you are going to go the rest of your life with out them, you will just feel VERY resentful. Make a meal a free meal (not a cheat meal because the word CHEAT is so negative).
We all emotionally eat, well most of us. Geneen Roth writes EXCELLENT books on emotional eating. Honestly, ditch the diet mentality, realize you may eat junk from time to time. I don't buy that every time you are emotionally hungry- you can chew gum or run to brush your teeth, no offense to Kymmu, I think you need to think about if you are really hungry - rate on a scale of 1-10 -- then what are you hungry for? Are you hungry for love- call a loved one? Are you hungry for food or love or attention? Find out what it is. Allow yourself to have slip ups occasionally but JUMP back on track. Add me as a friend if you want. Another great book is by Chalene Johnson called Push!

merzback

Also, realize at the time- step back- and think
WHAT TO I WANT MORE? A HEALTHY self or a quick fix. Food is like a DRUG to many of us.

RobDelco

Oxyelite Pro.

Wendyma1

Hey there-

Not sure how much this will help you.........but I plan my meals ahead for the next day. I log everything in my diary in the morning time. If its not on my diary, it doesnt get put in my mouth. Simple enough to tell you, however, it was a bit tough in the beginning. I keep a bottle of water near me at all times, and when I do get a craving, I chug some water down.

Also, dont be afraid to indulge now and again. If you crave M&M's, have a couple. its better than denying yourself of it and driving yourself crazy, that is when you end up eating the whole bag! Maybe if your mind and body know that its ok to have a little now and again, it wont seem so much like a "diet" or a "bad" thing to do.

Good luck my dear!

Carolyn_79

For me exercise is my key to saying no. When I exercise, I don't want to ruin my efforts by eating crappy so it's not hard to say no. The second I stop exercising, I begin eating junky food.

gesosoge77

I'm not sure if this will answer your question, but here's what I can suggest.

When I get the temptation to eat something between meals or that is not that healthy for me, I chew a piece of gum. I've found with this method that sometimes I'm just not hungry, I just need to give my mouth something to chew on for awhile. Usually, the gum will satisfy my need for the unhealthy food.

I don't know if this will work with you, but it works wonders for me.

same thing with me especially the extra dessert flavor gum (i am chewing apple pie as i type)

KristyGirl8

I work at a studio where there are constant treats EVERY afternoon. THE BEST cookies. Today there were candied peanuts. Sometimes it's Spicy asian rice mix stuff. Whatever it is, it's never something I NEED. I work on my feet, and I'm constantly walking by these treats! Sometimes i eat them just because I need a distraction- sometimes because I want a break. It seriously compromises my daily calorie goal. 1 cookie can make or break me, because regardless of my exercise, I try to stay under my base daily calorie goal. It's SO HARD to say no!

Lately, I've been trying to have a cup of tea instead of the treat of the day. It's HARD!

Courtney24107

My secret to saying NO to yummy foods is to think about tomorrow. Tomorrow, that food won't even be on my mind. Sounds kind of lame but it works for me!

bbygrl5

Just don't do it.

...when that fails, chug water, lol.

To me, it's more about knowing when to say no and when to give in.

SWEETS1234

I like to have treats so I plan it into my day. I learned to exchange somethings for healthier choices. If I had to say no all time I never would of stuck with it. It's a lifestyle. Cheers and good luck.