When Does It Get Easier?

wildcata77

I seriously think I have a food addiction. It's taken me a long time to come to terms with that, but there it is, in black and white.

I feel like this time I am more committed than ever, but at the same time it is still a DAILY and sometimes hourly struggle to resist the incredible cravings I get. Every morning this week I have wanted Bojangles. The more I thought about it, the more I just had to tell myself that it won't satisfy me just because I want it. I will feel horrible afterwards, and guilty, and blow my entire day's calories and my entire week's progress on one impulse.

Yesterday I wanted pizza, coke, mcdonald's, ANYTHING but the deli ham and swiss sandwich loaded with veggies that I brought to work.

My post is two-part: for those with lasting success, when did it get easier to stop thinking about your trouble foods? When did you stop having to remind yourself at every meal and snack to make the right choice?

And for those like me that are still struggling to find the right balance: I have resisted. I've had one soda and no Bojangles/pizza/cheesesteak/McD's this week. My choices aren't always perfect (had a breakfast burrito and iced coffee today) but they are better. And I feel good afterwards.

hastinbe

In my experience the temptation never really goes away, but your resistance to them increases. Along with understanding more about what makes a food healthy, the more disgusting that food is becomes revealed. The best motivation is seeing your own progress when you stick with it, then you have realistic expectations and know you can do it. I think one of the best reminders is to tell yourself "You are what you eat" when it comes to making food choices.

bymyslf892

You know I seriously struggled with cravings the first like two months. I now still get them but they are much less. I try to eat whole grain high protein and a little low carb where I can now and I have found recipes that are just as delicious if not more delicious than all that fast food. I know it sucks to hear this but give it time. Decide how much YOU want this because to quote a motivation pick "It doesn't get easier, you just get better". I think that holds true for dieting and exercise.
You just gotta keep keeping on honestly and ALLOW yourself a cheat day to have those things, but let yourself know it's that day and that day ONLY. It helps a lot to plan your week around those cravings knowing that Sunday for example you can eat that Bojangles and some fries and sip down a huge coke. I always tell myself I can't have those until I earn them with a week of healthy eating. I don't know if that will help you but it has surely helped me!

jesspi68

I have found that making the healthier home versions of the foods I want to eat out have helped a lot. Like grilled sesame chicken with rice and broccoli at home, or a home-made pizza. You can make things leaps and bounds healthier than a restaurant can/will.

awillkies

In my experience the temptation never really goes away, but your resistance to them increases. Along with understanding more about what makes a food healthy, the more disgusting that food is becomes revealed. The best motivation is seeing your own progress when you stick with it, then you have realistic expectations and know you can do it. I think one of the best reminders is to tell yourself "You are what you eat" when it comes to making food choices.

couldn't agree more.

Goal_Line

You need to reprogram your brain.

My strategy is constantly associate in my mind the relationship between those foods and my being fat, unappealing and unhealthy. And associate good food with being athletic, attractive and healthy.

Also, try to find good foods you like, experiment with good foods.to find those you like.

vypeters

Something for you to think about...if you had an eating disorder that led you to be dangerously underweight, everyone you know would be pushing you to seek help from a therapist or counselor experienced in eating issues. If you truly do struggle from food addiction, as I do, that's disordered eating and though obesity kills much more slowly it's just as dangerous.

Building new habits helps, but research has shown that most of us gradually slip back into the old ones when our vigilance drops.

All of which is a lead up to me saying that I could not have done this without a counselor experienced in dealing with people with compulsive issues. You might want to consider it.

rlmadrid

I wouldn't say it ever gets easier, you just get more motivated. When those first few pound start dropping, and when those inches start to disappear, that burger just doesn't sound as yummy as it used to.

ericcharleslindstrom

A sure fire way to resist all temptations is to go radical! I've been vegan since January 5th and while I am not truly enjoying a plant-based, meat ... cheese ... dairy ... free lifestyle, it keeps me 100% on task with eating right. While I still think about and crave pizza and chicken wings and steak ... I just cannot eat it. Veganism is forcing me to make smart choices.

This morning on my way to work when I would have normally bought an egg and cheese and sauage breakfast sandwich ... I bought a banana.

Again, this is VERY radical and not for everyone (but if you watch "Forks Over Knives" and "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" you'll also know why I am sticking to it. I've lost 4 inches in my waste in 6 months ... which is also a nice result! Limit yourself. Tell yourself you can't eat certain foods every again ... and you might just be able to stick to it.

Good luck. I am sure you will be able to beat the demons of fast food!

lovemykids58

For me its still a struggle.. each and every day I have lost about 75lbs but the last month i have eat like total crap and not worked out once.. No, I dont know WHY I have done this to myself because I worked SO HARD..

All I can say is that its a life long progess/ struggle even after you drop the weight. Best of luck!

skinnyinnotime

In my experience the temptation never really goes away, but your resistance to them increases. Along with understanding more about what makes a food healthy, the more disgusting that food is becomes revealed. The best motivation is seeing your own progress when you stick with it, then you have realistic expectations and know you can do it. I think one of the best reminders is to tell yourself "You are what you eat" when it comes to making food choices.

This is so true, I look at stuff I would have happily indulged in and thought it was delicious...but now I just think what a load of processed rubbish why would I even want to put that in my body.

fbmandy55

Wow... are we sisters separated a birth? I have seriously been considering the same thing... I plan out healthy meals < i eat them but then I also eat things that are bad for me because I convince myself that I want them. Like breakfast today. Brian made me a small egg white and ham omelette. I got to work and has 2 cookies and 2 brownies with that and my coffee.

I hate this feeling of guilt and no control!

EmilyBoots

One thing that's helped me (I have really really low impulse control when it comes to driving past a fast food place) is to remind myself that I have never once regretted *not* stopping for something to eat. I keep foods in the house that I love to eat and that are good and filling - I love the sandwich thins bread with turkey and mustard and eat them every dang day and it's probably an addiction - so when I'm driving by a McD's or something on my way home, I'll just picture that turkey sandwich filling the house with a toasty smell. It takes a TON of willpower, but I just keep reminding myself that I'm not going to be thinking of McDonald's anymore by the time I get home.
If you find yourself craving the fast food when it's not around, get online and look at the nutrition information. Pick something that's not going to ruin your day, something with plenty of protein and not too much fat, and SEND SOMEBODY OUT TO BUY IT FOR YOU. Until you can trust yourself to actually order what you've planned, don't tempt yourself. I'm about a month in, and not at this stage yet, but I'm getting there.
Best of luck!!

acstansell

For me, it doesn't really get easier. There is always the temptation to eat more than I should. It's a constant monitoring.

GISFWCoachChris

>>>They will go away when you get results!<<<

1. Results are you payment for putting off instant gratification. The cost... not creeping off of your program at all for 6 days and having one cheat day per week. Pick one program and stick to it. When you start to see results they will motivate you to stick with it and you will generate the motivation/momentum that you are looking for.

>>>There is NO quick fix<<<

2. You are more of a sugar addict than a food addict. Case in point- you are currently eating food that isn't fullfilling you as much as sugar-laden food such as pizza, coke, or whatever the hell Bojangles are (I'm sure filled with sugar).

>>>The only way to kick a habit is to stop doing it<<<

melbot24

Try to use the 80/20 rule.

Eat right 80% of the time and indulge in your cravings 20% of the time.

You'll see it will be much easier to stick to your goals when there's a day you know you can go nuts.

Also, don't tell yourself that you "can't" have something, that will just promote feelings of desperation and deprivation.
Instead, tell yourself that you "don't" eat that, it's an empowering yet simple swap of vocab that will pay off!

The more right choices you make the more pride you'll have about how you treat your body. It's a beautiful, wonderful thing, take care of it, don't feed it Bojangles! (BTW I have no idea what that is...)

jenefrmthablok

I don't think it ever gets easier, you just get stronger. As time goes on, and you stick with healthy choices, you become stronger in resisting the 'crack' foods. What I've also had to do is understand the connection between wanting these types of foods and what's going on in my life. Am I stressed out? Am I down? What am I struggling with? Usually, there's a reason why I'm craving the 'crack'.....I've also learned to not obsess about craving 'crack' food. I try to think over and over again about something else, even if it's just repeating a phrase over and over again - "I will make healthy food choices" "I will NOT sabotage my progress with junk food". Do I still crave my 'crack' foods? Sure! ...and occasionally, I allow myself to a treat, but I make sure I make up for it the next day in my activity.

916lude

In my experience the temptation never really goes away, but your resistance to them increases. Along with understanding more about what makes a food healthy, the more disgusting that food is becomes revealed. The best motivation is seeing your own progress when you stick with it, then you have realistic expectations and know you can do it. I think one of the best reminders is to tell yourself "You are what you eat" when it comes to making food choices.

Very well said. I couldn't agree more.

Eleisabelle

There is an organization called Overeaters Anonymous that helps with this type of addiction. If addiction is truly what it is, it's more than just temptation--it is a complex emotional/physical connection that keeps a feedback loop. Consider possibly trying an OA meeting if you think it might help.

Good luck!

http://www.oa.org/

mfoulkebrown

I have found a lot of success with moderation. For example, I LOVE pizza. What I do now is I order thin crust, light cheese, extra sauce. I have a large salad and 1-2 pieces of pizza. The salad fills me up a bit and helps me not overeat on pizza and having a slice or two satisfies my cravings. I don't recommend this for everyone, since some people say that if they have a little it makes the cravings worse. For me, it works.

I also think about those things a little differently. Instead of "I can't have fast food/pizza/etc," I think, "I can have that, but do I want to do a bunch of excercise at the gym and eat a light dinner to make up for it?" Sometimes I answer yes, but usually it's no.

It has gotten easier for me. I have cravings a lot less than I used to and when I do, they're less strong than they used to be. Hang in there, it will get better!

urfitnesspal2

I seriously think I have a food addiction. It's taken me a long time to come to terms with that, but there it is, in black and white.

I think there is an OA (overeaters anonymous) group here on MFP if you would like more info on that, or they also have a webpage you can google.

(edited typo)