Did you give up "yummy" food?

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Replies

  • Alicia7519
    Alicia7519 Posts: 160
    The food diary on this site has made me very selective about the foods I eat or liquids that I drink. I don't have a cheat day, instead if there is something I want, I will have a small portion. For example, today my husband is preparing my birthday dinner and instead of buying a cake,he is getting a brownie for me from my favorite bakery. Also, we are having grilled hamburgers. I like potato chips A LOT, especially with burgers. I have not had eaten chips in over a month. I've asked him to buy a small bag of potato chips and we are going to split it between the two of us. I exercised today and will probably go for a walk before dinner. Tomorrow, I'll get back with the program.
  • emilydumarce
    emilydumarce Posts: 46 Member
    mmm olive garden. excuse me while i drool lol. i dont have cheat days but more like a cheat meal. aka a good breakfast and lunch but something super yummy for dinner. i just try to stay away from candy. ive read that when you eat candy, choc etc. theres a chemical that stays in your body for up to 7 days that will make you crave it. regardless, i do have the occassional chocolate, ice cream, pizza, and rarely alcohol. but 2 to 3 times a year eating out at a nice restaurant is totally possible too (: hope this helps!!
  • LilLolo22
    LilLolo22 Posts: 229 Member
    1. Did you give up eating your favorite foods?
    2. Did you replace them, cut down, or just get rid of them?
    3. Do you have "cheat" days?

    1. Yes, on a regular basis I have given up eating many foods that I like but felt were too high in unhealthy ingredients or calories. But if it's something I really like I will occasionally have it. Depending on just how high calorie or how unhealthy I believe it to be, occasionally maybe every couple of weeks or 2-3 times a year.

    2. I make healthier versions of many of my favorite high calorie or unhealthy foods. In some cases I've found I like the healthy versions better and very rarely eat the original verson. In others, I still splurge on the real thing occasionally because the healthier version just isn't quite as good.

    3. I don't plan cheat days, but yes, I have days where I eat and drink with abandon. These are usually occasions (birthdays, reunions, parties, holidays, etc.) I also don't eat the same number of calories every day so some days I'm under the MFP limit and some days I go over, which could be considered a cheat day I suppose.



    ^^^This is exactly what I've done and I don't feel deprived in any way. As a matter of fact, the foods I once found "yummy" I don't find so yummy anymore.
  • CrystalFlury
    CrystalFlury Posts: 400 Member
    I just calculated a normal Olive garden trip for me, and it's around 2500 calories in one sitting...
    and the chili cheese fries I love downtown are more that 1500 calories..
    and my favorite wrap is about 1500 as well..

    I will definitely think twice about eating out, now...
    That's CRAZY

    Did you give up eating your favorite foods?
    Did you replace them, cut down, or just get rid of them?
    Do you have "cheat" days?

    I didn't really give anything up for good, I did cut down--majorly--on them when I was in the process of losing. I wanted so badly to hit my goal. I now realize, even though I'm at my goal, that I probably made a mistake doing that. I loosened up on myself when it came to eating more enjoyable foods that for a while there I had no self control when my favorites came around.

    I certainly avoid fast food all together when I can because A. it just doesn't taste good (why waste my calories on crap) and B. it doesn't satisfy me. I do tend to make MUCH healthier choices when it comes to eating out--staying away from chicken fingers, french fries, completely fried, butter up dishes. I have changed my lifestyle and become more aware of my food choices all together, however, I'm a sugaraholic.

    I still struggle with portion control on dessert items. Recently, I bought a bag of candy corn (because it's completely awesome and delicious) and it lasted a total of 2 days. I've learned, individually wrapped sweet items are a better way to go, or better yet, not buying them for the house. It's something I've struggled with ever since I was a kid--sneaking tastes of frosting here and there, eating candy when bored... It's a BAD habit and one that I'm sure takes a longer time to break considering it was a life-long habit.
  • LeanNTrim
    LeanNTrim Posts: 15 Member
    I didn't give up all of my yummy foods, just some of the one's that are the highest in calories, fat, etc. I'll modify the one's that I can't really indulge in just to make them more calorie friendly. I subsitute some ingredients to get the same taste and satisfaction that I'm looking for. As for cheat days....it's not a cheat if I can factor it into my daily calorie intake. I'm "saving myself" until Thanksgiving Day! Then I can call it an official cheat day...I'm counting down the days to turkey day! LOL! :laugh:
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Did you give up eating your favorite foods?

    Nope. Not at all. I cut out some foods that I ate out of pure convenience that weren't particularly healthy but high in calories, like Pop Tarts or Hamburger Helper, but I wouldn't call any of them my favorites.

    Did you replace them, cut down, or just get rid of them?

    I made them fit. Even while I was losing, I typically ate 1800-2000 calories after exercise calories, so I typically ate about 1000 calories for dinner. Most everything I eat will fit in that range. Half a DiGiorno pizza is about 850-1000.

    Do you have "cheat" days?

    I don't log on weekends. Just like an ostrich with the head in the sand ignoring calories. I'm not saying I binge or splurge, but if the opportunity to go out for dinner or go to a party arises, I'm going to take it and enjoy it.
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
    I don't eat out that often, and never did, so there's been no sacrifice on that front. But I have completely given up the cookies, cake, and ice cream that I used to eat in astronomical proportions.

    There's no true need for me to eat them, and with my pre-diabetic diagnosis there's even more reason for me to steer clear of high fat snacks and desserts.

    I don't have cheat days. In fact I don't understand the concept. I need to eat healthy and cheating defeats that. Any cravings I have are mine to combat, not cave into.
  • NikkiSixGuns
    NikkiSixGuns Posts: 630 Member
    I didn't give up anything entirely, but I did cut WAY back. And in the process I discovered all kinds of other yummy foods that I wasn't eating before.

    I don't "cheat". If I want something, and if it fits, I have it, log it, and move on. I just do it infrequently.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
    No I eat yummy food everyday.
    If I eat out I think about my choices, but not to much as I only really go out once or twice a year anyway.

    For unhealthy yummy foods I have merely cut back. I don't have treat days, but I work my calories on a weekly basis so I do closer to whatever I want on the weekends as long as I don't go over weekly goal.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    I have one cheat day a week, but even then I set the limits on my calories. I haven't intentionally given any foods up, but I realize that certain foods have lots of calories and, if I eat them now, I will be hungry and out of calories to spend later. Sometimes, it's worth it, sometimes it isn't. Also, I have one food that I know I will binge on if I buy it, so I've stayed away from it entirely.
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
    There are foods I have pretty much cut out. Snack food cakes, donuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies, frozen custard, french fries, fried chicken, double cheeseburgers, and all you can eat buffets, especially Chinese.

    But, there are still foods I eat. Chinese (no deep fried though so no eggrolls), Middle Eastern food, especiially eggplant, even an occasional falafel wrap. Pizza (but usually just cheese or veggie toppings and no more than two slices), beer (once a week), burgers (no cheese, sometimes no bun), and waffles (whole grain homemade).

    I don't plan cheat days, but I had a cheat weekend a few weeks ago when I was back in my home state for a couple of days. Even then, I try to limit the damage. So on the day I met with old buddies I had a couple of beers and a steak sandwich, but no fries and no dessert. And when I went out for Jewish deli for lunch with my brothers, I ate the pastrami but skipped the knish, and skipped dinner that night. And breakfast at the hotel was just eggs and toast. No waffles, muffins, or high fat sausage.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I've tried to find ways of making food at home with similar flavor with fewer calories.

    Example

    My homemade carbonara (same portion size as full size plate at Cheesecake Factory): 750 calories
    Cheesecake Factory carbonara: ~2150 calories

    You can do so much more with homemade food than out-to-eat food.

    I also replaced full fat chips with baked snacks. Cuts tons of calories, but you still get the crunchy salty fix without all the excess grease and calories.

    Long story short, I did not give up a lot of my favorite foods, but I found a way to enjoy them a little differently than before. Eventually, I came to enjoy the homemade versions more than the restaurant versions.
  • ReinasWrath
    ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
    I do a bit of all 3. The things I can substitute I do. Like for bacon I eat turkey bacon, skim milk instead of whole, zucchini noodles instead of pasta noodles. The things I either can't substitute (or won;'t lol) I have in moderation. Like pop. I LOVE pop BUT I hate the diet stuff and heard it kills you in your sleep or something.. anyway that kind of stuff I'll try to have only once or twice a week. And then of course I have my cheat days =]
  • ascotton80
    ascotton80 Posts: 56 Member
    I just calculated a normal Olive garden trip for me, and it's around 2500 calories in one sitting...
    and the chili cheese fries I love downtown are more that 1500 calories..
    and my favorite wrap is about 1500 as well..

    I will definitely think twice about eating out, now...
    That's CRAZY

    Did you give up eating your favorite foods?
    Did you replace them, cut down, or just get rid of them?
    Do you have "cheat" days?

    I haven't given up anything. Everything in moderation. You can go to Olive Garden and eat an enjoyable meal for less than 2500 calories. And you can certainly have chili fries for less than 1500. It's not all or nothing.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I haven't necessarily given anything up, but I do think more about how I spend my calories. For instance, the return I get on a meal from McD's just isn't worth the amount of calories I have to spend to get it. However, Taco Bell is usually worth the calories I spend to get it, especially with their fresco menu.

    I still eat something sweet every single day, and that helps keep me from "cheating". I just make sure to allow a couple hundred calories for my sweets each day. However, I have found that about every 30 days I have to just let loose and go over my calories, usually by several hundred. It doesn't hurt me long term, but it helps keep me sane.
  • ascotton80
    ascotton80 Posts: 56 Member
    And I don't know what you are referring to when you talk about "cheat" days.

    I eat whatever I want, as long as it's within my calorie range.
  • miss_ally08
    miss_ally08 Posts: 167 Member
    Did you give up eating your favorite foods?
    To a certain degree.

    Did you replace them, cut down, or just get rid of them?
    I cut down my portion sizes.

    Do you have "cheat" days?
    Sometimes. We're all human. I had one yesterday. I went over by 520 calories (my daily is set to 1220), so it wasn't a complete blow out. I just do better the next day. The thing is everything in moderation, deprivation never did anyone any good!
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
    And I don't know what you are referring to when you talk about "cheat" days.

    I eat whatever I want, as long as it's within my calorie range.

    I think OP meant, days where you purposely just go over your calorie range.
  • HMToomey
    HMToomey Posts: 276
    I stopped eating out and learned to cook mainly because of the money. But now I don't go out because when I do I can't help but think "I could have made that, it would have tasted better and cost 75% less!"

    I think what I cook is pretty yummy: Eating home made chicken pot pie right now, made a maple glazed pork roast over the weekend, I often make panko crusted chicken that rivals the Italian place down the street.

    The best advice I can give you is to invest in America's test kitchen cook books, THEY ROCK!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I will never give up yummy food. I just try to be smarter about it. I spread my calories out through the day, stick to one serving of anything high calorie, and sometimes have a small meal (or two) to fit in a splurge meal. I try to save calories for dessert every night.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    The weird thing is, the food that you don't think is yummy right now, gets yummier as you eat more of it.

    Not veggies. =( At least for me. :flowerforyou:

    There are some veggies that I have tried different times and different ways and just can't stomach them. There are a few that I love, like broccoli and spinach. I have liked them since I was a kid. But there are some that will never be part of my diet. :tongue:
  • xoyasminxo
    xoyasminxo Posts: 132
    The weird thing is, the food that you don't think is yummy right now, gets yummier as you eat more of it.

    So true. Your taste buds adjust. I used to hate plain yogurt, now I don't know why I ever thought it was gross.
  • xoyasminxo
    xoyasminxo Posts: 132
    The weird thing is, the food that you don't think is yummy right now, gets yummier as you eat more of it.

    Not veggies. =( At least for me. :flowerforyou:

    There are some veggies that I have tried different times and different ways and just can't stomach them. There are a few that I love, like broccoli and spinach. I have liked them since I was a kid. But there are some that will never be part of my diet. :tongue:

    Like peas...

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