Help! I want to eat clean but.....

em3120

…..I have a sugar addiction! I don’t know if that is even possible, but I can’t live without my sugar and processed foods. I really want to eat clean and do my body good, but I always cave within the first day of trying! I start off eating well with scrambled eggs, fruit, veggies, chicken, but then by mid-afternoon I crash and eat sweets! I eat ice cream almost every day and some sort of chocolate and the rest of my food is mostly processed snacks and microwavable meals. I truly wonder how I have been able to lose weight with the foods I eat, but I guess it makes sense why I got fat in the first place. I’m a college student and the ease of just popping a lean cuisine in the microwave or grabbing a 100 calorie pack on my way out the door make it hard for me to want to actually cook something. Plus I am a terrible cook, so it has to be easy to make or I WILL ruin it. I need some motivation and advice here! I want to eat clean and become healthier, but I just can’t stop myself! So far today I have had Eggo chocolate chip waffles with syrup, a piece of peppermint bark, and a macaroni and cheese lean cuisine. Writing that down makes me feel disgusting. My diary is closed because I am just too embarrassed for people to see what I eat on a daily basis. I’m just addicted to sweet stuff, however I did give up soda years ago. You know how chocolate frosting is so incredibly rich and you can’t even eat the whole piece of cake because of it? Not me, I love the stuff and eat it out of the can. I went to Starbucks yesterday and ordered a white chocolate mocha and then I had to add more sugar to it! The holidays have arrived and there is so much sweet stuff going around that I know I need to start eating clean or I will crash and burn. Help me please! I’m not overweight anymore, my BMI is 21 and my BF% is 21-23ish, but I want my body to be healthier! I want to only give my body good food!

sa11yjane

Well you certainly have a very healthy BMI so well done! I do believe that it is possible to have a sugar addiction- many people do just fine during a day until they have something sweet- it just triggers dreadful addictive reactions, doesn't it? Maybe start small. Try not to keep sugary rubbish in your home. If you have to go out to buy it it's not so tempting. And did you put the sugar in your drink out of habit maybe? Try and gradually reduce your intake, rather than going 'cold turkey'. Additionally, don't let yourself get hungry. Try and eat small meals and snacks at regular intervals to keep your blood sugar levels up in order that you don't then crave sugary foods and drinks. Good luck! x

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Eating 100% "clean" isn't necessary for weight loss or even for good health. Weight loss comes from calorie deficit, not clean vs. processed. Depending on the type of processed food "healthy" is probably possible with only 50% "clean" food. Also, "clean" is so arbitrary anyway.

Also, Lean Cuisines are just not good. They taste bad, have a ton of salt, not enough calories for a meal and are expensive. Make a sandwich or a wrap. Throw some precooked chicken breast and some cheese on bagged salads. Cook up a bunch of spaghetti with turkey sausage or lean beef on the weekends and separate it out into individual servings. There are soooo many easy options that are "better" than frozen diet meals.

theblackbirdtree

I have been and struggle with exactly what you're doing through.
Honestly, I've learned to embrace stevia and making chocolate cookies at home with unsweetened cocoa powder, stevia, and egg whites. If you microwave it with some flax meal it makes a considerably moist chocolate cake. I've given up hope of enjoying sweets outside the home, though. It's just too tempting. So, for now, I control what goes into my sweet treats.
Even today, after avoiding sugar (ketogenic diet) for 2 months, I've been eating gluten free oreo cookies and overindulging way too much. It's something you consistently remind yourself of and make the best decisions you can at every moment-- not just every day, or every month. It's a constant conversation for me.
At least until I stop focusing on the fact that it's a problem. If I'm distracted, there's no issue. Maybe find some hobbies or activities you enjoy to ease your mind and take you out of the troublesome trap of the human brain and ruminating.
It's really, really tough. I wish you the best of luck. :flowerforyou:

craigineson

Sugar is addictive because it activates the "reward" part of your brain. Our minds still haven't evolved from the idea that sugar is hard to come by.

It's always a good idea to cut down sugar where possible - perhaps you should look for some triggers in your life. What causes your to eat the sugary treats? Habit? Stress? Hunger? All of those can be resolved if you first identify what is driving the issue.

Firefox7275

Eating clean doesn't mean low carb nor low fat nor counting calories - are these mistakes you are making? If you eat large portions frequently your blood sugar should not be crashing, are you going too long between meals? Try a generous portion of protein, loads of water and fibre rich veggies or low sugar fruits, a decent portion of healthy fats, plus something very high in fibre at every meal or snack. You need protein, fat, fibre AND water for satiety. Have plain nuts with dried fruit for a sugar hit - my favourites are cherries and pears - these are really easy to pop in your bag and don't need any preparation.

Secondly where are you getting the junk food? Is it in your kitchen or are you buying it during the day? Same as for people trying to quit smoking, change your habits and routine, make getting junk food difficult. Don't carry money that you don't need (carry lunch and healthy snacks at all times, get gas once a week), don't walk past the vending machine, don't drive past the corner store, shop for groceries once a week on a very full stomach and with a shopping list.

Make your own microwave meals - buy a cheap slow cooker and make soups, stews/ casseroles, pasta sauce, chilli and so on. You literally can chop and throw all the raw food in within five minutes, switch on and go about your day. When you come home there are six meals ready - you must be spending more time than that stood at the microwave? There is also plenty you can do with a microwave - jacket sweet potatoes, baked beans and cheese, steamed veggies with precooked chicken or seafood then throw an Asian sauce on, eggs all ways and so on.

You don't have to quit chocolate because cocoa is full of super healthy antioxidants fibre and minerals, just switch from high sugar milk chocolate to low sugar/ diabetic dark chocolate.