Struggling to eat clean

swanny320

I have been gorging on junk due to stress. Ugh! My downfall is soda. I just cannot quit it. I need some support, some motivation, and some suggestions for easy, comforting food that is LOW cal. My goal is to lose 14 pounds and instead of losing, I keep gaining (because of my diet). It's not rocket science but it's so hard!!!!!!!

LoraF83

Why not just eat in moderation? Eat the healthy stuff, but make room for treats (like a can of soda)?

swanny320

I have such a hard time with that. If I allow myself goodies then I cannot stop. For me, it just has to be all or nothing. I'm that way with most things in life. Part of my weight increase is because I've had to stop running due to injury. I was a marathon runner and now I'm chained to the elliptical, the bike, and swimming...and I don't love those nearly as much as running.

baileysmom4

If you can work to eat as clean as possible for 1-2 weeks you will begin to adjust your tastebuds and not crave all that crap. I have a hard time now getting in all my calories because I eat clean which has less calories but I can eat more quantity-wise, and the food is not addictive like junk food. It's a wonderful experience once it happens! And exercise to reduce stress!

cici1028

I eat as clean as I can, but I didn't start doing that until I had hit my goal weight. I'm not saying YOU need to wait until then, but if you're struggling to do it, I would stick with moderation first. Focus on portion control and calories consumed. Watch your sugar intake and make sure you are getting most of your diet from lean proteins and healthy carbohydrates. Eating clean can be a challenge if you haven't mastered the self-control part of healthy living! I say this from experience.

Focus on making healthy choices and always trying to make better decisions today over what you did yesterday. For example, if you had a big portion of fried chicken, substitute grilled chicken the next time. Just a thought. You can do this! You have to learn to tell yourself no and live with being uncomfortable. Totally possible.

estrange22

The only way I can combat this issue is to pre-make my meals and carry food with me at all times. I have stashes of tuna pouches in my car and take a bag of fruit to work on mondays. Slice up veggies and keep them in your fridge so you can mindlessly much on them! Look up protein desserts....a lot of them are clean and will really satisfy your sweet tooth. Then, make sure you eat/drink whatever you want in moderation for special days.

maryrx59

My comfort food is homemade veggie soup....very low calorie, quick to make, very filling and healthier alternative. You mentioned gorging...if you want that full feeling, this soup will do it for you. Boil 3 to 4 cups water, add a tsp. Better than Bouillon Beef, add chopped cabbage, onion, dried veggie flakes (or whatever fresh veggies you have) and 1 can diced tomatoes, I add bay leaf and season to taste. This is my go-to meal when I feel stressed...it has saved my "diet" many times! :flowerforyou:

cljabusc

give up one thing for one week. Challenge yourself to go one week without a soda (small realistic goals can be easily achieved). in the place of soda drink tea instead (including meals where you go out, tea is everywhere). I find tea so comforting, on down time a nice hot cup with a lemon slice and a book and comfy pjs is the ultimate de-stresser. and you don't feel bloated after, as you would if you drank soda.

I took this challenge but with coffee instead. I felt so proud of myself after 1 week i wanted to tell everyone what I had done haha. I kept going too because I got into the routine of making myself tea in the morning at work even though coffee was all around me.

after one week of no soda, challenge yourself to two weeks. keep going and eventually you won't crave it anymore, because the more you drink sugar, the more you will crave it.

SnazzyTraveller

Wow this is exactly how I've been feeling lately. I run too, and I like to consider myself as someone who tries thier best to eat healthy with some treats now and then, but this last month has been HORRIBLE. I struggle sooo much with moderation as well, to the point of embarassment like if everyone eats one cinnamon bun and is satisfied I'll eat three and still be wishing I could have another. All or nothing.... if I open a bag of chips, consider the whole bag gone. So frustrating!!!! Then the feeling afterwards to being so overly full of sugar. Sore teeth, sometimes headache, difficulty sleeping..... drives me insane. Lost like 15 pounds in ~five months but then gained it all back in less than one

I think everyone's different so one thing may not work for everyone, but I've been thinking of cutting out extra sugar (each defines this differently) altogether, simply because I can't seem to control how much I consume of it.

I would say add me for encouragement but I'm not sure how much I can help. Just wanted to say I can totally relate.

cominupmilhouse

Have you considered a cheat day/meal? Give yourself once a week where you get to indulge in your favorite foods, healthy or not! This is sometimes effective for people who have a hard time giving up their fav foods completely. It's easier to stay on track the other 6 days/week if you know that you only have to wait a few days to get your soda fix.

Also... Wouldn't really recommend an ENTIRE day (though some people do) maybe more like a meal or half day.

Just a suggestion, good luck

shiplizard

Story of my life. Having food around makes me want to eat.

Do you like hummus? It's not the healthiest thing in and of itself, but at least it's got some protein, and enough sodium to give you that 'junk food' kick. It might be a decent gateway drug to healthier stressfoods.

_noob_

if soda is your downfall just drink diet...most of the taste, none of the guilt (unless you spend too much time reading these boards).

EmmaKarney

I would recommend pre plan out an ideal menu for just one day and stick to it.

You will feel so proud of yourself.

Repeat!

tiffanyrose519

I think the best way to start is to add in clean foods as opposed to just taking things away. For example, add a serving of veggies with your dinner, even if you're having pizza. Saute some onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. Start carrying baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, celery, etc. as a snack when you are at work/school, etc. Eventually you'll naturally start replacing the junk with whole, good, foods.

Another thing that is important, I think is knowledge. Learning about how bad that junk food for you is might help you to avoid it. Knowledge is power, start researching how these fad diets (low fat, diet drinks, etc.) are harmful and won't really help your journey of weight loss/becoming heathy.

A great documentary is Hungry for Change!

THExNEKOxCHAN

I wrote this for someone else's thread, but i think it would work for you too:

Your body has a set of requirements. It needs water, the proper amount of electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, and a level of nutrient that allows it to break down, rebuild, and repair itself. Getting this balance right means being very aware of your body.

It is very important that you eat the right amount of food for your body to maintain itself.

I don't believe in getting my needed nutrients from pills, so this may seem like a radical idea to some: try getting your nutrition from your food. And not just any food either; you want to look for the best stuff, because this is your body you're caring for, and who wouldn't want the best for their body?

Eat more vegetables and fruit. Look for organic brands, or shop from farmers markets. The fresher the better. If you have the time, try growing your own. The quality of home grown vegetables is very noticeable, in flavor and nutrient content.

Buy grass-fed/pasture raised meats, wild caught fish, and free range chicken/eggs. Do not be afraid to eat the fat, and don't leave out the egg yolks: they have the most basic nutrients your body needs. Avoid farmed fish, for they are fed many antibiotics and colorants. Avoid barn-laid, cage-free, and cage eggs, and do not eat grain fed meat or factory raised meat. If feasible, try to locate a farmer or a co-op that can provide you these things.

Buy grass-fed butter, whole, UN-homogenized milk (or raw if you can get it), use clean animal fats (pork lard, duck fat, beef or lamb tallow) or cold-pressed coconut oil for cooking, and extra virgin olive oil for cold dishes. Do not use hydrogenated oils, margarine, blended butters, vegetable oil, or anything with trans fats. Do not use milk powders, or drink ultra-pasteurized or UHT milks (they are over cooked, with damaged proteins and fats, and are from much lower quality milk overall). Do not drink skim milk: there is hardly anything useful left in it for you, and they use titanium dioxide to make it white (without the pigment, the skim milk would be bluish in color).

Enjoy nuts, seeds, avocados, naturally fermented foods (such as sauerkraut, beet kvass, kimchi, etc) to encourage good gut bacteria. Use home made yogurt and kefir. Use raw honey and pure maple syrup.

Try to avoid things with ingredients lists. Avoid refined sugar and flours, and anything that says "enriched", "fortified", "with _____ added", anything insisting it's "healthy", "low fat", "no fat", "low carb", "low sugar", "sugar-free", "lean" or "skinny". Avoid the majority of wheat, avoid soy at all costs, avoid corn (aside, perhaps, from a bit of fresh, organic sweet corn) and all of it's derivatives. (Cutting out processed foods, breads, etc will help knock a lot of these out of the game.) Avoid soda pop and most juices.

Remove all GMOs from your diet. They raise the risk of cancer and food allergies, are soaked with pesticides and herbicides, they destroy the environment, plant and animal life, and are run by morally corrupt companies who have their fingers in many pies.

Get plenty of sunshine. If you live in a place with a short winter day (as I do) you may use fermented cod liver oil to supplement yourself until summer rolls around. You need the Vitamin D. (If you want to know what your Vit D levels look like, they can run a blood test for it.)

Drink plenty of water. It's what allows your body to function at it's best. It helps with the transfer of nutrients, it keeps your blood flowing, and assist in the removal of toxins from your tissues. Don't drink too much on hot days, though, as that may dilute your electrolyte balance. If drinking a lot on hot days, have something with a little sea salt added, like broth, or look up a recipe for a natural electrolyte drink.

Listen to your body. Are you hungry? Feed it a meal, or a snack. Eat several small meals through the day and keep whole, healthy foods on hand. Cook more meals from scratch. Do you wake up feeling hungry in the middle of the night? You might be thirsty. Keep a glass of water by the bed. Do you feel tired or restless or unsettled during the day? Go for a walk/run to wake your body up and get its cells and fluids moving, and to help aid digestion and sleep. Get at least 6 or 7 hours of sleep at night. Find a hobby that you like doing. Please your mind with reading or craft projects, or gardening.

I like to call this common sense living. If you can do these things, you're well on your way to good health, both physical and mental.

Remember: You are beautiful and so is your body. It doesn't matter what others think. Your body is a finely tuned machine, and it knows exactly what it needs, so do your best to give it the best.

NVREST

plan your meals in advance.... so you dont have to get something in a hurry and get the "bad" stuff....

try some easy healthy recipes and even better, have some pre made food readily available... that can count for a few calories that would have been worse without some planning...

JessTheApple

Try replacing the soda with drink mix packets? They work wonders, but they're not carbinated like soda..

and I don't like seltzer water and a drink mix packet would taste so good, lol, but stay open minded? :happy:

SurfyFriend

If you don't address the initial problem, nothing is going to change.Why are you stressed? Talk to someone, exercise before you start to eat when your not hungry. Burn off the stress rather than creating more. Forcing yourself to eat clean when you are not happy is not going to be very easy to do. And I can't imagine that going against your own body's rhythm's will be a long-term solution. Meditate every morning, pick a bunch of flowers to put in your kitchen and invite friends over for a "healthy dinner". To try out your new healthy meals. Find someone to keep you accountable who you will not want to let down. Just some suggestions based on my experience with eating copious amounts of food when stressed, not solving anything. xx

zillah73

My downfall is dessert. I get Cookiehead Sprouted Grain Mini Brownies (very moist and chocolaty) and I keep them in the freezer. Each morning I take out one to thaw and eat after dinner.

gilmoregirlsr

I replace my soda with sparkling water and Mio. Does the trick for me.