Seeking Reprogramming advice

agonzalez136

So, i think this is the first time i've ever posted anything anywhere. But I'm reaching my wit's end. I understand that exercising more in any capacity will help. I understand that some ppl have the genetic marker and others (like myself) have to literally work at to even be consistent with it and to either make that a permanent employment or to not bother at all. Those things i can accept.

What i am (still) having issues with are my food-picking habits. No matter how 'hard' i try to practice eating the 'right' foods, i find myself some time later visiting a KFC or a Wendy's or grabbing something from Dunkin Donuts, etc. I recognize the pattern of behavior and let me preface with what hasn't worked: cold-turkey and variations on 'compromising'.

Has anyone found some kind of shortcut or pharmaceutical support to ween themselves off of craving these kinds of things? What am i missing?

Confuzzled4ever

You are missing eating foods you like..

and you are addicted to additives, (fat and sugar)

The only way to stop the craving is to eat healthy foods until you are fuill and flat out resist the cravings, until they stop. Try duplicating the flavor or crunch of those things at home using healthy food. I know my sweet tooth is happy with fresh pineapple. and my crunch tooth is happy with homemade potato chips.

I have an open diary and clean eating if you want idea and my blog has good recipes in it.. including healthy chinese food.

leighann881

I don't mean any of this to sound snarky or preachy....

What you really need to do is stop. You are an adult and have a choice when it comes to what you eat. Just stop. There is no secret formula. Nobody or no drug can "help" you with this. You have to do this yourself. Stop.

That being said... there are ways to reduce cravings and thus decrease temptation. If I had to guess... you diet really well and cut EVERYTHING "bad" out. Then you are like F it. I'm f'in hungry... KFC here I come! So don't cut out everything bad. Make sure you are eating enough fat to stave the deep-fried grease cravings.

*I love love love McDonald's. There is nothing that I would like more right now for lunch than a Quarter Pounder with cheese and a large fries with tartar sauce and a Diet Coke. Instead I'm getting an Ahi burger (still not really within my "diet".) I'm not going to tell you that the Ahi Burger is going to taste the same or better. BUT i can promise that I will physically feel better from that then processed pink slime meat burger.

I think you are doing too much all at once. Take baby steps. This week make your only goal be NO FAST FOOD.

Mokey41

Weight loss is mostly between your ears. As an adult you have to make the decision that you're doing to do something and stick with it. If you truly don't want to eat junk food then you'll avoid it. It's not a genetic marker and there's no drug. It's called willpower and you either want to succeed or you don't. Making excuses tells me that you haven't really committed to a change yet.

dsendre

I hope this does not come across as rude, just trying to give some constructive criticism:

Are you eating fast food because it's convenient or because you can't stop yourself from eating fast foods? I understand the "Well, it's the closest/cheapest (convenient) option, so I'll just grab something there" but I don't understand how you "find" yourself going to these places if you're really trying to avoid them.

It's a mindset. Sadly, there is no magic solution. You have to be mentally tough enough to stop yourself from doing something you don't want to do. You have to commit to yourself, your health and your future.

Maybe it's because I'm Catholic, but the whole self-guilt thing works well for me. It's a fight between me and myself - I'm definitely going to win that fight, but I want the winner to be the healthy me. In order to do that, I need to commit to making the right decisions.

You can do it! You don't have to fight yourself from doing other things you know are bad for you: walking out in traffic, hard-core drugs, walking too close to a high ledge, etc. You have the mental ability to understand good vs. bad things for you. Now you just need to apply this to your food intake. You can do it!

badtastebetty

If it is a matter of craving those foods, take baby steps and start to prepare healthy versions of your favorite fast food meals. Look into food subsitutions to help you cut down on your calorie consumption.

If it is a matter of conveinence, I'm always packing around at least three snacks worth of veggies, nuts and usually some cheese (remember to excersize portion control with the latter). I've started to incorporate a mid-day protein shake to help satisfy my hunger as I was close to throwing all my progress out the window.

I have learned I stick to my plan best if I plan out my meals the night before, and leave a little wiggle room for error. I've kicked an A&W, McDonalds, and ice cream habit in the past month. I've replaced these with home cooked meals I look forward to. My favorite side dish is baked yams with coconut oil, they're my fry replacement. Turkey meatballs stuffed with monterey jack cheese, when I am craving a cheesy greasy burger. Frozen banana with almond butter and berries for a late night snack to replace ice cream. I've also learned how to prepare salmon, which is amazingly delicious.

I hope some of this helps! I've had so many experiences in the past of giving into cravings that just haven't been worth it. I'm doing really well with my progress right now, and the key is to not stress out too much when you give into a craving, and plan for success as best you can.

endoftheside

Planning is your friend. If you already know what you are going to eat, there is no space for that subconscious habitual behavior to sneak in.

agonzalez136

lol. yeah, i'm definitely missing the guilt gene that most of the people in the world seem to have access to.

agonzalez136

cool. Ok, the consensus seems to be that there is no real tool and to either do or die. I can accept that. And to those that kept pointing at planning ahead, thank you. It's not that i go to 'bad places' on a daily basis, but when i don't plan, ...yeah, they're my fallback. Thank you all for the info and advice. I really do appreciate it. Wish me luck.

tejasmh87

I call it the Sugar and Fat Withdrawl Syndrome.

It gets better. Plan your meals, cook at home more than eating out.

If you want to eat out- do your research about what you can get that's healthy and where you can get it. My Fiance' and I will eat out at 4 places. Jason's Deli, Panera, Paradise Bakery, La Madeline normally. Once a month we may hit Genghis Grill or Chuys type place to indulge.

Another thing you might focus on is how low your water intake "might" be. Our brain's can't tell the difference between the hormones of huger and thirst. Are you hungry or truely thirsty? Hard to tell.

Try drinking water when you feel hungry and see if that feels better. With as much fast food as you claim to crave I thing you would have high sodium issues. That makes you thirsty...and if we can't tell the difference between hunger and thirst...it turns into a cycle.

Weightloss is 80% mental. Realizing you have a bad habit is the start of breaking it Good Luck!

dimsumkitty

My suggestion: cook! There are sooo many recipes online for things like fried chicken, doughnuts and burgers. If it's the taste you crave, then why not make the recipes yourself? You can weigh out and log all the ingredients you use, and that way you know exactly what goes into them.

I don't think there's anything wrong with saying "when I want fried chicken I'm going to make myself some fried chicken, and then I'm going to log that fried chicken in my food diary". Plan your shopping ahead! Say, "I'm going to treat myself to fried chicken once this week", and buy the ingredients for it.

And when you've tried to make things, you can tweak your recipes to make them healthier and tastier, or find healthier recipes on the internet.

I used to crave fried chicken or McDonalds, but actually, since I've cooked more for myself, I've realised that the stuff I make actually tastes better. I'd rather have homemade spicy grilled chicken than go to KFC - it just doesn't taste as good!

agonzalez136

Glad you ppl are here. I'm not the 'go to a mtg' type. So, this sounding board is perfect!

badtastebetty

cool. Ok, the consensus seems to be that there is no real tool and to either do or die. I can accept that. And to those that kept pointing at planning ahead, thank you. It's not that i go to 'bad places' on a daily basis, but when i don't plan, ...yeah, they're my fallback. Thank you all for the info and advice. I really do appreciate it. Wish me luck.

If you find yourself in a situation where you haven't planned ahead, and your hungry. I will usually go to the nearest grocery or convenience store and pick up and apple or some nuts to tide me over until I get home. There is also the option of selecting something healthy on the menu... however I don't trust myself enough to do that

agonzalez136

lol, agreed/ditto

astronomicals

Id completely cut sugar down to nearly zero for 3 weeks and I'd expect your sweet tooth to nearly disappear... As far as fast food its really not all that bad.... As long as you fit it into your calories your fine... There enlies the hard part. You cant eat too much fast food and not go over your calories. I think you should plan your whole next week with little to no sugar at all, and plan some fast food on some days.... try and ween off it completely or keep it in your diet and make sacrifices to keep it... anyone preaching "clean" food has no idea what theyre talking about. Its just hard to eat fats food while losing weight because it isnt very filling in the portions you an have.

WBB55

Here's another suggestion. I think you, your mind, and your taste buds are accustomed to the added sugar and fats. Besides all the willpower and substituting your cravings suggestions -- which will help immensely if you do them -- something else you can do is kinda reprogram your brain and tongue to not crave the fats and sugars as much. Here's how I did it (I used to weigh 240 lbs at my highest).

For 4 weeks don't count calories, don't worry about avoiding fast food 100%, don't worry about your sodium or anything like that. Just do this one thing:

100% avoid "high fructose corn syrup" and "trans fats" (or anything that contains "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" anything). Just avoid 100% those two phrases on ingredient labels of everything you eat and drink.

When you go to fast food or a restaurant or grocery store or convenience store, look at the ingredients before you buy it. I don't care how many calories it has. I don't care how much fat it has. I don't care if you eat the whole bag or not. Just look at the ingredients. If the ingredients say "high fructose corn syrup" or "hydrogenated" anything, put it back on the shelf. Pick something else. Pick a different brand.

Also note, if something at the grocery store doesn't have a label at all, that means it probably doesn't contain HFCS or trans fats.

agonzalez136

TYVM everyone; keep it comin'.

infamousmk

Make those yummy treats fit in to your lifestyle. If you plan for treats and cheats, and make them fit in to your regular day every now and then, you're much more likely to succeed than if you were to completely cut them out of your life. Don't do anything you can't see yourself maintaining for the rest of your life.

Calliope610

cool. Ok, the consensus seems to be that there is no real tool and to either do or die. I can accept that. And to those that kept pointing at planning ahead, thank you. It's not that i go to 'bad places' on a daily basis,but when i don't plan, ...yeah, they're my fallback. Thank you all for the info and advice. I really do appreciate it. Wish me luck.

Yep, there's a reason for that saying "Failing to plan is planning to fail."

Calliope610

This is kinda off-tangent, but it may apply to you -

I know it's hard to overcome the "easy & cheap" trap of fast/convenience food, especially when it comes to economic reasoning. I was raised with the economic thinking of "buy what is cheapest and what will suffice, rather than buy what is best product". So it took a lot to fight the habit of buying Taco Bell food (which I love - I grew up on 29 cent tacos and burritos - I know, my age is showing) for less than $5 than to get good, quality food and spend more.

I had to change my thought process. I have the remind myself that the "old" me ate crap, the "new and improved" me is willing to spend a little bit more for better stuff - b/c I'm worth it. That is the reprogramming.

elyelyse

If you find yourself in a situation where you haven't planned ahead, and your hungry. I will usually go to the nearest grocery or convenience store and pick up and apple or some nuts to tide me over until I get home. There is also the option of selecting something healthy on the menu... however I don't trust myself enough to do that

YUP! convenience stores, even the small ones at gas stations often have unexpected healthy and healthy-ish options for when you are hungry-angry-tired-need-something-now. string cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, cereal and milk... none of those are really full meals, but they are enough to diffuse that hunger for a few minutes so I can make a good decision about what to do next.
Most grocery stores have pre-cooked chicken pieces, or you can get some sliced turkey/roast beef/cheese. There is almost always a healthier option than "fast food", which may or may not be more convenient than a drive through... but that's where we have to take responsibility and make the choice. Make the choice enough times and it becomes a habit.

Rejuvn8

Here's an interesting read that might tick you off enough to curb your appetite for fast/processed food....very interesting with good resources http://www.amazon.com/Salt-Sugar-Fat-Giants-Hooked/dp/1400069807

EveryGuyDiet

Have you thought about trying hypnosis? http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/weight_loss.php was created specifically to help you make better eating decisions. It doesn't work with out the desire to succeed and it won't work without an eating plan and exercise, but it will help you if you truly want to succeed.

Rejuvn8

Here's an interesting read that might tick you off enough to curb your appetite for fast/processed food....very interesting with good resources http://www.amazon.com/Salt-Sugar-Fat-Giants-Hooked/dp/1400069807

Here is the description from the Amazon site:

Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us [Hardcover]
Michael Moss

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter at The New York Times comes the explosive story of the rise of the processed food industry and its link to the emerging obesity epidemic. Michael Moss reveals how companies use salt, sugar, and fat to addict us and, more important, how we can fight back.

In the spring of 1999 the heads of the world’s largest processed food companies—from Coca-Cola to Nabisco—gathered at Pillsbury headquarters in Minneapolis for a secret meeting. On the agenda: the emerging epidemic of obesity, and what to do about it.

Increasingly, the salt-, sugar-, and fat-laden foods these companies produced were being linked to obesity, and a concerned Kraft executive took the stage to issue a warning: There would be a day of reckoning unless changes were made. This executive then launched into a damning PowerPoint presentation—114 slides in all—making the case that processed food companies could not afford to sit by, idle, as children grew sick and class-action lawyers lurked. To deny the problem, he said, is to court disaster.

When he was done, the most powerful person in the room—the CEO of General Mills—stood up to speak, clearly annoyed. And by the time he sat down, the meeting was over.

Since that day, with the industry in pursuit of its win-at-all-costs strategy, the situation has only grown more dire. Every year, the average American eats thirty-three pounds of cheese (triple what we ate in 1970) and seventy pounds of sugar (about twenty-two teaspoons a day). We ingest 8,500 milligrams of salt a day, double the recommended amount, and almost none of that comes from the shakers on our table. It comes from processed food. It’s no wonder, then, that one in three adults, and one in five kids, is clinically obese. It’s no wonder that twenty-six million Americans have diabetes, the processed food industry in the U.S. accounts for $1 trillion a year in sales, and the total economic cost of this health crisis is approaching $300 billion a year.

In Salt Sugar Fat, Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter Michael Moss shows how we got here. Featuring examples from some of the most recognizable (and profitable) companies and brands of the last half century—including Kraft, Coca-Cola, Lunchables, Kellogg, Nestlé, Oreos, Cargill, Capri Sun, and many more—Moss’s explosive, empowering narrative is grounded in meticulous, often eye-opening research.

Moss takes us inside the labs where food scientists use cutting-edge technology to calculate the “bliss point” of sugary beverages or enhance the “mouthfeel” of fat by manipulating its chemical structure. He unearths marketing campaigns designed—in a technique adapted from tobacco companies—to redirect concerns about the health risks of their products: Dial back on one ingredient, pump up the other two, and tout the new line as “fat-free” or “low-salt.” He talks to concerned executives who confess that they could never produce truly healthy alternatives to their products even if serious regulation became a reality. Simply put: The industry itself would cease to exist without salt, sugar, and fat. Just as millions of “heavy users”—as the companies refer to their most ardent customers—are addicted to this seductive trio, so too are the companies that peddle them. You will never look at a nutrition label the same way again.

“As a feat of reporting and a public service, Salt Sugar Fat is a remarkable accomplishment.”—The New York Times Book Review

agonzalez136

I've been thinking about the hypnosis thing. I figure, even if its the 'placebo' effect, it's still another tool to help me along rather than hinder me.

And thanks for the book reference (checking it out now).

mdcoug

I don't know if it's age or just the fact that I've managed to mostly stay away from fast food for the past year or so, but I cannot stomach the thought of most fast food now. I was never a fast food burger fan, but I did really like KFC or a chicken sandwich at McDonalds. I do think that being forced to do more cooking at home has changed my tastes for the better.

So, maybe doing more meal planning and setting a goal for eating at home (or bringing lunch vs. eating out) x times per week, then upping that number as you get more accustomed to it?

purplestarburst

Planning is your friend. If you already know what you are going to eat, there is no space for that subconscious habitual behavior to sneak in.

I agree w/this. I also recommend purchasing some healthier snacks you can keep w/you throughout the day. I'm a big fan of raw food bars, but more simpler choices like nuts really help, too.

I also recommend *not beating yourself up*. If you slip, forgive immediately & move on.

Best of luck!