How do I not eat the junk if it's in the house?

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  • spidey11186
    spidey11186 Posts: 141 Member
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    Whenever you get the urge to munch on them... go run... keep running until you don't have the urge anymore. Double whammy because you'll exercise and also train your mind to associate those feelings with having to exercise and you'll eventually not want to binge anymore
  • erreemme
    erreemme Posts: 2
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    Stop buying junk.

    Not the only person in my home....and I cannot enforce my way onto my husband. He is the head of the house, he says buy it, I buy it.

    But I have such a difficult time walking past it...I am weak.

    How I resist the junk food call? I keep Myfitnesspal handy on my Ipad. When I have a craving for a couple of chips I first look at my daily quota and if one serving is 15 chips, but 8 keeps me in the Green zone, I eat max 8 (slooowlyyy!) just to loose the craving. It works for me ! Try it ! It make you realize how much we overeat! Do not worry if you fell like you are fasting (because you are eating less); your body will adjust in a week or two, after that, the wish to look for food will disappear.
  • macybean
    macybean Posts: 258 Member
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    Nothing, and I mean nothing, else works for me but to ask my husband to hide it or keep it in his car. No will power, no thoughts of my health, no substitutions, no length of time, etc works. He can have his chips, he's an adult too. And he can eat a few and walk away. I will never understand how.
  • here
    here Posts: 69
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    No one is going to give you willpower. You're the only one. :/ Don't do it. Think of how bad you want it. And if you decide that your goal worth it, don't eat it.
  • Nacho12
    Nacho12 Posts: 164 Member
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    It is definitely a problem. Maybe you could talk to your parents about your desire to eat healthier and make better choices. Maybe you could help with the shopping and plan some healthy meals to cook.? My daughter used to complain that all we had was junk in the house when she was in high school and college (when she came home on weekends, etc). Now they come home and they laugh because all we have is healthy food, they can't find anything good to eat. If your parents don't need to lose weight they could still benefit from eating healthy food, its better for their blood pressure, cholestrol, etc. I hope this helps.
  • rachiepoo91
    rachiepoo91 Posts: 18 Member
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    When I was really disciplined (a while ago), I had a tactic where when I really wanted something "bad," I would make myself wait for 15 minutes. Almost 90% of the time, I would forget about it, but on those rare occasions when I was still thinking about it, I would indulge. That way, I would never obsess about food and binge. I would just enjoy it and move on.
  • SusanMPreston43
    SusanMPreston43 Posts: 84 Member
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    He is the head of the house, he says buy it, I buy it.

    there's your problem

    This. Are you married to a caveman?

    And this is offensive. I am a good Christian woman, married to a good Christian man. We follow the guidelines set out in God's word. This has nothing to do with losing weight, or having willpower to not eat junk. You should more carefully choose your words before typing.
  • dgljones
    dgljones Posts: 89
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    First always read the nutrition label, know what a serving size is, now how many calories it is, and sugar and saturated fat and salt and anything else you tend to pay attention to. Don't do this when you are hungry, but at a time you know you're willpower is good.
    Education is your friend. If you know that say a serving size of chips is 17 and that is 210 calories, or whatever, then if you are really desiring some go count 17 chips into a bowl, put the rest away, enter the amount into MFP and only then eat them.
    Same with chocolate or cookies or whatever, know what a serving is, know the calories and then try and fit them into your goal.
    I find that 8 out of 10 times I would rather take those calories and have something more filling or satisfying, but if I am really in the mood I know I can do it by sticking to a set portion and calories.
    Never ever just grab a bag of cookies or whatever. Count out your serving, place them away from view, walk away, enter calories and then eat.
  • SusanMPreston43
    SusanMPreston43 Posts: 84 Member
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    Stop buying junk.

    Not the only person in my home....and I cannot enforce my way onto my husband. He is the head of the house, he says buy it, I buy it.

    But I have such a difficult time walking past it...I am weak.




    How I resist the junk food call? I keep Myfitnesspal handy on my Ipad. When I have a craving for a couple of chips I first look at my daily quota and if one serving is 15 chips, but 8 keeps me in the Green zone, I eat max 8 (slooowlyyy!) just to loose the craving. It works for me ! Try it ! It make you realize how much we overeat! Do not worry if you fell like you are fasting (because you are eating less); your body will adjust in a week or two, after that, the wish to look for food will disappear.


    Hey, this is a good point. I will try this one.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
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    My roommate buys junk for himself and his girlfriend. I've started asking him to put it in a place where I can't see it as easily, or smell it. I walked into the apartment today to the smell of pizza, and asked him to take it away so I wouldn't devour it, so he put it in the fridge. After a few complaints, you can train them :P
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    He is the head of the house, he says buy it, I buy it.

    there's your problem

    This. Are you married to a caveman?

    And this is offensive. I am a good Christian woman, married to a good Christian man. We follow the guidelines set out in God's word. This has nothing to do with losing weight, or having willpower to not eat junk. You should more carefully choose your words before typing.

    Put one of these verses on the fridge, the other on the pantry:

    Psalm 78:18 - They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

    1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
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    Willpower.

    I don't expect my family to not have treats within moderation, but when they do I just make sure I keep myself busy. Paint your nails, fold laundry, knit, whatever you like to do.
  • erreemme
    erreemme Posts: 2
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    Good! hope it works for you like it does for me ! :glasses:
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
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    He is the head of the house, he says buy it, I buy it.

    there's your problem

    This. Are you married to a caveman?

    And this is offensive. I am a good Christian woman, married to a good Christian man. We follow the guidelines set out in God's word. This has nothing to do with losing weight, or having willpower to not eat junk. You should more carefully choose your words before typing.

    My parents are as well (and will be married 35 years in September), however my mother still has a say in the relationship and has the gall to say no. None of my strict, conservative Christian friends (and I went to a Wesleyan college where you could be expelled for dancing...) or pastor relatives tell their spouses what to do. Are you possibly Mormon? Those are the only friends I can think of where the male has complete dominance over the female.
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
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    Substitutions helped me, along with what I call "bridge foods." Here's what I mean:

    I used to snack on chocolate chips -- 32 chips had 160 calories and a handful easily had 32 chips.
    I switched to raisins, which were still plenty sweet, but raisins had less fat and fewer calories by volume than the chocolate. A half cup of raisins had 217 calories. The raisins were my bridge food: still fairly high-cal, but not as high by volume as the chocolate.
    Then I switched from raisins to grapes, which by volume have only about one-fourth the calories of raisins.

    In the process of making those substitutions, my craving for chocolate completely disappeared. We still keep those chips and other snacks in the house because there's more than just me. I can walk right past the stuff and not be tempted -- but that adjustment took time and the help of bridge foods like raisins.

    My sweets these days are fresh fruit, especially grapes and bananas. Fresh produce is high in fiber and water (not to mention nutrients), so is very filling.

    My other suggestion is: Turn your language around.
    Instead of saying "I have no willpower" or "I can't control myself," say, "I'm going to beat this thing."
    It doesn't matter if it doesn't sound like the truth. It IS the truth. You can and you WILL do this. You DO have that power.
    Having faith in yourself when you've become accustomed to negative self-talk takes as much practice as saying no to junk food. Negative self-talk is junk talk. Trust me, you can overcome both.
  • SusanMPreston43
    SusanMPreston43 Posts: 84 Member
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    He is the head of the house, he says buy it, I buy it.

    there's your problem

    This. Are you married to a caveman?

    And this is offensive. I am a good Christian woman, married to a good Christian man. We follow the guidelines set out in God's word. This has nothing to do with losing weight, or having willpower to not eat junk. You should more carefully choose your words before typing.

    Put one of these verses on the fridge, the other on the pantry:

    Psalm 78:18 - They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

    1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

    Thank you.....
  • Alex
    Alex Posts: 10,149 MFP Staff
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    Dear Posters,

    I have moved this topic to Motivation and Support.

    Thank you,
    Olivia
    MyFitnessPal Community Manager
  • nebslp
    nebslp Posts: 1,650 Member
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    I just started doing the math on fat calories/total calories to come up with the percentage of calories that come from fat. Most labels will give the the number of cals but not the percentage. It's been an eye-opener! And an incentive to not eat the high fat foods that my husband brings home (nuts and seeds don't count). You even have to watch what kind of popcorn you buy!
  • MissyMouse2323
    MissyMouse2323 Posts: 20
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    My husband and I try to eat the best we can and hold each other accountable as we both could "stand to lose a few pounds." However, we also live with other people who don't have that conviction. There is often "junk" in the house and although it is hard to resist I've learned to just ignore it with the philosophy, "It's not mine." We do ask that the people with junk keep as much of it in their bedroom as possible for the out of sight out of mind approach but obviously this can't be done with everything.

    I have this quote taped to my wall that I look at pretty much every time I leave the den were I am 90% of the time. It says, "The difference between want and need is self control." Then I have in big bold letters. EAT HEALTHY! It helps me stay in my weight lose zone. Hope some of this helps.
  • laele75
    laele75 Posts: 283 Member
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    I make and buy healthier snacks for myself, since I am trying to lose weight and my picky eater child needs to gain weight. Since the healthier stuff is MINE ALL MINE, it makes it kind of a rush to have it itself. And I occasionally indulge in cake and pizza, I have just learned to watch calories and fat and portion control. It really has helped.

    And the people who said the less you eat, the less you'll crave it. It's completely true. Even three weeks in, I tried to eat a candy bar last week and got sick because it was just too much processed sugar. You're reteaching yourself to eat, so have some patience with yourself.

    Also, when you get the junk food urge, leave the room. Go do something else instead. Watch a movie or TV show or do something else you enjoy. A nonfood reward for your willpower.

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