Healthy Lunch vs. Hungry Stomach

aznccguy

It is almost 4am and I work the night shift, I have not eaten my "lunch" which consists of romaine lettuce, almonds, cheese, olive oil/vinegar dressing and grilled chicken strips. It is sitting in my lunch box but I have no desire to even touch it. I went to the cafeteria and it was closed...bad timing or is it a sign that if it was open, I would have eaten pizza or a bacon cheeseburger. Why can't I just pull myself together and eat the healthy meal that I have prepared for myself? Why is it so easy and tempting to just give up for the moment? Is it my mind that is telling me that if I eat my salad, that I truly won't be satisfied or is it just years of bad habits?
Now, I am not starving myself throughout the night, I have eaten a few snacks every few hours - edemame and string cheese. But all I am craving for is something that I won't let myself have - something that is not present in my lunch box.

Thinwithin2010

Get some tomatos, cukes, red peppers, green peppers, carrots? maybe alittle feta?? A scoop of tuna in the middle?? Mix it up Get your water in. Are you are able to use some weights at work. Im not sure if you are out and about or sitting behind a desk? Make it more exciting.. lol I know it's really hard with the shift work,, My husband works rotating shifts and I swear sometimes his stomach doesn't know if it's coming or going.., But try to make it as appetizing as possible. It is also a mind set. Yes we all would like that pizza or burger but I myself just say "hey I want to be healthy".... good luck!

Peridotite

Don't get mad but it sounds like the lunch you packed for yourself is about as appealing as a kick in the head . Although it sounds like a very healthy lunch it does not sound like it would give you the satisfied full feeling when you are done (not like the pizza or the chessburger!), and I know because I have packed some lunches like that for myself lately and ended up buying something at work because it was so unappealing/filling. To solve my problems I found a low calorie, low fat muffin recipe. After eating a healthy but less than filling lunch, it tops me up and gives me that carb boost I am looking for.

magretton

i have been losing weight on and off for the past 6 years. I've had two boys and had to lose all the baby weight twice. I have learned (for me personally) that I have to be "bad" time to time to satisfy that craving for greasy food. At least once a month, my husband go out to eat and then go right back on the diet the next day. I think it truly helps with my weight loss and I don't completely fall off the wagon.

This may not work for everyone. But I think your body truly craves the bad stuff occasionally. And I think if we deny ourselves it all the time we lose the motivation to stay on the diet. However, you have to have the self control to get back on the diet the next day.

Good luck!

mrsyatesy

But all I am craving for is something that I won't let myself have - something that is not present in my lunch box.

I think that might be the problem, my mind is much stronger than my willpower - and if I tell myself I cannot have something, then I absolutely want it - it's the Taurus in me ;-)
Anyway, why not have a little of what you fancy, with your lovely healthy salad which sounds great (although I too would add mature feta to it and boiled egg and beetroot!!) - looking at the salad and with you craving pizza, maybe you could get some bread or some type of pasta in to it too, to up its substance, fill you up and satisfy you a little better?
Hope it goes well!

AlannaPie

So why don't you eat something you like?! Healthy doesn't have to mean a salad, it can be a nice turkey sandwich on whole grain bread.

Wants2bethin

Hi Aznccguy.
I can relate to what you have posted. Its really odd that know matter how hard we want to stay on track theres something in my mind that says "just have it". I don't like that mind set and I agree w/you that its "years of bad habits?"plus something else is going on in the brain set . Try and add a lil something else in ur lunch that you will look forword to having. or maybe a cheat meal once a week would help . Good luck and im glad you posted this .

JoyousMaximus

I have learned I can not have a salad for lunch. I just won't eat it as the main part of my meal. I have to have something else too. Generally, I'll have left overs or I'll cook for the week on Sundays so I don't have to worry about what I'll eat during the week and salad would generally be one of my sides. That's what I've noticed about my eating habits. If you have a similar reaction (wanting something heartier, and probably bad for you) whenever you pack a salad, don't pack a salad. Pack something healthy that you will want to eat and have a small salad as your side.