This is why I'm fat
Replies
-
Have something sweet and stop torturing yourself.
I've been through the "I ate my calorie limit, but my stomach is holding itself hostage for more" struggle and I wish I could go back and have that food. I thought cutting out sweets (chocolate, desserts, ice cream, etc.) was the key when it was all about portion control.
If you can't stop at a bite of something, try a teaspoon of sugar.0 -
Based on your diary most of the things you eat are pre-packaged, processed food.
Unfortunately, at this time, that's all I have. It's a struggle because my husband and son are fine with what they eat (I'm not fine with it, but they are) and it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
How often in the past have you or your husband cooked a family dinner from scratch? Do you eat at the dinner table most nights or separately due to schedule / on the couch watching tv? If you take a person who is used to eating fast food or processed, pre-made meals from the grocery freezer and throw a big plate of salad at them, I would expect them to not like it. If they were given a tasty, creative dinner they probably wouldn't even notice or care that it was healthy. My suggestion is to go to a site like CookingLight.com, skinnytaste.com, skinnykitchen.com (do a search in the Recipes or Nutrition sections of the forum and you'll find tons of healthy recipe sites) and find a recipe you really like. Scale the recipe down to 2-3 servings to save money on buying the ingredients and have that for dinner at the dinner table while your husband and son are eating what they are accustomed to. You'll have some leftovers and they will be left drooling over your looks good, smells good, tastes delicious dinner. I would be willing to bet it won't take very long for them to start asking you to cook dinner for them too.0 -
Night time munchies are a constant struggle for me too. Especially when the TV you are watching has lots of ads for delicious looking food. So to get around that, I don't watch live TV if I can help it. I set all the shows I want to watch to record on our DVR, then fast forward through the ads.
I also try to reason with myself that if I've gotten hungry again, it's time for bed. I'll make a sleepytime tea, or now a magnesium drink, which will give my hands something to do, chills me out and when that's done, I head for bed.
The other thing that really helped me is when my doc told me to not eat anything after 7 PM to help combat my acid reflux. but you may not have that problem
0 -
it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
Check out this website:
http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.ca/2010/08/deconstructed-guacamole-wraps-or-lime.html
The page is just what I happened to make last from her site, but there's a whole slew of things to browse & make .... & it tells you the price per meal, on average.
Plan ahead: Fresh produce/perishables won't go to waste (even if you're the only one eating them) if you use the same ingredient for a few meals.
THEN, if you have left overs .... make a casserole on day 4 before they turn! We rarely throw anything out here.
We are two adults and a baby. We spend, at the VERY most, $175/month on groceries and we always have fresh fruit, veggies and meats on the go. (And we're in Canada where our dairy & meats are waaaay more expensive than the U.S.) I also make all of our daughter's food from whole, unprocessed foods. I'd say, on average, we spend $125/month on groceries, buying one more carton of milk if needed.
When I get home from grocery shopping, I take 1.5 - 2 hrs and portion out EVERYTHING. Meats, veggies, fruits, snacks: Everything is pre-portioned to appropriate snack sizes that way it's just as easy to grab a veggie container as it is to grab a bag of chips from the pantry. It also makes cooking easier as most of the prep work is done. Even dips are cheap to make! Hummus, low-cal cheese & spinach .. and they go a LONG way! I NEVER buy 100-calorie packs of anything -- look at the ingredient list and the macros: horrible! You can make your OWN 100-calorie snacks with more food, better quality and for less money.
Best of luck. If you want it, it can happen. My intent wasn't to take your post and make it about myself, but I thought perhaps some examples might get you motivated and it's something I'm really passionate about because it CAN be done! I haven't looked at your diary, but if you're eating all pre-packaged stuff it's likely you're actually spending MORE money for the quantity you're actually getting -- and the sodium in that stuff is outrageous. I'm no pro, but I'd be happy to help you come up with a plan if you're interested.0 -
Fresh produce is expensive. There are no markdowns in the stores where I live and the local farmers market is really expensive. I think prices vary a lot depending on where you live.
I buy a lot of frozen fruit, not the kind with sugar, just plain. It's cheaper and last longer. I buy a lot of frozen vegetables too. When I buy celery, carrots, green peppers, things like that. I buy tons when it's on sale and chop and freeze. If strawberries or blueberries are low enough I will buy and freeze them myself.
The squirrels stripped my pear and peach tree this year, didn't even have those. lol.0 -
I'm certainly no expert but you might want to try asking yourself if you want food because you need nourishment or do you want food to satisfy some other need like comfort, emotional support, calming anxiety etc. If you want food because you are hungry, then you need to eat something. If it's for other reasons, food won't fill the hole. Sometimes I tell myself that I know what feelings wait for me on the other side of the decision to eat but I'm less familiar with the feelings that wait for me on the other side of the decision not to eat for emotional reasons. Good luck to you!0
-
I agree with the posters that say healthy doesn't have to be expensive -- but it will be if you're still buying the processed stuff, too.
Soup can be really inexpensive, and you can make a big batch and freeze portions for later (I usually get 12 to 14 two-cup servings from a single batch; perfect for taking as lunch at work). Dried beans are SO cheap, and a nutritional powerhouse. If you have a farmers market, you might find even better prices on veggies there.
That said, there definitely ARE processed foods that are a lot cheaper than the healthy options -- just look at the price difference between white sandwich bread and whole wheat. You're the only one that knows your budget and what your family can truly afford.
I also agree that your husband can fend for himself if he's not down with the healthy choices. Your child, though, needs to learn healthy habits before bad habits become truly ingrained and adult metabolism sets in. It sounds like you're the only one who will teach that, and that may involve overriding some of their choices/preferences. Your call, obviously.
As for those late-night munchies -- I totally get those too. Sometimes I cave, but a lot of the time, nibbling on a little dark chocolate hits the spot. I don't know what it is about dark chocolate that makes such a little bit so satisfying, but I will feel more satiated after a single square of dark chocolate than an entire bar of milk chocolate -- and they take me about the same time to eat, too. Probably because the dark chocolate has such a more potent taste; tiny bites go a long way. Anyway, if you haven't tried it yet, I'd say pick up a 70% bar and give it a shot. If it satisfies the craving, you can work your way up (the higher the percentage, the higher the health benefit). Good luck!0 -
eat less calorie dense foods during the day, more rice, vegetables, lean meat etc. This way you can eat more in terms of volume of food but less calories.
Then if you have consumed the vast majority of your cals from these sources you can have the last 10-15% of your daily allowance as a treat and still be within you calorie goal.
Based on your diary most of the things you eat are pre-packaged, processed food.
****THIS!!!!****0 -
Exercise more, and eat whatever you want in moderation.0
-
Based on your diary most of the things you eat are pre-packaged, processed food.
Unfortunately, at this time, that's all I have. It's a struggle because my husband and son are fine with what they eat (I'm not fine with it, but they are) and it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
Is it possible for you to grow some of your own produce? Tomatoes can be grown in pots inside, and make great salsa.
I have this issue with my family too, they don;'t care if they eat healthy and when you only have so much money to spend on groceries....However we do have a garden so I am able to eat fresh produce we have grown. Start small, buy yourself a bag of grapes or a bunch of bananas. Oh and I find late night tv watching when I crave food too....just take it one craving at a time. Yesterday when I was craving food I drank water and did some exercise...It got me thru...one day or one craving at a time....0 -
I think we all have our battles. I got fat making every meal a "competition" with my husband, where I had to eat as much as he did to "have my fair share". It's still really hard.... I see him sit down with twice as much dinner as me (his calorie goal is about double, though) and sometimes I feel slightly bitter if it's an awesome dinner. I kind of have found that if I remind myself "less of dinner means I can have chocolate/wine/Fun Dip afterwards" it helps.0
-
Based on your diary most of the things you eat are pre-packaged, processed food.
Unfortunately, at this time, that's all I have. It's a struggle because my husband and son are fine with what they eat (I'm not fine with it, but they are) and it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
I make meals with half the meat in the recipe half lentils...very filling and cheap as chips
Also it does cost a little to get going (herbs, spices etc.) I grow what I can on my window sill and invest about 2euro a week on new herbs/spices! Also make in bulk and freeze - works out really cheap! 0 -
[/quote]
Unfortunately, at this time, that's all I have. It's a struggle because my husband and son are fine with what they eat (I'm not fine with it, but they are) and it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
[/quote]
i have a similar situation---coupon. coupon coupon coupon! i save hundreds on my monthly grocery bills. check out your local grocery store's website and add digital coupons to your loyalty card and check out shortcuts.com for theirs. look in the newspaper, your mailbox and sometimes (at least in my area) your driveway for coupons and use them or all the prepackaged stuff and household cleaners and beauty products and you will have the money for healthier food options. i now get store coupons send to me specifically or produce items bc that's what i buy with my loyalty card all the time.
and your family should be supporting you and eating healthier too--it makes it easier and funner to have everyone making healthy choices together0 -
You should also go for super healthy foods that will leave you full with few calories. Salads with no dressing, lean meats, and fibrous foods such as broccoli will go a long way towards this. Choosing these foods can be very advantageous. I once made a 250 calorie lunch that I couldn't even finish lol.
Just wanted to point out, salads benefit greatly from a SMALL amount of oil - it allows your body to extract MUCH more nutrition than the fat free dressings or no dressing. Beyond that I agree 110% with your post.0 -
Based on your diary most of the things you eat are pre-packaged, processed food.
Unfortunately, at this time, that's all I have. It's a struggle because my husband and son are fine with what they eat (I'm not fine with it, but they are) and it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
Why would you have to cook yourself a separate meal? Don't you want your family to eat healthier? Your husband may not want to, but you still have say over what your child should or shouldn't eat.
Of course I want my family to be healthy, but I can't make that decision for a grown man. He has to make that choice himself. My step-son is 15 unfortunately follows his father on what to eat. I can say he gets a lot of exercise though.
I'd love to get a hobby, I live in Iowa, there's not much to do here. My favorite thing to do is to bake, I just need to find healthier recipes that are actually affordable. I like watching tv and I do it at night after working all day.
I'm worried that I'll be able to work through the cravings for a few days and then binge, that's what's happened so many times.0 -
You don't have to give up TV but keep your hands occupied while your watching TV. Do a crossword puzzle, learn to knit, write on the boards here on MFP if your hands are busying doing something they are not free to deliver food from the table to your mouth. As I write this I am postponing an afternoon snack. By the time I'm done here my craving will have passed and I'll be VERY happy I didn't give in.
For me a great nighttime snack is a shot glass full of dark chocolate chips. I eat one at a time so I can savor it longer and it will barely put a dent in your daily calorie goals.
Good luck!0 -
Cottage cheese is a great late night snack. Low calorie high protein and the slow digesting protein will keep you full. You can add fruit or cinnamon to it too.
I know you feel like you can't do better than the processed stuff but YOU CAN. It doesn't take much money or effort to get some chicken breasts, cook 'em up in advance, and serve on a spinach salad with veggies and avocado for healthy fat. You know, I take about an hour each weekend (AN HOUR is all) and I am set for about half the week. I make rice/quinoa, veggies, and chicken. Sometimes pork or fish or a combination. Since you're the only one eating it, it's not that expensive. A little will go a long way. You can do this.0 -
You should also go for super healthy foods that will leave you full with few calories. Salads with no dressing, lean meats, and fibrous foods such as broccoli will go a long way towards this. Choosing these foods can be very advantageous. I once made a 250 calorie lunch that I couldn't even finish lol.
Just wanted to point out, salads benefit greatly from a SMALL amount of oil - it allows your body to extract MUCH more nutrition than the fat free dressings or no dressing. Beyond that I agree 110% with your post.
I usually put a bit of olive oil and lemon juice on my fatoosh (arabic salad) however thats mainly for taste. Didn't knew of the benefits of adding oil. I love it! You got any sources for that so I can share this?0 -
Or at least part of the reason. I'm in bed watching tv around 8pm and literally all I can think about is food. I've already eaten my calories for the day. I start craving cinnamon rolls, even look up low calorie recipes. I eat a portion of mozzarella cheese. I exercise for 10 minutes. Still all I think about is food, specifically something sweet. Hours later, still thinking about food. I exercise for 10 more minutes.
How the hell do I deal with this every single night?
low cal treats? 40 cal. fudge bars (frozen) mock cup cakes (1 package of cake mix - any kind and 1 can of 15oz pumpkin puree) 100 cals for those...
or figure out why you feel this way- its not a need its a want- why? only you can figure that out. once you know - work on it.
meanwhile- you have the right idea- 10 minutes of exercise- do your nails, brush your teeth- anything but eat.
Then if you just cant kill the craving- give in- to the tune of a lower calorie choice- fruit if that works- something of what you really want if fruit wont cut it- like ONE cookie - or one square of dark chocolate. Savor it- taste each morsel. take your time- set the table to have this snack and see if that doesnt make you feel silly and want to not have it. another idea is find low cal versions of what you miss and HAVE THEM- count them in and have a sticky bun for lunch 1 day if you want- but count it.
some ideas.. I hope something helps. good luck.0 -
Or at least part of the reason. I'm in bed watching tv around 8pm and literally all I can think about is food. I've already eaten my calories for the day. I start craving cinnamon rolls, even look up low calorie recipes. I eat a portion of mozzarella cheese. I exercise for 10 minutes. Still all I think about is food, specifically something sweet. Hours later, still thinking about food. I exercise for 10 more minutes.
How the hell do I deal with this every single night?
The biggest battle is the mental one. Willpower is absolutely ineffective when it comes to achieving anything, especially weight loss. What you need are strategies and structure.
Structure your evenings in such a way that you are not exposed to food. Turn the TV off. Read a book. Meditate. Take a long soak in the tub. Plan your meals for the next day. Be active in that time frame.
Structure your down time for now until it becomes a space you can enjoy without sabotaging your progress.0 -
Based on your diary most of the things you eat are pre-packaged, processed food.
Unfortunately, at this time, that's all I have. It's a struggle because my husband and son are fine with what they eat (I'm not fine with it, but they are) and it's hard to justify spending a limited grocery budget on fresh produce, etc. when I'm the only one that eats it. I wouldn't mind making things from scratch if I could figure out how to afford it.
Why would you have to cook yourself a separate meal? Don't you want your family to eat healthier? Your husband may not want to, but you still have say over what your child should or shouldn't eat.
for realz.. and fruit comes single serve- bananas , apples, peaches, plums - all sold single. salad bars are in some grocery stores. research good food and learn it is NOT more expensive to eat well. And as for separate meals- I understand that- but the main dish can be for all- then make a few sides- get the kid to try the good stuff and let them husband and kid eat whatever- as long as you are only eat the good stuff. 4 sides- green beans, tossed salad, pasta, rice- me? Id have a small portion of brown rice and the veggie /salad deal- leaving the pasta for the men folk. When I want pasta - I work for it and count it. Thats just one small example of what works for me/us.0 -
I always take evening/night-time walks--fresh air relaxes me & it's cooler than during the day. Drinking water, eating snacks without many calories, i.e. celery, may settle your appetite. Not to be too personal, but doing other activities than watching TV in bed may help take your mind off food. There's that cliche of "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" which I do believe. Once you're seeing progress & feeling healthier, that dessert stuff won't sound as enticing. When you give in to the snacking & all, you may just feel more down on yourself. 0
-
I do not eat enough. It's so hard to eat the right things so I just don't eat. I drink plenty of water. I enjoy my beer and have cut back to MGD 64 which really not as good as the real thing so I don't even have as many. I'm just starting keeping track so I hope it will get better.0
-
Pop some grapes in the freezer and take a few out when you want a sweet treat. That should help with the sweet cravings.
Other than that, I think you will really have to start telling yourself "No". This was the single best tactic I used for myself in the early days - it works 100% of the time if you say it and mean it. If you're eating 'junk', you won't get much 'bang for your calorie buck' - and that is your choice. I don't eat what my husband eats most of the time because he likes different things and I don't want to eat those anymore.
If you've eaten enough nutritious food to meet your macros, there's no need to continue eating past them and beyond - that's greed. Many of us have been there. You have the power to stop yourself, use it, or continue to suffer with your weight. Find something to distract you but please be firm with yourself as a starting point. Only you can make this happen for you.0 -
I have a limited budget too. Do you have a store that sells bulk foods? If not you can still get the following items for cheap:
Black beans
Lentils
White beans
Whole wheat pastas
Try making meat-less meals for the majority of the week. Super cheap and HEALTHY. Pay a little more for brown rice instead of white.
Use what budget you have to buy healthy green and veggies like kale, spinach, broccoli etc. Make salad with every meal. You will eat less if you fill up a little on salad. Also, if you crave meat get like top round and cut into thin strips, marinate with some soy sauce ginger and garlic. Grill or fry stirfry style with frozen stirfry veggies.
Also, get real chickens and learn to cut them up and skin them. Cheaper than breasts or already cut up, Then broil or bake.
The amount of work you put in making healthy meals AND establishing good habits for family is worth it, and keeps you away from too much fat, sodium and sugars (they are in everything).
Hope this helps a little! 0 -
Or at least part of the reason. I'm in bed watching tv around 8pm and literally all I can think about is food. I've already eaten my calories for the day. I start craving cinnamon rolls, even look up low calorie recipes. I eat a portion of mozzarella cheese. I exercise for 10 minutes. Still all I think about is food, specifically something sweet. Hours later, still thinking about food. I exercise for 10 more minutes.
How the hell do I deal with this every single night?
Alot of nights I eat 2 cups of sweet cherries. It fills me up and its not alot of calories. Also, cottage cheese with either peaches or pineapple is awesome! I've only been at this a little over a month, but I am RARELY ever hungry. Buy apples to have at night.
My sweet tooth has really been taken care of with fruits at night. I also eat ice cream.
Maybe add apples, bananas, and some of those small fruit cups to the shopping list. If you try to build your fruit stash a little each shopping trip, it will help alot.0 -
I'm too lazy to read all the posts above me, sorry if this is a repeat. Also, my apologies for posting something serious - I try to keep that to a minimum.
Have you considered that this is perhaps more of a mental thing than a physiological one? In the past, did you spend a lot of time snacking at night? There is a specific portion of our brain dedicated to processing habitual tasks. We basically go into auto-pilot when a certain cue is received with the anticipation of a reward. This can be a good thing and a bad thing.
When we reprogram ourselves to replace these habits, there is a definite and measurable change in the layout of our brains (I believe the term is "neural pathway").
I highly recommend the book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg.
Good luck!0 -
I'm too lazy to read all the posts above me, sorry if this is a repeat. Also, my apologies for posting something serious - I try to keep that to a minimum.
Have you considered that this is perhaps more of a mental thing than a physiological one? In the past, did you spend a lot of time snacking at night? There is a specific portion of our brain dedicated to processing habitual tasks. We basically go into auto-pilot when a certain cue is received with the anticipation of a reward. This can be a good thing and a bad thing.
When we reprogram ourselves to replace these habits, there is a definite and measurable change in the layout of our brains (I believe the term is "neural pathway").
I highly recommend the book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg.
Good luck!
I have OCD, pretty much everything I do is a habit. I also have anxiety issues, so I'm quite sure that a lot of my problems with foods are more of a mental addiction than anything else. I also flat love the taste of food. Thanks for the book recommendation.0 -
Buy stuff when it is on sale in large quantities. I got bags of frozen veggies (like 5 servings per bag) and single servings of chobani Greek yogurt each for $1 yesterday. That's way cheaper than normal in my area so I loaded up. What you eat really does make a difference.
Also, my secret weapon for chocolate is peanut butter and co dark chocolate dreams. Same nutrition as peanut butter, but it's chocolate and delicious0 -
Dr. Oz recommended chromium to stop sugar cravings.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/dr-mehmet-oz-beat-fat-sugar-addiction-detox/t/story?id=128239120
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.2K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 421 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions