Why is this prospect so daunting?

psychicmedium26 · October 2012

My entire childhood until my early twenties I was of normal weight even too thin at times! I never put much thought into food but I realize looking back that even then food was not only used for nourishment but for pleasure, it has been since I was a baby. My mom even jokes that I was such an "easy" baby in that when I would wake up too early for her liking she would give me a bottle and I would drink it and calm down, when I would cry again I would get more milk. I realize its a stretch but I hate that I am up against something I have been doing for 28 years. Eating foods that arent the right kinds, having irritable moods, feeling tired, I know you all know how it is.

Sorry Im rambling and not getting to the point. I know that I know what to do for the most part. Im really stressed out because I want to eat right for my body and I want to feed my kids the right foods too to balance their moods and improve their health. I want to teach them to eat for hunger, to listen to their bodies etc. But first I need to learn this myself! And then I say okay well lets clean up our diet. Luckily I have a supportive husband who is totally on board and the kids are too little to know, I have a good window to change our lives. But is gluten really all that bad? I read I shouldnt eat it at all if I want to be healthy and then I remind myself that a lot of people can eat it and are very healthy or appear to be.

For those who truly changed their eating to healthy eating and succeeded, what steps did you take? I think I need to sit down and literally spend a couple of hours planning out what we eat and what things need to be tweaked or make healthier or cut out all together. My babies just woke up so I have to stop posting but I just needed to vent and I feel very overwhelmed at the huge overhaul our diets are going to have to take. I mean it! I want to avoid processed food, I want to eat real foods, and I want to do this successfully I just feel stuck as to where to begin.

bathsheba_c · October 2012

If I had to guess, I would say that it's so daunting because you are trying to make all the changes all at once.

The best comparison I've ever heard is that changing your eating habits is like moving a big pile of rocks. If you try to move them all at once, you'll feel overwhelmed and fail. But if you move just one rock, you see that it wasn't so bad, and you're ready to move the next one. Without even noticing it, you'll have succeeded.

So find small changes you can make (no you don't need to cut out gluten) and make them one at a time. For example, maybe your first change will be only one desert a day. Do that for a few weeks, see where that gets you, then find another change to add in.

psychicmedium26 · October 2012

Thank you thats a good idea!

deksgrl · October 2012

I agree, don't try to change it all at once. And, unless someone in your family has a gluten allergy then no need to make that change first. Eventually it might be something you want to do, but it isn't mandatory to start with unless there is some health issue.

So, pick some things to start changing. More fruits & veggies? Buying more fresh or frozen things instead of canned or processed? Maybe taking half a day Sunday to cook chicken or other stuff in advance that you can use for meals and lunches during the week. Maybe planning to use your crock pot, get everything ready the night before. There are tons of simple recipes online. Planning really is the biggest key here so you aren't running and ordering pizza because you didn't plan.

mulderpf · October 2012

It is much more important that you get in there and start doing it rather than doing it perfectly from the start!!!

Do you have a gluten intolerance? If you don't, then why do you want to stop eating it?

I started by just counting my calories. It didn't matter about the quality of the calories, as long as I was counting them. Then I started looking at the quality of my foods and slowly introduced more and more changes. (As you continue on the journey, you'll start realising that if you switch to low fat cheese instead of full fat, you can have more cheese - if you love cheese of course; if you start walking a bit more, you can eat more; if you cut down (not out!!) on the carbs, you can have more veggies and feel fuller for longer; if you swap full fat milk for skim, you might even have enough to fit in a treat and so on).

Don't try and do it all at once, because it takes time to get used to even the small changes. If you do bits at a time and get used to it, it much more likely for you to break the bad habits rather than just changing everything all at once. If you do little bits that you feel comfortable with, you'll start shedding the pounds and feel that it isn't even hard work to do so!

Other things like deksgrl suggested is to plan in advance. I buy groceries weekly now and fill the fridge with fruit and veggies and even low calorie snacks (be careful of foods that claim to be or seem healthy, do your research first!!).

BlueInkDot · October 2012

I agree with the above answers! The "moving a big pile of rocks" is a great analogy!

Here are some examples of simple changes you can make as you go along:

Decrease intake of soda or other sugary beverages.

Increase water intake.

Decrease of foods that list "high fructose corn syrup" as an ingredient.

Try to switch to carbohydrates that have the words "whole" grains or "whole" wheat instead of "enriched."

Increase intake of fruits and vegetables.

Try to switch from higher fat meats to lower fat meats (from pork and ham, pastrami or pepperoni, etc. to chicken, turkey and low fat beef, etc.)

In general, just start reading the nutrition facts and ingredients lists on your foods you eat and do your best to understand them. Don't worry, you won't be perfect overnight! No one is perfect!

I also recommend using the blogging feature on MFP to write down how you're feeling, I use it as a kind of journal to record things that I realize or learn, organize my thoughts or even to motivate myself. You'll be fine! Just take your time and learn as you go!

We're here for you!!!

AmberJo1984 · October 2012

It's daunting to me sometimes too. For me, I try to eat less processed foods, but I haven't cut everything out. It gets daunting, though, when I have so many people telling me so many different things. Eat less carbs, eat NO carbs, eat lots of fruit, east less fruit, eat 1200 calories, eat back your exercise calories, don't eat back your exercise calories. That's what is daunting for me.

However... you have to find what works for you. I haven't cut out gluten foods... but, with what I am doing, I still feel 100% better. I have more energy. I'm sleeping better at night.

Like you, I grew up eating all of the wrong things. It was handed to me, thrown at me, and forced on me. Until it all became a habit and a "comfort". Over the last few years, I started hating foods. I hated the feeling of eating... but, I still ate... because it was "comfort". I mean... what kind of sense does that make?

It's not easy to start eating healthy. But, it is so worth it. As I said... I already feel 100% better, and I've only been here since September 4th. If you need any support, there are so many people here who can help you and motivate you; but, in the end, you have to find what works for you and your family.

Good luck in your journey.

LoraF83 · October 2012

If I had to guess, I would say that it's so daunting because you are trying to make all the changes all at once.

The best comparison I've ever heard is that changing your eating habits is like moving a big pile of rocks. If you try to move them all at once, you'll feel overwhelmed and fail. But if you move just one rock, you see that it wasn't so bad, and you're ready to move the next one. Without even noticing it, you'll have succeeded.

So find small changes you can make (no you don't need to cut out gluten) and make them one at a time. For example, maybe your first change will be only one desert a day. Do that for a few weeks, see where that gets you, then find another change to add in.

Excellent response!

At first, just log everything. Spend a little time every week reading and learning about nutrition and fitness (And not just from this site! People here get rabid about their personal diet plans, lol!). Make a small change every week. Meal planning is a huge plus and I would caution you against eating a different meal than the rest of the family. Everyone will benefit from being healthy and if you all make small changes, over time it won't seem like a big deal.
Don't have a time limit on your weight loss and don't expect overnight results. That way, you'll be more satisfied with the results that you do get - and you'll be more likely to stay on track.

Why is this prospect so daunting?

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