Don't know what to do anymore

Shirley61 · October 2012

You have been very honest with yourself and that is the first step.:flowerforyou:

Your addiction sounds like sugar which I have trouble with too and
having Type 2 diabetes doesn't help. If you cut down on the sugar
and try to like veges and use fruit as your sugar you may get somewhere.
Substitute Ranch dressing for Hummus with garlic etc. As I can see there
are many changes you can make. If you need some ideas message me.
In the meantime, good luck we are all here for the same thing.:bigsmile:

Shirley

ZugTheMegasaurus · October 2012

1. I don't really like to eat salads. I but a bag of salad mix, or a head of romaine, and it goes bad before I've gotten halfway through it. The kind of salads I like, end up being 450 calories or something ridiculous like that. Otherwise, I'm hungry 30 minutes after eating it.

If you don't like salads, you don't have to eat them. I realized just the other day that I haven't eaten salad at all (except as a side at a restaurant) since I changed my lifestyle and started losing weight. I just don't enjoy it. But that doesn't mean you can't eat the stuff you happen to like. The other day, I stopped by the salad bar at my school between classes and saw grilled chicken, tomato wedges, and marinated mushrooms. I grabbed some of that, had a delicious meal, and even wound up being under 200 calories.

2. I can't seem to find bread or wraps that don't end up making my sandwich 300 calories. Or maybe I need to make different types of sandwiches.

Or be okay with a sandwich that's more than 300 calories. If your food is substantial and filling enough, you don't have to worry so much about keeping the calories so low. Try finding bread with actual nutritional value rather than finding something that's barely any calories. I recommend the Arnold breads, particularly the Double Protein if you can find it. It tastes good, is sturdy enough to handle whatever you put in the sandwich, and is full of good nutrients. I find it's worth the 110 calories per slice because I feel like I'm getting a lot of value for those calories. And it will help you feel satiated for longer.

3. I need some kind of junkfood-like substitute for the actually stuff I crave. Chips? Candy? When I don't have it, I go grocery shopping and end up buying some very unhealthy stuff even though I don't intend to. And then I binge on it.

If you're going to buy candy, buy a single piece rather than a bag. Same with chips, get a single serving bag rather than a large one. If you have these things in the house, make them a hassle to get to (back of the top shelf so you have to get a stepladder, that kind of thing).

As for substitutes, try to think of things that have similar flavors to what you're craving. For example, salty pickles instead of chips or fruity Greek yogurt instead of candy.

4. I really try to eat vegetables. Again, many of them go bad before I eat them. I buy bags of frozen vegetable stir fry, but find I need to smother them in teriyaki sauce to really enjoy them. Raw cut vegetables - I gotta have ranch to eat them.

They can only go bad if you're choosing to eat something else instead. Don't think of the vegetables as an option, but as your actual food. If you open the fridge to find something to eat and only see vegetables, don't go out and buy something else; eat what you already have.

And work the vegetables into your food rather than making them an addition. I add frozen broccoli to lots of things, with great results. I add it to baked potatoes with cheddar cheese and some meat. Or I'll put several cups of chopped broccoli into homemade macaroni and cheese, which tastes just about identical but cuts the calories per serving in half.

Creativity is key in finding foods you like. Don't eat something just because you think you're supposed to; experiment and figure out what will work best for you.

soulfulsally · October 2012

I ate whatever I wanted and trained myself to like the sweet foods,

This is so true and something to keep in mind while we adapt to healthier eating habits. It's like that first sip of alcohol or first drag of a cigarette...the experience is almost always horrible, it's not something we naturally crave. But if we keep on trying it out, some of us get hooked. Same goes with junk food.

With all this garbage (tasty, but still garbage) we've grown accustomed to feeding ourselves, it's going to take some serious effort to create healthier habits. But it's for the best and we owe it to ourselves to be healthy. (Says the woman who still struggles...)

MadtownMadisonian · October 2012

I've discovered miniature red/yellow/orange peppers and cherry tomatoes for my sweet "junk food" snacks - you'd be surprised how sweet they taste, especially if you've cut refined sugar from your diet and allowed your taste buds to readjust.

for salads i found that sprinkling nuts and crumbled hardboiled egg makes it more filling; oil and vinegar tastes very good - vary the vinegars til you find one you like

for sandwiches, take off the top piece of bread; for wraps, unwrap the thing and eat the insides but skip the bread-wrap.

RetiredAndLovingIt · October 2012

bump to read later

wanda9501 · October 2012

Thanks for your post, I have the same struggles. I am reading all the suggestions and found some good ideas myself!

yoovie · October 2012

Suck it up and just do what you need to do instead of whining about what foods you dont like, as if you were an 8 year old pushing pease around the plate - IS ACTUAL SUPPORTIVE ADVICE. Telling the OP its ok that you dont want to do any of the work, you will still get results darling - IS NOT actually helpful at all :flowerforyou:

That kind of "supportive advice" puts people off doing anything at all. Pretending that the only way to be healthy is to force yourself to only eat foods you hate for the rest of your life is ridiculous. Sure, you have to be willing to give new things a try, but there are plenty of ways to cut calories while actually enjoying the food you eat, telling people otherwise sets them up for failure.
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lolol stop saying 'people' as though they are all exactly like you. It doesnt put ME or the people I run with off of doing anything at all. Quite the opposite. Someone saying to me -Hey youre doing enough!- when Im not... puts me off trying harder. Someone telling me to suck it up and try harder if I want results WILL actually make me shut up and try harder.

Should I go into every thread assuming that people are like you? or like me?

Or should I go into a thread and offer my brand of supportive advice in case they are like me - and if they Arent liek me - be glad that other people are posting other kinds of advice that might work for her - in which case she can ignore mine-

OR should I go into every thread looking for people who dish out different kinds of motivation than what works for me and then criticize them in public for not doing it right?

AND should I ignore the fact that you just accused me of

Pretending that the only way to be healthy is to force yourself to only eat foods you hate for the rest of your life is ridiculous.

when I actually said

Search for other things that you do love. Instead of saying oh i hate all these- take the time to try lots of new things, if it really really matters to you- you will.

Yes2HealthyAriel · October 2012

Try salads with a little meat, cheese and sunflower seeds and instead of ranch opt for lower calorie dressings like some Newman's Own, that brand has a lot of low calorie flavor options. For raw veggies try baby carrots, raw broccoli, and celery with a little hummus. For sandwiches there are many low calorie breads, look at the nutrition labels next time you shop. For crunchy and sweet snacks, try things like Fiber One bars, non fat yogurt, nuts, air popped popcorn, also there are low calorie crackers and chips, again look at labels and when you eat them make sure to only eat a serving size. The main thing is learning to like new things and trying something different. Also it takes a lot of control. The first month or 2 are the hardest but YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

Shes1CraftyMama · October 2012

Hi, I just have to say that what you experience (as you can tell from responses) is very typical. Especially for those of us who are addicted to food and we eat without thinking. First of all. One thing I did that helped was to be mindful for three days as to why am I eating (log it mentally). Am I eating because I feel physically hungry, did I just argue with someone or is work stressing me out like crazy, or because it is there? Being mindful will really help with the chocolate incident. And then, if it is just because it is there or because it sounds good...then take one...walk away, check how much it will affect your day by logging it BEFORE YOU EAT IT. Then make the decision. If at that point you still want it and you are aware of the affect it has and everything looks good for your day - ENJOY IT! There is nothing bigger than keeping things away from yourself that will cause you to "fall off the wagon." As far as other things you feel you NEED to stay away from I have learned (cheese is a BIG one for me) not to say "I can't eat that" but "I don't eat that." It really gives you mental control over the things you are eating.
As for salads...if you don't like them then don't eat them! There are many other great and healthy foods out there. One thing I do is I plan meals a week at a time but shop twice a week so my veggies and fruit stay fresh. When I meal plan if there is a meal I really want (say fried chicken with mashed potatoes) I will go online and look up a "healthy version" on google before I even shop. Then I know what to buy and I can even see if it is a little higher than my dinner average. If so I will pick to make it on a day I typically eat less. There are a lot of great alternatives to the foods we love that are just as tasty but much healthier! As for veggies - try roasting or broiling them in the oven for a few min with Garlic salt or garlic powder and a spray of olive oil. There are great ways to save on oils by spraying rather than drizzling or pouring. You can even google how to do it. There are healthier ways than PAM or cheaper than buying a "Misto." Find a cheap spray bottle and you get good flavor, the spices stick, and your veggies end up fantastic. If you live in an area you can bbq all year long then try putting them on the grill too, you will be surprised how good they can be! Above all - keep your head up and start new every day!!! Set each day as a goal so you don't give up too much when you "make a mistake". Good luck and good eating!
-K

Don't know what to do anymore

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