Help i am outta control

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WIth all the holiday goodies around so.. I am just out of control. I am eating all the bad food- cookies, cakes, like there is no tomorrow. all these work holiday parties...
i feel so shameful.. no exercise either due to my crazy work schedule. how are people keeping their cravings and sugar in control.. i am sure someone is going thru this too...

Replies

  • LaceyMorley
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    The only thing that is going to get you through the holidays unscathed is will-power, exercise, and planning.
  • KarCrib
    KarCrib Posts: 39 Member
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    I can relate to this. I just went on a crazy bender.. so moving forward I plan to question everything I eat. Really try to not mindlessly eat.

    Little tricks for me are staying away from the goody table. Doing something else. Have healthy snacks on hand. I can have a treat but only if I eat my apple, my clementine and veg first..so its a crowding out process...

    Do not beat yourself up... I am also taking it one day at a time. Baby steps.
  • Annadel
    Annadel Posts: 146 Member
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    i just want to have some self control tricks in my sleeve. any tips ? mental reaffirmations?
  • fitnotfat69
    fitnotfat69 Posts: 1 Member
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    Just imagine how you would look when you have lost all your weight and compare it with the food you are indulging in. Your success when you lose your weight will be sweeter than all the goodie!!
  • FitGoal165
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    My plan going into the holiday season was to limit myself to one piece of chocolate per day. I bring other healthier snacks with me to work so that I can eat those when I crave something. But let's be real, nothing can really take the place of chocolate. So, I allow myself to have a Skinny Cow Ice Cream treat for my dessert after dinner (150 calories). I look forward to that during the day so that I won't binge on "the hard stuff". Good luck!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    When it comes to goodies, I try to decide if they're really worth it. For instance, Hubs came home with a bunch of treats after visiting some friends Thanksgiving weekend. Most of it wasn't anything I really liked so I just ignored it. And when it came to the stuff I liked, I paced myself. If I wanted a piece of fudge, I just broke off a tiny piece and really savored it by letting it melt in my mouth. If I wanted some mincement (the good stuff made with venison - YUM!), I just had 1/4 cup at a time with a few crackers. Trust me, I could've eaten all of both of these things in no time but then I would've regretted not only the calories but getting sick from all the sugar!

    As far as exercise goes, I know it can be tough but try to get some activity in during the day. Take a few stretch breaks, go walk up and down the stairs and/or walk around the building (inside or outside). When you go shopping, park as far away from the store as you can. When you're watching TV at night, take the commercial breaks to do some sit-ups, squats, punches, etc

    To me the hardest part of giving in is recovering. Once my body's got a taste of all those yummy sugary treats, I get a little addicted and crave sugar for a few days after. So I have to make sure I have plenty of healthy yummy treats with me so I'm not as tempted.

    It's a learning process but you can get there!
  • Shamrock_me
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    Either don't eat the goodie goodies or make the time to work out.. make it for yourself. It is your after treat treat or your before treat treat. Reward yourself with a January goal treat but don't make the goal too difficult to attain. Don't give up if you can't see the end in sight. Don't say you'll do better next week because this week is gone in day one. Don't give up the day because of one meal.. keep fighting and stay positive. You can do that. You've come this far so don't wuss out on yourself. You are your own warrior - kill the calories!!
  • 2tang
    2tang Posts: 44
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    Small bites - just take only a taste and move on...if you try to restrict yourself too much you may end up binging. Also, drink lots of water, gnaw on veggies, this will help you fill up faster. Also i find if i have something in my hand (like my water bottle), I can only grab one treat at a time and this kinda helps limit how much i will eat
  • mk_hammer
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    If I decide I want to partake in the goodies, I just track them! Today, for example, a client sent me a box of cookies. I passed them around and gave away as many as I could, and I saved a few for myself. They were individually wrapped (which is AWESOME), so I just did some research and figured out the calorie count per cookie. Then I wrote the calorie count (about 200 each!!!) in BIG, red numbers on a Post-It and stuck it to each cookie. Now that I know how "expensive" they are calorie-wise, I won't eat more than one in a day!
  • Annadel
    Annadel Posts: 146 Member
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    thank you fellow MFP'ers.. appreciate all the input.. I do good 1 week, let lose 1 week, so its a constant balance..
    I
  • Rachelle1016
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    Some advice I once read about "holiday eating" that totally helps me - allow yourself to have a little bit of the holiday foods. For example, people don't have pumpkin pie all year round, so you can have some of that to make it special. But, foods like sugar cookies, aren't really a holiday thing, people make those all the time. So, keep your desserts/cheat foods festive, and it may help.
  • Rachelle1016
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    If I decide I want to partake in the goodies, I just track them! Today, for example, a client sent me a box of cookies. I passed them around and gave away as many as I could, and I saved a few for myself. They were individually wrapped (which is AWESOME), so I just did some research and figured out the calorie count per cookie. Then I wrote the calorie count (about 200 each!!!) in BIG, red numbers on a Post-It and stuck it to each cookie. Now that I know how "expensive" they are calorie-wise, I won't eat more than one in a day!

    Great idea! Make 'em EXPENSIVE!
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    I don't let myself get too hungry. It's easy to cave in if you're starving, but if you choose to eat something healthy before you're desperate, you may find it easier to say no.
  • Jimaudit
    Jimaudit Posts: 275
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    close your eyes and imagine how that cake or cookie will look on your stomach, thighs or hips.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    My plan with all the holiday treats is to just eat the ones that I REALLY REALLY love. If i'm just 'meh', I will pass. I'm going to save the calorie hits for the things that I would really miss if I gave them up. Anything else - not worth it.

    Example - I really love homemade chocolate chip cookies. I like fudge, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. If someone offers me fudge "No thanks - gotta save room for that yummy cookie!"

    (No one but me will know that I'm not saving 'room', I'm saving calories)
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
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    This may or may not work for everyone, but when I feel like I'm out of control, I have to totally reel myself back in. I will cut out EVERYTHING that is sweet, salty, bad for me and have a day or 2 of either only protein shakes or veggies & protein. I feel like after I do that, I appreciate the 1 sweet or treat a day and add it back in slowly.
  • lovechicagobears
    lovechicagobears Posts: 289 Member
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    Some advice I once read about "holiday eating" that totally helps me - allow yourself to have a little bit of the holiday foods. For example, people don't have pumpkin pie all year round, so you can have some of that to make it special. But, foods like sugar cookies, aren't really a holiday thing, people make those all the time. So, keep your desserts/cheat foods festive, and it may help.

    That's a really good point. We only make fudge and punch for Christmas, so I plan to have a little bit, but I can make cookies any time of year.

    I log everything as soon as I eat it, so that's a great way to keep me in line. If I log a cookie and see it's 200 or 300 calories, I think, "Whoaaaaa... that's it," and I don't touch anything else. If it's a fudge ball that's about 60 calories, I know I can have one or two more and then that's it. It's all about pre-planning and logging in the midst of things instead of logging it all at the end of the day and fainting.

    Think of it like a checkbook. It's easier to log and see how much money you have left right away than it is to log everything at the end of the week and realize you only have $1.37 in your bank account. :)
  • Lauren5280
    Lauren5280 Posts: 67 Member
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    I am planning this holiday season. I am eating prior to parties and making sure I get in a good workout that day before going. I'm also fortunate that I'm not a big sweets person. But, I do love my food oh and I'm a stress eater so the holidays are tougher. We're taking a vacation for Christmas this year so hopefully it will be better.