How do I stop? New here and I need advice.

LOL I use to do that. Then I started to give myself $2 every time I would pack my lunch and breakfast, take them to work and actually eat them (and NOT buy anything from the cafeteria). Two bucks doesn't seem like much but hearing that toonie (we have 2 dollar coins in Canada) hitting that glass jar every night sure was a good feeling. 10 bucks a week sure adds up fast and I was able to buy myself some new clothes that I needed after the weight started falling off.

Another tip is to make sure that you don't take enough money with you to buy take-out. Only take enough for an emergency and take-out is NOT an emergency.

There's nothing wrong with eating some unhealthy things as long as you make choices that keep you within your calorie goals.

If you're packing healthy filling food and still eating *kitten* you purchase, you're wasting your money and your own time.

Every time you avoid the bad stuff, pay yourself the money your would have spent. Once the weight comes off use this cash to buy new clothes! Mental tricks help. Don't think of pizza and say "I can't eat that!" instead think of that big old greasy pizza and say "I DON'T EAT THAT!" or "I don't want to eat that!" and "I want some thing healthy!" or "I an going to stay on track!" Just keep saying that over and over. Self talk can be a big deal in sucess! (or failure!)

Hi and Welcome

Im 5ft 8 inches tall I started on here at 253 pounds now im about 233 working towards a stacked 190. its been a wild ride with its share of set backs but very worth it with the progress I have made. It sounds like you are doing alot of cardio feel free to add some lifting into the mix also. You can get food from the prepared food at the grocery store you just need to make sure its the right things there are some wounderfull options out there. Baked fish with orzo salad Grilled chicken breast with Hummus and pita bread are two of my favorites. I tend to go to the organic grocery stores for lunch such as Whole foods or Fresh market but even wegmans and harris teater have some healthy alternatives. Feel free to add me!

When I was like that, I realized that I had a real fast food addiction. I gradually cut out all fast food. The only ones I would allow in a pinch were the ones with fresh options like subway, lenny's sub shop, and chipotle. I am 5' tall and have gone from 167 to 130. My goal is 115 and I know I will get there by consistently preparing and eating fresh foods from home. You can do it too.

That's been my problem too.
But what helps me is to sort of structure myself around my caloric limits, I tend to over dramatize what will happen if I go over, I just keep thinking if I go over I'll gain 2 pounds for that day (which I know I won't), but that helps me to control my impulse junkfood buys.
and also just don't carry enough cash on you to buy things.
Of course it's okay to treat yourself once in awhile.

OR JUST GO TO THE GYM...most fastfood places have caloric content and nutritional information on their websites, so anything junky you eat, make it a promise to burn atleast half of that off at the gym....when you start to read all the calories and nutritional content on your fast food meals, you will automatically not want to eat it because one meal takes up 3/4ths of your calories!


GOOD LUCK!!!!

You're not alone!!! This was me a month ago and since being on here daily, I've been challenged every time I enter food into my Diary - it makes me think twice before eating something I shouldn't! I always thought that keeping a food diary would be too hard, but not that I'm consistently doing mine, I can see just how easily junk food takes up calories, which is an eye-opener. I'm just under 5"2 and tired of being overweight. You'll get there - support on this site is amazing. Just knowing that someone else out there knows how you feel makes it easier to do. I have no "Will-power" to speak of, so I've decided to work on the "Won't-Power" - Saying no to junk things gets easier - every time I say NO I feel heaps better. Friends at work today bought in a bag of sugar-free Chocolate Lollies so that I'd have something nice when they have chocolate cake! Baby steps...Contact me if you're having a tough time - you're not alone in this journey

The money jar idea is brilliant! Great way to treat yourself for working hard. Love it!

How about if you try pre-logging your meals for the following day into your food log? That may give you the added structure that you need.

You can add me! I am in the same boat - about 5 feet tall and about 155 lbs (at least it's pretty well-distributed and hubby never complains)! Still, diabetes and heart disease run in my family and I refuse to let that become my "destiny". I hate exercise, and unfortunately lost my job recently and am home most of the day, so unless I count calories, I am a disaster waiting to happen!

Let me give you a little tip that is completely painless. I've always been overweight and had made a habit out of complaining about my weight or my looks for MANY years. Even though I found a guy who loves the way I look and tries to make me feel beautiful, I still found myself saying "I'm fat" and "I'm ugly". Last November, I really felt God telling me (yes, I'm a Christian) that I needed to stop speaking negatively about my body. We teach our youth group that WORDS HAVE POWER, and even if we're unhappy about something, cursing it rarely (if ever!) helps! I took my decision seriously and have been trying very, very hard to refrain from saying negative things about my looks. Slowly, I dicovered that, even though my weight hasn't changed dramatically, my attitude towards myself HAS. I feel more optimistic about weight loss, rather than it being this awful punishment for my being a bad person who eats too much. I feel more confident about my body and in my own skin.

Give it a shot - the next time you find yourself saying "I'm ugly" or something like it, find something you like about yourself instead. Or, just zip your lips! It's as challenging as the weight-loss itself, but it's really worth it. After all, if you develop a habit of speaking negatively about your body at your current weight, what's to keep you from doing the same when you reach your goal?

I wish you success! God bless!

I had to do little swaps at a time- it needed to be gradual, so I could get used to living my life without feeling like I was depriving myself (and then going on a binge).

I cut back on the sugar in my coffee 1/4 of a teaspoon at a time: now, I'm sugarfree. (honestly I never thought that would happen)

I swapped choclates for sugar free dark chocolate.

And pizza-- I LOVE pizza, I have it every week, but I make it at home, swapping for healther ingredients, packing it full of protein (chicken) and always after a big cardio class= Tuesday night pizzas in my house!

Im now at a point where I rather make my own food and know whats in it, than by takeout (also never thought I would see that day).

Most importantly: MCDONALDS NOW MAKES ME PHYSICALLY SICK IF I EAT IT unreal, right? But it didnt happen overnight, it took about six months of consistency, making little swaps at a time that I could live with.

Good luck

Add me I can help and give you encouragement!:bigsmile:

I think you answered your own question actually. It takes A LOT of willpower and pure want and desire. Your desire to lose weight and be healthy and energetic has to outweigh your desire to get instant self-gratification from empty, fatty, unhealthy calories (i'm not a clean eating freak, just trying to help you out and make the bad food sound gross and disgusting, :happy: .
Bottom line you have to want it more than anything else. Take it one day at a time and don't give up. Happy trails!

Definitely this ^^^
It's a slow process. Just try to cut down gradually. If you try to go cold turkey, you're setting yourself up for failure. Junk food is an addiction, but you will find that with perseverance, the less you eat it, the less you want it.
I used to crave fatty foods, but now when I eat them, I feel so sick! If you stick at it, eventually you will find yourself craving healthy foods instead. It's a mind-set :flowerforyou: