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

Options
dmmg114
dmmg114 Posts: 3
in Introduce Yourself
I have been tracking on here for about 10 days now but I haven't taken advantage of the friends or message board option yet. But, I'm struggling. I am 5'2" 175-180lbs. Right now for exercise I do an interval training workout on my phone (Nike training club) 2x per week and I do couch to 5k (currently finishing up week 2) either 2 or 3x per week. My downfall is what I eat. I shop for healthy food, I prepare healthy food, I pack healthy food... But then I go out and buy food.. Prepared foods from supermarkets or I get fast food from restaurants/pizza places. I have perfectly good food easily available/already prepared at home but I consistently waste my money on eating out and crappy food. I need help... How do I stop this destructive habit other than with the sheer willpower I clearly lack?! Its also a CLEAR waste of my money so I know it will be good not money for my waistline but also my wallet.

Anyway...I'm also looking for help and friends to keep me on track. Any advice and willing friends are accepted!
«13

Replies

  • AquaFan
    AquaFan Posts: 309 Member
    Options
    Feel free to add me. 5"1' and starting at 160. I have lost all the weight before and know what works. I just need to stick with it. Work on making healthy freeze ahead meals that mimic the fast food eating out crap you are used to. I have found Skinny Taste website and it is amazing.
  • Momma_Grizz
    Momma_Grizz Posts: 294 Member
    Options
    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.
  • omisspenguino
    omisspenguino Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    Thank you for this post. I have this problem too. I have a heart condition that requires I lose weight (and I have really low self esteem due to my waist). These ideas are good - I hope they help.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    Options
    There's nothing wrong with eating some unhealthy things as long as you make choices that keep you within your calorie goals.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    Options
    Are you preparing food that you enjoy? You may be fixing healthy food, but it will do you no good if you don't enjoy it. Perhaps modify some of your favorites or have some healthy and some favorites, with the goal of more healthy than bad.
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    Options
    If you're packing healthy filling food and still eating *kitten* you purchase, you're wasting your money and your own time.
  • stefmulley
    stefmulley Posts: 2
    Options
    I'm new here too and have a similar problem. I don't go and buy food- I go and buy junk- candy, cookies, etc. I've been doing MFP for a week and since I'm actually seeing results it is my motivation to stop buying the junk. I only had one weak moment this past week and it showed on the scale.

    I do Just Dance on the Xbox Kinect as my cardio. I know it's not a great exercise, but I figure it is better than sitting on my butt.

    Do you have someone that you can trust with your cash/debit card until you get yourself on a program? Maybe ask that person to hold your cash/debit card at your weakest moments in the day (mine is always just after lunch).

    Also maybe you should treat yourself to something small. Like I said, my weak point is just after lunch. I bought these Unreal Candy Unjunked bars from BJ's Wholesale Club. They are snack size and individually wrapped, so I make sure I only bring one with me to work. I eat it after lunch to satisfy the sweet craving that I have.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    Options
    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!)
  • karakreature
    karakreature Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    In the past, I've done the same thing. Not really sure what's made the difference this time. I just talk myself out of it when I want to do that. Keep trying and maybe paying yourself like one of the posts suggested will help. Feel free to add me. I love to encourage and need some too! Good luck!
  • Salasel
    Salasel Posts: 69 Member
    Options
    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!
  • cerrydwenn
    cerrydwenn Posts: 2
    Options
    I've been there, except I hate cooking so I would just order out or pick up something easy on the way home. What works for me is having some very close friends become my accountability officers. Since I have to tell them what I eat and feel guilty, I think twice before eating it. Another thing that helps me is asking myself what wouldn't I do for ________? I think up answers some good like "I wouldn't give up all the progress I made" or I wouldn't cross a rickety bridge over a huge cavern." It helps to tell me it's not worth it and makes me laugh making me forget my cravings (if that is one source of the problem).

    Keep going. It does take time and after of not having fast food, you won't really want it anymore.
  • WilliamsPeggy
    WilliamsPeggy Posts: 440 Member
    Options
    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.
  • TanzaMarie
    TanzaMarie Posts: 94 Member
    Options
    You can add me too. I'm 5'2" and started at 183. I have/had the same problem. I thought I got rid of it and then came the holidays and it's back again. The only thing that seems to work for me is to eat all the time. I eat every 2-3 hours, sometimes more. When I just ate it's easier (though not always easy) to pass it up. You got to give in sometimes or this is never going to work. Fruit, nuts, and peanut butter save me pretty much every day. So much that if I just have a handful of peanuts I don't log it. I know they say to track EVERYTHING and I pretty much do except for my peanuts/almonds, etc. If I have more than one handful then I count it. I'm loosing weight so it works for me. It also gets easier when you start to lose weight.
  • pgandhi93
    pgandhi93 Posts: 2
    Options
    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!!!!
  • slywon
    slywon Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    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!
  • camkal12
    camkal12 Posts: 9
    Options
    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 ;)
  • bensherman1
    bensherman1 Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    I have been tracking on here for about 10 days now but I haven't taken advantage of the friends or message board option yet. But, I'm struggling. I am 5'2" 175-180lbs. Right now for exercise I do an interval training workout on my phone (Nike training club) 2x per week and I do couch to 5k (currently finishing up week 2) either 2 or 3x per week. My downfall is what I eat. I shop for healthy food, I prepare healthy food, I pack healthy food... But then I go out and buy food.. Prepared foods from supermarkets or I get fast food from restaurants/pizza places. I have perfectly good food easily available/already prepared at home but I consistently waste my money on eating out and crappy food. I need help... How do I stop this destructive habit other than with the sheer willpower I clearly lack?! Its also a CLEAR waste of my money so I know it will be good not money for my waistline but also my wallet.

    Anyway...I'm also looking for help and friends to keep me on track. Any advice and willing friends are accepted!

    I deal with the same issue. I still have a ton of weight to lose, but I've already lost a fair amount, and I've found that it's best to allow yourself the occasional dip into the vices you describe above. If you make it 100% forbidden fruit, it will just be that much sweeter when you break down and do it, and that can cause setbacks (or at least it did for me). Go into it knowing that you're going to cheat once in a while, and instead spend that energy on making sure that it stays "once in a while".

    That said, there's no substitute for willpower so you're going to have to dig deep and find at least a little bit. I have also been helped by the suggestions above (take only emergency money with you, read the horrendous calorie counts, etc). Best of luck, and feel free to add me, though I admit I'm on here very little.
  • tbehling2
    tbehling2 Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    The money jar idea is brilliant! Great way to treat yourself for working hard. Love it!
  • Eve23
    Eve23 Posts: 2,352 Member
    Options
    I did that for awhile. Granted not every day but a couple times a week. I very rarely do that now however. One of the things I did do is allowed once a week I could get one thing or I could go to another store and choose one thing. Then from their alleviate it.

    Put the money in a jar instead and use it for new clothes too. That is a good idea.
  • rosiereally2
    rosiereally2 Posts: 539 Member
    Options
    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.

Categories