How do I change my thinking?

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2

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  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
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    The thing about indulgence in fatty and fast foods is that the more you eat, the more you want. Its the same with sugar. A vicious cycle. It truly has to be a once in awhile thing or something that you balance out with exercise and moderation the rest of the week if you choose to indulge.

    For me, the best advice I ever got was "fake it til you make it." If I get out of work out mode, I force myself to go to the gym for three days in a row even if I have a bad attitude about it. After the three days I am back into it and start looking forward to it again. Same with the food. A couple of days of clean eating and all my water and vitamins and I have the resolve not to want the other stuff. A few WEEKS into it, fast food doesn't even sound good.
  • sheyennelilly
    sheyennelilly Posts: 122 Member
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    Be more mindful about your decisions. Sure that fast food sounds good but will it taste good? Are you limiting yourself too much in order to lose weight and therefore sacrificing taste (bland food leaves you wanting)? Or is your daily calorie intake so low that your body is literally starving for those nutrients it lacks (too limited on fat/carb intake)?

    Instead of caving to those comfort foods, try finding healthier alternatives that taste just as good. Make your own chili at home with lean meat, beans and tons of veggies. Get frozen french fries and bake just enough to have one serving.

    Instead of thinking about what you can't have, think about what you CAN have

    The above is great advice. Get online and get creative and find substitutions that are still delicious and satisfying. Or, just enjoy them in moderation and fit them into your calorie goals.
    What I tell myself when I'm struggling with wanting to eat crap is that I just need to get through it and let it pass. It's a habit I've built and I crave things like I imagine people who are addicted to things like cigarettes crave them. You have to fight through your own mindset to change. It's not going to be easy. You probably won't be able to stop thinking about those things completely, but as you persevere and develop better habits, it should get easier. If it was easy then no one would have weight issues, would they? You can do it though. It's more about not giving up then it is about doing everything perfectly.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    Other than getting a self-help book to help me rewire my brain, anybody have tricks that keep them from thinking about fatty foods?

    First of all, fat doesn't make you fat...I eat "fatty foods" all of the time and I've lost 25 Lbs thus far. Over consumption of calories makes you fat...in that respect, eating a lot of fatty foods can be difficult because fatty foods are also high in calories...but that doesn't mean you can't have any, ever.

    Don't think in terms of "dieting" (verb)...think in terms of diet and what makes up that diet (noun). I am currently eating at a calorie restriction to lose weight...but I have pizza on occasion...chili cheese fries on occasion...and nice juicy burger on occasion, etc. The key word here is occasion. I don't have pizza 5 days per week...I may have it once on the weekend...and some chili cheese fries at some point the next week, etc. But 80-90% of my foods are made up of lean proteins, fruits, veg, and whole grains.

    When you completely deprive yourself of the things you enjoy, you are doomed to fail. You just have to maintain your calories and just make better overall decisions most of the time...not 100% of the time.
  • BitterGoil
    BitterGoil Posts: 32 Member
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    I had cheese fries this weekend!! and I have lost 3lbs this week alone (I weighed in today). The thing is not to take it away completely but just learn to plan for it and eat in moderation.

    I definitely don't want to deprive either. Thanks!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Learn to cook! Prepare your own healthier versions of your favorite foods when possible.

    Don't avoid fat. Just try to eat more unsaturated fats. Fat is delicious

    Exercise to earn your favorite not so healthy foods and have them occasionally.

    Personally, depriving myself most of the time works well for me. Sometimes I'll crave something like hot wings, french fries or baby back ribs for weeks before giving in and eating them. And when I do, they taste so much more decadent and delicious that when I used to eat them more often.
  • Remo_Williams
    Remo_Williams Posts: 73
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    All quotes from Lao Tzu:

    "Health is the greatest possession."
    "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."
    "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."
    "A path is formed by walking on it." (my favorite)
  • BitterGoil
    BitterGoil Posts: 32 Member
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    Wow, thanks for all the advice so far! I will have to read all of it at lunch. Laters...
  • kimmypp
    kimmypp Posts: 1 Member
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    Nicely put. I just started adding one healthy thing at a time when I would go grocery shopping. Now my kitchen is 80% healthy food. It does take time to form new eating habits. Just remember when loosing weight its 75% diet and 25% exercise. Or something like that. I think your money would be better spent on a nutritionist than a trainer. More benefits to my opinion. Good luck in your weight loss journey.
  • llmcconnell
    llmcconnell Posts: 344 Member
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    Try thinking about all the nasty that is fast food, aka they found horse meat at fast food chains overseas, really? you want that in your body everyday.. If you want your body to feel good, you have to eat good.. Good luck!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    Buy something in the fast food category and let it sit in the bag in your car with the logo showing until it goes putrid. That ought to cure you!

    It (Egg McMuffin) cured me. It only took one sunny afternoon. The thought of fast food now makes me gag.
  • teenhamodic
    teenhamodic Posts: 43
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    yea it's offensive/hard but if you don't want to hear these kinds of things and all you want is a pity party... you're at the wrong site.

    No, I don't want a pity party. I was just asking for advice. Thanks for your feedback.

    getting advice is one thing and definitely a lot of people have offered their opinions on what to do. i'm not going to be any different. there are things that work for some people and there are things that didnt work.

    you'll need to find what works for you - and you dont have to feel like you're depriving yourself because you can have a cheat day. *mindblown*

    seriously... nothing anyone will say will help you unless you are actually willing to change.

    maybe look at yourself in the mirror butt naked and see for yourself that things need to change. maybe you need a change in partner.

    diet is 100x more important than exercise.
  • BitterGoil
    BitterGoil Posts: 32 Member
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    Fake it till you make it!

    Please explain. Thanks!
  • BitterGoil
    BitterGoil Posts: 32 Member
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    yea it's offensive/hard but if you don't want to hear these kinds of things and all you want is a pity party... you're at the wrong site.

    No, I don't want a pity party. I was just asking for advice. Thanks for your feedback.

    getting advice is one thing and definitely a lot of people have offered their opinions on what to do. i'm not going to be any different. there are things that work for some people and there are things that didnt work.

    you'll need to find what works for you - and you dont have to feel like you're depriving yourself because you can have a cheat day. *mindblown*

    seriously... nothing anyone will say will help you unless you are actually willing to change.

    maybe look at yourself in the mirror butt naked and see for yourself that things need to change. maybe you need a change in partner.

    diet is 100x more important than exercise.

    It is interesting you are suggesting I go as far as getting rid of someone I love. You know nothing about my life, so it's kind of intrusive and I would appreciate if you would stop suggesting that. I don't think I need to go that far. I am willing to look at myself. My partner will stay with me regardless of my decisions and may even follow. You never know.
  • blindedbyawesome
    blindedbyawesome Posts: 56 Member
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    Make your health a priority!

    At first it will be very difficult but if you push through and start seeing and feeling results this will become your new addiction. Nothing feels better then taking control of your own mind, body and soul. Good Luck!
  • tirrelogston
    tirrelogston Posts: 39 Member
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    I got the body media arm band and have total made a 180 in my thinking. I can see what I have burned and see what I have consumed. Plus it helps me push myself.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
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    I have been maintaining for 5 months and constantly think about food!! I plan my meals, wait until it is time for each meal and snack. Maybe I am bored or depressed but this has NOT stopped. I stopped drinking everyday and don't miss this. I actually look forward to a glass of wine every couple of weeks and plan for this but... I don't think about drinking like I do food. I could use any help also.
  • teenhamodic
    teenhamodic Posts: 43
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    yea it's offensive/hard but if you don't want to hear these kinds of things and all you want is a pity party... you're at the wrong site.

    No, I don't want a pity party. I was just asking for advice. Thanks for your feedback.

    getting advice is one thing and definitely a lot of people have offered their opinions on what to do. i'm not going to be any different. there are things that work for some people and there are things that didnt work.

    you'll need to find what works for you - and you dont have to feel like you're depriving yourself because you can have a cheat day. *mindblown*

    seriously... nothing anyone will say will help you unless you are actually willing to change.

    maybe look at yourself in the mirror butt naked and see for yourself that things need to change. maybe you need a change in partner.

    diet is 100x more important than exercise.

    It is interesting you are suggesting I go as far as getting rid of someone I love. You know nothing about my life, so it's kind of intrusive and I would appreciate if you would stop suggesting that. I don't think I need to go that far. I am willing to look at myself. My partner will stay with me regardless of my decisions and may even follow. You never know.

    I apologize for going to the extreme, and which may have clouded the helpfulness of my posts. more to the point, in referencing your first post - there is no magic trick and even getting a self help book is throwing money away. one thing that you can see which is consistent from all of the replies is that it requires diligence.

    the 10 months before i got married, i wanted to lose weight - at least 15lbs. Done - but there wasn't a magic trick or self help book i read but rather sweat, determination and eating right.

    I may not have been as constructive as other people but i've been around too many people who are all talk and are the very same people who complain. but as you can see from my posts, i tell them like it is.

    anyway i wish you the best and again, i apologize.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    yea it's offensive/hard but if you don't want to hear these kinds of things and all you want is a pity party... you're at the wrong site.

    No, I don't want a pity party. I was just asking for advice. Thanks for your feedback.

    getting advice is one thing and definitely a lot of people have offered their opinions on what to do. i'm not going to be any different. there are things that work for some people and there are things that didnt work.

    you'll need to find what works for you - and you dont have to feel like you're depriving yourself because you can have a cheat day. *mindblown*

    seriously... nothing anyone will say will help you unless you are actually willing to change.

    maybe look at yourself in the mirror butt naked and see for yourself that things need to change. maybe you need a change in partner.

    diet is 100x more important than exercise.

    It is interesting you are suggesting I go as far as getting rid of someone I love. You know nothing about my life, so it's kind of intrusive and I would appreciate if you would stop suggesting that. I don't think I need to go that far. I am willing to look at myself. My partner will stay with me regardless of my decisions and may even follow. You never know.

    I apologize for going to the extreme, and which may have clouded the helpfulness of my posts. more to the point, in referencing your first post - there is no magic trick and even getting a self help book is throwing money away. one thing that you can see which is consistent from all of the replies is that it requires diligence.

    the 10 months before i got married, i wanted to lose weight - at least 15lbs. Done - but there wasn't a magic trick or self help book i read but rather sweat, determination and eating right.

    I may not have been as constructive as other people but i've been around too many people who are all talk and are the very same people who complain. but as you can see from my posts, i tell them like it is.

    anyway i wish you the best and again, i apologize.

    Just because you did it without a self help book does not mean a book might not be helpful to others. Certainly there is no magic trick, but just as certainly there is no single right way change ones thinking. Different things work for different people.
  • jomtois
    jomtois Posts: 22 Member
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    Fake it till you make it!

    Please explain. Thanks!

    Sort of along the lines of the commenter that said something like "Actions first then the thinking will follow". Even if you have the cravings for the fatty foods, act like you don't have them. Thus, "fake it". If you are craving chili fries, focus your energy on craving an apple. It will seem extremely silly and you won't think you will be able to fool yourself. You can even go so far as to go through all the motions and "give in" to the craving, but now eat the apple (or whatever alternative you choose to focus on instead of the chili fries).

    If you do this a few times (faking the craving and going through the motions) sooner or later you will "make it" being that you will find that you rarely crave those fatty things any more. You may find that you crave the healthy options since you have rewired/reahabitualized your brain.

    I know it sounds like hooey, but I can attest that this has worked for me. I have used this technique to eat more vegetables, which I don't really care for a lot of them. But I faked it (pretended I liked them and ate them) for a while. After not very long, I found I was actually looking forward to eating those things which I had thought I had hated. Not saying that I all of a sudden loved them, but I habituated myself to them to the point where I actually wanted to eat them willingly. In the same way I was able to replace one behavior with another one by faking it first (replace avoiding vegetables and choosing pasta/bread instead with eating vegetables) you should be able to replace one craving with another (fatty foods with something nourishing).

    I hope that made sense. Good luck!
  • jljshoe1979
    jljshoe1979 Posts: 325 Member
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    You sound like me...fatty, fried, salty = yummy. One thing I've done over the years is try to find pleasure in the things I like about certain foods and build positives on that. For instance, I loooooove crunchy tacos. I love the meat, the crunch the flavor, everything. So here's what I do with tacos: first, I don't eat them anywhere, but home (this way I control what goes in them). Then, I make sure to use a lean meat (I love ground beef 93/7, but you could use ground turkey or chicken and maybe one day I will switch to that). Something else I do is load my veggies and salsa on before my cheese or sour cream. The only thing I now measure is the cheese and sour cream that goes on them. Finally, the most recent change I made is switching to low sodium flavoring, and it taste good to me. So, I went from ordering them all the time to making them at home and it is always a work in progress, but they are much healthy. I also switched from iceberg lettuce to green leaf lettuce all the time. As for your loved one, if you do the cooking, most of the time you will be making the decisions on what to eat. That's how it worked for me and my hubby. Luckily, he's not picky, but since I cook healthier; he also eats healthier.

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