Why does it still feel like I'm torturing myself?
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shackamax
Posts: 3 Member
Blah.
I'm successfully losing weight since I started on here, I'm down 22 lbs as of this morning, so what I'm doing appears to be working. My main issue is that even after a month or two of eating healthy, I still feel like I'm torturing myself (not allowing myself to eat foods I'm craving, sticking strictly to my diet, etc). When should I expect to feel like a lifestyle change has taken place and that this is actually sustainable?
"Fitness people" are always saying "eventually your body will get used to it and you'll WANT to eat this way after a while, you'll be happy with it." I'm worried that when I get down to my goal either later this year or next year, that I'll become complacent and put the weight back on, because the burden of "you dont have to eat this way anymore" will be gone.
Anybody else gone through that?
I'm successfully losing weight since I started on here, I'm down 22 lbs as of this morning, so what I'm doing appears to be working. My main issue is that even after a month or two of eating healthy, I still feel like I'm torturing myself (not allowing myself to eat foods I'm craving, sticking strictly to my diet, etc). When should I expect to feel like a lifestyle change has taken place and that this is actually sustainable?
"Fitness people" are always saying "eventually your body will get used to it and you'll WANT to eat this way after a while, you'll be happy with it." I'm worried that when I get down to my goal either later this year or next year, that I'll become complacent and put the weight back on, because the burden of "you dont have to eat this way anymore" will be gone.
Anybody else gone through that?
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Replies
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I crave certain foods all the time. However I let myself have one cheat meal each week, and every now and then try and work in the other stuff in my diet (I.e smaller portion and have veggies on the side so I'm still full).0
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If it feels like torture to you then it's not sustainable imo. Tastes do change, but it's ok to still have the foods you love. Personally I'd try a more gradually change, rather than a complete 180.
I do moderation and have never felt deprived. I usually allocate about 20% of my calories for chocolate or whatever I'm craving. The rest of my calories I use to hit my protein goal and get nutrients in.0 -
I was going to take a look at your food diary to see what you've been doing different, but it is locked. Are you eating foods that are delicious? Even if it is something that is different than you've been doing, if you are not enjoying your meals or are forcing yourself to eat foods you don't like it is going to feel like you are denying yourself the pleasure of eating.
Food is supposed to taste good, and exercise is supposed to be fun. Otherwise a fit and healthy lifestyle is just not sustainable.0 -
Why are you not eating the foods you want? This is all about a calorie deficit. If you want a burger, fit it in. If you want cake, fit it in. If you have to exercise to be able to have your burger or cake, do it. You don't have to 'torture' yourself. I've had plenty of 'off' days and I still lose weight. It's not about restriction but being balanced/0
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Blah.
I'm successfully losing weight since I started on here, I'm down 22 lbs as of this morning, so what I'm doing appears to be working. My main issue is that even after a month or two of eating healthy, I still feel like I'm torturing myself (not allowing myself to eat foods I'm craving, sticking strictly to my diet, etc). When should I expect to feel like a lifestyle change has taken place and that this is actually sustainable?
"Fitness people" are always saying "eventually your body will get used to it and you'll WANT to eat this way after a while, you'll be happy with it." I'm worried that when I get down to my goal either later this year or next year, that I'll become complacent and put the weight back on, because the burden of "you dont have to eat this way anymore" will be gone.
Anybody else gone through that?
Nope! I have been maintaining over a year, and I still wanna eat junk all the time, but I don't because I want to look good naked!0 -
my problem is sugar. sugar is so dang good i want to eat it, but the more sugar i eat the less full i feel and the more sugar i want which is a slippery slope. and the way i feel i can't just have a little bit of sugar and be done with it. when i eat sugar i want to eat a ton of sugar. and that just isn't healthy.0
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If you are feeling like you are torturing yourself then you have to ask your self if it is really a long term solution? Sooner or later there's a good chance you'll end up back where you started because you slipped back into old habits.
How about trying the TDEE -20% method combined with an IIFYM (if it fits your macros) approach. This should give you enough food to feel satisfied and you can still eat your favourite foods so you will not feel you are 'torturing' yourself, just work them into your calorie allowance.0 -
If it feels like torture to you then it's not sustainable imo. Tastes do change, but it's ok to still have the foods you love. Personally I'd try a more gradually change, rather than a complete 180.
I do moderation and have never felt deprived. I usually allocate about 20% of my calories for chocolate or whatever I'm craving. The rest of my calories I use to hit my protein goal and get nutrients in.
This.
My approach wasn't to avoid foods, but to add new, different and healthier foods to what I already enjoy. So I still have pizza, but typically once a week instead of three times a week. I still have pasta, but instead of a meal of just pasta, I have pasta with chicken and a pile of vegetables. I'll have a chocolate and peanut butter protein bar instead of Reese's cups.
And every single thing I eat is delicious. I will never have plain grilled chicken and steamed broccoli as a meal. Ever. Add some BBQ sauce to the chicken and some butter to the broccoli and a few more sides, and maybe we'll talk. :laugh:0 -
Sounds like you are torturing yourself if you are not eating foods you crave.
It basically comes down to a choice. You choose to eat the food you "crave" or not. You are choosing not to.
Which could eventually lead to a binge.
I choose to eat food I crave, but I plan for it.
I do not call it a "cheat" day, because I try to keep it in line with my calorie and nutrient goals for the day.
If I can GREAT
If it is a bit over, then oh well, it is only 1 day in the week. As long as I do not make it a habit I will not worry about it.
Seems to have worked for me so far.0 -
The truth is you really were torturing yourself before you made these changes. All the bad foods and unhealthy habits was the torture. Now your just trying to make your life better.0
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"Fitness people" are always saying "eventually your body will get used to it and you'll WANT to eat this way after a while, you'll be happy with it."
In my experience I have not found this to be true, and I consider myself a "fitness person" at this point. It is true that after eating really healthy for a while I'll crave junk food LESS, but I'm still always down for a greasy burger or some cheesecake.
What I have found helps is allowing myself one small treat every day. Occasionally, I'll turn that small treat into a big cheat meal. It hasn't hindered my fitness and it keeps me from going crazy. I've been trying to maintain without calorie counting lately and it has been tough, because like you said I've developed that "woooh my diet is over!" mentality and it's hard not to eat junk all the time. I just keep reminding myself of how hard I worked and that this is a lifestyle change, and I CAN do it because there are plenty of healthy foods I enjoy. I try to eat 80% healthy, home-cooked foods and the other 20% is whatever I want (fast food, dessert, anything). It seems to be working but I agree it's hard. I think some of us just naturally have bigger appetites/more cravings than others, and it's not likely to totally go away.0 -
Blah.
I'm successfully losing weight since I started on here, I'm down 22 lbs as of this morning, so what I'm doing appears to be working. My main issue is that even after a month or two of eating healthy, I still feel like I'm torturing myself (not allowing myself to eat foods I'm craving, sticking strictly to my diet, etc). When should I expect to feel like a lifestyle change has taken place and that this is actually sustainable?
"Fitness people" are always saying "eventually your body will get used to it and you'll WANT to eat this way after a while, you'll be happy with it." I'm worried that when I get down to my goal either later this year or next year, that I'll become complacent and put the weight back on, because the burden of "you dont have to eat this way anymore" will be gone.
Anybody else gone through that?
When I first started losing weight I bought into of the "clean and healthy" eating crap. Or dont eat that cookie it'll turn directly into fat. I'm calling BS on theses "fitness and industry" peoples claims! This is how I lose fat and eat still am able to have that chocolate bar or cookie I want.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937860-how-to-lose-fat-for-newbs
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=129247741&page=10 -
When I eat healthy like salads and stuff its not very filling honestly. If I ate all the food I craved 24/7 I would 5k calories a day. When I first started eating healthy the first few weeks I ate tones of fruits, vegetables, ect. I ate tones of whole foods and I was ALWAYS starving. Everyone that claims its not torture has just convinced themselves of that in the long run, trust me no one WANTS to be sucking down a wheat grass smoothie going jogging at 5am, but you do what yo gotta do.0
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If it feels like torture to you then it's not sustainable imo. Tastes do change, but it's ok to still have the foods you love. Personally I'd try a more gradually change, rather than a complete 180.
I do moderation and have never felt deprived. I usually allocate about 20% of my calories for chocolate or whatever I'm craving. The rest of my calories I use to hit my protein goal and get nutrients in.
I agree!
Eating your favorite food should be a part of your healthy diet plan, so that you are motivated to stick to it for a long period of time, perhaps forever.
*Consume in bits but don't do away with them totally.
There’s no reason why you should not eat your favorite foods. If you love salads or fruits or sprouts or anything healthy, do include them in your daily diet. If however, we’re talking about high fat, high sugar treats, you might want to reduce the frequency of consumption. Everyone deserves a treat once in a while, so save the fried foods, sweets and desserts for special occasions. (healthmeup.com)0 -
Who eats just one cookie or one chip? We all know it has stuff in it to make you want more, more, more, more. If you are someone with a heavily addictive personality its better to just stay away from these things.0
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I've found that eating smaller portions of food I like helps. I don't seriously restrict myself as to which foods I eat at mealtime (except for buscuits, cake and milk chocolate - and sugary carbonated drinks - but these are not meals). For me, a restrictive diet will not work.
I realised early on when I joined MFP that moderation is a key word in this process. A restrictive diet would not work for me as I am very good at self sabotage. Even after 2 months I feel like I have got more used to the smaller portions and not eating high fat sugary snals between meals.
Good luck, and please don't torture yourself, a little bit of what you fancy does you good :-)0 -
If you are feeling like you are torturing yourself then you have to ask your self if it is really a long term solution? Sooner or later there's a good chance you'll end up back where you started because you slipped back into old habits.
How about trying the TDEE -20% method combined with an IIFYM (if it fits your macros) approach. This should give you enough food to feel satisfied and you can still eat your favourite foods so you will not feel you are 'torturing' yourself, just work them into your calorie allowance.
^^^ This0 -
If you feel like you are torturing yourself, your eating habits are not right for you. You want to find a way to make a lifestyle change, not a solution for short-term weight loss. You can still eat foods that you enjoy, you just have to do so in moderation. You also have to put in the effort to learn how to make healthy versions of the "bad" foods that you enjoy. They may not taste exactly the same as the full fat, fried version, but it's better than nothing and you CAN get used to that. My diary is open if you'd like to see how I stay under 1300 calories and still enjoy my favorite foods. I am steadily losing 2-3 pounds per week, never feel hungry or unfulfilled.0
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I personally am not going to buy my "favorite junk food". If you are trying to eat clean and get away from those habits how is eating a tone of chocolate or snacks good? What are you learning? Most people ( I KNOW) got fat because of portion control problems so turning around and buying your favorite chips and candy that are loaded with garbage and gorging on them, is pretty counter productive.0
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