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CarriLu123
CarriLu123 Posts: 82 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Where did you start? I am trying to adapt a healthier lifestyle and change the foods we eat in my house. Honestly it is harder than I thought. We love fast food's, pasta's, pizza, you name it we love it. So how did you change your eating habits?
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Replies

  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    I'm a sweet addict. HAD TO HAVE my morning muffin, HAD TO HAVE this and that. Totally addicted, felt good after eating that. Well one day my legs just got sick of carrying this big load on me, so i decided what can i do? I didn't have any motivation or any kind of plan, so i said what could i eliminate that I could.. so i said no soda pop, no added table salt and no desserts (coffee cake and donuts) i said i will have my one muffin in the morning, if thats what it will take.

    Now since escaping from that morning muffin routine, i started choosing other things, so for two weeks i was actually weaning myself off that. so now one month later, i am able to have something else.

    So long story short, I did what I could, started increasing my healthier choices, and not letting myself get emotionally attracted to food, i have chosen to stay away from certain restaurants, and find what restaurants i can, like I can go to a mediterranean restaurant and get something tasty and healthy.

    so one step at a time. then exchanging bad food choices for good. so far so good.

    the secret is - do something that is a permanent life change, not just a temporary diet, and that is the secret.
  • CarriLu123
    CarriLu123 Posts: 82 Member
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    I'm a sweet addict. HAD TO HAVE my morning muffin, HAD TO HAVE this and that. Totally addicted, felt good after eating that. Well one day my legs just got sick of carrying this big load on me, so i decided what can i do? I didn't have any motivation or any kind of plan, so i said what could i eliminate that I could.. so i said no soda pop, no added table salt and no desserts (coffee cake and donuts) i said i will have my one muffin in the morning, if thats what it will take.

    Now since escaping from that morning muffin routine, i started choosing other things, so for two weeks i was actually weaning myself off that. so now one month later, i am able to have something else.

    So long story short, I did what I could, started increasing my healthier choices, and not letting myself get emotionally attracted to food, i have chosen to stay away from certain restaurants, and find what restaurants i can, like I can go to a mediterranean restaurant and get something tasty and healthy.

    so one step at a time. then exchanging bad food choices for good. so far so good.

    the secret is - do something that is a permanent life change, not just a temporary diet, and that is the secret.


    I have a morning Late' I would like to cut that out for starters. I justify it by saying it makes me feel good, but in all honesty I would probably feel better eating real food.

    Thanks for the advice
  • CookNLift
    CookNLift Posts: 3,660 Member
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    I started after I went to the Crawfish Festival that is held here. It was a milestone that I looked forward to as an unhealthy day of eating, and drinking beer. I made that my final day for eating unhealthy, and proceeded to have a binge fest for dinner (not really bc we were so full from the festival) and I had a bowl or two of Crunch Berries, some ice cream, and candy.

    I then started the following day cold turkey - I have noticed a lot of things add up and have eliminated using a lot of olive oil on my salad and instead supplement the extra oil by putting hot chicken or beef on top and letting the natural juices and heat wilt the lettuce and make it much better tasting.

    I settled on a paleo ish diet but I still consume some legumes / beans and dairy primarily because they are things that I enjoy and don't over indulge in (I put about a half a cup of a serving once every day or so). Rather than using mayo I use either greek yogurt, cooked egg whites, hummus, or avocado.

    If you wanna get past loving fast foods, devote yourself to enjoying your meals and put some work into them. You will navigate back to bad foods if you feel like you miss them and what you're eating doesn't taste good. Every once in a while it is okay to have a slice of pizza, but try and eat leafy greens, or veggies (or even seafood) before hand to minimize the amount of pizza you eat.

    There are a lot of recipes out there for healthy pizza as well. Here is one off the top of my head. It's not paleo, because although I choose it as my lifestyle change, I don't like to push it on others and let them experiment for themselves.

    Buy an organic whole grain pizza dough or crust and READ THE INGREDIENTS. Make sure it doesn't have preservatives in it and that there is in fact only whole grain in it. Top it with some Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauce (they add a little bit of sugar, which I think is fine, but there are others that are sugar free - this one is just really good.) Add some grass fed cheese one top or even some low fat skim or feta cheese (sprinkle it lightly, allow yourself to taste the sauce and the crust). Then you can top it with veggies or low fat pepperoni/sausage etc.

    Try spaghetti squash too instead of pastas or switch to whole grain or gluten free pasta. I recently turned to spaghetti squash as a substitute and fell in love (I prefer it actually). Add me and message me if you need any ideas. I'm starting up a food blog soon which I will post as well.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Real food, seasoned well with lots of fat is delicious. No one will complain and it's a healthful way to eat.

    Look for some older recipes (like something Julia Child would have made) to get some ideas and recipes that don't call for a can or box of something. Take it one meal/recipe at a time and keep the sugar and starches to a minimum so you don't overeat and you'll do fine. Good luck. :)
  • lyndausvi
    lyndausvi Posts: 156 Member
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    Pretty much went cold turkey. I started a few months ago working from home so it pretty much forced me to eat at home also. The longer I went without fast food the less I missed it. I have a hurt shoulder and had to go to PT a few times a week. PT is near some fast food so I found myself stopping in. It made feel sick and I haven't been back for 5 weeks now. Which is 2 weeks longer than I have been dieting.

    My DH is a big sweet eater. I just got sucked into walking to DQ a few times a week. I talked myself into thinking just getting the small or mini was good enough add in the walk, it's all good right? Yeah, not at 690 calories. Since I do 80% of the shopping i just stopped buying things like ice cream and cookies. Out of site out of mind. I haven't had anything in 3 weeks and I honestly don't miss it. My blood sugar levels seem to be much better (just by how i feel, I do not track the levels). The better I feel the less I seem to miss them.

    Restaurants are impossible for me to give up. My DH is a chef and really enjoys going out to eat on Sundays to check out other places around the city. I just do my best to make sure I eat healthier meals but don't beat myself up if I don't. I also do extra cardo on the weekends to offset any set back I might have. I am addicted to chicken tenders and fried chicken I just avoid them completely. I don't think I can do them in moderation.
  • Meg_Shirley_86
    Meg_Shirley_86 Posts: 275 Member
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    I mean this lovingly, not with attitude:
    You have to want to change. There are ways to cut things out completely, and there are ways to still have your indulgences and be healthy. If you can't navigate through that, you didn't really want to make a new habit, you wanted a new hobby. Spoken from experience; not trying to scold. Good luck!
  • ncmedic201
    ncmedic201 Posts: 540 Member
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    I learned how to cook with spices (other than salt) and herbs. Once I figured that out, it became fun. My youngest loves it when I cook from scratch vs buying something already made (like fresh alfredo sauce vs jarred) There were lots of things that I have changed over the last 7 months that were a slow process. You just have to start somewhere. Once you start, find other ways to add to your changes.
  • fooninie
    fooninie Posts: 291 Member
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    First of all: CONGRATS! You are moving in the right direction.

    My advice is: start small. I like the idea of cutting one bad thing out per week. Example: I used to eat a raisin tea biscuit with my morning coffee. Instead I have a non-GMO protein bar (it has the consistency of a rice krispie square - YUM!) with my morning cuppa.

    I find leading by example is a good way to wean off bad habits...you will see results and everyone will want a piece of that joy! :)

    Last piece of advice, I cut out non naturally occurring carbs (I'm a certified carb addict - love all the pastas, breads and candies out there). It was VERY hard... I went through withdrawals and everything...True story. But after 3 days, things got easier. I'm 40lbs down and still losing.

    Good luck, you're in a really great place for support (just ignore any naysayers - they're everywhere)
  • ScouseNerd
    ScouseNerd Posts: 119 Member
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    Honestly, I'm not going to say a lot has changed in terms of my eating, just my awareness. Now I just look at something delicious and unhealthy and evaluate HOW much I want it.
    My boyfriend would always bring home pizza and I'd eat it because, hey, dinner, AND delicious. It would be tasty. But now if he says he's getting pizza and asks if I'll have any, I think about that pizza so vividly and everything that would be good about it. If I'm not practically weak in the knees from it, I won't have it. If I find that I really do want it, then I'll indulge. But I also know that if I have that pizza, I don't get to have any other big treats like that that this week, and that plays a factor in my decision too. I would cut it out as a way to cut myself off from it forever, but I always promised myself that I wouldn't be the person who wouldn't eat something because I "shouldn't" for my whole life.

    My biggest change is when I'm actively trying to lose, I won't give it all up on a dinner out. Yes, I'd like to get something that feels like I'm paying that much for it, but it'll almost always be salad now, at least until I'm at my goal. But I used to go bananas at restaurants even on diets. I still want to. But I'll earn it!
  • CarriLu123
    CarriLu123 Posts: 82 Member
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    Thank you all for the advice. Everyone has to start somewhere! It's seems overwhelming at times but I do like the idea of starting small and building on it one week at a time.

    Thanks again you all gave me a place to start.
  • joellemorin
    joellemorin Posts: 12 Member
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    I hear you! <3

    I had the same problem with NUTELLA (insert here mouth-watering noises). My mother-in-law wouldn't believe that quitting Nutella was just as hard as quitting cigarettes. You crave it, you think about it all the time. You try to divert yourself by doing something else, but no, it's still there, lurking in your brain! You get stressed and frustrated because you cant have it...and when you give in, the very second this forbidden food touches your mouth, the stress drops down like crazy and your endorphin have a major party in your brain :)

    I found the best way to avoid bad food is to simply not buy it, and teach the whole family about it. "Mommy is no more buying Nutella because it has too much sugar and fat, and it's very bad for our bodies. Why dont we try strawberry jaw on your waflle instead?" Sometimes it's not easy, but sometimes they do understand and accept to make the changes along with you.

    Good luck! :)
  • terrappyn
    terrappyn Posts: 324 Member
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    I'm a sweet addict. HAD TO HAVE my morning muffin, HAD TO HAVE this and that. Totally addicted, felt good after eating that. Well one day my legs just got sick of carrying this big load on me, so i decided what can i do? I didn't have any motivation or any kind of plan, so i said what could i eliminate that I could.. so i said no soda pop, no added table salt and no desserts (coffee cake and donuts) i said i will have my one muffin in the morning, if thats what it will take.

    Now since escaping from that morning muffin routine, i started choosing other things, so for two weeks i was actually weaning myself off that. so now one month later, i am able to have something else.

    So long story short, I did what I could, started increasing my healthier choices, and not letting myself get emotionally attracted to food, i have chosen to stay away from certain restaurants, and find what restaurants i can, like I can go to a mediterranean restaurant and get something tasty and healthy.

    so one step at a time. then exchanging bad food choices for good. so far so good.

    the secret is - do something that is a permanent life change, not just a temporary diet, and that is the secret.


    I have a morning Late' I would like to cut that out for starters. I justify it by saying it makes me feel good, but in all honesty I would probably feel better eating real food.

    Thanks for the advice

    Morning latte isnt too bad as long as you add the right ingredients. I get mine no syrup, non-fat and get a grade and I think it's 120 calories. You could make one at home. I do that most of the time. Not only am I saving money but I can really adjust the calories. More ice, more espresso less milk.
  • marywilsoncline
    marywilsoncline Posts: 301 Member
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    I just got serious about loosing weight almost 4 years ago and it just became easy for me to make a better lifestyle for myself. Meaning, I don't eat out much . I hate to eat food that someone else has prepared instead of me preparing it at home b/c I do not know what is in it. I eat fresh fruits and veggies and organic foods. I eat chips that are organic and baked instead of fried in fat laden oil. It really gets pretty easy. Of course along the way, I have also become addicted to running and I do everyday run at least four miles so I can eat pretty much anything I want, but I don't. I still stick to my healthy lifestyle.
  • littlebrownbat3
    littlebrownbat3 Posts: 54 Member
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    I found that it's easier for me to think of it this way: rather than think about foods I "can have," I eat more foods that are better for me. I still eat some crap (because sometimes it's delicious) but I feel better when I eat mostly clean. The more you eat less processed food, the more sensitive your taste becomes to junk food. If you fill up on healthier stuff, you aren't hungry for junk food, and then when you have an opportunity, you've already retrained your tastes to minimize the damage.
  • CarriLu123
    CarriLu123 Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I'm a sweet addict. HAD TO HAVE my morning muffin, HAD TO HAVE this and that. Totally addicted, felt good after eating that. Well one day my legs just got sick of carrying this big load on me, so i decided what can i do? I didn't have any motivation or any kind of plan, so i said what could i eliminate that I could.. so i said no soda pop, no added table salt and no desserts (coffee cake and donuts) i said i will have my one muffin in the morning, if thats what it will take.

    Now since escaping from that morning muffin routine, i started choosing other things, so for two weeks i was actually weaning myself off that. so now one month later, i am able to have something else.

    So long story short, I did what I could, started increasing my healthier choices, and not letting myself get emotionally attracted to food, i have chosen to stay away from certain restaurants, and find what restaurants i can, like I can go to a mediterranean restaurant and get something tasty and healthy.

    so one step at a time. then exchanging bad food choices for good. so far so good.

    the secret is - do something that is a permanent life change, not just a temporary diet, and that is the secret.


    I have a morning Late' I would like to cut that out for starters. I justify it by saying it makes me feel good, but in all honesty I would probably feel better eating real food.

    Thanks for the advice

    Morning latte isnt too bad as long as you add the right ingredients. I get mine no syrup, non-fat and get a grade and I think it's 120 calories. You could make one at home. I do that most of the time. Not only am I saving money but I can really adjust the calories. More ice, more espresso less milk.

    That is a great idea. I drink Chi Tea Latte and it is 310 calories. I also don't eat breakfast since I am taking in so many calories. I'm sure this only compounds the problem.
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
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    Look up healthy recipes for foods that you love to eat now, there are a litany of food blogs out there too I like cookinglight.com and skinnytaste.com. It's usually good to start with making your food at home, limiting large amounts of fat, insert more vegetables, don't be afraid of seasoning things or trying new things. Use your crockpot.
  • CarriLu123
    CarriLu123 Posts: 82 Member
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    I hear you! <3

    I had the same problem with NUTELLA (insert here mouth-watering noises). My mother-in-law wouldn't believe that quitting Nutella was just as hard as quitting cigarettes. You crave it, you think about it all the time. You try to divert yourself by doing something else, but no, it's still there, lurking in your brain! You get stressed and frustrated because you cant have it...and when you give in, the very second this forbidden food touches your mouth, the stress drops down like crazy and your endorphin have a major party in your brain :)

    I found the best way to avoid bad food is to simply not buy it, and teach the whole family about it. "Mommy is no more buying Nutella because it has too much sugar and fat, and it's very bad for our bodies. Why dont we try strawberry jaw on your waflle instead?" Sometimes it's not easy, but sometimes they do understand and accept to make the changes along with you.

    Good luck! :)

    Thanks for the laugh. It's so true as soon as you stop fighting that urge and give in all the stress is gone.
  • abbylg1983
    abbylg1983 Posts: 177 Member
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    I decided to start myfitnesspal in the middle of the day, so for the first half, I hadn't been trying to cut calories. I was pretty shocked by how many calories are in so called healthy foods (cereal, I'm looking at you). So, what I did for about 3-5 months is just eat the same things I always ate, but scaled way back. So, instead of 3 cups of cereal, I only had one. Instead of 5 pieces of fruit, I had 1-2. I tried to stay at 1,200 calories. This sucked big time for me because trying to fit my carb heavy and calorie heavy diet into 1,200 calories left me with not very much food. I lost the baby weight (my motivation for joining) and pretty much tabled the diet. I started up again just a few months ago.

    My biggest a-ha moment was my toddler daughter. She does not eat well (meaning she doesn't eat much, and has been underweight her whole life), so I bought a book on toddler nutrition. My favorite part was the "eat the rainbow" section, and I started incorporating more vegetables, as well as healthy fats into our diets to get her weight up. Now it's kind of fun to challenge myself- how many different colors can I get on one plate? My daughter eats most fruits but mainly sticks to green vegetables. We are still working on that. I *have* to eat a certain way in front of her so she will eat that way. If she sees me snacking on goldfish crackers and doritos and handfuls of cheerios, that's what she'll want. I think this time around my plan is much more sustainable, since I'm more focused on nutrition and exercise than calorie counting. I haven't really lost much weight, but I do notice I feel more compact and tighter, and my clothes are looser.
  • kookanddra
    kookanddra Posts: 92
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    My first day with MFP I wanted to see what i was eating and how it compared with the calories that I was allowed. So I did my regular morning with a 32 oz of Coke and sausage mcmuffin. Logged it and Yikes!! Really?? So i did what I normally did for lunch and went back to McDonalds and got another 32 oz of Coke and a big mac meal. Large. I about died when I logged that. Calories already gone and I haven't even had my beers yet or supper!! That's when I decided to cut out all soda and went to ice tea. Don't get me wrong, I still have fast food once and a while but not like i use to. Haven't had a big mac since I started. Our suppers at home are usually pretty good anyway, I just cut my portions in half. I look at what I use to eat (portion wise) and it seems like I was trying to feed an army with just my plate. I still have pizza every friday night but only 1 or 2 pieces instead of 3 and reaching for the 4th. I still drink my beer every night. Just not as much as I use to. Everything is ok in moderation. It takes time but it is so worth it!! It will be easier for you to make the change if you want to and are still happy with what you are getting. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • symba1130
    symba1130 Posts: 248 Member
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    I agree with changing one thing at a time. For me, the first thing I changed was using goat cheese on my burger one day in place of mayo AND cheese. It had a bit of tang and was creamy so I didnt miss the cheese or mayo. Then I started trying new recipes that were usually bean/veggies based. From there I noticed there were weeks I would pass the 10 candy dishes around the office and not be bothered by not having any. Somedays I need more food than others so I dont let myself stress about it, I eat, I just try to eat healthier options and work out more.

    Also like someone else already said, this is a lifestyle change if you want to keep it off, so dont fret if you dont loose 40lbs in a month! It took me 18mths to loose 30lbs, but I feel confident that (after pregnancy, currently 32weeks along) I can get the weight back off and continue to maintain because its a lifestyle and not a "diet".

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