The Easy Right or Hard Left....

texasdreams000
texasdreams000 Posts: 17
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
As I sit here trying to change my lifestyle, I struggle with the in's and out's of learning how to eat right. I live such a hectic life that it's hard to squeeze in a healthy homecooked meal. I find it easier to drive thru a fast food joint and take it home. The problem with this is I don't pick the right stuff. In my moment of weakness, I order the burger with extra mayo, large french fries, and the king size soda. It's like I have a major additiction to fast food. I lose myself in the menu and forget about trying to change my eating habits. I have decided to give them up for now. I mean give them up till I learn how to eat right. Learn what is healthy vs what is not healthy. And most importantly learn not to give into temptation. As for my meals at home, I have decided to cook them when I'm off from work. My days off are split up during the week, which I hate but will use to my advantage. This will allow me to cook a few meals instead of a whole weeks worth. I don't like eating food that has been sitting in the fridge for a whole week anyways. I have also decided to leave my money and credit cards at home. This eliminates all excuses for going out and buying anything unhealthy. If I forget my lunch, then I will just have to hop in the truck and drive my happy butt home to eat. Also, I am going to set up a healthy kitchen on my next day off. I am going to get rid of all the junk I have in the cabinets and fridge. I'm not going to use my kids as an excuse to keep buying the Ding Dongs or Oreos. They are evil little sugar filled treats who sit around all day waiting for me to fail and give into them. The added bonus here is my children will be learning how to eat healthy right along with me. :flowerforyou:

Val

Replies

  • texasdreams000
    texasdreams000 Posts: 17
    As I sit here trying to change my lifestyle, I struggle with the in's and out's of learning how to eat right. I live such a hectic life that it's hard to squeeze in a healthy homecooked meal. I find it easier to drive thru a fast food joint and take it home. The problem with this is I don't pick the right stuff. In my moment of weakness, I order the burger with extra mayo, large french fries, and the king size soda. It's like I have a major additiction to fast food. I lose myself in the menu and forget about trying to change my eating habits. I have decided to give them up for now. I mean give them up till I learn how to eat right. Learn what is healthy vs what is not healthy. And most importantly learn not to give into temptation. As for my meals at home, I have decided to cook them when I'm off from work. My days off are split up during the week, which I hate but will use to my advantage. This will allow me to cook a few meals instead of a whole weeks worth. I don't like eating food that has been sitting in the fridge for a whole week anyways. I have also decided to leave my money and credit cards at home. This eliminates all excuses for going out and buying anything unhealthy. If I forget my lunch, then I will just have to hop in the truck and drive my happy butt home to eat. Also, I am going to set up a healthy kitchen on my next day off. I am going to get rid of all the junk I have in the cabinets and fridge. I'm not going to use my kids as an excuse to keep buying the Ding Dongs or Oreos. They are evil little sugar filled treats who sit around all day waiting for me to fail and give into them. The added bonus here is my children will be learning how to eat healthy right along with me. :flowerforyou:

    Val
  • yoginimary
    yoginimary Posts: 6,789 Member
    Good for you. Remember, after 2 weeks, the cravings will start to subside. After 2 months, you will think about it less. After 2 years, you will think all fast food is disgusting. Really. Not that I've gone 2 years without eating my weakness (sweets), but I have gone 2 weeks and it really helped my cravings.

    Good luck.
  • janineswenson
    janineswenson Posts: 19 Member
    That's a great idea about leaving the cards at home! Also, I wanted to encourage you about eliminating unhealthy foods at home. The kids will complain but it's all part of food education - it's not just for you , it's for you to teach them and make it real life for them. One thing that I used to buy on my regular shopping trip was Lays potato chips and sour cream ranch dip. My kids ate it all up in 5 minutes if I wasn't around to stop them. We have emliminated ALL unhealthy items over the last few years. The closest thing we have to junk food is Wheat & Honey Pretzel Braids. The kids love those. Other surprising favorites are Trader Joes Vegetable Chips and baby carrots to snack on.

    Sounds impossible but it's not. Believe me, I'm the mom that bought 2 liter sodas every trip to the store (my excuse was that they were so cheep - I couldn't pass them up. Guess what, tap water is cheaper!) and pizza once a week. We haven't had pizza for 2 years! They will loose their taste for these things over time and stop "craving" them so much. My kids will jump at a chance for junk food at someone else's house if they are asked - but at home, they no longer nag me about what to get at the store. I have 5 kids and they behave better when they eat better and it's easier for them to sit still & learn while in school.

    Janine
  • icandoit
    icandoit Posts: 4,163 Member
    Good for you. Just think of how much money you are going to save to purchase the new wardrobe you are going to have to buy. Cooking ahead is the best. I do it a lot and I am a stay at home mom. I even go to Costco and buy there rotisserie chicken and shred it up and make salads and sandwiches. Get creative and have fun with it.
    Getting the kids involved is FANTASTIC. Starting young is great. We took all soda and junk out of the house. No more!! Once in a while for a treat, and that is all.
    Best of luck to you!!
  • Eve23
    Eve23 Posts: 2,352 Member
    That is terrific. You are on the right track. I rarely go out to eat but when I do need to here is a thought. Subway. They have some very good choices. My personaly favorite is a Vegie Delite on wheat bread with the sweet onion sauce on it. No mayo or anything bad on it.

    Premaking your meals is a great idea.

    Have a great day and keep it up.
  • texasdreams000
    texasdreams000 Posts: 17
    You all give me hope... After reading your posts, I find it amazing that you have all gone this long doing the right thing. It has only been day 2 and I have already messed up. I know changing how I eat is possible because you all are living proof of it. I just have to get into the groove of things and make it happen. I have to take it one day at a time and learn to walk down the healthy path. First crawling, then baby steps, and finally walking. Is it worth the time and effort? I say yes! :laugh:
  • Kaycee22
    Kaycee22 Posts: 17
    That is a really great idea. My nephew loves poptarts for breakfast, but this morning while I was visiting I got up and made us both a breakfast of oranges slices and low sugar oatmeal and he LOVED it!! It is so tempting when all that junk food is in your house to have just one little bite at the end of a stressful day which could turn into a whole lot of bits (at leasts it does for me). I find it easier not to have the stuff in my house at all. It is also a good idea to stay away from the fast foods for a while. Some of their "healthier" items end up being chock full of hidden calories. I feel better when I plan an out to eat trip with friends that we decide on the restaurant ahead of time and then I go online and look up the nutritional information from the restaurant website. That way I count my calories and know what I am going to eat ahead of time. It makes me feel more in control. Plus seeing exactly how many calories are in the more tempting dishes makes them a little less tempting. Keep up the good work and good luck!
  • julieofthewolves
    julieofthewolves Posts: 339 Member
    Your brain is definitely working the right way, now just to get your actions to come along..

    Two quick snacks which really save me:
    - frozen cooked shrimp, which I throw in EVERYTHING (eggs, salads, or juts plain, etc)
    - apple with peanut butter (very sweet and will take care of a craving!!)

    My favorite really quick meal:
    - throw frozen broccoli and frozen shrimp in a pan, maybe some mushrooms or whatever else I have on hand and dump some soy ginger sauce on it. Yummmy!!!!

    My three biggest suggestions:
    - no bread
    - tons of water
    - when I go grocery shopping I plan at least one hour at home after to chop all my veggies/fruit and put into single size serving snack size baggies. When I go to work I just grab my small baggies and go. If I don't separate it out into individual servings I eat the whole thing. :ohwell: This step is a real pain, but I have to do it!!!

    Good luck - keep focused and yes, your cravings for the crap will go away.
  • teachercrispy
    teachercrispy Posts: 1
    I also have struggled for a long time with an addiction to fast food. Being single and hating to cook are added issues for me. This year, I have gotten rid of the credit cards (another problem in my life I am working on), and never carry more than a dollar or two on me, and I think that will make it much easier to avoid going through the drive through. I know from a past successful experience with weight loss that it does get easier and the cravings do really subside. I do allow myself a "treat" once a month (or every couple of weeks, depending on how far I am into the diet) to go to Subway. Now that they have the healthy choices for sides, it makes it so that I have NO excuse not to eat healthy. I love their oat bread with turkey. Good luck to you (and me). :smile:
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    This is not easy, if it were no one would ever be overweight. Here are some things I do to help get the right food a the right times.

    crock pot-love it! I can throw anykind of meat in there with veggies and a little stock and let it slow cook all day, I even found a timer for it so I can turn the heat down and the food stays warm.

    Cook ahead of time-it takes planning, I plan meals to use similar ingredients so I can chop and cut and get all the ingredients ready and then I get the proteins in order and get to cooking. I love to grill too because I can put a lot of proteins on there at once and then all week they just need a little heating.

    Nights that my kids have activities I have discovered that my stove has a delay start timer on it, this is awesome because the kids can have some fruit, I throw the nights meal into the oven, set the timer to go and when we come home the meal is hot and ready and usually in only one dish...bonus!

    BAby steps, you will get used to healthier things and the fast food options won't taste good anymore, at least not like they used too! You can do this!
  • texasdreams000
    texasdreams000 Posts: 17
    All wonderful ideas and suggestions. I was not brought up eating seafood.. but I am changing right! I am willing to give anything try for the greater good. If I don't like what I eat then I just won't buy it again.

    Thanks!
    Valerie
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