I completley suck at sticking to my healthy eating

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I gave been falling off the wagon and getting back on for 2 years now. I just cant seem to get it right. Im eating healthy meals, not starving myself ( I eat 1500 cals) and I workout. My problem is not the working out, I can do workouts just like that its the food thats the problem, Here is exactly why it ends up getting ruined like 2 days in:




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I just cant seem to stop doing this

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  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    Portion control. Buy the goodies but only a small portion. It is no longer "FORBIDDEN" and all of a sudden not as tempting. I bought a bag of marshmallows because I craved them. I ate 2 and the bag is just sitting there now and not tempting me at all. If I want one I can have it but it isn't as tempting when I tell my self OK.
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
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    I understand where you're coming from. If I could afford it, I would pay someone to go shopping with me and violently smack my trigger foods out of my hands....I don't binge anymore, but there's certainly stuff I don't NEED to be buying...and eating....
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    define "healthy"...how restrictive are you with your diet? I by and large eat a very nutritious diet...but I have some kind of junk food pretty much every day. I hit my nutritional requirements though, so it's really not a big deal...that "junk food" doesn't make up a substantial percentage of my overall diet, so it's really a non issue.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
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    Here's my approach. Don't keep "trigger foods" in the house, period. You know the ones. Whether it's the Cheetos or the ding-dongs you can't put down, don't buy them to keep at home. If you really, really want them, after asking yourself "do I have enough calories for this? Do I want to spend the calories on this? Am I going to regret using these calories for this later or not? Am I willing to sacrifice my deficit today to have this?" And the answer(s) is/are YES, go to a convenience store and pay the ridiculous amount they charge for a single serving. I have one within walking distance so I have to walk to get it, but that may or may not be an option for you. If no, drink some water, snack on carrots, whatever you got to do to get your mind off them.

    For those treats you CAN just have a little bit of, keep them in the house and enjoy them in moderation each day. This keeps you sane. So, for example, I keep chocolate and ice cream in the house and enjoy them regularly because I can measure out a serving, eat it, and be done. I do not keep Doritos, gummy bears, or cookies in the house because I am never satisfied with a serving. If I want that, I'm willing to use the calories for it, and I'm not satisfied with a single serving of one of my safer treats at home, then I walk to the convenience store and pay three bloody dollars for one cookie. The walking and the expense keep it under control.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Eat "good" or "clean" or "healthy" (whatever those words mean to you) 80% of the time. Fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to binges.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • MatthewNSW
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    I find it easier to deny myself those temptation foods completely. I can't really do moderation so, as valid as the advice to allow yourself those foods in moderation is,

    I guess the question is whether it works for you as a person. I do understand the predicament - I've been in your situation many times before but if you substitute those 'bad' foods with something healthy and nutritional then hopefully that will at least distract your body from craving what you really want but equally don't really want...!
  • wide2bride
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    All fantastic advice here, but I second the complete denial.

    I am very weak minded when it comes to the "sugars"...it could even be something deemed somewhat healthier such as trail mix or even grapes/apples!!. You will find me 5 servings deep before I've hit enough guilt to want to never let myself eat again.

    I am keeping below 25g of sugar every single stinkin' day that I can and feel as though I've detoxed of sorts and can now simply say no to those things that I couldn't before like in your comic strip because I can remember how they made me feel and how much better I feel without them.

    Try thinking short term goals such as " I will not exceed 25g of sugar for the next 3 consecutive days" and I bet on day 4 all of sudden you are not only proud of yourself for sticking to your goal, but you feel a heck of a lot better physically :) Good luck!
  • fitnessenchanted
    fitnessenchanted Posts: 41 Member
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    This is helpful, but I'm still living in my parents house and my mom does not have a healthy lifestyle. And whenever I tell her to stop buying it she says then don't eat it.....oh if it were only that easy
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
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    Down to basics:

    A habit takes 3-4 weeks to form until it becomes permanent. Have you passed that mark on both nutrition and exercise?

    Calories in, calories out. Clean food or not. If you're monitoring your intake, living with mom should be a non-issue. I understand that if a support system at home isn't in place, it's much more difficult to lose weight.

    I don't have any "Health Nuts" living with me, they all eat what they want, etc. Heck my daughter who is 14 and 100 lbs is swallowing a 1000 calorie BAG of kettle corn pop corn right in front of me when I first started, I would have probably joined her in a eating contest. But after a while, you won't even flinch.
  • 000Linda000
    000Linda000 Posts: 50 Member
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    I give myself a "secret food" everyday, it's something I don't log and don't fuss over when I eat it. I try to keep it under 100 calories and just leave it my my desk/ in my bag. I find that it keeps me sain and most days, I don't even eat it!
  • TeamAwesomeDanger
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    One thing that has helped me (because not keeping it in the house doesn't stop me- I'll walk 5 blocks each way to the store when the binge crave hits) is to enter the food into my food diary before I eat it- even the really "bad" stuff.

    It has stopped several binges in their tracks to have to face the numbers logically- I usually will still eat the food I want, but portion it to stay within my calorie goals for the day. Complete deprivation of my favorites is just not a long term solution for me- I need to be able to face my cravings and eat like a normal person would (normal portions, normal frequency), not restrict restrict restrict BINGE.
  • PopeyeCT
    PopeyeCT Posts: 249 Member
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    I've discovered that if I spend a few minutes before I go to the store jotting down what I need to buy, and munching on an apple or a something, then when I get to the store I'm not hungry and wanting to grab anything that looks good and since I have a plan for what to buy I don't wander around in front of all the temptations as much.

    Also, the endcaps in the front part of my store are all full of Hostess and such...but if I go around the perimeter I see the veggie section first then meat then dairy and I can pretty much avoid the evil middle part of the store with the chips and soda.

    Also, have you ever gone through quitting smoking? I have and I had studied some on cravings and techniques to avoid them. I use the same technique for food cravings. Basically, some smart guy said that the worst part of a craving only lasts 5 minutes. So if you get a craving you look at the clock and promise yourself to wait at least TEN minutes to decide if you'll give in. Usually it's gone by then. And if not, keep some fake candy. Sugar free hard candies only have a few calories and you can use them as a reward to yourself for standing up to the Dorito Monster.
  • meglizbo
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    Living in a place where you don't control what is sitting on the counters/in the fridge and pantry REALLY sucks. Maybe make yourself a snack bin that you keep in your room with pre-portioned snacks, some that are healthy and some that are delicious but perhaps not as nutritious? Then when you feel the urge to go on a snack hunt instead of hitting up the chips you already have a variety of food and you can put on blinders to everything else!