I think about food more now than before :(

ticribbs
ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Before I started dieting (or as I like to think of it, changing my food lifestyle) I was eating 3 meals a day with normally a snack between lunch and dinner, then dinner was always my largest meal and I was normally pretty hungry by the time dinner came around, hence it being the largest meal. Anyways, even though I'd be pretty hungry by dinner throughout the day I didn't give a whole lot of thought on what I was eating but now it's all I think about (at least it feels that way). I predetermine what I will eat every day but I sit there focusing on things I shouldn't have that I want. I've tried giving into those cravings with healthier alternatives but it doesn't seem to do it for me, then when I do decided to "cheat" I ended up really "cheating". Anyways, just wondered if anyone else is dealing with this and can give some tips.

Note - I try to make a most of my snacks higher in protein. Also, I've decided that after I finish the jar of my greatest vice (peanut butter) I will not purchase more for at least the next month.

Replies

  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    1) Avoid junk food that calls your name entirely. Once it gets to be a few weeks, that crap wont call your name anymore. There are addictive properties associated with foods that induce pleasure beyond what would you would get from whole, natural food. Give it time, keep it up, and you will stop craving this food over time.
    pleasuretrap.jpg

    2) Include some nutrient dense foods into your daily routine. If you are hungry for some specific nutrient, this can lead to hunger.
    nutrient_density_chart-12.jpg
    density-chartnotvegan.jpg

    3) Include some low calorie density food into your daily routine. Foods that are low in calorie, and high in fiber and water, physically stretch your stomach, causing you to become satisfied with the amount you have eaten.
    stomachstretchdensity.jpg
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Nice charts!
  • kuolo
    kuolo Posts: 251 Member
    Are you eating enough fat? If you have switched to low-fat alternatives it might be making you feel less satisfied. Low fat isn't necessarily good for you or your weight-loss.

    Also, if not having something makes you obsess over it, try working out a way to incorporate it into your diet within your calorie goals. Doesn't work for everyone but sounds like cutting things out completely isn't necessarily working for you so might be worth a try.

    Or it could be your body adjusting to a new diet and it might just stop if you stick it out.

    ETA: having looked at your food diary, you're not eating very much fat at all - you might want to try to find ways of incorporating more healthy fat into your diet, we need fat for loads of things including nutrient absorption, and it helps with satiety.
  • ros2will3run
    ros2will3run Posts: 104 Member
    yes, same...never hardly ever craved a food before....junk far less so..and now..,my goodness...don't even want the healthy stuff, and just gave in all weekend!
    the scales never moved...and i exercised!! so that's it...it was junk food, overeating, and overeating all weekend...

    and as you have to believe some of the before and after shots... i will start again tomorrow and not go crazy next time..eg next Friday-sun!

    And i think, that i'd shrunk..but did not measure to prove it,
    but the scales did not budge!!
    try fall try fall try again...
    yes, new to me too!
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Just had a look at your diary and although you're eating the correct amount of calories- there seems very little actual 'food' . No wonder you're feeling deprived. For instance you have oatmeal for dinner and protein bars and chocolate powder. Thus takes up calories that you could use for vegetables and real protein and carbohydrates.
  • ticribbs
    ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
    Just had a look at your diary and although you're eating the correct amount of calories- there seems very little actual 'food' . No wonder you're feeling deprived. For instance you have oatmeal for dinner and protein bars and chocolate powder. Thus takes up calories that you could use for vegetables and real protein and carbohydrates.

    hahaha, I don't normally have oatmeal for dinner but my daughter wanted it (she is 3) and I didn't feel like having a fight so oatmeal it was! As of late my normally has been:

    Breakfast:
    Chocolate Carnation mixed with a banana, 1 cup of skim milk and some ice. Along with a chocolate protein bar in the morning after I workout.

    Lunch:
    Turkey sandwich with wheat bread, veggies with greek yogurt french onion dip, and a shake with strawberries, banana, spinach, greek yogurt and almond milk.

    Afternoon SnacK
    Varies, sometimes greek yogurt, or rice cakes, or just granola

    Dinner:
    This varies every night but is normally around 400 calories and I try to get a protein in.

    Dessert:
    Also varies, could be an ice cream cone or oatmeal with low fat vanilla frozen yogurt or just peanut butter and crackers

    I'm not a huge vegetable person so I struggle to get vegetables into my daily meals, I pretty much don't like any vegetable cooked :-/. I love sweets, that is my weakness for sure.
  • ticribbs
    ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
    Just had a look at your diary and although you're eating the correct amount of calories- there seems very little actual 'food' . No wonder you're feeling deprived. For instance you have oatmeal for dinner and protein bars and chocolate powder. Thus takes up calories that you could use for vegetables and real protein and carbohydrates.

    hahaha, I don't normally have oatmeal for dinner but my daughter wanted it (she is 3) and I didn't feel like having a fight so oatmeal it was! As of late my days have normally consisted of:

    Breakfast:
    Chocolate Carnation mixed with a banana, 1 cup of skim milk and some ice. Along with a chocolate protein bar in the morning after I workout.

    *edit* - I really like having a shake in the morning because it lasts longer thus keeping me fuller, I'm fully aware that this is totally a mind trick on myself but I still enjoy it.

    Lunch:
    Turkey sandwich with wheat bread, veggies with greek yogurt french onion dip, and a shake with strawberries, banana, spinach, greek yogurt and almond milk.

    Afternoon SnacK
    Varies, sometimes greek yogurt, or rice cakes, or just granola

    Dinner:
    This varies every night but is normally around 400 calories and I try to get a protein in.

    Dessert:
    Also varies, could be an ice cream cone or oatmeal with low fat vanilla frozen yogurt or just peanut butter and crackers

    I'm not a huge vegetable person so I struggle to get vegetables into my daily meals, I pretty much don't like any vegetable cooked :-/. I love sweets, that is my weakness for sure.
  • nicki1112014
    nicki1112014 Posts: 7
    excellent advice thanks
  • nicki1112014
    nicki1112014 Posts: 7
    Just had a look at your diary and although you're eating the correct amount of calories- there seems very little actual 'food' . No wonder you're feeling deprived. For instance you have oatmeal for dinner and protein bars and chocolate powder. Thus takes up calories that you could use for vegetables and real protein and carbohydrates.

    hahaha, I don't normally have oatmeal for dinner but my daughter wanted it (she is 3) and I didn't feel like having a fight so oatmeal it was! As of late my normally has been:

    Breakfast:
    Chocolate Carnation mixed with a banana, 1 cup of skim milk and some ice. Along with a chocolate protein bar in the morning after I workout.

    Lunch:
    Turkey sandwich with wheat bread, veggies with greek yogurt french onion dip, and a shake with strawberries, banana, spinach, greek yogurt and almond milk.

    Afternoon SnacK
    Varies, sometimes greek yogurt, or rice cakes, or just granola

    Dinner:
    This varies every night but is normally around 400 calories and I try to get a protein in.

    Dessert:
    Also varies, could be an ice cream cone or oatmeal with low fat vanilla frozen yogurt or just peanut butter and crackers

    I'm not a huge vegetable person so I struggle to get vegetables into my daily meals, I pretty much don't like any vegetable cooked :-/. I love sweets, that is my weakness for sure.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    I'm not a huge vegetable person so I struggle to get vegetables into my daily meals, I pretty much don't like any vegetable cooked :-/. I love sweets, that is my weakness for sure.
    Sounds like you would benefit greatly from some more fruit in your diet. Also, check into things like "green smoothies", because they taste sweet, yet deliver plenty of veggies.
  • nicki1112014
    nicki1112014 Posts: 7
    Hi there I am new to my fitness pal so apologies for the re-posts etc. Anyway. I am new here but not new to weight loss and management.
    I have lost weight with a clinic that also help with why we eat, not just what we eat. I always had a similar problem to yours in that , when i am not "dieting" i don't think about food and when I am on a diet it's all I can think about. Since going to this clinic, I no longer feel hung, even when i need to lose a few pounds that I might regain. I try not to let myself gain more than 7 pounds over my goal weight now.
    I have a few tips for you that have definitely worked for me. My weight loss clinic gave me this advise over 1 year of weekly one to one consultations. I lost 20 pounds in 6 months by the way. It cost me about €2000 altogether with protein bars, which i now don't need at all. I am using this app with the same advise they gave me because they are expensive to go to, even for maintenance.

    Obviously this is based on my body but I am losing 1 pound per week as I have gained back 7 pounds. I am eating around 1540 cals a day and I do about 1 hours 5 days a week of exercise such as brisk walking or cycling

    1. Start with a good breakfast. I am eating 3 pieces of fruit, low fat yogurt, and oats and seeds ( around 500 cals). This fills me up for about 3 hours.
    2. Eat every 4 hours to maintain your sugar levels so that you don't feel hypo glyceamic by dinner time. It stops you from over eating. Apples are great. Bananas too. Grapes. Seeds and nuts too but go very easy on them ( about 10 almonds is loads, fruit is way lower in cals) Protein bars are good for in between meals if you are using them
    3. Lunch should be substantial- have you tried making vegetable soup? You can put what you like in it and blend it.
    4. If you have had breakfast, snack, lunch, snack then you shouldn't be starving by dinner time. Then you can have around 500 cals for dinner too. plus you can take time preparing a good balanced meal
    5. Exercising before dinner is great to curb the appetite. I find walking or cycling home from work works for me but it depends on your lifestyle.
    Finally for sweet snacks I found that protein bars are good for that and fruit helps too. I am not a big fan of artificial sweetener but if you like yogurts, muller lights are like a dessert and have under 100 cals. over fresh fruit they are like a dessert in themselves but are a healthier and lower cal alternative.


    i hope this helps because I can really relate to what you are saying. I used to hate always thinking about food. I have gotten so used to eating this way now, my body doesn't crave junk or sweets, and if it does I have the healthy alternatives always in my fridge.
    PS my boyfriend is a really skinny guy who lives on pasta, pizza and sweets and they are always in our house, but I don't even see them any more.
    Best of luck!
  • ticribbs
    ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
    Hi there I am new to my fitness pal so apologies for the re-posts etc. Anyway. I am new here but not new to weight loss and management.
    I have lost weight with a clinic that also help with why we eat, not just what we eat. I always had a similar problem to yours in that , when i am not "dieting" i don't think about food and when I am on a diet it's all I can think about. Since going to this clinic, I no longer feel hung, even when i need to lose a few pounds that I might regain. I try not to let myself gain more than 7 pounds over my goal weight now.
    I have a few tips for you that have definitely worked for me. My weight loss clinic gave me this advise over 1 year of weekly one to one consultations. I lost 20 pounds in 6 months by the way. It cost me about €2000 altogether with protein bars, which i now don't need at all. I am using this app with the same advise they gave me because they are expensive to go to, even for maintenance.

    Obviously this is based on my body but I am losing 1 pound per week as I have gained back 7 pounds. I am eating around 1540 cals a day and I do about 1 hours 5 days a week of exercise such as brisk walking or cycling

    1. Start with a good breakfast. I am eating 3 pieces of fruit, low fat yogurt, and oats and seeds ( around 500 cals). This fills me up for about 3 hours.
    2. Eat every 4 hours to maintain your sugar levels so that you don't feel hypo glyceamic by dinner time. It stops you from over eating. Apples are great. Bananas too. Grapes. Seeds and nuts too but go very easy on them ( about 10 almonds is loads, fruit is way lower in cals) Protein bars are good for in between meals if you are using them
    3. Lunch should be substantial- have you tried making vegetable soup? You can put what you like in it and blend it.
    4. If you have had breakfast, snack, lunch, snack then you shouldn't be starving by dinner time. Then you can have around 500 cals for dinner too. plus you can take time preparing a good balanced meal
    5. Exercising before dinner is great to curb the appetite. I find walking or cycling home from work works for me but it depends on your lifestyle.
    Finally for sweet snacks I found that protein bars are good for that and fruit helps too. I am not a big fan of artificial sweetener but if you like yogurts, muller lights are like a dessert and have under 100 cals. over fresh fruit they are like a dessert in themselves but are a healthier and lower cal alternative.


    i hope this helps because I can really relate to what you are saying. I used to hate always thinking about food. I have gotten so used to eating this way now, my body doesn't crave junk or sweets, and if it does I have the healthy alternatives always in my fridge.
    PS my boyfriend is a really skinny guy who lives on pasta, pizza and sweets and they are always in our house, but I don't even see them any more.
    Best of luck!

    Thanks for the tips! I do much of that, this is pretty much my days Monday through Friday (the weekend they differ due to different schedule):

    5:30 a.m. - Gym
    7:00 a.m. - Get to work, eat protein bar
    7:30 a.m. - Drink coffee (a must have)
    9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Drink breakfast shake
    12:00 p.m. - Lunch (around 400 calories)
    2 - 3:00 p.m. - Afternoon snack
    6:00 p.m. - Dinner
    7:00 p.m. - Dessert (some nights, not all)

    It's not conducive to my schedule to work out at night, otherwise I would to curb my appetite a bit. I think I just need to exercise some better self control o_O
  • ticribbs
    ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
    I'm not a huge vegetable person so I struggle to get vegetables into my daily meals, I pretty much don't like any vegetable cooked :-/. I love sweets, that is my weakness for sure.
    Sounds like you would benefit greatly from some more fruit in your diet. Also, check into things like "green smoothies", because they taste sweet, yet deliver plenty of veggies.

    I just started dabbling in green shakes, I've been drinking a banana, strawberry, almond milk, spinach shake and since I just bought a bag of spinach from Costco that will last the better part of the next 5 years I think I will be having spinach variation shake for a while :).

    *edit* shake also has greek yogurt it in for protein!
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  • ticribbs
    ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
    Sounds like you could benefit from actual food as protein sources and not shakes and could also benefit from having meals that are not so restrictive.

    This is probably a dumb question, but why would actual food with protein give me different results then a shake with the same amount?
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  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    Sounds like you could benefit from actual food as protein sources and not shakes and could also benefit from having meals that are not so restrictive.

    This is probably a dumb question, but why would actual food with protein give me different results then a shake with the same amount?
    Whole foods come with a complete package of nutrients, macro and micro. Protein powder is an isolated macro-nutrient, like sugar or oil, that has been removed from it's original source. It's only protein, nothing else.
  • ticribbs
    ticribbs Posts: 120 Member
    Sounds like you could benefit from actual food as protein sources and not shakes and could also benefit from having meals that are not so restrictive.

    This is probably a dumb question, but why would actual food with protein give me different results then a shake with the same amount?
    Whole foods come with a complete package of nutrients, macro and micro. Protein powder is an isolated macro-nutrient, like sugar or oil, that has been removed from it's original source. It's only protein, nothing else.

    I don't actually use protein powder. My morning shake has carnation powder which has a variety of nutrients with a banana and fat free milk while my lunch shake is spinach, strawberries, bananas, greek yogurt and almond milk. I do have a protein bar post workout though.

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