When you want to give in

Options
ampherz
ampherz Posts: 55 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you guys do when you've hit a couple setbacks, the usual person who helps coach you out of a binge isn't around, you want to throw in the towel, or CVS has candy half off?

I keep finding myself at this point day after day. I work so hard, eat kale for breakfast, and then something pushes me over the line and I've had it with dieting and nobody cares anyway. Of course, only until tomorrow or my next workout or I can't fit in my pants.

Give me your best tips!
«1

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    Options
    You simply have to keep your mind occupied with things other then food. Don't sit around and brood over how good candy would be to eat. Go accomplish something. Do that chore you've been putting off, go for a walk, anything. Also, make sure you are not completely depriving yourself of the things you love. Work your favorite treats into your diet and count them towards you calorie goal.

    Remember the gratification you'd get from eating a couple candy bars will be VERY short lived. The gratification of accomplishing goals is much more rewarding and long lasting!
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
    Options
    I try to put off eating the food as much as possible, 10 or 20 minutes, then doing it again. If it's getting late, I may go to bed a little earlier - I try to tell myself that I am not hungry and do not need to eat just before bed. That's assuming it's the evening, which is the most tempting time for me.

    I have chocolate and crisps in the house all the time for my family and it's hard sometimes not to eat them. I think 'balls to it' and then also feel crappy the next day or when I my trousers are still tight. I try to make mself remember that crappy feeling when I'm next tempted, but it doesn't always work.

    Are you eating things you enjoy often? Including treats and things? And having a variety of different meals, rather than the same?
  • LosingItForGood13
    LosingItForGood13 Posts: 182 Member
    Options
    I keep yogurt of all kinds in fridge to try to curb my sweet tooth, lemon drops which are low in calories but no chocolate or I make smoothies with frozen fruit and chocolate soymilk or vanilla soymilk I was a candy addict but making these little changes have helped me so far
  • Amberlynnek
    Amberlynnek Posts: 405 Member
    Options
    If you are bingeing or feel out of control, have you considered OA?
  • ampherz
    ampherz Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    Vismal, you're so right about the goals! Usually I feel this way when I've given in to watching TV all night or work is particularly slow. I've got to find better ways to fill my time because they absolutely keep me going (and not eating junk).

    spacebean_85, I cook great food and treat myself. I just always find myself wanting a little more or to take a night off. Must focus on the real payoff.
  • Apple31415
    Apple31415 Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    You've probably heard this before, but i've actually changed my mindset and it works for me: This is not a diet, it is a lifestyle. I simply have turned my back on a lot of things that i used to regularly eat as a God-given right and now view them as "treats" that i only ocassionaly indulge. It helps if you are logging and see the cost of these treats - 150 cals for a can of soda??? man, that is 1/4 of the time i spend each day on the elliptical right there! I still eat a lot of fun things (not choking down kale) that fit within my calorie budget and macros, just less of it. If i have calorie room, i'll ocassionally fit in some gummy bears - it's just not part of my daily diet. Honestly, i used to think i had a "right" to eat junk - now i weigh the costs. Good luck on your journey!
  • Apple31415
    Apple31415 Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    oh, and as for setbacks, I'm in it for the longhaul. A bad day does not break me unless i allow it to be followed by another bad day, etc. Hope this helps.
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    Options
    I remind myself why I started this. I felt terrible. I remind myself of pulling those tight jeans up and cant get them buttoned and nothing to wear and how miserable I was. I remind myself I had no respect for myself. Don't deprive yourself, have a little of whatever you want. I remind myself it is short term happiness but the consequences. Mainly remind myself to take care of myself, no one else is going to!
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
    Options
    Vismal, you're so right about the goals! Usually I feel this way when I've given in to watching TV all night or work is particularly slow. I've got to find better ways to fill my time because they absolutely keep me going (and not eating junk).

    spacebean_85, I cook great food and treat myself. I just always find myself wanting a little more or to take a night off. Must focus on the real payoff.

    I cook from scratch a lot too, but my portion sizes weren't always great, or I go picking at leftovers as I put them away.

    And I am more lax about things at the weekend, I'm ok with this slowing down my weight loss as I love to cook and eat at the weekend, but I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking 'screw it' when I've had a couple of particularly bad days.

    If you are relaxing in front of the TV, can you do something with your hands? I make lists (shopping, things to do, family outing ideas), play scrabble (with a physical board, not on my phone or laptop) or paint my nails. The nail varnish doesn't last long - I type all day and garden/cook at home. But if I have wet nails I can't eat. I developed this tactic when I had very bad acne and it kept me from touching my face. I still do it occasionally if I can hear the siren song of leftover cheesecake in the fridge.
  • looseseal
    looseseal Posts: 216 Member
    Options
    Sometimes I do a Nancy Reagan and just say no. Seriously. I tell the food "bugger off, damn it, you are NOT in control".

    Sometimes I don't give myself a chance to 'think' about it, I just shut it down. Boom.

    Sometimes I'll think about whatever it is that I want to eat and look up the cals first. That often stops me.

    Sometimes I"ll have just a small portion of whatever it is and that does the trick.

    Sometimes I don't tell myself that I "can't" have that but rather I "won't" have that.

    Sometimes nothing works and I say to hell with it and just eat. I freely admit that I enjoy mindless eating. Too much.

    If this happens, it happens. But the next day I get right back up on that horse.
  • 1pandabear
    1pandabear Posts: 336 Member
    Options
    good thread.

    gave in yesterday, need to hear this today

    thanks
  • boxingfun75
    boxingfun75 Posts: 11
    Options
    You simply have to keep your mind occupied with things other then food. Don't sit around and brood over how good candy would be to eat. Go accomplish something. Do that chore you've been putting off, go for a walk, anything. Also, make sure you are not completely depriving yourself of the things you love. Work your favorite treats into your diet and count them towards you calorie goal.

    Remember the gratification you'd get from eating a couple candy bars will be VERY short lived. The gratification of accomplishing goals is much more rewarding and long lasting!


    THIS! Great comment and very helpful!
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    Options
    I look at the picture from my cousin's wedding. Suck it up and keep moving towards my goal. Sometimes you just need a reminder of why you started.
  • rdsxfn
    rdsxfn Posts: 58 Member
    Options
    Vismal, you're so right about the goals! Usually I feel this way when I've given in to watching TV all night or work is particularly slow. I've got to find better ways to fill my time because they absolutely keep me going (and not eating junk).

    spacebean_85, I cook great food and treat myself. I just always find myself wanting a little more or to take a night off. Must focus on the real payoff.


    Absolutely. Focus on the payoff. I remind myself that for every snack I pass up when I'm not hungry but rather bored, the closer I get to my goal. Sometimes I give in. Hell life is too short. But each day is a new opportunity to improve. Hang in there.
  • ampherz
    ampherz Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    I look at the picture from my cousin's wedding. Suck it up and keep moving towards my goal. Sometimes you just need a reminder of why you started.

    Hah! I have a similar photo. I never took a "before" when I started a long time ago, but one of my worst photos was a wedding shot. Thanks for the encouragement, and keep moving forward!
  • ampherz
    ampherz Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    good thread.

    gave in yesterday, need to hear this today

    thanks

    Don't give up! These wonderful commenters gave me the power today. Tomorrow it's all me — and you. Unless of course this thread is still going. :)
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Options
    Do you like eating kale for breakfast? If not, don't do it! If you're miserable you'll never stick with it, and you don't have to be miserable. Literally the only thing you have to do in order to lose weight is create a caloric deficit -- you have to take in fewer calories than you burn. You can do that and still eat foods you like. I love kale, and even I can't face it first thing in the morning.
  • ampherz
    ampherz Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    Do you like eating kale for breakfast? If not, don't do it! If you're miserable you'll never stick with it, and you don't have to be miserable. Literally the only thing you have to do in order to lose weight is create a caloric deficit -- you have to take in fewer calories than you burn. You can do that and still eat foods you like. I love kale, and even I can't face it first thing in the morning.

    I didn't mean I force myself to eat kale. I will sometimes throw a little into a delicious berry/banana smoothie. It also pairs pretty well with ginger. I actually like a lot of healthy stuff. I just like junk a lot more or at least that's what I tell myself (or what the marketing tells me).
  • ampherz
    ampherz Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    Sometimes I do a Nancy Reagan and just say no. Seriously. I tell the food "bugger off, damn it, you are NOT in control".

    Sometimes I don't give myself a chance to 'think' about it, I just shut it down. Boom.

    Sometimes I'll think about whatever it is that I want to eat and look up the cals first. That often stops me.

    Sometimes I"ll have just a small portion of whatever it is and that does the trick.

    Sometimes I don't tell myself that I "can't" have that but rather I "won't" have that.

    Sometimes nothing works and I say to hell with it and just eat. I freely admit that I enjoy mindless eating. Too much.

    If this happens, it happens. But the next day I get right back up on that horse.

    I read on a blog yesterday that sometimes it's best to just give some things up and start saying "I don't eat french fries. Period." Decision made via food rules. These tips are great. Thank you!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Options
    I eat what I want when I want as long as it stays in my calorie goals.

    No food is off limits to me.

    If I want pizza I make it at home and make sure I have the calories for it.

    If I want take out I plan for it and have calories left for it.

    I personally eat chocolate everynight.

    My main food are lean meats, veggies, eggs etc..you know "healthy stuff" but the other stuff fits in nicely too.

Categories