"All in moderation."

It really is a mental thing. It's like a battle with myself which I keep on losing. One day I'll do well but then just fail the next. I want to not deprive myself, I need to not deprive myself thus why I bought trigger food because I don't want it to be a trigger food! I just want it to be food. That's it. I can't keep bread out of the house as people I'm living with eat them and it's very accessible to everyone. I know I should change the way I think, that's what I'm trying to do. I've also tried reaching my saturation point with certain food and it has worked but with bread and pastries, I just cannot seem to get enough. I DO want to lose weight. I want to be confident again but sometimes when I have the bread something takes over and all logic and reasoning go out the drain.

Thank you for the responses everyone! I shall try freezing the bread but knowing me, I'd probably eat it frozen still. Yeah, it's that bad. Lol

I still struggle with it with some things. Work in progress definitely... But I think in the end I'd rather enjoy one slice guilt free than 5 and feel horrible about it, you know?

Yeah, I totally get you but now I'm scared that one might turn into five!! It's all in the mind. I need to be stronger.

It doesn't mean that you have your trigger foods every day. If bread is your weakness, have a roll or two at dinner out, don't torture yourself by keeping it in the fridge, and don't torture yourself by swearing to never touch the stuff. I'm actually a Nutritrarian, but I still eat my favorite treat foods in moderation. I have crowded out the sweets and processed foods so that I have them much less, but I still indulge on occasion. Also, choose your battles. I'm fine with red meat only once a month, but I have a glass of wine almost daily. A lot of people who say that everything is fine in moderation, don't actually eat everything, they just eat the foods that are worth it to them and work them in responsibly.

Yeah, I don't think I can swear off bread. I'd go crazy. The horrible eating habits I've developed started after Easter. I gave up sweets for lent and when I could finally have it... I went kind of crazy and well that was a disaster.

Also, it's really helpful to avoid those patterns of shame and deprivation when you do overeat. If you eat more than you like just log it in (I know you do). It's not the end of the world if you blow your deficit occasionally, but for me it's meant that it really does need to be worth it, and not the more mindless eating.

Yes, I log everything-- the good, the bad and the ugly. I can't help but feel bad after but it's like I set myself a deadline for losing the weight. I want to lose it as quick as possible and then I slip up so the progress I've finally achieved has been negated. I should start looking at it as a big picture. I think I'm rushing the weight loss too much. I just want my confidence back already! The weight gain has definitely made my self esteem go dooooooooooooooown. way down.

OP: decide what works for you. It may be "moderation", and it may be substitution...or something else. You'll figure it out. (hint: I'd avoid food as a reward for working out.)

I don't really reward myself for working out, I just seem to reach for the wrong food because it's more convenient when I *need* to eat back exercise calories. That's what gets me in trouble. I'd have one slice then... bam. I'll be a crumb face.

It became easier for me when I realized that weight loss and maintenance is important to me. One of my many weaknesses are the tortilla chips and dip at mexican food restaurants

Funny how we all have different weaknesses. I could easily ignore chips even chocolate but bread is just... aghh. Downfall. Sometimes I wish I just hated it. Hahaha

This. 100% This. I HATED how I felt when I was heavy. I hated that family members felt making negative comments about my body was acceptable. I hated how I looked in the mirror. And I had no one to blame but myself and my own lack of control.

How I eat in moderation: I visualize what I will look like when I reach my goal weight every single night before I go to sleep. I lay there for about 10 minutes and picture smaller-self doing various activities, engaging with people, trying on clothes, etc. And when that urge to eat an entire bag of chips sweeps up on me, I reflect back to how miserable I was when I was heavier, and how I feel now, and then I bring forth the future me, and she's all like, "Put those DAMNED chips down, Woman! NOT ONE DAY FATTER THAN YOU HAVE TO BE." And I relinquish my firm, trembling grasp of the chips, and walk away. I am 15 pounds away from my goal weight. Future Me is so proud of Present Me.

So yeah. Is it a little crazy? Probably. But that's how I roll, yo.

I do talk myself out of it sometimes or I try to. Most of the time I lose but that's a good way to do it. I want Future Me to be proud of Present Me too!

Which, I think, is why this site is a good fit for me. I like to see the way my food choices add up together.

So I might have that one slice of yummy bread and log it. And look at what it does to my totals for the day. Then if I'm really wanting another slice, I'll add that to my diary and see where it puts me. If I am still going to be 'under' for the day, I'll go for it. If it just puts me a little bit 'over' I'll think about it. Most of the time I'll go ahead and let myself go a little bit 'over' if it's something I really really want.

But I do enjoy looking at those numbers and sometimes I'll just play around with the logging and enter one slice, then enter two, then enter three. And then compare those totals. For me, seeing the jump in numbers makes the decision-making process more real.

Interesting how this works huh? I found it cool too! I felt like an accountant balancing all macros and which would yield to the best macro filling food choice!!

Again, thank you so much for the replies!