Challenge: Let's Give Something Up

Give up breakfast.

At least delay it by three hours.

You'll survive on water alone.

Promise.

To each his own but I never ate breakfast before and that's when I gained all my weight. I didn't eat much before noon. Now I have a big, nutrient dense breakfast every day which makes me less susceptible to munchies and cravings during the day. Lost 15 lbs so far. Huh.

I understand and agree with you!

I tries and I tries but mano-omano it always turns into a cup and a 1/2 and I think I am more tired of trying to enjoy just a little taste of something then I am of letting it go. I have done it before and I did't die so I think if I dont let my life revolve around the 1/2 cup of Ice cream then I can have just a tad more steak at dinner. I try to moderate with out giving up on some things but sometime I believe out of sight out of mind is for me easier and I do not believe it has ruined my life yet. :drinker:

^this
I cannot be satisfied with just 2 oreo cookies, or just a little bit of ice cream. Eating more of these treats means I will have less calories left for when I get hungry. It is much easier for me to give it up completely than it is to tease myself with little tastes here or there, or be hungry a few hours later because I used up all my daily calories on ice cream and or oreos.

I have given up several things - without regret. I do occasionally have ice cream but only once in a very blue moon. I have not had a soda for a month - drinking all those calories did nothing but make me anxious and hungry....and I'd then over eat. I don't miss Dr. Pepper at all (I do not like diet soda, so that's not an option.) When I want fizz I get a seltzer water with lemon and it's delicious when it's ice cold.

SO things I've given up in exchange for eating more satisfying nutrient rich foods: Oreos, ice cream (mostly), soda (100%). Donuts - I love Krispy Kreme donuts but the calories are JUST not worth it to me. Not at all. Maybe when I'm maintaining and have a few more calories to play with during the day.

Since giving these things up for 30 days, I do not want Dr Pepper anymore even though I used to ache for it when I didn't have it ...I do not want to stop for donuts. I buy Oreos for the kids and do not have them.

You can break addictions/desires for things if you want. If you are satisfied by eating only a limited amount...or you can get through the day after spending calories on something that is less nutritious, good for you. I really see no point however in poo-pooing someone's decision to stop eating or drinking something that is not helping them lose or maintain their weight.

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

Who said they were? Really? Who did?

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

Who said they were? Really? Who did?

I did It was a classic example of hyperbole on the "mindless" eating comment.

The OP is trying to give up a bad habit - the habit of mindless eating. That's a great goal!
I will join you with giving up reaching for a snack when I am stressed out. Instead I will grab my little notebook I bought and write down what's bothering me.
Good luck to us on our way to great health!!

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

you're missing the point. this doesnt apply to you, cool. for some, moderation simply doesnt work for certain foods and the best option is to temporarily cut them out as to avoid overeating or a binge.

im giving up booze for august, just to see how it goes. if i lose 5+ lbs ill stick it out another month or two

The OP is trying to give up a bad habit - the habit of mindless eating. That's a great goal!
I will join you with giving up reaching for a snack when I am stressed out. Instead I will grab my little notebook I bought and write down what's bothering me.
Good luck to us on our way to great health!!

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

you're missing the point. this doesnt apply to you, cool. for some, moderation simply doesnt work for certain foods and the best option is to temporarily cut them out as to avoid overeating or a binge.

im giving up booze for august, just to see how it goes. if i lose 5+ lbs ill stick it out another month or two

(Moderation can apply to anyone, except maybe an alcoholic or drug addict)

i agree, it can. doesnt make it better or easier than omitting something entirely. if i have a chip, im gonna want another chip, and another, and another. once i get the taste of one chip, the cravings get pretty intense. but hey, if i dont eat a chip, no craving. so why not avoid that temptation to eat a second and a third by omitting the first? moderation is a good strategy but if having a certain food increases the cravings for it, it can be counter-productive

maybe only binge eaters can relate, i dont know. but this is something that actually significantly helps with specific cravings

The OP is trying to give up a bad habit - the habit of mindless eating. That's a great goal!
I will join you with giving up reaching for a snack when I am stressed out. Instead I will grab my little notebook I bought and write down what's bothering me.
Good luck to us on our way to great health!!

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

you're missing the point. this doesnt apply to you, cool. for some, moderation simply doesnt work for certain foods and the best option is to temporarily cut them out as to avoid overeating or a binge.

im giving up booze for august, just to see how it goes. if i lose 5+ lbs ill stick it out another month or two

(Moderation can apply to anyone, except maybe an alcoholic or drug addict)

i agree, it can. doesnt make it better or easier than omitting something entirely. if i have a chip, im gonna want another chip, and another, and another. once i get the taste of one chip, the cravings get pretty intense. but hey, if i dont eat a chip, no craving. so why not avoid that temptation to eat a second and a third by omitting the first? moderation is a good strategy but if having a certain food increases the cravings for it, it can be counter-productive

maybe only binge eaters can relate, i dont know. but this is something that actually significantly helps with specific cravings

It's difficult to deal with, I agree, but a "dependency" it is not. The "must give this completely up to succeed" logic does not allow for a slip-up (if one would even would call it that). To slip-up would be to fail, and no one likes to fail. It's a tough mountain to climb as it is, so why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

Abstinence

Ok, I am Annie. I'm a nerd. I love anime, books, pokemon, doctor who and many other geeky things. I am 20 and going into my second year in college, I am doing a business course and I am hoping to be an accountant.
I am going to give up pasta and bread.

I was so sad when I saw how much an actual serving of pasta REALLY is, lol. 1 serving is pitiful. In the past I've eaten like, 4 servings in one sitting! No wonder I'm obese!!! LOL

I stopped eating most store bought bread too because I just don't like it anymore - it tastes weird to me....I prefer home made. I am not motivated enough to make it, lol...so I'm content to do without it for the most part.

I used to think of a slip up as a fail. And then I'd be all discouraged, I suck at this, I'm never going to overcome this, blah blah blah.

I got rid of that kind of thinking. I compare it to walking down the sidewalk and maybe slipping on something - tripping over an uneven sidewalk, perhaps. Does that mean I've failed and can't continue on my destination? Of course not. I can just go on. It may have caused me to lose a little time in getting to my destination, but it is NOT a "fail." It's only a fail if I stay there. So is it a fail to me if tonight I eat 2 cups of ice cream? No....

SO what's the harm if I drink a Dr. Pepper today? None, ultimately - except it will open up a floodgate of cravings that I have successfully gotten rid of.

I just *don't want it* anymore. It worked for me to give it up. If others can work a soda or a cup of ice cream or 5,000 twinkies into their daily intake and not hinder themselves, great. More power to them. I CAN'T DO IT. I have to give it up - otherwise I'm fighting with myself ALL DAY LONG.

^Exactly

Abstinence

Of course I gave that up - I have seven kids - and I ain't giving it up for nuthin! If I could use the exercise I get from procreation here, I'd be way below my calorie intake for each day!!!! However, I just can't equate such pleasure into cardiovascular exercise.

The OP is trying to give up a bad habit - the habit of mindless eating. That's a great goal!
I will join you with giving up reaching for a snack when I am stressed out. Instead I will grab my little notebook I bought and write down what's bothering me.
Good luck to us on our way to great health!!

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

you're missing the point. this doesnt apply to you, cool. for some, moderation simply doesnt work for certain foods and the best option is to temporarily cut them out as to avoid overeating or a binge.

im giving up booze for august, just to see how it goes. if i lose 5+ lbs ill stick it out another month or two

(Moderation can apply to anyone, except maybe an alcoholic or drug addict)

i agree, it can. doesnt make it better or easier than omitting something entirely. if i have a chip, im gonna want another chip, and another, and another. once i get the taste of one chip, the cravings get pretty intense. but hey, if i dont eat a chip, no craving. so why not avoid that temptation to eat a second and a third by omitting the first? moderation is a good strategy but if having a certain food increases the cravings for it, it can be counter-productive

maybe only binge eaters can relate, i dont know. but this is something that actually significantly helps with specific cravings

It's difficult to deal with, I agree, but a "dependency" it is not. The "must give this completely up to succeed" logic does not allow for a slip-up (if one would even would call it that). To slip-up would be to fail, and no one likes to fail. It's a tough mountain to climb as it is, so why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

Then I would say eat your cupcake if its that important to you. How is it a fail if I choose not to eat Ice cream or chips or Oreo? Talk about making things more difficult. I decide what is more important to me and if someone decides not to eat certain things because they find it easier to control themselves and their cravings then I consider that a success. My life is not gonna end because I decide not to have ice cream in the house or I choose not to try and control my whole day so I can eat a damn cupcake.

If you choose to eat your cupcake then that's fine. I have no problem with that.
To say some one has failed by not eating what they consider to cause problems for them is completely wrong.

Never said it was a fail. However, when you devote a part of your intake to the exclusion of something, what happens on the off day when you eat it? If you just move on, then what was the point of excluding it in the first place?

The OP is trying to give up a bad habit - the habit of mindless eating. That's a great goal!
I will join you with giving up reaching for a snack when I am stressed out. Instead I will grab my little notebook I bought and write down what's bothering me.
Good luck to us on our way to great health!!

It's not "mindless" if you account for it accordingly... not everyone who enjoys a cupcake is a uncontrollable tardbucket.

you're missing the point. this doesnt apply to you, cool. for some, moderation simply doesnt work for certain foods and the best option is to temporarily cut them out as to avoid overeating or a binge.

im giving up booze for august, just to see how it goes. if i lose 5+ lbs ill stick it out another month or two

(Moderation can apply to anyone, except maybe an alcoholic or drug addict)

i agree, it can. doesnt make it better or easier than omitting something entirely. if i have a chip, im gonna want another chip, and another, and another. once i get the taste of one chip, the cravings get pretty intense. but hey, if i dont eat a chip, no craving. so why not avoid that temptation to eat a second and a third by omitting the first? moderation is a good strategy but if having a certain food increases the cravings for it, it can be counter-productive

maybe only binge eaters can relate, i dont know. but this is something that actually significantly helps with specific cravings

It's difficult to deal with, I agree, but a "dependency" it is not. The "must give this completely up to succeed" logic does not allow for a slip-up (if one would even would call it that). To slip-up would be to fail, and no one likes to fail. It's a tough mountain to climb as it is, so why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

Then I would say eat your cupcake if its that important to you. How is it a fail if I choose not to eat Ice cream or chips or Oreo? Talk about making things more difficult. I decide what is more important to me and if someone decides not to eat certain things because they find it easier to control themselves and their cravings then I consider that a success. My life is not gonna end because I decide not to have ice cream in the house or I choose not to try and control my whole day so I can eat a damn cupcake.

If you choose to eat your cupcake then that's fine. I have no problem with that.
To say some one has failed by not eating what they consider to cause problems for them is completely wrong.

Never said it was a fail. However, when you devote a part of your intake to the exclusion of something, what happens on the off day when you eat it? If you just move on, then what was the point of excluding it in the first place?

Well the world turns upside down and I become a billionaire.
I am also not saying that I would never eat those things again. I'm saying I am not going to let them control me.
Are you saying you never slip up and go over your allotment for the day ?
I would say I probably handle it the same way you would. I move on. I did not fail by slipping up> I messed up and will try to do better the next day.

But if the next day comes and there sits that ice cream well I just might eat the rest of it. If its not there then I don't have to worry about it.