Moderation DOES NOT WORK for me

What gets me is the constant assumption that if you don't cut out "processed" foods or "added sugar" or whatever you are eating all sorts of highly sweetened stuff from the middle of the supermarket (not that there's anything wrong if that if it's what you choose to do and you also eat sufficient other foods to get a balanced nutrient-sufficient diet) and can't taste regular foods since you are so warped by all this hidden sugar that you are eating and probably addicted to. Seems like bunk to me. I mean, sure that might be true for some, but it's hardly the experience of everyone, even everyone who gained a bunch of weight.

I'll take a comma for $200, Alex.

I think "processed foods" have gotten a bad rap. There is probably nothing inherently toxic about processed foods. The people selling them would like to continue to be in business, after all.

However, the lay person has made the correct connection between calorie density and processed foods. Processed foods are quite often an engineered product. They have been specifically designed to be low cost to manufacture, have long shelf lives, be inexpensive to transport and store, be convenient, and be very tasty and thus compelling to eat (and thus buy). These foods also tend to be calorie dense.

If you eat them without tracking calories, and rely on feelings of satiety to control consumption of them, you will probably eat a calorie surplus.

So people have correctly identified processed foods as being likely to contribute to weight gain, but misunderstand the reason why.

Ah, food! Quite a diagnosis based on very little. I do think food addiction is a thing--I think it's at least a reasonable term or related psychological issue to binge eating disorders or the kinds of "food above all" compulsions that lead to people becoming morbidly obese in at least some cases. To toss that term around for people who just have trouble not overeating foods they really like, though, seems irresponsible.

The OP's topic is, "Moderation DOES NOT WORK for me."

Yes, that was the topic title. Doesn't say a thing about addiction. If you put a basket of naan in front of me, I'm not going to eat just one piece, probably, but that doesn't mean I'm addicted to naan. (Also, it would be hilarious to claim I was addicted to naan and not packaged bread in the grocery store, but I will never, never overeat on the packaged stuff, which I don't even like much. This is similar to all the weird claims that people are "addicted" to sugar but just fine having a bowl in the house, eating fruit, etc. Whatever they are talking about, it's not addiction.)

Anyway, if you read the post, she doesn't say that she has some kind of addictive reaction to any particular food. In fact, her main complaint is that she lives with her parents, they have "junk" (undefined) around and she eats it (note that choosing to eat it rather than not is a choice, whether one follows an elimination OR moderation plan). Moreover, she acknowledges that even if this weren't the case she'd order it. Doesn't really sound like elimination is working for her either. Also, she didn't even explain what she thought "moderation" was or why it didn't work. Like I said above, I think there are numerous different strategies that might work for people, depending on their particular issues, but this thread is just an exercise in people seeing themselves and their issues in the OP to an amusing degree.

OP also says, "As you can tell from the title I don't think moderation works for me. I tried to keep moderation with unhealthy foods but I just dont like eating only 1."

Not sure when the definition of "addiction" became "don't like eating only one." One wants, at least, to ask her if she likes eating only one better than none, in that the rest of her post suggests the answer is no.

I personally look for low cal snackies that make me FEEL like I'm getting quite a bit

3 oreos is like 160 calories, I tend to have 3 oreos after lunch and again after dinner. I dont feel like i'm not getting to snack and I have lost like 25 lbs eating a healthy diet and saving 300 calories or so a day for snacks. You've got to create a new lifestyle if you want to lose weight and you have to find something that you can maintain.

I measure everything I eat now and log all my food, I keep around or under my calorie goal for the day and I walk at 3.5 mph for an hour a day (exercise gets you more calories which allow more SNACKING!)

-Shoe

P.S.
More Stuff i snack on:

Goldfish crackers - 55(!) crackers is 140 cal
Chips Ahoy! - 3 cookies is 160 calories
Lucerine Ice cream sandwitch - 150 cal
Sensible Portions Veggie Straws - 150 cal for like 38 straws (Super salty good chips)

Something I've found - moist snacks is what kill you, they are usually moist because of OIL which has a ton of calories.

I've also had luck eating 10-15 Peanut M&M's, junior mints, mike& ikes (6 cal per candy instead of the 10 most are).

I've also had luck eating 10-15 Peanut M&M's, junior mints, mike& ikes (6 cal per candy instead of the 10 most are).

This is the kind of "moderation" that I cannot fathom.

To me, the willpower required to open a bag of M&Ms, pluck out only 10-15 of them, and then not eat the rest is far, far greater than the willpower required to not eat any.

I think "processed foods" have gotten a bad rap. There is probably nothing inherently toxic about processed foods. The people selling them would like to continue to be in business, after all.

I'm sure the Vosges eaters of the world will be thrilled to hear this. And I know I feel better about that cottage cheese I had with breakfast!

However, the lay person has made the correct connection between calorie density and processed foods.

Who is "the lay person"? Lindsay?

Why are frozen vegetables more "calorie dense" than fresh ones? I mean, I can get pretty great fresh ones at the moment (my garden, my CSA. local farmers markets), but around Christmas I'd bet the frozen ones have a better profile than the ones in the grocery store (any grocery store) carted in from who knows where.

And my morning cottage cheese (sorry, Sabine), precisely what is wrong with the calorie density of that? It fit into the calories and macro profile I wanted for my breakfast, after all. (I add dairy to breakfast for the protein, as well as the delicious taste.)

Also, I'm not quite sure why a discussion of the alleged evils of processed foods is related to my post, which was instead an objection to the assumption that someone who does not eliminate "added sugar" is getting huge amounts ("lots" was the claim, if memory serves) from packaged whatever. You can eat sugar without thinking that the highest and best source is a twinkie or pop tart, after all, let alone whatever odd thing (jarred pasta sauce? ugh) you think everyone is chowing down on.

Now, obviously, if one makes a pie one should be aware that there are lots of calories in it. Is anyone is real life confused on this point? I can't imagine.

Similarly, one can eat processed foods and not be ignorant about what is in the particular processed foods that one chooses to eat and have thought through why one thinks they are good additions to one's diet, which is why I don't make generalizations about those who eat packaged meals or even jarred pasta sauces (forgive my snotty comment above), even though they aren't to my particular taste.

At the end of the day you control what goes in your mouth and any additional output (exercising or movement in general) to burn more calories.

Sorry, I have to eat what mom and dad buy isn't good enough. You do have a say in what groceries your family buys, I bet mom will be more than happy to help stock the house with foods that will enjoy and maybe even make healthier meals. Even if you don't, just because mom buys a tub of ice cream or fries up some chicken doesn't mean you have to eat it or that you can't practice moderation.

I grew up with a family of obese people and now that I'm calorie counting I'm starting to realize that meals they were preparing werne't necessarily the problem. Consumption of sugared sodas contributed to my family's obesity, excess consumption of deserts and fried foods, not measuring snacks like potatoe chips and ultimately lack of exercise from watching TV or playing video games all day.

THere are so many things you have control over, stop making excuses.

If you put a basket of naan in front of me, I'm not going to eat just one piece, probably, but that doesn't mean I'm addicted to naan.

That is true. However, if every time I put a basket of naan in front of you you cannot control how much naan you eat, then you might have a problem. I would call that an addiction.

That's not an addiction.

An addiction is when you pull out a Glock and rob the 7-11 on your way into the restaurant so you can order the Naan you wouldn't otherwise be able to eat.

What you're describing is just a lack of discipline.

What you're describing is just a lack of discipline.

not true, the term you are looking for is Compulsion versus Addiction

http://addictions.about.com/od/howaddictionhappens/a/addcompulsion.htm

I've also had luck eating 10-15 Peanut M&M's, junior mints, mike& ikes (6 cal per candy instead of the 10 most are).

This is the kind of "moderation" that I cannot fathom.

To me, the willpower required to open a bag of M&Ms, pluck out only 10-15 of them, and then not eat the rest is far, far greater than the willpower required to not eat any.

This is my experience as well.

Ditto.

That sounds like absolute torture.

And not worth it. Again, for ME pizza and tortilla chips are tough to resist, and I'll make or order healthier options and then factor them in. For candy and sweets, I'd rather skip it than eat 10-15 M&Ms.

And if I'm going to have pizza, as a foodie it's going to be a damned good probably artisan pizza. No Pizza Hut for me. But it's going to be on a whole wheat crust (or cauliflower if I get the hankering, which happens), and have lots of veggies.

At the end of the day you control what goes in your mouth and any additional output (exercising or movement in general) to burn more calories.

Sorry, I have to eat what mom and dad buy isn't good enough. You do have a say in what groceries your family buys, I bet mom will be more than happy to help stock the house with foods that will enjoy and maybe even make healthier meals. Even if you don't, just because mom buys a tub of ice cream or fries up some chicken doesn't mean you have to eat it or that you can't practice moderation.

I grew up with a family of obese people and now that I'm calorie counting I'm starting to realize that meals they were preparing werne't necessarily the problem. Consumption of sugared sodas contributed to my family's obesity, excess consumption of deserts and fried foods, not measuring snacks like potatoe chips and ultimately lack of exercise from watching TV or playing video games all day.

THere are so many things you have control over, stop making excuses.

I'm both the obcessed with sweets type and finally worrying about my health and this kind of comment doesn't help. The only way to really understand how bad or not bad stuff is for you is to start calorie counting, it really opened my eyes to stuff that I thought wasnt so bad that is terrribly calorie dense and on the flip side- stuff I can eat WAY more than I even want and not overeat.

Egg - 70 calories (fry in pam)
2 strips of bacon (i cut mine in half before frying so I get 4 strips...it's a mental trick that works on me) - 90 calories - I get Hempler's which is local, but local bacon will often be less fatty so you can have more

Mustard - 0 calories (I love mustard)

Make a list of foods you like and find out which ones are surprisingly calorie light and focus on them, I also don't eat out much due to financial issues, food you don't prep yourself and/or that has no nutrition facts on it is KILLER.

At the begining you just have to be super vigilant, it's almost like a part time job, but after a couple months you get used to calorie counting.

I'm kind of confused, you say my comment doesn't help but you go into your reply describing the benefits of calorie counting. The point of what I was saying was in response to the OP stating that he has no control and moderation does not work for him, additionally he even mentions that he doesn't have a say in what his parents feed him. No excuses, he does have control.