HELP! all I want is French fries and ice cream!!
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thank you all I really appreciate the input.I do eat protein I eat grilled chicken and grilled steak but chicken more than steak steak is a lot higher in fat and calories I will start using things that I like but only a little bit once a day that way I still get something but I like every day I'm starting to get used to it lettuce is actually one of my favorite things to munch on them apples I now love them.. I drink nothing but water I do drink two cups of coffee every morningI will take everybody's a bite and it a little bit of something I likeeveryday and I will make sure I'm at 1200 caloriesI exercise a lot but I refuse to eat my exercisein my mind that's why we exercise
Just so you know, your calorie deficit is already built into your calorie goal. That's why you are meant to eat your exercise calories. Because you are giving your body extra work, your body needs the calories/energy. You're only short-changing yourself by not eating at least a portion of them back. And you may even end up in the same position you're currently in, because your body WILL send out signals that it's not getting enough calories. It's not about negating your exercise calories. It's about providing your body with sufficient energy (calories) and nutrition while being able to keep up a moderate deficit. Too aggressive of a deficit can lead to problems you really don't want to touch (think weakness, tiredness, loss of hair, loss of bone density, loss of muscle mass, etc.).
I strongly encourage you to read the sexypants link provided and really really think hard on this. You don't want to go balls to the wall only to give up because you're feeling run-down, ragged, and deprived. Figure out how many calories your body truly needs, do some research, invest in a food scale, eat the food you love, live your life to the fullest and lose weight while doing it.
^^^ great advice!! I always eat back my exercise cals and I still lose, no problem!0 -
thank you all I really appreciate the input.I do eat protein I eat grilled chicken and grilled steak but chicken more than steak steak is a lot higher in fat and calories I will start using things that I like but only a little bit once a day that way I still get something but I like every day I'm starting to get used to it lettuce is actually one of my favorite things to munch on them apples I now love them.. I drink nothing but water I do drink two cups of coffee every morningI will take everybody's a bite and it a little bit of something I likeeveryday and I will make sure I'm at 1200 caloriesI exercise a lot but I refuse to eat my exercisein my mind that's why we exercise
Ok, but just so you know, by eating so little and exercising without eating calories back, you are creating a huge calorie deficit which has serious repercussions. Fatigue, impaired mental function, hair loss, and particularly muscle loss. You're losing a lot of muscle with the fat, which means the scale number is going to go down but you're still going to look flabby. Also, your body is not particular about where that muscle loss comes from and will take it from your heart. Is your health really worth a few numbers on a scale?0 -
If you want longterm success, you need to make longterm changes that you can stick to, without being miserable. Diets do not work. Lifestyle changes do. 1200 is far too little and is most likely unnecessary for you. You do not want to be losing a load of muscle as well as fat, as what you will end up with then is a smaller, but still flabby body. The most successful people on this site, are those who did their research, ate the most they could while still losing weight and made little changes over time that they could sustain. Cutting out the foods you enjoy, is not the answer.
Slow and steady is infinitely preferable, in my opinion, to rapid and extreme weight loss. I am much lighter than you and lose weight eating a net of 1600 calories, and eating back what I use up with exercise. Please read the links others have provided in this thread, and find a more appropriate calorie level for yourself. It is great to get the majority of your food from healthy and natural sources, but it is also great to continue to include less nutrient dense foods, if you enjoy them. Plenty on here have a serving of ice cream on a daily basis, and fit it in, because they have found a level of intake at which they can eat a reasonable amount, while still losing weight consistently.0 -
I have let go of all the foods that I love.I am 230 pounds and have been for a long time. I never eat fruits I never eat vegetables so I'm making a healthcare life choice.when does this get easier? Does it get easier?I swear to God I had a dream of chili cheese fries last night.I have let go of sodas fast food and junk food. I am eating a lot of fruits and vegetables now.and I'm frustrated because even though I'm eating nothing but fruits and vegetables my calorie intake is still over a thousand.so every night I get aggravated when I review, I feel like fruits and vegetables should be free calories but they're not. Any input on on this. I'm having a hard time dealing.
Why are you trying to eat under 1000 calories? That's not healthy. At 230 you can certainly aim for 2 lbs/week, and I personally did 1250 for a while and found it worked for me, but lower is not always better. If you are craving foods, it's not going to be sustainable.
Eating fruits and veggies is great, but you shouldn't eat just that. You need protein and good fats. Think in terms of putting together balanced meals and snacks (depending on how often you like to eat and whether you like snacks) that are filling and include some of your favorites. Sometimes it's easier to modify your old diet to be healthier (and absolutely to include lots of fruits and vegetables) than start over, and you absolutely don't need some kind of special diet menu. Think about this in terms of what you can imagine eating forever, just maybe a little less overall food.
You can also fit in favorites like fries and ice cream in moderation. Just figure out how to fit them in your calories and what moderation means for you. For example, I plan out what I'm going to eat to meet my nutrition goals and then if I have leftover calories I work in a treat, like a half cup of ice cream. This is easier for me when I have exercise calories, but it was possible on occasion even before I could count on that. That works for me because knowing I can have a half cup when I want keeps me from wanting more or overeating or going to the carton in the freezer when I don't have the calories. If you have an issue with those things, you'd want to limit the treat to times when you could get a single serving, like maybe walking to an ice cream place or buying single servings from the store.
Similarly, fries are another of my weaknesses, and I am not good at eating them in moderation, so when I first started I'd have one day a week when I had a more indulgent restaurant meal and plan for that (eating lighter the rest of the day, adding in some extra exercise) and sometimes--not always--that would include fries. Knowing there was one dinner a week I'd eat some more indulgent foods made it easier for me, although now I tend more to just budget them in when I want them (I have more calories now, although I still eat fries maybe just once a month). Also, if there are foods that are satisfying with less calories, consider them. I really love roasted potatoes, so eat them quite often. They are easy to fit in my day; I just watch serving size.
It does get easier when you get used to what you are eating, but you have to make sure you are eating stuff that's appealing. If you want you can check out my diary--back in March through early summer I was doing the 1250 thing (plus exercise calories, although I didn't have that many and didn't trust Fitbit yet at first) and at some point in the summer I switched to 1400 plus exercise calories. I've increasingly had more exercise calories (which I eat back in part, depending on hunger and how much I trust them) as time has gone on.0 -
I have let go of all the foods that I love.I am 230 pounds and have been for a long time. I never eat fruits I never eat vegetables so I'm making a healthcare life choice.when does this get easier? Does it get easier?I swear to God I had a dream of chili cheese fries last night.I have let go of sodas fast food and junk food. I am eating a lot of fruits and vegetables now.and I'm frustrated because even though I'm eating nothing but fruits and vegetables my calorie intake is still over a thousand.so every night I get aggravated when I review, I feel like fruits and vegetables should be free calories but they're not. Any input on on this. I'm having a hard time dealing.
I haven't read the other posts in this thread. My solutions may be duplicates.
Do you mean 1000 calories per day for all food? That doesn't sound right. I bet you could eat 1800 to 2000 and still lose.
Are french fries and ice cream trigger foods for you? If not, then measure out a serving of each and add that to your food diary.
If you want healthier options for the fries, try baking your own in the oven.
If you want ice cream, try measuring out a serving into a small dish so it looks like more and eating it slowly with a tiny baby spoon.0 -
Since ev erybody is saying the same thing let me ask this question.if what I'm doing is so Wrongby not eating my exercisewhy did the people on The Biggest Loser do so well? on The Biggest Loser they worked off as many calories as they ate I'm not Just I'm just trying to just lose wieght im also trying to be healthy. not eating those foods is what I want. I want natural sugars in my bodythat I have always put in my body.I'm on day foUr now and I feel amazing..I know I should probably do with the majority saying especially those of you who have been in my shoes.. but Againmy whole point for this isto not want these bad foods and my bodyI want natural sugarsI want my body to crave fruits and vegetablesnot ice cream and french fries.0
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Since ev erybody is saying the same thing let me ask this question.if what I'm doing is so Wrongby not eating my exercisewhy did the people on The Biggest Loser do so well? on The Biggest Loser they worked off as many calories as they ate I'm not Just I'm just trying to just lose wieght im also trying to be healthy. not eating those foods is what I want. I want natural sugars in my bodythat I have always put in my body.I'm on day foUr now and I feel amazing..I know I should probably do with the majority saying especially those of you who have been in my shoes.. but Againmy whole point for this isto not want these bad foods and my bodyI want natural sugarsI want my body to crave fruits and vegetablesnot ice cream and french fries.
I see what you are saying now. You were just having a major craving rant!
You no longer want to consume those foods. You are trying to break away from those habits.
Keep us posted on how you are doing with this positive change you are making. Updates are fun to read.0 -
Well if your going to have fries use russet or yukons......I tried fingerlings and trust me when I say they were not good tasting.
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:flowerforyou: OP, look at the weight lost by people advising you in this thread. They've lost this using the methods they're advising here. Its real life not a TV show. The method you're using I can pretty much predict what will happen because it was me years ago. This is tough love because you are setting yourself up to fail.
1) You feel great, motivated and on track but have cravings that you tell yourself will go away.
2) You work out like a demon but don't eat back those cals as it all helps with the weight loss you think
3) The cravings get worse
4) You find yourself tired at the gym and your workouts suffer or you can't get up the energy to go as much or work out as long
5) You may pick up a niggling injury that takes ages to heal, further inmpacting your workouts
6) THOSE CRAVINGS!!!!!
7) Cravings get too much and you binge. Then you feel bad so comfort eat telling yourself you'll get back on it tomorrow
8) Your willpower wains and you put the weight you lost back on and then you put more on top on as you can't get motivated to struggle again.
9) Repeat on and off for 10+ years of your life getting bigger each time.
Welcome to the world of yo-yo dieting!
What has worked for many of us here with big weight losses is detialed in the links you've been given already but I can summarise the key points.
-Its a lifestyle change and not a diet - what you eat now should be pretty much what you intend eating forever. That includes treats and high calorie foods occasionally and in moderation.
-Moderation is what we need to learn.
-Losing lots of weight takes time if you can average 1-2lbs a week max (with that reducing as you get near target) then you've doing well.
-There are no quick fixes or short cuts
-Exercise for health, reduce calories for weight loss (exercise can help create a bigger deficit but that shouldn't be the prime reason for exercising).
-Why starve when you can lose weight without doing so and minimising loss of muscle mass (I lift twice a week, cross train 3 times a week and run 30miles a week. I eat an average of 2100cals a day and burn an average of 2800).
It would be great to see you as a success story but your mindset at the moment seems all wrong. Please listen to the good advise people have given you and read the links so that you are a success.
Best of luck0 -
Since ev erybody is saying the same thing let me ask this question.if what I'm doing is so Wrongby not eating my exercisewhy did the people on The Biggest Loser do so well? on The Biggest Loser they worked off as many calories as they ate I'm not Just I'm just trying to just lose wieght im also trying to be healthy. not eating those foods is what I want. I want natural sugars in my bodythat I have always put in my body.I'm on day foUr now and I feel amazing..I know I should probably do with the majority saying especially those of you who have been in my shoes.. but Againmy whole point for this isto not want these bad foods and my bodyI want natural sugarsI want my body to crave fruits and vegetablesnot ice cream and french fries.
Wut? :huh: :huh: :huh:
All that is missing is the link to buy raspberry keytones.0 -
Since ev erybody is saying the same thing let me ask this question.if what I'm doing is so Wrongby not eating my exercisewhy did the people on The Biggest Loser do so well? on The Biggest Loser they worked off as many calories as they ate I'm not Just I'm just trying to just lose wieght im also trying to be healthy. not eating those foods is what I want. I want natural sugars in my bodythat I have always put in my body.I'm on day foUr now and I feel amazing..I know I should probably do with the majority saying especially those of you who have been in my shoes.. but Againmy whole point for this isto not want these bad foods and my bodyI want natural sugarsI want my body to crave fruits and vegetablesnot ice cream and french fries.
First, I don't think the biggest loser people eat under 1000, although they do exercise a lot. It's also not a natural environment, obviously.
Second, I do crave fruits and veggies and other nutrient dense foods. Pretty sure that wouldn't be the case if I were eating under 1000, as I always find when I let myself get too hungry or undernourished is when I crave unhealthy things I don't normally. I also think, for me, if I told myself I could never have something I'd think about it more. There are lots of foods (cake, pie, Chicago-style pizza) I haven't cut out but have had at most once since I started this. I just don't think about them, since I know on the rare occasion when I do want them I can (like Thanksgiving and pie).
Like I said, people have to figure out their own way of dealing with higher calorie foods that aren't nutrient dense. Some I fit in regularly because that works for me and I make sure I exercise a lot and get adequate nutrients first. The thing is if you are under eating and struggling with cravings it doesn't sound like you are doing something sustainable. I cut out sweets for a couple of weeks to break an emotional eating crutch, but I never didn't enjoy how I was eating and I think health is more about what you do eat, not focusing on what you don't.0 -
Since ev erybody is saying the same thing let me ask this question.if what I'm doing is so Wrongby not eating my exercisewhy did the people on The Biggest Loser do so well? on The Biggest Loser they worked off as many calories as they ate I'm not Just I'm just trying to just lose wieght im also trying to be healthy. not eating those foods is what I want. I want natural sugars in my bodythat I have always put in my body.I'm on day foUr now and I feel amazing..I know I should probably do with the majority saying especially those of you who have been in my shoes.. but Againmy whole point for this isto not want these bad foods and my bodyI want natural sugarsI want my body to crave fruits and vegetablesnot ice cream and french fries.
The biggest loser contestants are also monitored by medical professionals, use tricks to lose water weight before weigh-in, and the weigh-ins can be as few as 3 days to 12 days apart.
If you want to be healthy while you lose weight, you need to approach this in a more reasonable way and not base your expectations on a TV show where all they have to do all day is exercise and eat what they are given. Learn how your body works, eat to nourish and support your body, and exercise to be fit and not just to burn calories. You need to treat your body with respect if you expect it to do what you want. Not giving it the nutrients it needs while expecting hours of exercise from it each day will just lead it to shut down on you later. Another thing to consider is that a rapid weight loss will mean that you will be losing muscle mass. The same muscle mass that is so good at burning those calories. How can that get you healthy?
A reasonable weight loss goal is .5-2 lbs a week. Yeah, I know that you have a lot to lose, but if you really want to be healthy, you will let it take some time.
Here are two articles that I like to reference when someone insists on eating low calories while getting big burns from exercise:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/another-look-at-metabolic-damage.html#more-9313
Both say pretty much the same thing, but both have good info.0 -
I agree with the others who say eat what you love in moderation. I'd add that you can probably learn to make some of the things you love or adapt them somehow. For example, bake your own fries at home instead of getting fast food fries. I think they taste way better, plus you can add whatever seasoning you like and make them more or less crispy or thick depending on what you like (I like thin cut fries with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika baked at 400 degrees - so yummy!) You can also treat yourself to ice cream or frozen yogurt, or substitute with greek yogurt, protein powders, frozen fruit, etc. Chocolate protein powder blended with milk, ice, and peanut butter makes a really good version of a milkshake, or blend frozen fruit with a little sugar for sorbet.
The biggest thing to remember if this is a lifestyle change. If you can't stick with it after a few days, you gave up too much and/or you aren't eating enough to lose weight the healthy way. No need to be hardcore if you aren't going to stick with it or if you are miserable.0 -
Don't eliminate foods you love just watch the quantities. Track everything you eat. I eat or drink anything I want just in healthier quantity than I used to. Stay positive and have a reasonable goal and time frame. Once you hit that goal set a new one don't stress yourself too much.
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Since ev erybody is saying the same thing let me ask this question.if what I'm doing is so Wrongby not eating my exercisewhy did the people on The Biggest Loser do so well? on The Biggest Loser they worked off as many calories as they ate I'm not Just I'm just trying to just lose wieght im also trying to be healthy. not eating those foods is what I want. I want natural sugars in my bodythat I have always put in my body.I'm on day foUr now and I feel amazing..I know I should probably do with the majority saying especially those of you who have been in my shoes.. but Againmy whole point for this isto not want these bad foods and my bodyI want natural sugarsI want my body to crave fruits and vegetablesnot ice cream and french fries.
Please don't try to copy The Biggest Loser or any other reality show. First off, those contestants are supervised by trainers and medical professionals. Second, think of how many probably lose their weight within 6 months to a year after the show ends, because they can't keep up the habits of working out all day and eating food prepared for them (hello, don't they have jobs and responsibilities like most of us in the real world?).
You say you are on day four and want to know why your body isn't already craving natural sugars - you haven't given it enough time to get away from processed food and interested in natural food. Some people say it takes 3-4 weeks to build a habit, and others say you have to try new foods 20+ times to develop a taste for them. Give yourself time to learn which fruits/veggies you like, how to prepare them, and to build that habit of eating healthy. There are tons of recipes on this website, and lots of recommendations for other websites with interesting and healthy recipes.
Stop giving yourself a hard time for not immediately giving up a taste for the foods you have loved for years, or immediately developing a love of brand new foods. Both take time.0 -
OP, I am just like you. I love all sorts of bad food and 6 months into this, I still crave them. I don't eat hardly any veggies or fruit. I do have bad days with poor choices but they key is to get back on track. I also cheat quite a bit on weekends as a reward for good days during the week. I think the cheat days are good for you. I don't count calories but just try to eat better and make better choices 90% of the time. I also work very hard in the gym. This has worked for me
I still crave bad food and when I meet my goal in a couple weeks, I am going to have a weekend of my favorite foods.0 -
Read this article: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/training-your-brain-to-prefer-healthier-food-2014-9
TL;DR: The reason you crave bad foods is because you reinforce neurological circuits in your brain that reward consuming this food. You can lessen the effectiveness of those circuits by not reinforcing them, i.e. not eating bad foods. After about six months, you should experience much less craving. But, I'm quite sure this requires you to not cheat - and that's why people here are saying that they still experience cravings after months and months of their hard work. It's only six months, at the end of the day - you're already giving up a lot, why not give up just a little more?
Personally, that makes me feel even more inspired to continue in my weight loss journey, and makes me try my best to avoid eating cheat foods ever. It sounds like torture, but it gets easier every day, every week, every month, until you eventually view donuts, ice cream, french fries, etc. as completely gross, and you suddenly notice that vegetables and meat is filling you up, while fruits (peaches, grapes, etc) are so sweet. I never thought that could happen to me, but I've felt that way for a while now.
>"Among those who participated in the weight loss program, the brain scans revealed changes in areas of the brain reward centre >associated with learning and addiction.
>After six months, this area had increased sensitivity to healthy, lower-calorie foods, indicating an increased reward and >enjoyment of healthier food cues. The area also showed decreased sensitivity to the unhealthy higher-calorie foods.
>The weight loss program is specifically designed to change how people react to different foods, and the study shows those who >participated in it had an increased desire for healthier foods along with a decreased preference for unhealthy foods."
Edit: By the way, make sure you are not starving yourself. You can't sustain months of a calorie deficit if you aren't eating enough. Reduce your caloric intake by minimum of 20%, up to 50%.0
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