Low willpower! Help!

Options
I have had the most amazing willpower since starting my diet 5 days ago and have lost 7 pounds!

Tonight, I almost broke down.

The ONLY thing I asked of my boyfriend was not to eat fattening anti-diet foods around me because I didn't trust myself. I know how weak I am. Sure enough, he sits right underneath me with chocolate, cheeseburgers and french fries. I had one chocolate square to get that out of my mind and I ate it slowly to make it last.

I don't know how to get past the cheeseburger and french fries! Ever since he sat down with them my tummy has been rumbling NON-STOP! I know I shouldn't be angry with him because he has to eat too, but I snapped at him and feel bad about it.

How do you guys deal with weak willpower when people eat high calorie, fattening, greasy, awesome, amazing, yummy food around you?

Replies

  • rileydi
    rileydi Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    First, awesome on the weight loss!! I have dropped 1 pound in the last 3 weeks..so I am depressed. How did you lose 7??

    You get past the cheeseburger and fries by being happy that you are 7 pounds down...what would you really rather have...the food or the weight loss?!
  • WolffEarl
    WolffEarl Posts: 379 Member
    Options
    You get past the french fries by taken a few of them, then putting them in a blender, add a little water and blend the whole thing up (basically the way they end up in your stomach). If you are still attracted to them, by all mean go ahead and swallow that lovely mix, with the layer of fat nicely swimimng on top. Now repeat the above with a bit of cheese burger:)
  • bunnysone
    bunnysone Posts: 486 Member
    Options
    well done on the weight loss!

    Strengthening your willpower is the secret to being successful. Every time you exercise it just a little bit it gets stronger.

    Use MFP. I think twice every time I want to eat something bad because i know that being honest I need to log it on my diary.

    I surround myself with friends who are not afraid to critique it and tell me that - not friends who say "way to go" when I am under calories and only ate a carrot stick and a doughnut.

    You can do this. I am testament to it and now I am a chocoholic who can proudly store chocolate in the cupboard for weeks at a time.
  • tasha_fox
    Options
    Congrats on the 7 pounds! I am sure it is different for everyone but for myself i found the willpower came with time and 'clean eating'. I started to notice how gross my body felt everytime i ate the fast food. Good luck!!
  • joec53
    joec53 Posts: 8
    Options
    I just had chicken burgers and they were amazing this is a great alternative to a hamburger put it on a whole wheat bun and you are under 300 calories. And you can try sweat potato fries. As for the cravings for those foods I would like to know when you lose those cravings. I lost 8lbs in 12 days just trying to pick the smarter choices and stay with in my calories.
  • jmurbas
    jmurbas Posts: 1
    Options
    I'm not sure who that little guy is in the picture with you, but it seems you care about him. I'd try to associate those fatty, bad foods with days off of your life, days he will spend without you....
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    You shouldn't be depressed at all! When I lost my first pound I danced around the room for a good half-hour! lol

    I have no idea how I managed to take off 7 except that I made MAJOR changes to how I was eating. My diet consisted of a lot of fast food, tons of sugar and 3-5 (sometimes more!) regular sodas a day. I didn't eat anything that wasn't fried, greasy, buttery or sugary! The joys of living in the South!

    I've replaced all of my drinks with water and the occasional flavor packet, but I've pretty much cut out all soft drinks, switched all my carbs to wheat and stayed around 1500 calories (my allowance is 1650). I have a lot to lose and was told if I lost a shocking amount in the beginning, not to get too excited because it will inevitably slow down, but not to let it get me down, because you're right... SOME weight loss is better than none!

    You are absolutely right about weight loss being greater and feeling better than any food I could be craving. I think that's what kept me from eating it, but it suuuure is on my mind, still. >.<
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    You get past the french fries by taken a few of them, then putting them in a blender, add a little water and blend the whole thing up (basically the way they end up in your stomach). If you are still attracted to them, by all mean go ahead and swallow that lovely mix, with the layer of fat nicely swimimng on top. Now repeat the above with a bit of cheese burger:)

    I love it! Perhaps I can use the mental image instead!
  • dkpav
    dkpav Posts: 9
    Options
    oh, it's so hard. I think about how many calories that "chocolate square" is and think of all the more (low calorie) food I could eat instead. That helps me when it comes to eating fast food, I'd rather eat at home b/c I know I can come up with lower calorie food and be able to eat more. Also, I get try to have some yummy treats around to satisfy those cravings...like the new caramel coconut fudge bars (that taste like somoas girls scout cookies) fiber plus bars from kelloggs. They are 120 calories. Or the laughing cow mini baby bell cheese, only 35 calories. Or the Lays light potao chips, 20 chips for 75 calories. Or even Popcicle has these 25 calorie popcicles. Or the flavored light yogurts. Or, if you like chocolate...I like the Special K chocolate delight cereal, mmm...think it's 120 calories per serving and I eat it dry.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    Congrats on the 7 pounds! I am sure it is different for everyone but for myself i found the willpower came with time and 'clean eating'. I started to notice how gross my body felt everytime i ate the fast food. Good luck!!

    Thanks! You are absolutely right... Even when that's all I ate, I always felt gross afterwards and kept saying I'd give it up. I'm amazed by how just a few days' difference has made me feel.. Not only do I feel good about eating healthier and losing weight, but my skin feels and looks better, my body is functioning in ways it hasn't in a long time, I have more energy and I'm back on a normal sleep cycle. Every day I'm more amazed by the results. This website is amazing!
  • JoAnnLeahMurphy
    Options
    I am in the exact same situation as you...I have been doing this a week and lost 7 lbs. it is hard because I have two small kids and a husband that does not need to watch his calroies...it is so hard eating my food and watching them eat theirs...I use to eat my meal and then finish the junk food the kids didn't eat. Now it kills me not to pick off their plate....I get so frustrated at the time and I get moody because I just wish I could eat it...so how I have been dealing with it, is I remove myself from the table, grab an apple or something healthy and come downstairs and start reading these blogs until my husband has cleared off the plates. I am still a bit moody, but the next morning when I wake up I feel so proud of myself to make it through a day of not cheating myself! I am hoping it gets easier...Good luck on your journey!
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    I just had chicken burgers and they were amazing this is a great alternative to a hamburger put it on a whole wheat bun and you are under 300 calories. And you can try sweat potato fries. As for the cravings for those foods I would like to know when you lose those cravings. I lost 8lbs in 12 days just trying to pick the smarter choices and stay with in my calories.

    I hadn't thought of that! That's a great idea! Congratulations on your 8 lbs! Picking smarter choices hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be, I just get little hang ups. I will move past it!
  • djjohnson2879
    Options
    Being a fast food (esp breakfast) junkie, I can tell you that I do still cave. However, when I go to McDs and get that biscuit and gravy and hashbrown in the morning, and then realize how little I get to eat the rest of the day to stay within the cals and fat, it's helped me cut down a lot. The first morning that I had a yogurt instead and realized how much more i could eat the rest of the day really helped me start to make better choices. I caved last week and had a lot of McDs breakfast, but seeing that my boss has been at this 2 weeks less than me and is dwon 23 lbs and I'm only down 14 lbs also makes me know that I only have myself to blame, and need to stick to the healthier options.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    oh, it's so hard. I think about how many calories that "chocolate square" is and think of all the more (low calorie) food I could eat instead. That helps me when it comes to eating fast food, I'd rather eat at home b/c I know I can come up with lower calorie food and be able to eat more. Also, I get try to have some yummy treats around to satisfy those cravings...like the new caramel coconut fudge bars (that taste like somoas girls scout cookies) fiber plus bars from kelloggs. They are 120 calories. Or the laughing cow mini baby bell cheese, only 35 calories. Or the Lays light potao chips, 20 chips for 75 calories. Or even Popcicle has these 25 calorie popcicles. Or the flavored light yogurts. Or, if you like chocolate...I like the Special K chocolate delight cereal, mmm...think it's 120 calories per serving and I eat it dry.

    Thanks for the suggestions! Samoa's are my faaavorite! I bought baked Lays, but it seems the light ones have less calories. The baked ones are something like 120 for 15. :( Do they taste like regular Lays?
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    Options
    You keep doing what you've been doing, and if the boyfriend keeps up that type of behavior, punch him in the crotch. It really irritates me that a person can't be bothered to at least go somewhere else to eat things that you are trying to be more moderate on or eliminate. GRRRRRRrrrrrr!! Now you've got my tiger blood boiling!!! :mad:
    Ted
  • dkpav
    dkpav Posts: 9
    Options
    oh, it's so hard. I think about how many calories that "chocolate square" is and think of all the more (low calorie) food I could eat instead. That helps me when it comes to eating fast food, I'd rather eat at home b/c I know I can come up with lower calorie food and be able to eat more. Also, I get try to have some yummy treats around to satisfy those cravings...like the new caramel coconut fudge bars (that taste like somoas girls scout cookies) fiber plus bars from kelloggs. They are 120 calories. Or the laughing cow mini baby bell cheese, only 35 calories. Or the Lays light potao chips, 20 chips for 75 calories. Or even Popcicle has these 25 calorie popcicles. Or the flavored light yogurts. Or, if you like chocolate...I like the Special K chocolate delight cereal, mmm...think it's 120 calories per serving and I eat it dry.

    Thanks for the suggestions! Samoa's are my faaavorite! I bought baked Lays, but it seems the light ones have less calories. The baked ones are something like 120 for 15. :( Do they taste like regular Lays?

    I think so, more so than the baked ones