How to be ok with it all?

Like the previous poster said, grow up. Most of us are overweight because life is too easy. I'm not complaining about having an easy life, but I just have to realize that that means I need to eat less than I would like. I take comfort in knowing that in a few months I can raise my calorie goal by several hundred calories, and I don't treat any food as being something I can never eat. Moderation is the key.

Can you find a way to enjoy it? Feel a sense of satisfaction when you've completed a day's logging? Give yourself a high-five when you go to the gym (better style, find an activity that you like doing)

Our bodies are built to crave what we need. However, we are no longer required to hunt and gather food, and be constantly active. Our bodies have not caught up with the modern way of living with cars, grocery stores and delivery fast food. You can train your body to crave/react to food in a new way and logging helps with that. Sugar cravings are usually a sign of overeating, for example, as our body can use sugar to aid in digestion. Also various other food cravings are due to deficiencies in our diet and our brains have associated that craving with a high calorie food. However, there are many websites and books out there that can aid in defining what the craving means and what you can do about it using fresh foods.

If you have anger about logging you might struggle with maintaining this way of life. I would suggest to relax and enjoy the ride.

Good Luck.

acahane wrote: »

Hi,

I need to get my head straight with weight loss. E.g logging food ...I know its a good thing, I know that you need to do it consitantly and with accuraccy. I know that if I want to loose weight I will need to start doing it. But....

I just am really pissed that I have to do it. I hate that our bodies dont self regulate. I hate that so many great tasting foods are high in calories/sugar/bad fats. I hate that I get cravings, cant stop at one cake (whole box goes). I am so angry about it all.

Its like I want to live in a reality where our bodies grave good food, reject bad food, dont want to overeat and changing yourself is as easy as making a choice.

I have been in therapy for a while and recently started with a new one that specializes in weight and eating issues.

So how did you do it? How did you manage to change your mind? Accept continualy logging? Accept that some foods were trigger foods and were off the menu for life? Say no to yourself when a craving hits? Get your *kitten* down the gym when you dont want to? Be at peace with it all?

so given all that, what would you say your biggest problem is when it comes to losing weight/getting lean?? (In just once sentence)

Once I realized that losing weight was just counting calories and being at the correct deficit, it was actually kind of a relief to me. I am a "list maker" kind of person, I enjoy them and completing my diary for the day is just another list. One I will probably have to make for the rest of my life. Its better than being fat. Also, you dont have to live without any of your favorite foods! Just smaller amounts.

Once I got into a routine the logging food turned into not such a big deal. The rewards of weight loss and improved energy levels really helps.

For me I have to eat fairly restrictively not because there is anything wrong with eating junk food within reason but because I have health issues that manifest within 15 minutes to 2 hours of eating a whole list of foods. (including quite a few healthy foods) So this is for life, no ice cream, lactose, chocolate, (raw cacao in small amounts ok) high sugar, (high fructose in particular so fruit in moderation and definitely not fruit juices) most grains, (I am always falling behind in my carbs) as far as I know all artificial sugars too and a number of additives. Anything with caffeine is out too and all sodas.

So really unless you have a health problem like that enjoy your food just keep it under your daily calorie allowance.

Taking on a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean all the joy gets sucked out of your life. Actually since taking control of my fitness and being accountable for the food I eat, happiness in my life has increased. I still really enjoy food and I do eat big meals, and I am losing weight.

Make sure you start introducing things in your life apart from food that soothes you when you are anxious, rewards you when you need a lift and gives you some relief when you are sad or angry.

Im very logical as well and analytical. You seem to be halfway there in understanding how some of this works. Thats good.

You now need to take the next step of putting it into action and getting on with it.
Thats just logic for me:
Understand, plan and then decide if you want to do ti by taking responsibility for everything that comes with dieting as something that comes with the territory. The benefits are the results.

Spocky wrote: »

Hi! You can add me as friend if you would like it, sorry I don't log my food.

I am pissed off at pizza because I love the taste but It never makes me full. If I eat pizza, I'll become hungry very soon after that so that is why I don't eat it anymore. I had a theory about junk food in which you can eat one junk food on one day of the week like Monday but the more rarely I ate junk food the less I missed it. I am angry at junk food because one meal of junk food can counteract a whole week of or days of perfect, strict diet.
I think you have to create a hard rule-set about your diet so when you see or meet face to face with junk food you know that you can eat it or not. The more popular theory is you can eat it in moderation because if you never could eat it it would create more, uncontrollable cravings. Most of junk food is designed to make you want to eat more so my opinion is: eat them never or your favourite junk product once a week.

You sound like junk food is forcing itself on you rather than the other way around

After 'falling off the wagon' twice I realised i would never lose weight if I didn't accurately and honestly log my calories. I am also very stubborn and understand that if I don't reign in my pate and cheese binges I will never be at the weight and level of health I want to be when I am older. OK, I might be restricting myself a teeny weeny bit much at the mo, but its my own fault and if I want to be able to eat a more varied diet later on down the line I need to make my relationship with food a bit more functional than its been lately.

Basically, for me, its suck it up, log cals, or keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

joolsmd wrote: »

After 'falling off the wagon' twice I realised i would never lose weight if I didn't accurately and honestly log my calories. I am also very stubborn and understand that if I don't reign in my pate and cheese binges I will never be at the weight and level of health I want to be when I am older. OK, I might be restricting myself a teeny weeny bit much at the mo, but its my own fault and if I want to be able to eat a more varied diet later on down the line I need to make my relationship with food a bit more functional than its been lately.

Basically, for me, its suck it up, log cals, or keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

what do you think the reason is that you kept falling off the wagon?

It's true what they say. Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels. An old one, but it works for me. I love being this weight. I feel sexy as hell, I get masses of compliments, I'm finally beating Julie at the tennis club even though I'd never even hit any kind of ball until last year. This is brilliant. It is worth deprivation and logging. (and yes you can alleviate feelings of deprivation by not denying yourself any type of food - but to me deprivation is eating less than 2200 - and it is worth it not to get this fab new body and new brain)

acahane wrote: »

Thank you for all the replies.

I knew typing this out I would get a few "grow up", "get on with it", "just do it" types of replies. To all of those, I am glad that mentality worked for you..it does not work for everyone.

Being honest and showing your weakness is hard as you will get judgement. Thanks for all those that posted some helpfull ideas without the attitude.

Some intresting ideas in this thread. I hope it helps me and helps anyone else in the same boat.

No, I disagree. I believe it would work for anyone, but there are a lot of people who choose not to do it.

I like taking the easy way out with fast food and deliciously'nasty' meals, then about 45 minutes later I feel so ill. So now if I HAVE to have a burger/tacos/pasta/etc., I make it. I know that the calories are way lower and i can season the way I prefer. One trick that has been working for me is that i still buy chips, cookies, sweets, and the like. As soon as I get home I grab the food scale and I portion out the entire package into 1 serving size and pack it back up in the cheapest sandwich bags I can get. All those portions get tossed into a basket in the pantry. Done! I can grab one bag and have a nibble, take care of the craving, and I'm still within calories. Now I need to work on logging everything, I'm great for breakfast and lunch and then blow off dinner. I also need to set up a better routine for the gym. But, one step at a time.