Dieting Anxiety- compulsions to cheat, sugar & carb addiction
yarnaholicamy
Posts: 5 Member
Hi all.
I'm new. To all of this. I've never had weight loss success in the past, so for a long while I've just not tried to loose weight. And of course, the scale is reflecting that. I've never "demonstrated" to myself that I can do it, though I've seen others in my family who have had amazing transformations. And then gained it all back and then some.
I'm scared. Scared to get going. Scared to commit to something that, according to my friends and family's journeys - I'll very likely fail at. Scared to "announce" to anyone that I'm doing this because of the expectations that I'm setting, and the side-eye glance they'll give if I reach for a cookie.
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The idea of dieting is super uncomfortable. This is ridiculous- and I know it - but the sheer idea of "dieting" makes me already think about cheating & eating crap. Like I am rebelling against something that's clearly good for me- because the idea of complying to a diet sounds like a nightmare.
Also, think I'm a sugar and carb addict. For real. It haunts me. When I try to lower/cut my sugar intake, my body craves it like nothing else. I fixate on it. I cave in and feed the beast. How can I get past this seemingly hard-wired compulsion?
*my baby step* Today I commit to writing down what I eat. Including that damn jelly-filled doughnut that someone brought into work that I couldn't resist.
Your support, and encouragement is helpful, especially if you have some tips on how to turn off the cravings and comply with a diet.
I'm new. To all of this. I've never had weight loss success in the past, so for a long while I've just not tried to loose weight. And of course, the scale is reflecting that. I've never "demonstrated" to myself that I can do it, though I've seen others in my family who have had amazing transformations. And then gained it all back and then some.
I'm scared. Scared to get going. Scared to commit to something that, according to my friends and family's journeys - I'll very likely fail at. Scared to "announce" to anyone that I'm doing this because of the expectations that I'm setting, and the side-eye glance they'll give if I reach for a cookie.
-
The idea of dieting is super uncomfortable. This is ridiculous- and I know it - but the sheer idea of "dieting" makes me already think about cheating & eating crap. Like I am rebelling against something that's clearly good for me- because the idea of complying to a diet sounds like a nightmare.
Also, think I'm a sugar and carb addict. For real. It haunts me. When I try to lower/cut my sugar intake, my body craves it like nothing else. I fixate on it. I cave in and feed the beast. How can I get past this seemingly hard-wired compulsion?
*my baby step* Today I commit to writing down what I eat. Including that damn jelly-filled doughnut that someone brought into work that I couldn't resist.
Your support, and encouragement is helpful, especially if you have some tips on how to turn off the cravings and comply with a diet.
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Replies
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I couldn't have written it better myself. I feel the same way. You can Ad me as a friend and maybe we can help each other out.0
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here is my advice.
start today, not a day from now, not a month from now.
Do the following:
1. enter all your stats into MFP and set for one pound per week loss
2. get a food scale
3. use the food scale to weigh all solid foods.
4. make sure that you log everything that you eat into MFP.
5. try not to use the generic entries but use the ones that are USDA.
6. go into custom setting and set your macro percent = Protein/Fats/Carbs to 35p/35c/30 fats
7. this is not necessary but I would suggest finding an active activity that you like, like running, walking, bicycling, lifting, etc and do something so that you move more..
8. This is the most important one. Please stop assigning moralistic values to food. Food is not "good," "bad," or "crap", it is just something that your body uses to get energy for bodily functions. Yes, this means that you can have foods like pizza, ice cream, cookies, bagels etc incorporated into your day. Just make sure that you hit your calorie/macor/micro targets for they day. when you boil it all down weight loss comes down to calories in vs calories out...Overall diet and dosage is what matter, not individual food choice.
9. repeat all this until you get to desired results..
good luck to you ...0 -
Don't diet. Change your life. If that sounds scary, realize you can do it in little steps. Today's baby step is a good one--keep it up until it becomes a habit. Then try another habit.
I can't cut out foods--the minute I tell myself I can't have something, I want it. You don't have to cut out foods. You can eat jelly donuts. Not all the time, not all you want. You have to make adjustments elsewhere in your day to make room for the jelly donut. But you can. Believing in yourself is the most important part.0 -
Welcome! I'm fairly new (again), just hit 20 days. I certainly understand the concerns about being carb-conscious, but as many others will tell you here, unless there's an underlying medical issue, it's less about controlling carbs, and more about controlling calories. Tracking what I eat has helped me realize how much I've been eating, and then making the choice to reduce the volume to cut calories, rather than eliminate the food entirely. So if my habit is eating four cookies, maybe I'll cut back to three, and save the extra calories. My body won't know the difference, my brain is satisfied and my calorie goal is met. Win-win all around.0
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Don't think about it as diet think about it as a choice. A choice between healthy and unhealthy not good and bad. The donut wasn't bad but was it healthy? Would an apple sprinkled with cinnamon have been healthier? It would have been equally sweet.
If you want to lose weight all you have to do is use more calories than you consume on a daily basis. That's it.
If you want to look and feel healthier make healthier eating choices. Replace processed foods with whole foods. Gradually reduce your daily sugar intake. Read labels and keep your sugars, sodium and saturated fats low.
Feel free to friend me for support and my diary is always open
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Baby steps are definitely key. Take it slow and steady. It's a BIG change, so why rush it?
Also, to speak to the anxiety. I can totally understand that. We don't wish to be uncomfortable, and making a huge change to your lifestyle is just that. To ease some of that anxiety, don't "announce" anything to anyone. Will it change anything besides make you more anxious? Probably not. Just announce to yourself that you're making these changes, and let the rest fall where it may. People may notice you have different habits (doubt it honestly, but they may), but to be honest, it's absolutely no one else's business but your own!
When you announce your plans, you invite a lot of unneeded/unwanted commentary. Just skip all that and just do you.
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When I first started, I didn't tell anyone. I know alot of people get a partner, but it's better for me when I do most of it, because I want to change myself. I was tired of being who I was and I'm getting older and want to be able to travel when I retire and I couldn't do that if I was steadily gaining weight. I started in 2013 and weighed 250lbs. I initially started just cutting out junk food, eating healthier in the daytime and eating a reasonable meal at night. In one year I lost 50 lbs, Not the fastest, but it was great. I had not been exercising prior to that at all. I knew I had to up my game and started adding in walking. I went down to 175 lbs which was a 75 lbs loss in October 2014, but was walking/jogging 4 miles 5x's week. I took off for a few months because of the cold weather, but have since started back at a fitness center. I gained to 185.6, but have come down to 177.6 now. I want to get to 145 lbs.
I try to eat sensibly, If I really want it, I eat it. I don't advertise to my family what I am doing, they can see, my body is changing. If my daughter says, that's not on your diet, I say everything is on Donna's diet.
The only time we fail is when we quit trying. Even if you have a bad day, know that you can start over the next day.
Good luck on your journey to a healthier you! You can do.0 -
Don't think about it as diet think about it as a choice. A choice between healthy and unhealthy not good and bad. The donut wasn't bad but was it healthy? Would an apple sprinkled with cinnamon have been healthier? It would have been equally sweet.
If you want to lose weight all you have to do is use more calories than you consume on a daily basis. That's it.
If you want to look and feel healthier make healthier eating choices. Replace processed foods with whole foods. Gradually reduce your daily sugar intake. Read labels and keep your sugars, sodium and saturated fats low.
Feel free to friend me for support and my diary is always open
apple and a donut both have sugar, so not really sure what difference is.
A donut has fats/carbs/sugars all of which are essential macronutrients. If the donut is eaten in the context of an overall diet that hits all other macors/micros then it is not "unhealthy"....0 -
Exquisitern wrote: »When I first started, I didn't tell anyone. I know alot of people get a partner, but it's better for me when I do most of it, because I want to change myself. I was tired of being who I was and I'm getting older and want to be able to travel when I retire and I couldn't do that if I was steadily gaining weight. I started in 2013 and weighed 250lbs. I initially started just cutting out junk food, eating healthier in the daytime and eating a reasonable meal at night. In one year I lost 50 lbs, Not the fastest, but it was great. I had not been exercising prior to that at all. I knew I had to up my game and started adding in walking. I went down to 175 lbs which was a 75 lbs loss in October 2014, but was walking/jogging 4 miles 5x's week. I took off for a few months because of the cold weather, but have since started back at a fitness center. I gained to 185.6, but have come down to 177.6 now. I want to get to 145 lbs.
I try to eat sensibly, If I really want it, I eat it. I don't advertise to my family what I am doing, they can see, my body is changing. If my daughter says, that's not on your diet, I say everything is on Donna's diet.
The only time we fail is when we quit trying. Even if you have a bad day, know that you can start over the next day.
Good luck on your journey to a healthier you! You can do.
I love this! So true. No need to cut anything out or make up these ridiculous rules that you "can't" have this or that. For me anyways, that just makes me crave it more and I end up on a binge.
Everything is on the diet. Just not all of it every day. Moderation.0 -
Start here>>>>>http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants#latest
Follow this!0 -
here is my advice.
start today, not a day from now, not a month from now.
Do the following:
1. enter all your stats into MFP and set for one pound per week loss
2. get a food scale
3. use the food scale to weigh all solid foods.
4. make sure that you log everything that you eat into MFP.
5. try not to use the generic entries but use the ones that are USDA.
6. go into custom setting and set your macro percent = Protein/Fats/Carbs to 35p/35c/30 fats
7. this is not necessary but I would suggest finding an active activity that you like, like running, walking, bicycling, lifting, etc and do something so that you move more..
8. This is the most important one. Please stop assigning moralistic values to food. Food is not "good," "bad," or "crap", it is just something that your body uses to get energy for bodily functions. Yes, this means that you can have foods like pizza, ice cream, cookies, bagels etc incorporated into your day. Just make sure that you hit your calorie/macor/micro targets for they day. when you boil it all down weight loss comes down to calories in vs calories out...Overall diet and dosage is what matter, not individual food choice.
9. repeat all this until you get to desired results..
good luck to you ...
Best advice your going to get.
Welcome, and good luck0 -
I have noticed that too - I am on a diet and the urge to cheat is very strong. I'm not sure if it's because women notice that I'm taking care of myself or if I'm getting more results than I've seen, but staying faithful to my wife is a growing challenge. I just tell myself, keep putting one foot in front of the other and she'll follow my example I hope. Good luck in your situation!!0
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Don't think about it as diet think about it as a choice. A choice between healthy and unhealthy not good and bad. The donut wasn't bad but was it healthy? Would an apple sprinkled with cinnamon have been healthier? It would have been equally sweet.
If you want to lose weight all you have to do is use more calories than you consume on a daily basis. That's it.
If you want to look and feel healthier make healthier eating choices. Replace processed foods with whole foods. Gradually reduce your daily sugar intake. Read labels and keep your sugars, sodium and saturated fats low.
Feel free to friend me for support and my diary is always open
apple and a donut both have sugar, so not really sure what difference is.
A donut has fats/carbs/sugars all of which are essential macronutrients. If the donut is eaten in the context of an overall diet that hits all other macors/micros then it is not "unhealthy"....
^^ yup! my 250g apple had 26g of sugar today.
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Many people have advice, I'll just say what about trying to eat more healthy foods - even if you still have the donut, if you have had veggies and fruits you will have less room for the donuts.
Logging everything is a great idea to start, that way you can see what you are eating. And have small goals that you can reach - maybe it's just logging for a week, then add on walking xx minutes a day.
I am my lowest weight probably in my adult life, but I got here by having modest goals and building from there.
While people swear by calories in calories out, if you live on diet cokes and starve yourself it will never be sustainable - I find thinking about trying to eat food that fuels my body helps me. I am a total sugar junkie too by the way, but I have found that eating fiber in "natural" foods (apples etc) helps fill you up, and looking for good sources of protein have lead me in the right direction. That way it's less about what you "can't" eat than about what you can.
Good luck!0 -
prattiger65 wrote: »
agreed0 -
Burt_Huttz wrote: »I have noticed that too - I am on a diet and the urge to cheat is very strong. I'm not sure if it's because women notice that I'm taking care of myself or if I'm getting more results than I've seen, but staying faithful to my wife is a growing challenge. I just tell myself, keep putting one foot in front of the other and she'll follow my example I hope. Good luck in your situation!!
Anyways...0 -
Burt_Huttz wrote: »I have noticed that too - I am on a diet and the urge to cheat is very strong. I'm not sure if it's because women notice that I'm taking care of myself or if I'm getting more results than I've seen, but staying faithful to my wife is a growing challenge. I just tell myself, keep putting one foot in front of the other and she'll follow my example I hope. Good luck in your situation!!
ummm I think OPs reference to cheating was to food not with people...
wow LOL0 -
Burt_Huttz wrote: »I have noticed that too - I am on a diet and the urge to cheat is very strong. I'm not sure if it's because women notice that I'm taking care of myself or if I'm getting more results than I've seen, but staying faithful to my wife is a growing challenge. I just tell myself, keep putting one foot in front of the other and she'll follow my example I hope. Good luck in your situation!!
ummm I think OPs reference to cheating was to food not with people...
wow LOL
That has to be a joke.0 -
No matter what terms you use for food, or eating for weight loss, or any other aspect of this, the sad fact is that most of the people losing weight on this site will fail to keep it off long term. I will likely fail to keep it off long term. Statistics tell us so.
But using that as a reason not to even try seems silly to me. Some beat the odds. I can't possibly be one of those odds beaters if I don't try. Neither can you.0 -
I feel your pain. Let's stop looking at it as a diet but as a life style change. We can have anything as long as it is in moderation. I love "junk food" chips, doritos, cheese curls etc and I want it in excess. I have learned to buy only small bags and 1 at a time. Keeping a food diary helps keep me accountable. I brush my teeth when I feel the need for something sweet. I like candy too. Not chocolate, but now and laters, skittles, peppermints etc and i work those into my daily caloric intake. It is not easy but I am determined to keep plugging away. I seem to sabotage myself when I tell people what I am doing. Also people don't always give you support but rather criticize. "I thought you were on a diet", you can't eat that are so of the things people would say. I like it here because people are supportive, if you have a bad meal they encourage you to do better at the next one. You got this!!!! Good luck and I am sending you a friend request!!0
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farfromthetree wrote: »Burt_Huttz wrote: »I have noticed that too - I am on a diet and the urge to cheat is very strong. I'm not sure if it's because women notice that I'm taking care of myself or if I'm getting more results than I've seen, but staying faithful to my wife is a growing challenge. I just tell myself, keep putting one foot in front of the other and she'll follow my example I hope. Good luck in your situation!!
ummm I think OPs reference to cheating was to food not with people...
wow LOL
That has to be a joke.
lets hope so ...0 -
I feel your pain. Let's stop looking at it as a diet but as a life style change. We can have anything as long as it is in moderation. I love "junk food" chips, doritos, cheese curls etc and I want it in excess. I have learned to buy only small bags and 1 at a time. Keeping a food diary helps keep me accountable. I brush my teeth when I feel the need for something sweet. I like candy too. Not chocolate, but now and laters, skittles, peppermints etc and i work those into my daily caloric intake. It is not easy but I am determined to keep plugging away. I seem to sabotage myself when I tell people what I am doing. Also people don't always give you support but rather criticize. "I thought you were on a diet", you can't eat that are so of the things people would say. I like it here because people are supportive, if you have a bad meal they encourage you to do better at the next one. You got this!!!! Good luck and I am sending you a friend request!!
I thought I was the only one that loved now and laters. Not to mention jujyfruit, airheads, mike and ikes. I'll take those any day over chocolate. My biggest nemesis is Coke. I'm taking baby steps and I don't use the "D" word, I've given up Coke and fast food until March 30 (if I do it I get to go on vacation) but allow myself whatever else I want keeping in mind that I will try to add more fruit and veggies
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Hi,
I love your baby step of simply logging what you eat. That will be eye-opening for you and provide you with a great place to start.
Your relationship with your favorite (sugary) foods can change, and you'll just need to find what works for you.
Over the last 40 days I have be able to say within a calorie range designed to lose 1-2 pounds per week. During that time I have closely managed my environment, yet still enjoyed a few of my favorite foods in limited amounts. On two of the days I went over my intended calories, but probably still burned almost as many calories as I ate. My son made chocolate chip cookies once, and I had just one, which never would have happened if I had not been so conscious of my calories.
I attribute my success at staying within my calorie range to:
1. my current level of motivation
2. my commitment to logging my food
3. my interaction with successful "losers."
I attribute my ability to limit my favorite foods (avoid binging) to:
1. my commitment to staying within my calorie range
2. controlling my environment
You will receive a lot of information on this site regarding macronutrient percentages. Many people have success lowering their carbohydrates or increasing their fat, but many others are just as successful without doing so. Again, you'll need to find what works for you and is sustainable over the long term.
In a nutshell, here are a few things you can try to see if they work for you:
1. Use the MFP settings to set a calorie goal for yourself. I have mine set to a one-pound loss per week, but I try to eat an exercise closer to a two pound loss.
2. Work hard to stay in the calorie goal. Log everything you eat as accurately as possible.
3. If you fail to stay in your calorie goal, identify the reasons for failure and find solutions.
***a. You ate portion sizes that were too large
***b. You ate more than you intended to of specific foods
***c. Lack of planning resulted in eating beyond your calorie goal
***d. You didn't pay attention to what you were eating during the day
***e. You had severe cravings and these cravings resulted in a binge.
4. Find friends who have been successful. Watching other people losing weight through diet and exercise can be highly motivating. I have many friends who have lost 100 pounds or more. I see them staying in their calorie range and exercising, and if they can do it, so can I!
Obviously if it were all so simple as the above, none of us would carry excess weight, and we would all be fit and healthy.
Hope this helps. Good luck!0 -
Great thread! I want to add most of you as friends! (just not the guy who's confused about cheating on a diet, LOL).0
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here is my advice.
start today, not a day from now, not a month from now.
Do the following:
1. enter all your stats into MFP and set for one pound per week loss
2. get a food scale
3. use the food scale to weigh all solid foods.
4. make sure that you log everything that you eat into MFP.
5. try not to use the generic entries but use the ones that are USDA.
6. go into custom setting and set your macro percent = Protein/Fats/Carbs to 35p/35c/30 fats
7. this is not necessary but I would suggest finding an active activity that you like, like running, walking, bicycling, lifting, etc and do something so that you move more..
8. This is the most important one. Please stop assigning moralistic values to food. Food is not "good," "bad," or "crap", it is just something that your body uses to get energy for bodily functions. Yes, this means that you can have foods like pizza, ice cream, cookies, bagels etc incorporated into your day. Just make sure that you hit your calorie/macor/micro targets for they day. when you boil it all down weight loss comes down to calories in vs calories out...Overall diet and dosage is what matter, not individual food choice.
9. repeat all this until you get to desired results..
good luck to you ...
If you're going to take on board any advice for your journey, this is it. Good luck, I've added you as a friend if you want some support 0 -
I eat 200 cals of sweets every day. For example, Cadbury's Dark Chocolate bar is 170cals for 7 pieces, which is quite a bit of chocolate for not too many calories. I also still eat fried foods, fish and falafel, in particular. I just learned how to fit them all into my daily calorie budget. I know if I overindulge that means less other food later. TBH though, I rarely go overboard though because I haven't made any effort to cut these foods out of my diet. There is nothing particularly special or forbidden about them, I just can't stuff my face until I explode with them anymore (or with any other food, really).0
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Don't think about it as diet think about it as a choice. A choice between healthy and unhealthy not good and bad. The donut wasn't bad but was it healthy? Would an apple sprinkled with cinnamon have been healthier? It would have been equally sweet.
If you want to lose weight all you have to do is use more calories than you consume on a daily basis. That's it.
If you want to look and feel healthier make healthier eating choices. Replace processed foods with whole foods. Gradually reduce your daily sugar intake. Read labels and keep your sugars, sodium and saturated fats low.
Feel free to friend me for support and my diary is always open
apple and a donut both have sugar, so not really sure what difference is.
A donut has fats/carbs/sugars all of which are essential macronutrients. If the donut is eaten in the context of an overall diet that hits all other macors/micros then it is not "unhealthy"....
The difference between sugar in an apple and donut is 1) It's glycemic index (38 in apple compared to 65 in cane sugar) 2)fiber and nutrients vs empty calories 4)Complex carbs vs simple carbs.
http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php
Simple carbs are only "healthy" when consumed in extreme moderation. But really they are not healthy at all. They are just empty calories.0 -
I am definitely having to fix my mind on the fact that the changes I make will need to be something I can do for the rest of my life. I don't like to advertise that I am trying to lose weight. That just seems to draw negative attention and food pushers like nobody's business. I am making small changes to add up to reach my goals. Slowly making sure I log my meals and increase my activity. Life will throw things at you and you will have to learn to adapt and deal. Making new habits can help make sure you don't wreck all the work you have done when problems arise. I have taken note of some good advice on this page. Good luck on making those changes!0
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Burt_Huttz wrote: »I have noticed that too - I am on a diet and the urge to cheat is very strong. I'm not sure if it's because women notice that I'm taking care of myself or if I'm getting more results than I've seen, but staying faithful to my wife is a growing challenge. I just tell myself, keep putting one foot in front of the other and she'll follow my example I hope. Good luck in your situation!!
Oh my God, Burt. Terrible, terrible joke... Laughing in spite of myself, but really!0 -
Don't think about it as diet think about it as a choice. A choice between healthy and unhealthy not good and bad. The donut wasn't bad but was it healthy? Would an apple sprinkled with cinnamon have been healthier? It would have been equally sweet.
If you want to lose weight all you have to do is use more calories than you consume on a daily basis. That's it.
If you want to look and feel healthier make healthier eating choices. Replace processed foods with whole foods. Gradually reduce your daily sugar intake. Read labels and keep your sugars, sodium and saturated fats low.
Feel free to friend me for support and my diary is always open
apple and a donut both have sugar, so not really sure what difference is.
A donut has fats/carbs/sugars all of which are essential macronutrients. If the donut is eaten in the context of an overall diet that hits all other macors/micros then it is not "unhealthy"....
The difference between sugar in an apple and donut is 1) It's glycemic index (38 in apple compared to 65 in cane sugar) 2)fiber and nutrients vs empty calories 4)Complex carbs vs simple carbs.
http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php
Simple carbs are only "healthy" when consumed in extreme moderation. But really they are not healthy at all. They are just empty calories.
so then protein should be avoided too because it spikes insulin?
I am sorry but simple carbs are not "empty calories" they are a carbohydrate and provide your body with fuel/energy.
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This discussion has been closed.
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