Dieting Anxiety- compulsions to cheat, sugar & carb addiction
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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
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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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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"....
One has fiber and more nutrients.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »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"....
One has fiber and more nutrients.
oh please lets not start the one form of sugar better than another argument.
and I clearly put it in the context of a diet that hits macro/micro/calorie goals..
or did you not read that part?0 -
OP: good luck with this. It can seem daunting in the beginning. If you're really worried about your refined carbs/sugar issues, then it may be time to tackle that. Only you know if it's truly standing in your way. (It was for me.)
Good luck, and feel free to contact me any time for moral support.
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I was a sugar addict, went cold turkey for 4 weeks. I craved for 4 weeks like some one addicted to crack. After 4 weeks, cravings went away and I don't even like anything sweet now. Do I eat an occasional birth day cake or treat? Sure. But only on my terms, I don't have to eat anything in moderation because I am weak and have to have something. I eat candies all day on days when I want to spike my insulin or do carb cycling. But not because I have to eat them. There is nothing wrong in restricting something to get over something.0
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The doctor told me this morning that to keep blood sugar its most stable, and avoid too big of peaks and lows throughout the day, carbs should be consumed together with protein. Granted not everyone is diabetic, but you could still try this advice in order to feel better physically and see if you find it to make a difference. If you ate that donut, suppose you then ate a little serving of almonds right after it. Some experimentation might be a good idea.0
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CrabNebula wrote: »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).
Yep! My supper is pretty much always a mini Kit Kat and some rice pudding or ice cream. I've finally realised that depriving myself of the things I love will end up in failure. So I just fit it in to my daily calories.0 -
WillLift4Tats wrote: »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.
Yes! One of my favorite sayings ... "You can have anything you want, anytime you want. You just cant have EVERYTHING you want EVERY TIME you want it."
Think of it like money. What would you life be like if you bought anything you ever saw that you wanted, even if you couldnt afford it? You would enjoy the toys for a bit, until the bills show up... You have to budget your money - you can buy toys but you might have to choose between one or two, or you might have to save a while to get a bigger one. The same for food - you can have a donut, but it might mean skimping on lunch to fit the calories in. You know you are going out Sat night, so you might have to cut out 100 calories a day for 7 days so you can splurge Sat night. Just budget it - if you only have 100 calories to "spend", and you have enough protein and fat already planned or eaten, what do you want to spend it on?0 -
Starting is really tough! I know how you feel about being nervous abut telling people you are dieting for fear of judgement or failing. I got over this by telling a few good friends who I trust rather than broadcasting it to everyone.
I also have a sweet tooth and love my carbs! I got myself on the right track by taking a three week break from sweets and simple carbs completely. It was tough, but easier to get through when there was an end date. I am eating sweets again, but in moderation. I also have come up with healthy snacks that satisfy my cravings.
Hope that helps Good luck to you! 0 -
on MMMMMMEAT. /Kowalski0
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Welcome! It sounds like you are struggling with the mental aspects somewhat, so figuring out what helps you deal with them is the key. Ignore the fights among others who think they've figured it out already and just pick out the things that appeal to you to try.
A few thoughts I had:yarnaholicamy wrote: »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.
You can totally do it. It's a process, though, so figuring out a way to do it that you can live with is crucial. But getting started feels good and there are positives about the process even apart from the results and it can be good to focus on them too (or mostly).
When I first decided to lose weight I wasn't at all convinced it would work for me (I had never done it before), so I decide that I would dedicate myself to being as fit as possible, even if I was a fat fit person, and eating healthy. Then, if I also lost weight, great, but I would control the things I could control. Of course, I also lost weight but being able to focus on small positive steps and not just deprivation made it easier--whether it was "I will walk this much today" or "I will go to the gym 3 times this week" or "I am signing up for a race!" or "I will eat veggies at every meal and make all of my breakfasts."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.
I didn't announce it to anyone. Some will figure it out, you might find it easier if you can enlist people to be a support group or do it with you, but for me it was personal and private and I didn't want those expectations or perceived critique, so I kept it quiet.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.
This is that mental game. My advice here is not to think of it as a diet--deprivation. Think of it as a healthier way of eating and learning how to lose weight. Understanding the calorie thing and where your calories are coming from is enormously empowering, IMO. As some others have said, it can be helpful just to log for a few days and then look at your diet and calories and figure out how you might be able to change things to lower calories and make the overall diet (as in way of eating) better.
Some people find it easier to start with certain health goals. I know I eat pretty well when I cook, so one of mine was to cook most of my meals and stop with the Indian take out (one of my weaknesses). And you don't have to give up all your treats--you want to find a way you can be happy doing longterm. I enjoy the way I have been eating over the last year MORE than the way I ate the year before, and I'm no more likely to be hungry and able to have the treats I love. I can't mindlessly eat whatever is before me or do high calorie meals like pizza 5 nights in a week (and for breakfast too), but I can do them on occasion.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?
This is your mental reaction to change or perceived deprivation again, I think. It's because you are saying you can't have it. It goes away. I cut out snacking and at first during the times I would snack I wanted food like crazy. So I ate carrots and did something else. It went away and I stopped being hungry at all in those periods. As for sweets, I cut them out at first because I had an emotional crutch thing going on, but after that I just figured out how to include them in my day (ice cream after dinner, perhaps) and if I want them at other times I remind myself I get something later. It's not too hard to wait a few hours or 'til tomorrow, IMO. It's only when you start thinking "this is my last chance" that you tend to feel like you must eat as much as humanly possible (IME--people will have different tools).*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.
Perfect start! Just getting more mindful helps enormously and realizing that it's a process and all you need to do is make one change at a time also helps.
Good luck! And feel free to post specific temptations or struggles, as I know you are going to be overwhelmed by all the advice at first.
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