Breaking a habit

Options
Im_Johnny
Im_Johnny Posts: 5
in Getting Started
For me when I've gone on a diet it's usually been straight forward, no more fatty foods and eat salad and fruits. I'm the past that has worked for me but it was only a diet, and not a true change of habit so I went back to fatty foods and gained more.

I simply enjoy Pizza, Fried Chicken and Burgers.
Apples are cool and all, but they don't satisfy me the way a steak does.

Is it possible for me to simply enjoy the foods I like and cut down the portions?
Would it be ok for me to stick to a 2000 calorie diet and still eat pizza?

I don't know why I feel like I have to replace these things with salads.
All I want to do is lose weight and enjoy my life.
«1

Replies

  • katab2014
    katab2014 Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    Yes...go to weightwatchers...they will teach you how to track so you can enjoy stuff like pizza, burgers...and you can make homemade pizza, low far, small crust, home made burgers etc
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    Options
    u dont need weightwatchers. not that its not a good program. it is. just track your calories on here. stay under how many it tells u after entering your stats. i would recommend to only eating junk since it wont give u as much quantity as lean meat and veggies with say a potato but u can have pizza. just not a whole pizza. a calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from. good luck it doesnt have to be all or nothing
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    Options
    sorry 'not to only eat junk' typo!
  • dinosaurparty
    dinosaurparty Posts: 185 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    Moderation is the best way to lose weight and keep it off :) So yeah, you can totally diet without depriving yourself of 'unhealthy' foods that you love.

    Firstly, you can work the 'original' version of those foods into your diet for the day. If you know that your family is going out for pizza, find the pizza joint's menu online. Most chain resturaunts will have a dietary information sheet. If you know that you're going to work in say, three pieces of pizza, and combined they have 700 calories, then you'll be able to see what you should eat for the rest of the day without going over your goal. On days you eat our you might need to have fruit for breakfast instead of oatmeal or eggs, but you can still enjoy pizza later on while remaining on track.

    You can also make healthy, low-cal versions of the food you like. I really liked making personal pizza on bread, or you could use a thin crust pizza bought at the store, and load it up with veggies, low fat cheese and lean meat like chicken or salmon. The internet is full of great recipes to help you get started :)

    To make a diet like this work, it's super important to fill in your diary correctly, because most people overestimate their food intake pretty drastically. Measure everything (including cooking oil, dips, sauces, dressings, sugar and cream in your coffee), and invest in a digital kitchen scale. It seems like a lot of work at first, but you'll get into the habit of weighing everything really fast. It pays off, trust me!

    Good luck!

    P.S. Thought I should add, salads are a great way to supplement an 'unhealthy' meal. If you're having pizza, have half as many slices as you normally would, and a big green salad on the side to help fill you up. Watch out for creamy, high cal salad dressings, though.
  • lfrazier2482
    lfrazier2482 Posts: 82 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    No need to go to weight watchers. A better system is here and it's free. I started with weight watchers and have found this to be superior. No BS point system. It's all about the calories. Buy yourself a cheap digital scale and eat under your calorie goal for the day. It can include pizza and anything else you like as long as it's under your calorie goal.
  • takeflightwren
    takeflightwren Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    I agree with Ifrazier above. I had the same experience with WW 3 times. MFP is working for me much better. Easier to use, support when you need it and food and calorie data to help you make choices so there is room for those good things in life. If you increase your activity level you can eat more too - easy to track this using this system.
  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
    Options
    You can do it! Moderation is key. I do enjoy fruits and veggies and all manner of healthy foods but I also love a good burger or pizza. Check out my diary and you'll see how I split things up. On weekdays, I tend to have a light breakfast, a light calorie and healthy but heavy duty lunch (soups that are very filling but less than 500 calories), and crap for dinner. I get most of my good nutrients at lunch and breakfast but, without my huge and awful dinners, I would feel deprived and fail. And it works. I've reset my ticker so it doesn't reflect right now (purely psychological - I stall when I lost about 20 lbs because I think I'm hot s*** and deserve a break) but I've lost the weight and did it eating all the things I enjoy... in moderation and in a way that I can sustain it on a daily basis.
  • FourthChakra
    FourthChakra Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    Portion + moderation + exercise = opportunity to sometimes eat not-so-healthy foods.
  • Im_Johnny
    Im_Johnny Posts: 5
    Options
    Thanks guys, yeah the salads are just kinda bs to me anymore. I see it as a burger topping not a meal. So its been hard.
  • sean1234567891034
    sean1234567891034 Posts: 17
    Options
    i heard mcdonyalds is real nice, a healthy mcdonalds
  • sean1234567891034
    sean1234567891034 Posts: 17
    Options
    real nice
  • Katerina9408
    Katerina9408 Posts: 276 Member
    Options
    sean1234567891034 wrote: »
    i heard mcdonyalds is real nice, a healthy mcdonalds

    Going to McDonald's for a healthy meal is like going to a prostitute for hug....
  • Jakiepaper
    Jakiepaper Posts: 57 Member
    Options
    Have you looked into a Low carb High Fat Way to Eat? I know it's not too popular on here but check it out. You can have steak with REAL butter with a side of veggies just skip the roll. Have Water instead of a diet Coke.
  • AgentOrangeJuice
    AgentOrangeJuice Posts: 1,069 Member
    Options
    Katerina9408 wrote: »
    sean1234567891034 wrote: »
    i heard mcdonyalds is real nice, a healthy mcdonalds

    Going to McDonald's for a healthy meal is like going to a prostitute for hug....


    +1 internet for you, this is probably the best thing I've read today.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Options
    Im_Johnny wrote: »
    For me when I've gone on a diet it's usually been straight forward, no more fatty foods and eat salad and fruits. I'm the past that has worked for me but it was only a diet, and not a true change of habit so I went back to fatty foods and gained more.

    I simply enjoy Pizza, Fried Chicken and Burgers.
    Apples are cool and all, but they don't satisfy me the way a steak does.

    Is it possible for me to simply enjoy the foods I like and cut down the portions?
    Would it be ok for me to stick to a 2000 calorie diet and still eat pizza?

    I don't know why I feel like I have to replace these things with salads.
    All I want to do is lose weight and enjoy my life.

    Pizza is workable as long as your other meals fit into the day.
    The same with burgers, although depending on what else you ate that day, you might want to eat it without the bread (for example).
    Steak is a great idea. Look for low fat cuts and weigh it so you can log it into the diary.
    Fried chicken: one original chicken breast from KFC is 320 calories, so you could have a piece of chicken.
    http://www.kfc.com/nutrition/
    Steak is a great idea. Look for low fat cuts and weigh it so you can log it into the diary.
  • katab2014
    katab2014 Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    I don't know about the UK but in Australia McDonald's now shows the calorie/fat etc content and actually they DO have healthy meals. there's a red tick system on food called Heart Healthy and Maccas do have some red ticks...not for a double Mac but a grilled chicken wrap, grilled fish, salads. Basically if your friends went in there you could have a skinny shake, grilled chicken wrap, salad and fruit pieces and not feel left out...
  • Katerina9408
    Katerina9408 Posts: 276 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    katab2014 wrote: »
    I don't know about the UK but in Australia McDonald's now shows the calorie/fat etc content and actually they DO have healthy meals. there's a red tick system on food called Heart Healthy and Maccas do have some red ticks...not for a double Mac but a grilled chicken wrap, grilled fish, salads. Basically if your friends went in there you could have a skinny shake, grilled chicken wrap, salad and fruit pieces and not feel left out...

    Do you really trust them ? They probably pick all the leftovers from the floor and put it in your burger. The fun part is that you never know what u have in your burger ....dog tail ? snout ? hoof ? ...you never know...mmm tasty isn't it ?
  • shaynepoole
    shaynepoole Posts: 493 Member
    Options
    Katerina9408 wrote: »
    sean1234567891034 wrote: »
    i heard mcdonyalds is real nice, a healthy mcdonalds

    Going to McDonald's for a healthy meal is like going to a prostitute for hug....

    This made my day :)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    Im_Johnny wrote: »
    For me when I've gone on a diet it's usually been straight forward, no more fatty foods and eat salad and fruits. I'm the past that has worked for me but it was only a diet, and not a true change of habit so I went back to fatty foods and gained more.

    I simply enjoy Pizza, Fried Chicken and Burgers.
    Apples are cool and all, but they don't satisfy me the way a steak does.

    Is it possible for me to simply enjoy the foods I like and cut down the portions?
    Would it be ok for me to stick to a 2000 calorie diet and still eat pizza?

    I don't know why I feel like I have to replace these things with salads.
    All I want to do is lose weight and enjoy my life.

    If you have a calorie amount that is a defecit from maintenance and you stick to it you will lose weight

    even when I was at 1500 calories I could easily fit in pizza

  • TheVogonVegan
    TheVogonVegan Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    I had the exact same problem. I used to go hardcore only healthy foods...and I feel off the wagon every time. I've decided that as long as I'm within my macros and my calorie goal, why not have something I really want every now and then. About once a week I just up and eat at Buffalo Wild Wings, order a pizza, eat mac and cheese, or just have some chocolate. Whatever I want, the rest of that day I do salad and fruit it up, but that little treat once every week or two keeps me from binging when I get tired of healthy eating.

Categories