Learning to eat right

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Amandac6772
Amandac6772 Posts: 1,311 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been at this for almost a year now and I still haven't learned how to eat. I feel like I'm killing myself exercising to be able to eat cr*p pretty much and that is NOT the way this should be going. I do have much healthier habits than I did a year ago but I still don't eat clean....there is so much processed stuff in my diet, mainly for convenience. I work a lot of hours, up at 4:15 to workout, have a small child, etc, etc. All are excuses I know...when I plan I do better. How did you permanently change your eating habits? Was it focus on one bad habit at a time? The other thing is I eat when I'm not hungry or stressed....what do you do to manage those? Also my brain (i'm not kidding) on the last bite of my meal says "ok what's for dessert?" and I get the strongest craving for something sweet. This is my biggest battle I think.

Replies

  • daybyday
    daybyday Posts: 537 Member
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    We've chatted about this before - this could be my post exactly!! I want to hear your responses.
  • dbendelow
    dbendelow Posts: 27
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    Im the same i love to eat crisps and cookies and always crave somethin sweet after a meal

    It takes so much willpower to say no, and somethim i think oh its ok i'll have theat cake then do some exercise, then i wont feel like exercising or something comes up, its a vicous circle, i dont know how to change my eating mentality for ever, maybe hypnosis?? ha ha :)
  • WomanofWorth
    WomanofWorth Posts: 395 Member
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    bump
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
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    Considerin' your at 125 lbs...I assume you at your goal weight & maintainin' right now.

    http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/michis-ladder

    I follow this daily and to the tee...If you only eat from Tiers 1 & 2...

    I've learned to pre-cook my meals ahead of time...If you're able to - to prepare at least 'on to go meals' that you know you need to take for lunch etc.

    I'm on maintence mode for my weight - it varies between 120 - 125 lbs. I have learnt what foods work for me and what doesn't...

    It's really about trial and error...best wishes my friend :flowerforyou: :heart:
  • MFP1984
    MFP1984 Posts: 48 Member
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    I've really enjoyed reading Will Glowers French Fat Fallacy books. They focus on eating habits, eliminating faux foods from diets and he suggests saving something like a cube of cheese or square of chocolate as an 'end of meal' token 'this is the last thing I eat now, this signals the end of my meal'.
    If you can't lose the dessert then how about preparing for it - eat half your main meal and leave room and calories for the dessert?
  • Hanni
    Hanni Posts: 158 Member
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    i am exactly the same and it is frustrating because i am sabotaging my own efforts. :grumble:
    there were some discount vouchers for 3 hypnosis sessions recently and i got them but i am not sure i want some stranger messing around in my head. has anyone ever tried that before? i read a lot of articles about how hypnosis can increase will power and so on but i am not sure if i want to believe it or not... :huh:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    bump!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
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    Well, this is THE problem with weight loss & maintenance, isn't it?:smile: We are all SO in the same boat! I swear, for really busy people, I suggest they buy prepackaged, precut produce. I know it's a little goofy, because you can totally cut it yourself, BUT you can get a fruit tray or a vegetable tray at Costco already cut & ready and have that be your veggies for the week, including snacks. There are some (but not many!) frozen meals that are decent; the biggie on those is the sodium count, which can mean you're on your calorie goal or under, but your sodium will be though the roof, and you'll retain a lot of water.

    As for sweets, I have the same issue. I do find that the more fruit I eat, the less processed sugar I want. I also believe in "cutting" the sugar by pairing it with a fruit, i.e., a handful of strawberries or a cut up banana dipped in 8 melted dark chocolate chips. Dark chocolate actually has phytochemicals in it and is good for you in moderation.

    I've been watching a special by Dr. Daniel Amen, who is a neurosurgeon, about his book called "Change Your Brain, Change Your Body." That might be a good book for you to read. It really is a brain issue, it is NOT a willpower issue for most of us (even though we've been taught that it is).

    Good luck to you, you've done an amazing job so far!:drinker:
  • nurse_carolyn
    nurse_carolyn Posts: 348
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    I know what you mean about food and convenience. I am a mom, full time student, I have a part time job, etc, etc... On the weekends it takes me a good amount of time to create a food schedule for the week, shop, unpack and make meals ahead to freeze. I plan all lunches and dinners ahead of time, I actually made a chart on the computer......I know it sounds anal but it's the only way to stay organized and to be able to eat homemade (and not processed meals.) By doing this on the weekends it makes my day to day life during the week alittle more managable and then I am able to workout with that extra time.
  • Mommawarrior
    Mommawarrior Posts: 897 Member
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    This may sound weird, but google how many health issues are related to poor eating habits, and processed foods and preservatives and read up on this. Maybe that will help motivate you. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, when I was finally diagnosed, I refused medicine until I could do my own research. In doing so I found out all sorts of things about the "food" (I use that term losely because most of the "food" we eat in America has little real food in it and a lot of processed chemicals) I was eating and the things it was doing to my body. In less than 6 months of being diagnosed, I have totally changed my eating habits and have NO PAIN whatsoever as long as I eat truly healthy.
    Truly healthy is not eating what the grocery store labels as healthy food. It is eating food that has simple basic ingredients that aren't processed. BAGELS ARE NOT HEALTH FOOD. LOL
    The less ingredients in a food the better it is for you. Grilled meat that you have not marinaded in a chemical filled marinade....fresh fruit and fresh veggies. Cooked veggies that are simply the veggie that you have grilled, baked, steamed etc..
    Fried onion rings and french fries are not included in this healthy veggie list...LOL
    If it has to have something in it to preserve freshness, it isn't healthy.

    It is not easy to make this change, but it is well worth it. Try a Cherry Larabar for your sweet tooth.
    http://www.food4celiacs.com/ShopOnline/LAR/index.html
    You can get them at Walmart, Sams Club, GNC...any health food store. They are naturally sweet because of the cherries and packed full of natural goodness.

    Hope this helps some. Good luck!
  • Wimpey
    Wimpey Posts: 64 Member
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    You have a very valid point... or a series of points in your post!

    Write them down as a list of your target... an example:

    1) Eating right

    2) How to avoid too many pudding at end of meal

    Then tackle one by one. For eating "clean" or "right" you need to substantiate what this means to you so it could be:

    1) Eating right
    - limit processed food
    - Add quality bla bla bla

    And any time you read of think of way around your issues and brilliant solutions (some very good posts above) then write them down on your list.

    1) Eating right
    - limit processed food - ex. solution plan shopping/keep emergency healthy meals in cupboard (list of these that you like)

    You can't keep it all in your mind, so the list has to happen (if you think it is a good method)
    Also once is on paper it and taking shape of a "battle plan" issues and guilt about food will stop swirling about your head and you can feel very positive about your "eating habits on progress"...?

    There are lots of information/books on improving your thoughts and abit around food, feeling satisfied with what you eat, emotional eating etc... that could be something for you to search and see what works for you.

    I hope this is of help!
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    I eat clean and what I found I had to do was simply stop buying the processed foods. I also use Sunday as my prep day. I make a pot of brown rice and usually a pot of beans to mix and match off during the week. I also do any of the chopping and slicing i need to do like cutting watermelon off the rind. I don't eat meat, but if I did i would also separate and season whatever meats I planned to eat during the week. All told i spend about 2 hours on Sunday doing foo prep for the week. It helps me make better food choices and saves me money as I am more focused when I grocery shop. I even make snacks like sorting almonds and dried cranberries into snack ziplocks or puree fruit and set into popsicle molds so I have healthy snacks.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    You have control over what comes into the house. When you go to the store shop the outside iles and cook your own food. If you already know you are eating too much processed foods then you are half way their. Now it is up to you to cook healthy for you and your family. You will be teaching your son healthy lessons he will take through life.
  • penny39
    penny39 Posts: 266 Member
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    BUMP
  • rocklion
    rocklion Posts: 69 Member
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    Well I'm pretty busy myself with work, two kids, etc. but it just requires some planning and some strategy. For me, anyway. As an example, one thing I had always battled with on Tuesday was that I usually have a meeting in the late afternoon that stretches from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., I have about an hour to get back to work, shovel down some food and then get back to the meeting that goes from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. By the time I get back from that, I'm usually starving. To combat that, I just started putting some nuts in a Ziplock bag and carrying them with me to the meeting. Halfway through, I chomp on my snack. I come back, eat my dinner and then after the meeting, I have another snack to make sure I don't get that late night craving.

    You said you already get up at 4:15 to work out. That's already some dedication. Dedicate a few minutes on fixing food. It's worth it. In the end, it ends up being more delicious than the processed foods.

    Oh, and it starts in the grocery store. Shop the perimiter.

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