How do you fight the "evil" inner voice?
MissMoxy08
Posts: 32
So I keep bruising my butt and falling off the wagon and all because I give in to the little voice that keeps telling me I deserve the splurge. I just had braces put on for the second time. Yesterday I had my wire replaced so I told myself "go ahead, have that chocolate shake. You're mouth will probably be too sore to eat later anyway and the cold will help the soreness." Then I eat easy mac last night because "you just had a stressful drive home through tornado warnings and your stomach is growling and the milk is about to expire. Might as well get something to eat."
So can anyone share their tricks to ignore this little voice and it's dastardly logic? (Other than sheer will power of course because clearly I don't have much of that)
So can anyone share their tricks to ignore this little voice and it's dastardly logic? (Other than sheer will power of course because clearly I don't have much of that)
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I remind myself that the gratification I would get from the sweets etc. is not worth the guilt I'd get afterward. I try to think beyond what I'm about to put into my mouth. of course this isn't 100% successful, but it helps the majority of the time for me.0
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I allow myself one day to 'splurge' but I don't go too crazy and I make sure I exercise a lot on that particular day.0
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I look at how many calories/sugar/fat is in something and decide if it's worth eating and how much running ill have to do to burn off those calories. It's usually never worth it to me. I have sweets and junk now and again...but I usually make myself "do the time for doing the crime" and jog a little more the next day... once weight starts falling off then I really don't want junk since I worked so hard to lose that weight. Good luck!0
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If I give in and go over calories, I try to offset it with exercise or by eating "better" for the rest of the week. A milkshake here and there won't kill you if the rest of your week's worth of food is mostly good stuff.0
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You just have to consider how bad you really want to make this change. There are positive triggers as well as negative triggers. Find what motivated you to begin this journey in the first place. Keep your eye on the prize. No one can make you want to do this. You have to dig deep and find something within yourself. Good luck!0
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At the moment, that evil voice is stronger than me. I know I'll get over it again and will be fine again, tomorrow, or if not tomorrow a day later. At the moment I just give in.0
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Tell your inner voice that you want some variety and not just food-based rewards. Tell them you want to splurge on a nice summer pedicure or a new piece of jewelery.0
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The only way I can avoid splurges is to plan ahead (which is probably why times when I have to be out of town are such a train wreck lol) - make sure you always have something easy to make or leftovers or whatever around, keep a homemade trail mix or dried fruit with you, that sort of thing.
Good luck!0 -
I would say, you have to think about the fact that you are making excuses. While you're making them.0
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I do think about how many calories and the awful things they put in most foods before I eat them and if I do that most of the time I will not eat whatever it is because I know although it might taste nice at the time. It's over in 2 minutes and then the only feeling I'm left with is "meh, I could have left that" or guilt!
I remind myself how good I feel when I get on the scales at the end of the week and I've lost weight. It encourages me to carry on eating well.0 -
You need to find comfort in something that isn't food. Like baths, or a hug from a friend or painting your nails. Comfort is not to be found in a chocolate shake. You'll just feel even worse after.
Eating junk isn't being kind to yourself. It is cruelty.0 -
Oh I can so relate to this. I have been doing it for years and giving into my little inner voice telling me, you need this - it'll cheer you right up etc etc... but you know I have come to realise that it doesnt. I may get that momenteral oooooooooo chocolate your so tasty and this is pure bliss but after that comes the guilt and the self loathing and the hate and then the punishment. So I have decided, what do I prefer.... that moment of bliss or the hours, days (or in my case a lifetime) of hating myself. So when I want chocolate or that treat I reason with myself... or if I really cant battle it I compromise... I will have something that will satisfy but is not as bad as the full blown naughty!!
I also find planning out ahead of time what I am going to eat for the day, so I know what is it I am having and dont leave anything to chance.
Hope this helps. You're def. not on your own on this one. :flowerforyou:0 -
Its hard to fight that voice. You just have to try to stay strong, and if you really want to splurge try compromising, instead of a large shake, get a small, or get a fat free custard instead of a shake. Dont beat yourself up about making a bad choice though, we all do it, just use it to remind yourself to make a better choice the next time
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I strictly follow my diet Monday-Saturday.. and then Sunday.. I allow myself one cheat.. I usually choose a skinny latte and a donut (or 2) but sometimes I feel like going out to eat, so I'll wait till dinner and indulge myself.. but I know that every Sunday.. I'm going to get something I want!!0
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I can relate to this...
How about changing the idea of what you deserve?
I had to focus on changing my "I deserve this chocolate bar" to "I deserve to be treated with respect and concern... even by myself."
It's a big mindset change, but one worth making 0 -
This is emotional eating, whether it's for celebration or stress related. It requires discipline to steer clear of it and give yourself another outlet. I remind myself what that splurge will cost me in terms of calories and think... Can I afford it? If I want chocolate that bad, a hershey kiss at 22 calories might do the trick. If I'm also getting hungry then think about a sugar free hot cocoa. Sometimes a 5 calorie sugar free mint is enough. Maybe all your body really needs is a glass of water. If you have a mac and cheese craving, find lowfat cheese like laughing cow.
Arm yourself with smart choices for the things you like and retrain yourself to go to them instead of your regular comfort foods.0 -
Scream out loud, "Get behind me Satan"0
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thats what ruby calls the beast....i call it E.D. for eating disorder...ED tells me "its okay to go ahead & have those cookies...who will know??? i will never tell on you" and "you have worked out so hard you DESERVE a little treat." im definately a self-sabtoger because i dont feel worthy to be healthy. then someone might notice me. its really a never ending battle but my self-esteem and confidence has increased since i began this journey last year. i lost 56lbs last summer....met a guy who was very overweight....well you know the rest of the story..gained 19lbs.. back and have spent 2011 trying to get it off it took me until mid-april to do it. i have managed to waste another month just losing and gaining the same 8lbs so i need to really focus on shutting out ED and listening to my heart....whose desire is to be healthy.
something that has really helped me was from jillian on the BL.....think before you eat...does this get me closer to my goal or farther from my goal. its so simple yet so difficult...hope it helps to know that you arent alone!0 -
The only way I can avoid splurges is to plan ahead (which is probably why times when I have to be out of town are such a train wreck lol) - make sure you always have something easy to make or leftovers or whatever around, keep a homemade trail mix or dried fruit with you, that sort of thing.
Same.
Planning ahead is key. Also, trying to clean out the items in your households that are trigger foods for you! I'm not saying that you can't treat yourself but make sure there isn't a stockpile of food that might tempt you.
Also, try a smoothie or a protein shake instead of a chocolate shake. Or try the mac and cheese in the lean cuisine or smart one!
Trust me, we ALL deal with that "voice" that tempts us or tries to justify a treat at the wrong time. Do the best you can, plan ahead, and tell that voice who's boss
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God bless0 -
I try to subsititute with better alternatives. For example, last night I had a sugar free chocolate pudding....if I'm craving something which is usually ice cream or chocolate I just try to go for the healthier option. The other day my boyfriend and I went for beautiful long walk in central park where there are ice cream trucks EVERYWHERE and it was so hard to resist temptation. So instead, I went on my phone to find a nearby frozen yogurt shop. I got the smallest size pomegranite frozen yogurt topped with strawberries and it was so yummy!0
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I would say, you have to think about the fact that you are making excuses. While you're making them.
i think this is a great answer. especially in the beginning, the evil temptation voice will speak, but if you make yourself ignore it, no matter how hard (heck, go lock yourself in a room and cry it out if you have to, that's what happened to me when i put down ciggies. almost 10 days of high emotion, and then it just got easier). if you make yourself get through it, and don't make excuses, then eventually when temptation does rear its head, it's like swatting away a fly to ignore it. easy. but you have to make yourself get through the hard part. there is no easy way around forming new/better habits.0 -
Harsh as it sounds - NO ONE DESERVES CHOCOLATE
It isn't a reward.0 -
If you truly need/deserve a pick-me-up, substitute food for something else. I, for example, buy something purple. I have purple, pens, purple shirts, purple hole punch, etc... Doesn't matter what it is, just so long as it isn't food...0
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I've told myself I am not rewarding myself with food or feeling guilty about food. If I want easy mac or a chocolate shake, I make sure that I have the calories for it. Healthy people can eat a treat and they don't gain 5 pounds or eat 12 of them. I want to be healthy so I have to think like a healthy person. No more feeling guilty for food. I will decide what I want to eat...look at my calories and then decide if it is worth it or doable. Easy Mac and chocolate shakes are not the devil...it is over indulging in them that is the devil. Take away your guilt....don't allow there to be an evil inner voice with food. If something sounds good, be accountable to a reasonable portion and enjoy it. I have no will power and have to have something really yummy everyday....it is amazing how telling myself I can have anything I want I have been able to control myself. Being accountable for what we eat doesn't mean never eating something you enjoy or that isn't the most healthy choice.
We have to learn a healthy mentality towards food. The days I have a really long good work out, I know that I will be able to enjoy a higher calorie food. So I figure my portion, eat it and enjoy it. I still make sure that I have filled the rest of my day with fruits, veggies, lean meats..."healthy food". If at the end of the day I don't have calories for something yummy, then I make a choice to eat something different and save that treat for the next day.
I have also looked for foods that are like a treat for me. A handful of frozen strawberries with vanilla, stevia and a little bit of water, blended up makes a yummy sorbet type treat. If I am craving ice cream, that will fill the craving for under 100 calories...if it doesn't, then I know that tomorrow, I just need to plan my calories to allow for a moderate size serving.
Make your "evil" inner voice your personal voice of accountability. Next time it tells you that you deserve a chocolate shake...look at your calories and say, yes I do...but I only have calories for half of the shake or I really need to wait for tomorrow, or I'd better go to the gym and then I can get one on the way home. Don't deprive, be accountable.
The way MFP figures our caloric goals is taking how many calories we need to survive, and subtracts x amount of calories so we can lose weight without working out. If we work out, then we have more calories to play around with. We can enjoy un healthy food while losing weight, if we do it the smart way having the majority of our food be healthy and smart and then planning for the treats in moderation.0 -
I tell that evil voice to shut the hell on up! lol Actually I try to substitute it with lots of water, fruits, or veggies....but usually I remind myself why I hated being fat and how people would just give me all these weird looks bc of my weight. Stay strong!!0
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All the wonderful people have wonderful ideas. Pick one that works for you. I have a couple I use together. I have an old picture of myself that I use to keep me zeroed in on my goal. I also try to have about 100 calories at the end of the day I can use anyway I want. I don't always use them, but they are there most nights for me to use them anyway I see fit. This keeps me on target for my weight and fitness goals and I can "cheat" whenever I want! I hope this makes sense and can be helpful to you!
Keep up the good work!0 -
I have two steps that work fairly good for me in these situations.
The first one is a behavioral modification I am trying. I try to never eat anything as soon as it is ready or when I first see it. I'm trying to make contemplating the food in front of me a part of my eating routine. This not only includes thinking about the candy bar before picking it up (or hopefully not picking it up) while in line at the convenience store, but also thinking about the salad or chicken breast I've prepared for myself at home. I just mentally examine the food and objectively decide if consuming it is a good thing or a bad thing. I'm working on not impulsively eating anything.
If it's a good thing, I then buy/eat it.
If it's a bad thing, I say the following words (when I'm alone, I even say them out loud): "What I want, this can't give me."
That usually is enough to get me thinking about the changes I want to make, the reasons I'm making these changes, and how those changes are more important than the candy bar.
That isn't to say I don't ever treat myself, but it seems to help most of the time.0 -
I drug it :laugh: just kidding ! I use this site a lot to help avoid splurges
I love looking at the success pics, I also keep a lot of low calorie snacks
on hand I love the carmel corn rice cakes.0 -
I just try to keep busy with something else until that feeling passes. I also know I feel great, I look great and I can't wait to feel and look better, that's huge for me.0
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I can relate to this...
How about changing the idea of what you deserve?
I had to focus on changing my "I deserve this chocolate bar" to "I deserve to be treated with respect and concern... even by myself."
It's a big mindset change, but one worth making
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