Need to stop myself!

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I used MFP about 2 years ago to lose somewhere in the region of 100 pounds.

I'm starting again, but I've found myself saying 'yes' to things I know are bad for me, and not realising until after I've stuffed my face that I didn't really want it. There's like a mental block that stops me from saying 'no' until afterwards, and I feel super guilty every time - what's worse I'll just think "aah, to heck with it' after my one slip up and not care for the rest of the day.

Does anybody have any advice to stop me from making this mistake? I've tried planning my days in advance - but it's so difficult when you work in an office in the city centre!

I just need some motivational trick that reminds me to say 'no'!

Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • Sapezzulo
    Sapezzulo Posts: 12 Member
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    Maybe don't try planning your whole day in advance. I have the same problem. I log my meals before I eat them so I know how many calories I'm going to be having. That tends to deter me from eating anything I would feel guilty about.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    First of all, unless you are allergic to it or it will put you way over your calorie goal it is not bad for you. There might be better options, but making yourself guilty over eating something isn't helping. When you say yes take the time to enjoy it and log it into your food diary.

    Plan your day in advance, but leave 20% of your calories for something unexpected. Pack your breakfast and lunch as well as snacks.
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
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    Look up how many calories are in something before you eat it, that usually stops me in my tracks. I also spend a ridiculous amount of time looking up weight loss quotes..the one that really stuck with me is "something you have been craving for 15 minutes or the body you have wanted for a lifetime"
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    glitzy196 wrote: »
    Look up how many calories are in something before you eat it, that usually stops me in my tracks. I also spend a ridiculous amount of time looking up weight loss quotes..the one that really stuck with me is "something you have been craving for 15 minutes or the body you have wanted for a lifetime"

    Something you have been craving can fit in your calories and won't keep you from having the body you have wanted for a lifetime. A 15 minute craving may not be worth it (say the cake in the break room that you don't really want, but it's there). A food you have been wanting for a few days is more than worth fitting in and can keep us on track.
  • ElisaJtsu
    ElisaJtsu Posts: 97 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    glitzy196 wrote: »
    Look up how many calories are in something before you eat it, that usually stops me in my tracks. I also spend a ridiculous amount of time looking up weight loss quotes..the one that really stuck with me is "something you have been craving for 15 minutes or the body you have wanted for a lifetime"

    Something you have been craving can fit in your calories and won't keep you from having the body you have wanted for a lifetime. A 15 minute craving may not be worth it (say the cake in the break room that you don't really want, but it's there). A food you have been wanting for a few days is more than worth fitting in and can keep us on track.

    I definitely concur! I do think about whether I really want something or just eat it because it's available. But I'm against restricting yourself! If you've always liked pizza, you won't be able to stick to not eating it over time - the binges will get worse! I'm more aware of what I eat now, but when I go out for a nice meal I don't worry about the calories! This way I stay on track and don't deprive myself.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Maybe saying "No!" is not the trick you need to re-learn. Maybe saying "Later" would be a better fit for your current situation. If you want something and it's too high in calories, reminding yourself you can still have it later and save up calories for it for a few days makes it even more satisfying.

    Another words you may want to consider is "It's okay". Guilt feeds negative behavior which feeds guilt in a cycle that may be the death of your diet. Tell yourself that it's okay to have certain things you previously thought were bad for you because almost anything in moderation really isn't bad for you. No point in feeling guilty for doing something that won't sabotage your diet as much as you imagine. Learn to say "it's okay" when you do lose control and eat more than you'd planned, and instead of channeling your energy through guilt channel it to find strength and motivation to do better on your next meal.

    Think of diet in terms of "ticks" rather than days. That trick helped me a lot. Every time I eat something is an individual and separate tick in a long time flow that spans a long long time, not just a day. Ruining one tick does not justify ruining the next. To further help myself not to think in terms of days I started tracking my calories weekly, then moved to tracking them across a 2-week span. I have a certain allowance for 2 weeks, and ruining one meal only means that subsequent meals will have to be adjusted to make up for it (unless the excess is too large to make up for, in which case I just acknowledge it and move on). This took care of this "the day is ruined" feeling.

    No need to feel guilty about ruining a meal, but it doesn't justify wanting to ruin the rest of the day. On another thread where someone really overate and was feeling guilty, I remember making an example that seemed to get the idea across better: No use crying over spilled milk, but when you do spill some of your milk you don't go and pour the rest of it in the sink
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    Weigh out portions before you eat them. If you check the package before eating, get the amount of a serving and weigh it out, then at least you'll know where you stand. Just looking at the calories for a serving can help too. That's stopped me a time or two when it comes to eating snacks! If it's snacking that's adding to your calories, try and find something to distract your mind. Something that you need to use your hands for that requires some concentration. I've found that if my hunger is emotional or from habit, distracting my brain makes it go away.

    I know you're worried about going over because it's been happening more frequently, but going over once in a while is fine. Just log it and start fresh the next day. You can't do anything about what happened in the past, but you can always control what you do in the future. Plan your meals for the day and if you find you're getting hungry at certain times frequently, adjust your calories to allow a snack for that time. Look at the foods you like that are 'bad' for you and figure out what a serving is and how many calories it has. Then, work it into your day. Save yourself X amount of calories each day so if you want that food, you can have it in moderation. That way you don't feel deprived, you get to eat something you love, but it's not going to put you over for the day. You won't feel guilty for indulging in something, which will make you feel better about your progress.

    I hope that makes sense, rambling seems to be the word of the day for me. ><
  • MDanca
    MDanca Posts: 27 Member
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    There are some awesome suggestions here. I will use some of them myself. Today we had a company meeting...with bagels. I got so mad at myself and my lack of willpower for having that bagel, that I started thinking my whole day was ruined, and maybe I should just start over tomorrow. Of course it isn't ruined! I usually have leftover calories at the end of the day anyway and counted that bagel in!
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    MDanca wrote: »
    There are some awesome suggestions here. I will use some of them myself. Today we had a company meeting...with bagels. I got so mad at myself and my lack of willpower for having that bagel, that I started thinking my whole day was ruined, and maybe I should just start over tomorrow. Of course it isn't ruined! I usually have leftover calories at the end of the day anyway and counted that bagel in!

    Exactly! And you can adjust for dinner as well. Or, if it's just the bagel, take a walk somewhere. Don't need serious exercise, but there's always ways to work off something like that. I've done that a time or two when I really wanted a slice of cake or a cookie.