No really, how do you say NO to foods and habits you've had your whole life?

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  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Oh, still have trouble, especially when eating out!! I, like a lot of people, was raised to finish what's on your plate. At home, I can control that amount, but when I go out to eat, most of the time I can only eat about half. And I don't like leftovers (most don't taste right reheated to me, but I'm weird that way), so I don't take things home. It still bugs me to leave food on my plate, but what I do is eat the protein part first, then work on the sides. I figure the protein part is most of what you're paying for, so at least I'll get my money's worth!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    For me it just clicked one day. I just suddenly looked at/thought about all my older relatives and their health problems and the way we all ate and how far it was from what we were told we should eat. I wasn't even overweight at the time, though I was putting on weight slowly, a little more each year. And I decided it wasn't what I wanted. From that day on I completely changed my diet and started leading a more active life.

    Unfortunately, that didn't keep me from becoming overweight. :#

    But I believe it did prevent me from getting the various diseases that most everyone else in my family suffers from, and it has so far prevented any loss of strength and bone through menopause. If I'd handled the 'empty nest syndrome' a little better I might have avoided the weight gain.
  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
    I try not to buy stuff that I know will be harder to fit in my plan, but I live right across the road from a late night shop that sells chocolate, crisps, wine......if I have had a bad day, and I think I might be tempted to run across to the shop at some point in the evening (I am a really bad emotional eater, and I want a lot of chocolate when I get stressed, and work is very stressful at the moment) I put my pyjamas on as soon as I get in, then I have to get dressed again if I want to go across to the shop, and I usually can't be bothered! :)
  • LolaKarwowski
    LolaKarwowski Posts: 217 Member
    I don't.
  • mrsdrshot
    mrsdrshot Posts: 154 Member
    dubird wrote: »
    Oh, still have trouble, especially when eating out!! I, like a lot of people, was raised to finish what's on your plate. At home, I can control that amount, but when I go out to eat, most of the time I can only eat about half. And I don't like leftovers (most don't taste right reheated to me, but I'm weird that way), so I don't take things home. It still bugs me to leave food on my plate, but what I do is eat the protein part first, then work on the sides. I figure the protein part is most of what you're paying for, so at least I'll get my money's worth!

    I'm in Las Vegas, and that's what I tell people to do when they want to go to a buffet. Eat the protein first! Smart woman.
  • B_TEEN
    B_TEEN Posts: 95 Member
    To correct decades of poor food choices, I really had to simplify my approach after failing multiple times in the past to correct poor dietary habits. What helped was understanding how I ate before I made changes. I just ate 'normal' and logged everything to understand my pattern. Realizing no level of workout can compensate for a bad diet, I recognized I needed to make food choices that heal and fuel my body rather than intoxicate and slow down my body.

    If I were to simplify my system, it's probably driven by two questions:
    1. Is this food of the land or made in a lab(by man)?
    2. Will this food heal/fuel or harm the body?

    Even in moments where I'm eating a non-planned meal or cannot quickly get the nutritional value, these two questions guide me to better choices time and time again.

    This is not about perfection. The small gains matter. I win this battle meal by meal, then day by day. In time, making those "bad" choices feel less tempting as you refine your habits and your taste buds readjust to better food choices.
  • lucstone
    lucstone Posts: 41 Member
    My Dad's "don't waste your food" speech still rings when I leave something on my plate, unless I'm keeping it for left-overs. Another line was "Take what you want, but eat what you take." That's the one I use. When I cook or or hit a salad bar or whatever I make/take only what I know I'll eat. If a cookie left on a plate is from someone else, that's on their head.
  • Unknown
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  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    edited August 2015
    I pre log and pre plan. I love to utilize leftovers for some other delicious meal. For example, if I have leftover taco meat, I add that to zucchini noodles, sautéed veggies and laughing cow and make a meal. If I have leftover roasted vegetables, I use it as a hash and add a runny egg. If I have leftover Chinese food, I make a soup and freeze it and take the rice and freeze that. If I'm pushed to take leftovers at a party, I take the meat and veggies and make a wrap or a burrito and freeze it.
    I don't like to waste food nor do I consider myself a garbage can. You can do this!
  • gummibear64
    gummibear64 Posts: 26 Member
    I have been reading some of the ideas from books by Judith Beck. I plan 150-200 calories for some sort of treat-sweets, cookie, pop, wine or whatever floats my boat. It is part of my logging. If I see something that is leftover or not on my plan, then I do not eat it. I am strengthening my "resistance muscle". I write about that particular victory in my journal the next morning. I have been doing this for the past 45 days and it has made a huge difference. I don't feel deprived.
  • pug11
    pug11 Posts: 23 Member
    I always think about how terrible I feel if I over do it and that usually works, plus I've worked so hard and am so proud of myself for losing this weight and keeping it off, I don't want to gain some back then lose it again, much rather stay at a healthy weight and have so much energy.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    pug11 wrote: »
    I always think about how terrible I feel if I over do it and that usually works, plus I've worked so hard and am so proud of myself for losing this weight and keeping it off, I don't want to gain some back then lose it again, much rather stay at a healthy weight and have so much energy.

    Yep! I try and remember that big heaping of regret the next day after overindulging. It's rarely ever worth it.

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