Eating habit change

How long did it take for you to change your eating habits? Meaning what you eat, not how much. I have a hard time not eating sweets. I will literally go hungry during the day to be able to eat my sweets at night. I have 2 meals a day and sometimes a healthy snack in between, but I'm really careful to have a few hundred calories at night so I can have some ice cream or cake and cookies. I've been at this since August and I still want my sweets. I look forward to them. Any advice?

Replies

  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    If you want your sweets, then have them.

    Nothing wrong with treats if you're getting in your nutrition overall :)

    ~Lyssa
  • mindyrae22
    mindyrae22 Posts: 19 Member
    I am one who believes that as long as it fits into your calories you shouldn't have to pass it up. But if it is just a matter of you wanting to give it up to fit in more healthy foods then I would slowly move yourself away from it. Maybe start at one night a week eating a healthier snack and slowly move to two nights a week and so on. If you are anything like me eventually you won't crave it anymore...or at least not as often :smiley:
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Nothing wrong with treats unless it leads to you eating too many.
    Work treats into your calorie total and all will be well.

    Over time you will start to view food differently, more to fuel your body etc...this takes time though. 2 years at maintenance and I'm finally eating like a thin person, it just takes a while to form lasting habits.
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    If you want your sweets, then have them.

    Nothing wrong with treats if you're getting in your nutrition overall :)

    ~Lyssa

    I agree.. But I can sometimes eat close to 600 cals in sweets. Kinda worries me especially since I don't have many calories to work with.
    mindyrae22 wrote: »
    I am one who believes that as long as it fits into your calories you shouldn't have to pass it up. But if it is just a matter of you wanting to give it up to fit in more healthy foods then I would slowly move yourself away from it. Maybe start at one night a week eating a healthier snack and slowly move to two nights a week and so on. If you are anything like me eventually you won't crave it anymore...or at least not as often :smiley:

    This is great advice, I will definitely try that. Thank you.
    Nothing wrong with treats unless it leads to you eating too many.
    Work treats into your calorie total and all will be well.

    Over time you will start to view food differently, more to fuel your body etc...this takes time though. 2 years at maintenance and I'm finally eating like a thin person, it just takes a while to form lasting habits.

    It doesn't lead me to the point of going over my calories but it is a large amount. I'm looking forward to eating like a thin person :) 50 lbs to go!
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    Can't really say, as I didn't change my eating habits in terms of eliminating any foods at all. I definitely eat things in different amounts, and in smaller portions.
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    rankinsect wrote: »
    Can't really say, as I didn't change my eating habits in terms of eliminating any foods at all. I definitely eat things in different amounts, and in smaller portions.

    I definitely eat my sweets in smaller portions or else I'd be eating my whole days allowance on cake and ice cream lol. And I'm definitely not going to completely eliminate them from my diet. No way. I'd just like it to be less. Not everyday.
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    edited December 2015
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.
  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
    This may not work for you at all, but it does for me. If I start my day with something sweet, I want to continue eating all the sweets all day. So I eat pretty healthy (before anyone bites my head off I know your way is just as healthy as mine) lots of veggies, lean meats, filling starches all day. I save calories for evening when I can indulge in something sweet and delicious before bed. When I do it this way I don't have the longing for sweets all day, and I know I will be able to have what I want later. Lots of people feel the opposite and want to eat the majority of their calories earlier in the day. Just play around and see what works for you.
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.

    That's it. I feel like I don't have control sometimes, which is probably silly since I'd be eating a ton more if I didn't have control. I've also cut down on the sugar during the day. Stopped having muffins and waffles with syrup and started having more eggs and veggies. It's at night that I really go to town (again, within my cals).
    This may not work for you at all, but it does for me. If I start my day with something sweet, I want to continue eating all the sweets all day. So I eat pretty healthy (before anyone bites my head off I know your way is just as healthy as mine) lots of veggies, lean meats, filling starches all day. I save calories for evening when I can indulge in something sweet and delicious before bed. When I do it this way I don't have the longing for sweets all day, and I know I will be able to have what I want later. Lots of people feel the opposite and want to eat the majority of their calories earlier in the day. Just play around and see what works for you.

    This is exactly what I do. I guess I'm just over thinking it all and feeling guilty about the Christmas tree little Debbie cake and the snack size Haagen Das ice cream bar I'm about to have lol.
  • SuzieQzie123
    SuzieQzie123 Posts: 45 Member
    I always have a least a few hundred calories left for the end of the day so if the utge strikes I can have a treat. I just make sure I portion it out and put the rest of it away before I start in. I've even got my husband into this habit instead of eating out of the chip bag or whatever.

    The other week the family was having cheesecake and, for me the calorie count just wasn't worth it so, I took a bite of one of the kids servings and that was it.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.

    Sugar is not addictive...
  • pollypocket1021
    pollypocket1021 Posts: 533 Member
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.

    Why is 15g suddenly the magic roof for sugar? There was another poster who was all upset about going over 15g in another thread a day or two ago. That just seems so arbitrary
  • BurnWithBarn2015
    BurnWithBarn2015 Posts: 1,026 Member
    Make little backs of 50 or 100 calories each that you eat. Put them out on the counter what you are allowed to eat that nite

    I eat a lot of my food in the evening 500 to 700 calories every night.
    I like to snack after dinner so i do

    popcorn. ice, cookie whatever.

    Everything is possible in my "left over" calories. And sometimes i even go over if i want too.

    Eating in the evening after dinner keeps me sane lol
    I relax chill out sit down with a huge bow of popcorn and ice cream

    So its about choices. Just say oke this is what i have left over in calories so this is what i can eat.
    When it makes you happy why not?

    :smiley:

    95069916.png
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.

    Sugar is not addictive...

    I know you weren't addressing me, but I know sugar isn't addictive. I meant that I felt like I wasn't in control of wanting the sweets I have at night.
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    edited December 2015
    Make little backs of 50 or 100 calories each that you eat. Put them out on the counter what you are allowed to eat that nite

    I eat a lot of my food in the evening 500 to 700 calories every night.
    I like to snack after dinner so i do

    popcorn. ice, cookie whatever.

    Everything is possible in my "left over" calories. And sometimes i even go over if i want too.

    Eating in the evening after dinner keeps me sane lol
    I relax chill out sit down with a huge bow of popcorn and ice cream

    So its about choices. Just say oke this is what i have left over in calories so this is what i can eat.
    When it makes you happy why not?

    :smiley:

    95069916.png

    Great advice thx :) I also eat most of my calories at night
  • gardensneeze
    gardensneeze Posts: 44 Member
    I'm the same with alcohol - I save calories for the evenings so I can have a beer or a glass of wine. I make sure that I've planned the allocation earlier in the day. The only thing I'd suggest is to make sure they're the best quality items you can afford, not processed junk. Eat full fat ice cream, really savour it, as with chocolate and try and bake your own cakes and cookies. Savour the small portions and it's more rewarding - fat has a good mouthfeel and is very satisfying. Diet products are useless.
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    I'm the same with alcohol - I save calories for the evenings so I can have a beer or a glass of wine. I make sure that I've planned the allocation earlier in the day. The only thing I'd suggest is to make sure they're the best quality items you can afford, not processed junk. Eat full fat ice cream, really savour it, as with chocolate and try and bake your own cakes and cookies. Savour the small portions and it's more rewarding - fat has a good mouthfeel and is very satisfying. Diet products are useless.

    I soooo believe in this! I use to buy the skinny cow and weight watchers products. I then switched over to the snack size Haagen Das ice cream bars. It's definitely much more satisfying and I don't feel like I need more. Honestly, I really had to stop baking. Baking is my joy.. But, I had no control when it came to my baked goods. I had no stop button. I'm hoping to get control of that so I can start baking again.
  • gardensneeze
    gardensneeze Posts: 44 Member
    I'm the same with alcohol - I save calories for the evenings so I can have a beer or a glass of wine. I make sure that I've planned the allocation earlier in the day. The only thing I'd suggest is to make sure they're the best quality items you can afford, not processed junk. Eat full fat ice cream, really savour it, as with chocolate and try and bake your own cakes and cookies. Savour the small portions and it's more rewarding - fat has a good mouthfeel and is very satisfying. Diet products are useless.

    I soooo believe in this! I use to buy the skinny cow and weight watchers products. I then switched over to the snack size Haagen Das ice cream bars. It's definitely much more satisfying and I don't feel like I need more. Honestly, I really had to stop baking. Baking is my joy.. But, I had no control when it came to my baked goods. I had no stop button. I'm hoping to get control of that so I can start baking again.

    Yikes me too! Baking is actually my passion and downfall. I can't help myself from sticking my fingers in the batter constantly. I love dough! No more baking for me :blush:
  • gardensneeze
    gardensneeze Posts: 44 Member
    I'm the same with alcohol - I save calories for the evenings so I can have a beer or a glass of wine. I make sure that I've planned the allocation earlier in the day. The only thing I'd suggest is to make sure they're the best quality items you can afford, not processed junk. Eat full fat ice cream, really savour it, as with chocolate and try and bake your own cakes and cookies. Savour the small portions and it's more rewarding - fat has a good mouthfeel and is very satisfying. Diet products are useless.

    I soooo believe in this! I use to buy the skinny cow and weight watchers products. I then switched over to the snack size Haagen Das ice cream bars. It's definitely much more satisfying and I don't feel like I need more. Honestly, I really had to stop baking. Baking is my joy.. But, I had no control when it came to my baked goods. I had no stop button. I'm hoping to get control of that so I can start baking again.

    Yikes me too! Baking is actually my passion and downfall. I can't help myself from sticking my fingers in the batter constantly. I love dough! No more baking for me :blush:

    I suppose also when you bake at home, you end up with much more than if you just bought one piece of cake from a bakery!!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.

    Sugar is not addictive...

    I know you weren't addressing me, but I know sugar isn't addictive. I meant that I felt like I wasn't in control of wanting the sweets I have at night.

    I was just pointing that out to that user and did not want it to go unchallenged :)
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    I didn't like the addicted feeling. If you want, you can try leaving sugars out of your diet for 3 days, anything with added sugar. This would include fruit. Track your sugar and keep it at 15g or less. Only eat complex carbs (no refined grains) for those days. You may find this will break the physical addiction feeling.

    Why is 15g suddenly the magic roof for sugar? There was another poster who was all upset about going over 15g in another thread a day or two ago. That just seems so arbitrary

    Who said anything about magic?
    It's just my experience, based on what I understand and applied for myself. It is my answer to this thread. What's your answer?
  • mrsnazario1219
    mrsnazario1219 Posts: 173 Member
    I'm the same with alcohol - I save calories for the evenings so I can have a beer or a glass of wine. I make sure that I've planned the allocation earlier in the day. The only thing I'd suggest is to make sure they're the best quality items you can afford, not processed junk. Eat full fat ice cream, really savour it, as with chocolate and try and bake your own cakes and cookies. Savour the small portions and it's more rewarding - fat has a good mouthfeel and is very satisfying. Diet products are useless.

    I soooo believe in this! I use to buy the skinny cow and weight watchers products. I then switched over to the snack size Haagen Das ice cream bars. It's definitely much more satisfying and I don't feel like I need more. Honestly, I really had to stop baking. Baking is my joy.. But, I had no control when it came to my baked goods. I had no stop button. I'm hoping to get control of that so I can start baking again.

    Yikes me too! Baking is actually my passion and downfall. I can't help myself from sticking my fingers in the batter constantly. I love dough! No more baking for me :blush:

    I suppose also when you bake at home, you end up with much more than if you just bought one piece of cake from a bakery!!

    This exactly! Just can't help myself :(
  • sandsofarabia
    sandsofarabia Posts: 95 Member
    I think somewhere between a week and two weeks, my cravings really reduce. Even now I actually said no to an oreo that someone suggested.

    In a month I would say those cravings are very very small. They never really go away and that's the sucky part but I've finally learned how to say no right away and not think about it much.
  • LuckyAndi
    LuckyAndi Posts: 203 Member
    My eating habits go back and forth. I'll eat salads and lean meats and fruits for a couple weeks then the next couple will be fast foods, tons of breads, and all the salty things I can stand. It's not on purpose, that's just how it happens for me. I'd like it to be more consistent, but I've lost 15lbs since August, so I won't complain too much.