How do you give up your biggest downfalls?

No need to give up anything. Moderation is the key. However, if restricting something in the short term helps you develop better habits, I see nothing wrong with that either.

Trying MFP yet again after several false starts last year...! My big weaknesses are alcohol and fast food. I've cut fast food completely for January, with the instruction I'm not allowed to order a pizza/go in a KFC before 1 February. (I don't eat McD's/Burger King anyway.) That's a big difference from twice a week! I hope that when I see how much better I feel, and how much money I've saved, that will encourage me to stay away from the naughty fast food - and having a deadline (not just "never again") means it's much easier to actually do it as I can see an end date. The idea of course is that by the time I get there, I won't want to start again

For booze, I'm down with smaller amounts/moderation. Him Indoors and I agreed we would stop drinking at home on school nights, so I can still have a glass of wine with the roast on a Saturday, or a beer after rehearsal on a Thursday. That's a vast improvement from drinking basically every night. We were suckers for the "well we opened the bottle to add it to the bolognese, we might as well have a glass" (then you have another glass, of course) way of thinking. So to avoid that I got a few of those little tiny single-portion bottles for cooking with!

Moderation and figuring out how to work it into daily calorie allotment while making sure nutrition is strong enough to keep you feeling full. Generally for me that means I don't have my favorite stuff every day or all at once but I spread it out. I still get to have it, just in a more controlled fashion.

Chocolate is my "downfall" too. Right now I'm not eating chocolate, I just don't trust myself to eat only one or two squares of dark chocolate (and milk chocolate, forget it!) I do find the a cup of sugar free hot cocoa (60 cal) each night as my evening snack is working to meet my ongoing craving.

I took a couple month's break from fast food. When I then indulged in a fast food meal, it tasted disgusting. Tasted like a saltburger, rancid fries, and sugar water. Blech!

AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »

The first thing you need to give up is the idea that you have a "biggest downfall." Anything that you use as an excuse crutch is going to hold you back. That is a mental thing, and not the fault of chocolate or soda.

That being said, limiting yourself to once a week indulgence or to a small 28 gram weighed piece of chocolate a day is a good start. Food scales are awesome at helping with moderation.

And switch to La Croix water if you think you're drinking too much soda. Those are tasty.

Totally second the La Croix. Those thinks rock my socks off!

Rather than giving them up, I a) allow them occasionally in smaller increments fitting into my calorie allowance or b) stay away from the temptation. I think its good to acknowledge a weakness, we all have them. I drink a lot of diet soda - I don't restrict it but I do make an effort to drink more water. Which indirectly limits my soda consumption. And when it comes to certain things (chips & salsa, Twizzler Nibs) I know no limit. So I don't often allow myself to be in a situation to face those challenges. For Twizzler Nibs, I don't buy them. I will eat the whole bag even though I know I'm going to feel sick to my stomach about 15 minutes after the last bite. And I don't often go to restaurants that serve all you can eat chips & salsa!

hopefullyfitt wrote: »

Mine are chocolate and soft drink.

When moderation isn't an option, you have to not buy the trigger or keep it in the house.

i switched to zero calorie sodas and dont have them often (used to drink 4-6 dr peppers a day a minimum!)

other stuff i make work within my calorie goals. alcohol, chocolate, eating out... i do all of it all the time

williams969 wrote: »

I love savory fast foods. Like burgers, tacos, and pizza! I eat smaller portions, with veggies on the side to fill me up. Giving these up was never a consideration for me.

Potato chips/crisps are hard for me to moderate, though. I do admit even after a year of maintenance, I still need to buy these by the single serving packet, else I won't stop until I hit the bottom. Such salty, greasy heaven...why do I love you so?

This! I'm learning I have to do the same thing as well. I switched from regular chips to Kettle chips and I'll still finish the bag of Kettle. Lately, I have been purchasing 1 individual bag at a time. It's more expensive but it keeps me honest.

changeNeeded87 wrote: »

williams969 wrote: »

I love savory fast foods. Like burgers, tacos, and pizza! I eat smaller portions, with veggies on the side to fill me up. Giving these up was never a consideration for me.

Potato chips/crisps are hard for me to moderate, though. I do admit even after a year of maintenance, I still need to buy these by the single serving packet, else I won't stop until I hit the bottom. Such salty, greasy heaven...why do I love you so?

This! I'm learning I have to do the same thing as well. I switched from regular chips to Kettle chips and I'll still finish the bag of Kettle. Lately, I have been purchasing 1 individual bag at a time. It's more expensive but it keeps me honest.

are you talking the less fat kettle chips or the baked ones? I highly recommend the Kettle brand baked chips. They are seriously the only baked chip I have ever had where I couldn't tell that they were baked. They have a wonderful crunch and flavor.

Moderation through good planning. Setting yourself up to succeed, not fail.

Example: I love Oreos with milk. I don't keep them in the house or I will eat them up. Maybe not a whole package at once (thankfully) but they would "bother me" until I managed to have 6-8 every night with milk and over the course of 2 weeks I'd eat them all and they are not very nutritious and pack quite a calorie punch to boot. So no. A few times a year when I really crave them, I specifically go and buy a six-cookie packet or a roll of nine cookies, maybe, from the convenience store and a little carton of milk and go to town.

Another sweets related example: My husband and I are ice cream, chocolate, donut loving people unfortunately. If we have NO treat type food in the house, we run the risk (especially when busy and stressed) of "treating ourselves" by going out for ice cream or something. While that's fine & good occasionally...we can't do that 3 times a week! So we keep things in the house that we can control ourselves around, like tiny Biscoff or Biscolata cookies that we can actually have 2 cookies with a cup of hot tea or coffee and feel satisfied.

Stuff like that has really helped. Planning ahead for meals helps so much too, whether it's a list/outline for the week ahead or purposely eating a small, super-nutritious breakfast and lunch when I know I'm meeting friends for a burger and beer that night.

I just cut back on my favorite not-so-healthy things and moderate my portions. For those "trigger" foods - I just don't buy them or let them get near me.

There's no way I'm giving up what I love. That would be sad. So I had to learn moderation because I figured that one delicious chocolate (or two for smaller ones) is better than none. Life is too short not to enjoy delicious food.

I did give up what isn't worth the calories though, like sub par treats, bad quality chocolate, or high calorie drinks (heck I don't drink any calories anymore).

I agree with everyone on here who says moderation is the key. HOWEVER- I do keep trigger food out of the house as much as possible- I can't just eat a few potato chips (pringles especially) and cookies- I find it hard to stop eating them if they are good and especially if I come home and I'm hungry. So yes, moderation is the key, and hopefully I will be able to eat just a few chips or cookies at some point, but for now I don't buy them for the most part.