Keeping mind off unhealthy food
nagdha
Posts: 30 Member
How do you distract yourself when you crave for junk foods?
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Replies
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What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
I Agree staying under calorie limit.but I have reached my calories goal and now I want to have a pack of cookies:-(
Have to zip my mouth1 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
I Agree staying under calorie limit.but I have reached my calories goal and now I want to have a pack of cookies:-(
Have to zip my mouth
Why not have one cookie instead of a pack? You can always exercise to add more calories to your day, or plan ahead to fit them in.6 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
I Agree staying under calorie limit.but I have reached my calories goal and now I want to have a pack of cookies:-(
Have to zip my mouth
I know that feeling and just one cookie isn't enough. I know if I open that pack of cookies I'll eat more than one. So I make sure there's none in the house and have healthy alternatives instead. Usually if I'm craving something and not hungry I know it's because I'm bored so try doing something else or make a cup of tea or something.12 -
whenever I crave cookies - i buy a bag and then immediately divide that bag up into the individual serving sizes and get rid of the big bag - so there is only ever a small bag around for me to eat - i do the same with chocolate and candy5
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
I think this is good advice. Often thinking of something as forbidden fruit (usually not fruit these days, unless someone has demonized bananas, I guess) makes you focus on it and crave/miss it more.
Another thing that works for me is focusing on what I want to eat (balanced meals with delicious tastes, plenty of protein and vegetables) and reminding myself how much I am looking forward to the foods I have planned for the day. Also, timing. My main issue with wanting to go off plan was that I was in the habit of snacking during the day when something turned up at my office or otherwise was suggested. Focusing on the schedule that works for me (regular meals, not much snacking, and only planned snacks when I do) got rid of the temptation to just eat something in the middle of the day because it was there. Now if I do I make a trade-off, but nothing is off limits and if I really want something I will schedule/plan it in (often have ice cream after dinner, for example).1 -
I do two things: I make sure that I get to, say, within 100 calories of my goal with loads of healthy, filling foods so I'm not hungry at the end of the day.
And then I take those 100 cals and I eat 100 cals worth of whatever I please. So maybe instead of munching on a whole pack of cookies I nibble at one or two (and make them last aaaages).
But: if you're still feeling really hungry and can't get your mind off food after you've eaten your calories, maybe it's time to either look at the kinds of food you're eating or to recalculate? When I started on MFP, it told me to eat 1200 a day. Three weeks later and I was OBSESSED with food. I didn't feel full after my meals, I basically spent my days daydreaming about food, and I was feeling really tired. It wasn't gonna be sustainable. So I upped my exercise, upped my base cals to 1300/day, eat back half my exercise cals, started paying a ton of attention to eating foods that make me feel fuller and now I feel a ton better and only spend, like, half my time daydreaming about cake and cookies
And yeah, that extra 100 cals/day means my weight loss is a little slower. Technically. But I'd rather have a slower loss that I can happily sustain for months on end than a slightly faster one that makes me want to give up after only a few weeks
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Most often, I follow the craving and have a little bit. I know it doesn't sound realistic, like having one cookie, but I find taking my time to snack on it prevents me from eating an entire package. One way to not end up eating the "junk" is to not keep any in the house and refuse to go out to get it...never shop when you're hungry, it always leads me to make poor choices.4
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In my experience I like to either eat smaller portions of said "junky" foods, Emulate the foods i can't fit into my calories, or the foods i just absolutely cannot control myself around i don't keep them around/make them more difficult to get.
You can start by having more enticing beautiful foods around the house that you want to eat. Think things like this:
etc. etc. etc.
So to recap, eat delicious foods you love. If you have one food item you can't fit into your calories, try to make a lower calorie version of it. If you can't moderate certain foods, don't keep them around. Try and keep more enticing calorie friendly foods around instead.7 -
i have always told myself i will not go hungry , i grab an apple or piece of fruit if i just cant help myself
Good luck0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »In my experience I like to either eat smaller portions of said "junky" foods, Emulate the foods i can't fit into my calories, or the foods i just absolutely cannot control myself around i don't keep them around/make them more difficult to get.
You can start by having more enticing beautiful foods around the house that you want to eat. Think things like this:
etc. etc. etc.
So to recap, eat delicious foods you love. If you have one food item you can't fit into your calories, try to make a lower calorie version of it. If you can't moderate certain foods, don't keep them around. Try and keep more enticing calorie friendly foods around instead.
Just a side note that fruit is pretty calorie dense-I can have a cookie for less calories than say an apple. And if I'm in the mood for a cookie, all the fruit or pudding in the world isn't going to cut it-I'd just end up eating that and then still wanting the cookie
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I don't label foods as junk or unhealthy unless they are contanimated, allergens, or taste bad.
I plan to eat foods I like everyday so they fit in my goals. I have 100-300 calories for snacks. 2 cookies instead of a package.
Divide larger containers into individual portions right away.
I don't buy foods I can not moderate- like goldfish crackers. They are not worth the money or calories. There are very few foods I can not moderate.3 -
I went cold turkey. I eliminated ALL refined carbs and sugary junk foods for a few weeks. Then added back some healthier alternatives (100% whole grain bread, low sugar snacks etc.). By the time I added back the healthier carb foods my cravings were gone. That was 14 years ago. The sugary snacks I used to eat DAILY (several times daily) no longer appeal to me. Best thing I ever did for me.6
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
This. I still keep to some of the habits I had before losing weight (fast food on Thursday nights, pizza Friday nights, and dessert almost every night that's usually ice cream). I just now make lower calorie choices and watch my portion sizes.4 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »In my experience I like to either eat smaller portions of said "junky" foods, Emulate the foods i can't fit into my calories, or the foods i just absolutely cannot control myself around i don't keep them around/make them more difficult to get.
You can start by having more enticing beautiful foods around the house that you want to eat. Think things like this:
etc. etc. etc.
So to recap, eat delicious foods you love. If you have one food item you can't fit into your calories, try to make a lower calorie version of it. If you can't moderate certain foods, don't keep them around. Try and keep more enticing calorie friendly foods around instead.
Just a side note that fruit is pretty calorie dense-I can have a cookie for less calories than say an apple. And if I'm in the mood for a cookie, all the fruit or pudding in the world isn't going to cut it-I'd just end up eating that and then still wanting the cookie
the problem for me is that I can eat like... 6-8 cookies before i'm satisfied. LOL
While some fruit is calorie dense, most are filled with fiber and water. As stated, if you can fit it into your calories, do it. If you cant, do a lower cal. And if you're like me where you can go to town on 600 calories worth of cookies in 5 minutes... try some dang fruit!
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rainbowbow wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »In my experience I like to either eat smaller portions of said "junky" foods, Emulate the foods i can't fit into my calories, or the foods i just absolutely cannot control myself around i don't keep them around/make them more difficult to get.
You can start by having more enticing beautiful foods around the house that you want to eat. Think things like this:
etc. etc. etc.
So to recap, eat delicious foods you love. If you have one food item you can't fit into your calories, try to make a lower calorie version of it. If you can't moderate certain foods, don't keep them around. Try and keep more enticing calorie friendly foods around instead.
Just a side note that fruit is pretty calorie dense-I can have a cookie for less calories than say an apple. And if I'm in the mood for a cookie, all the fruit or pudding in the world isn't going to cut it-I'd just end up eating that and then still wanting the cookie
the problem for me is that I can eat like... 6-8 cookies before i'm satisfied. LOL
While some fruit is calorie dense, most are filled with fiber and water. As stated, if you can fit it into your calories, do it. If you cant, do a lower cal. And if you're like me where you can go to town on 600 calories worth of cookies in 5 minutes... try some dang fruit!
This is me. I find an apple is a filling snack that will tide me over between meals, but a cookie isn't. They both have places in my diet, but don't fill the same role. I have a cookie or two at the end of the day, when I'm full from my dinner and just want a little something sweet.3 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »In my experience I like to either eat smaller portions of said "junky" foods, Emulate the foods i can't fit into my calories, or the foods i just absolutely cannot control myself around i don't keep them around/make them more difficult to get.
You can start by having more enticing beautiful foods around the house that you want to eat. Think things like this:
etc. etc. etc.
So to recap, eat delicious foods you love. If you have one food item you can't fit into your calories, try to make a lower calorie version of it. If you can't moderate certain foods, don't keep them around. Try and keep more enticing calorie friendly foods around instead.
Just a side note that fruit is pretty calorie dense-I can have a cookie for less calories than say an apple. And if I'm in the mood for a cookie, all the fruit or pudding in the world isn't going to cut it-I'd just end up eating that and then still wanting the cookie
the problem for me is that I can eat like... 6-8 cookies before i'm satisfied. LOL
While some fruit is calorie dense, most are filled with fiber and water. As stated, if you can fit it into your calories, do it. If you cant, do a lower cal. And if you're like me where you can go to town on 600 calories worth of cookies in 5 minutes... try some dang fruit!
This is me. I find an apple is a filling snack that will tide me over between meals, but a cookie isn't. They both have places in my diet, but don't fill the same role. I have a cookie or two at the end of the day, when I'm full from my dinner and just want a little something sweet.
Yeah, this is basically me too.1 -
I've got a box of small sized potato chips and some snack sized Mars and Snickers at home. If I can fit it in my calories, I have a bag of chips. If I didn't have them, then I'd hit the store for a family sized bag and eat half of it. Even Ice Cream, I'm weighing out a portion instead of hitting up DQ for a Peanut Buster Parfait. Not having them in the house isn't the answer for me because if I'm craving something, I will go and get it one way or another.
You need to find what works for you and stick to it. Everyone is different and what works for me does not work for others.
Big thing is to log it all regardless of what it makes your day look like.4 -
I eat a little junk every day! Candy or chips or whatever. I make sure I already have my protein in, and plenty of vegetables and usually some fruit and some yogurt.
I get less than 1400 calories a day and manage this.2 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
If you really want to lose some weight fast then you should visit my website, has everything you need
This website we're currently on has everything one needs to lose weight. What does your website have that can't be found here?1 -
I don't classify foods as good or bad. If I crave something then I find a way to work it into my goals. I don't actually crave a lot of what some consider "junk" foods because knowing that I can have them if I want them makes it easy not to eat them if I don't have room for them.0
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janejellyroll wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
If you really want to lose some weight fast then you should visit my website, has everything you need
This website we're currently on has everything one needs to lose weight. What does your website have that can't be found here?
Well our products have a 3 week programme where you can lose 12-25 pounds in body fat... If not the you are guaranteed your money back
So someone can eat whatever they'd like, add your products, and lose 12-25 pounds in 3 weeks?
You don't even know what I weigh now. How can you be so confident that I could lose 12-25 pounds of body fat in 3 weeks. I weigh 108 pounds -- you sound either dangerously misinformed or like a total scam artist.5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »What's worked for me is not labeling any kinds of foods 'junk/unhealthy'. I eat what I like and just stay within my calorie goals. Have had great success doing things this way, and I'm in excellent health with a current bmi of 21
If you really want to lose some weight fast then you should visit my website, has everything you need
This website we're currently on has everything one needs to lose weight. What does your website have that can't be found here?
Well our products have a 3 week programme where you can lose 12-25 pounds in body fat... If not the you are guaranteed your money back
No one needs to lose 12-25 pounds in 3 weeks. I think I'll stick to mfp which promotes healthy weight loss and is free, no need for a money back guarantee.3 -
Thank you all for your replies. I can't quit buying cookies and chips as my husband n kid devour it.
How did u all get that moment when u were able to say ' that's enough' to yourself instead of munching. I really want to be mindful but I feel stressed rather than being happy about making healthy choices.0 -
Thank you all for your replies. I can't quit buying cookies and chips as my husband n kid devour it.
How did u all get that moment when u were able to say ' that's enough' to yourself instead of munching. I really want to be mindful but I feel stressed rather than being happy about making healthy choices.
I'm sorry, but, why do your children and husband need chips and cookies?
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Thank you all for your replies. I can't quit buying cookies and chips as my husband n kid devour it.
How did u all get that moment when u were able to say ' that's enough' to yourself instead of munching. I really want to be mindful but I feel stressed rather than being happy about making healthy choices.
In the very beginning of my weight loss attempt this past year, I asked my husband to put his chips and so on, in the garage. I didn't want to see them and I didn't want the kids to see them. The kids didn't need them either. They had plenty of food as it was.
Then my husband got on board with weight loss (I didn't ask him to). We simply stopped buying chips for the most part, and stopped buying loads of ice cream (this was only temporary).
Later, we both began to add these back into our diets and it was easy to control them knowing we COULD have some, within our calorie goals. But stopping the CONSTANT eat-a-thon was crucial, for me. I mean my husband was literally lying on his back with food propped on his stomach eating from 8:00 at night (when he gets home) until midnight. I had to see it, I had to smell it, I had to hear the crunching and "MMMMMMMMMM this is SOOOOOOOO good" for hours every single night, night after night. It was unbearable to me. Until he got on board I wasn't really able to do it.
But my point is, do your kids need that amount of snacks any more than you do? Even if they're not overweight, what child "needs" chips and candy with every meal and for snacks? (I'm not saying that's what you're doing, I'm just saying, why not keep the treats as treats?) You do the shopping, not them...right? So don't buy the stuff. If your husband screams and cries because there are no Doritos ask him to go out and buy some (or pick some up on the way home from work) and nicely and sincerely ask him to keep them in some place you won't see them every time you open the cupboard. Doesn't he love you? Wouldn't he listen if you calmly and sincerely told him you are struggling AND that you don't want the kids to have an overweight future, too? (As for him, he's a grownup. He can do what he wants to do. But he doesn't *have* to do it directly in front of you nor demand that the cupboards be jammed with cookies, does he?)
I know there will be lots of people who smugly say "Nobody's forcing the food into your mouth" so I am not saying this is the answer for everyone, but you say you are struggling, so I really feel this could help.
As I said...we do eat "junk" (as you call it) in my house. But we don't have bags and bags and boxes and boxes of Doritos and cookies overflowing every cabinet. Who needs it? Not us. Not our kids. Our kids get plenty of fun foods PLUS their little treats here or there and so do we (the grown-ups) and that is fine for us.
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rainbowbow wrote: »Thank you all for your replies. I can't quit buying cookies and chips as my husband n kid devour it.
How did u all get that moment when u were able to say ' that's enough' to yourself instead of munching. I really want to be mindful but I feel stressed rather than being happy about making healthy choices.
I'm sorry, but, why do your children and husband need chips and cookies?rainbowbow wrote: »Thank you all for your replies. I can't quit buying cookies and chips as my husband n kid devour it.
How did u all get that moment when u were able to say ' that's enough' to yourself instead of munching. I really want to be mindful but I feel stressed rather than being happy about making healthy choices.
I'm sorry, but, why do your children and husband need chips and cookies?
They eat in moderation.so it's allowed in our home.1 -
Thank you all for your replies. I can't quit buying cookies and chips as my husband n kid devour it.
How did u all get that moment when u were able to say ' that's enough' to yourself instead of munching. I really want to be mindful but I feel stressed rather than being happy about making healthy choices.
It helps me to log them before I eat them. Sometimes I'll log it and then look at the calorie count and delete them and not eat it after all. I also eat stuff like that slowly so I can really enjoy it.1 -
they devour cookies/chips and they eat in moderation...those two statements are kind of at odds with each other aren't they?0
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deannalfisher wrote: »they devour cookies/chips and they eat in moderation...those two statements are kind of at odds with each other aren't they?
I was thinking the same thing...
What's wrong with them having *some* treats and you having *some* treats (within your calorie limit), OP?
If they're not crunching cookies *all* the time then the cookies won't be in your face, and all of you can have three cookies for dessert at night or whatever.
If they're devouring then it sounds like you're talking bout a whole butt-ton of cookies everywhere and again...who needs that? Of course, if a grown-up wants that...well, a grown-up can eat what she wants to eat. But kids? I don't care how "naturally" children are supposed to know what "their bodies need" (as I've heard many people say), I am going to oversee what my kids eat...period. When they're 18, if they want to go on The Cookie Diet, well, have at it, kids.
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