"You can eat whaver you want, as long as you eat at a deficit" is true, but it's garbage advice.
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I'm confused here... if I "eat whatever I want" but stay under my daily allowance, I won't lose weight? So the science is bad? Or is the science just bad for people who don't actually stick to the plan?16
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Whatever floats your boat Op meanwhile I'm going to continue to eat my chocolate bars, ice cream, and small slices of cake, and I'm also going to get an ice cream bowl from menchies. Everything can be eaten in moderation for me it's all about portion size.19
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I can but agree with Tacklewasher here. I spent years dieting unsuccessfully because carrots fundamentally did nothing when what I was craving was cheese. Now I have a snack size portion of cheese, eat it mindfully and really savour it, and there's no guilt, no shame, and no real feeling of deprivation.
My key understanding has been the extent to which hunger is psychological. If I expect to feel hungry, I'll feel hungry. And if I eat foods that should satisfy my body but don't satisfy my mind, I'll DEFINITELY feel hungry!
So yeah, I'll have one slice of pizza, or one chocolate, or one macaroon and store the rest for later. It turns out it's not difficult at all. And I'm happier, and not particularly hungry, and learning good habits for when I near a weight I'm happy with. And also, seven and a half stone lighter...29 -
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I don't deprive myself of anything. I just stay in my calorie allowance. I am now 138 at 5'9".13
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You need to learn what works for you but you need to remember it must be sustainable.
Maybe just focus on being comfortable with smaller portions for now without bothering to count calories or anything? Learn to incorporate both 'light calorie' food with whatever food you like so you can have your "junk food" while feeling full? Have less satisfying meals and keep "junk food" as snacks? Look at caloric intake over a week, two weeks, even a month instead of a day? As long as you have an average deficit, you're at a deficit. Maybe exercise a bit so you can have a bit more calories while sticking to your goal.
I'm still a fat person, living as a fat person. I've got a long way to go. The only times it's hard to stick to my calories are when I am eating out, and cannot plan ahead (i.e. when I cannot look up the nutritional information beforehand). Yeah, I'm probably going over my calories some then since it'll vary, but I have a general idea, and leave enough wiggle room. I also look at calories over time, not just per day, so it's fine to go over every now, and then. I just eat a little less the days before and/or after.
If I'm at home, I don't find it hard to stick to it. The food I eat is all processed/frozen "junk". I've just learnt better portion control. I pack little 100-calorie baggies of chips, nuts, etc. beforehand, so I can just grab one when I feel like. I add more vegetables to my meals since the fibre helps, and it pads out the meals some. I still eat what I enjoy, I've just changed how, and how much.
Some times I want more food/snacks, but I give it a bit. Usually after about 10-15 minutes, I find I don't. And honestly, I've been surprised by how much I can eat while eating whatever I want, and sticking to my goal.
Today's lunch was a slice of pizza, 3 honey BBQ wings, and some carrots. I didn't feel starved, I didn't feel like that wasn't a meal. I felt content with that. I had food I liked, in quantities that were satisfying to me.
That said, there are some foods that I cannot have because I will binge. I haven't learnt to control that yet. Mind you, it's only one type of food (candy coated nuts) that I didn't eat often so it's not a big deal.
It's about figuring out how to make it work for you, and possibly making the changes a little at a time. Any change towards reducing your caloric intake is a good one.11 -
Detritus_1965 wrote: »
LOL.13 -
I don't eat anywhere near "clean" and I'm never starving. Down 93 lbs... oh? And I'm healthy as *kitten*. Latest physical lab results came back all great.
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PIZZA FRIDAYS BABY!
down just shy of 60 pounds and still losing. I enjoy a couple slices every Friday without fail and it hasn't stopped me. and for the record I'm not one of those who forgot what its like to be fat cause I still am, but I am one of those that realized that this if for life and not temporary and life has room for pizza, burgers, ice cream etc.21 -
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Op, have you considered eating more snacks that are already portioned? that way you won't overindulge in eating more and More. I personally don't buy the small size candy bars at all. I tend to buy one chocolate bar if I want it. If I want pizza I get a tortilla, add cheese, meat, and veggies, so I'm not tempted to eat a full box of pizza. I can make a regular pizza as well with dough, but I make a small sized pizza. I allow myself to not have other portions available for me. Also for ice cream I get the HALO too ice cream omg it's great, and if you can finish it all if you're counting calories.
But if eating what you like in moderation doesn't work for you than you don't have to. I just think for me it would be a cruel existence not to be able to eat it. I also eat chocolate as well grabbed 3 Hershey kisses from the office today.4 -
For me as for many others, it was the "you can't have that" that made me binge. Then I would continue to compulsively overeat, because I already felt like a failure. Feeling free to allow myself whatever I want whenever I want as long as I stay within my calories, or even, on occasion, eat more, if I decide so myself, removed so much stress and worry - I don't think you can imagine how that shift feels. Now I am in charge. I take responsibility for my own eating. I feel no urge to eat and eat just to eat anymore. I never eat anything I don't like. And I have come to like so many things, that I never dreamed I would eat regularly. I also feel fine after I've eaten. And I eat more healthily than ever, maybe more healthily than most.
I think it's one of the best pieces of advice one can give to a person who struggles with food and eating.16 -
The_Enginerd wrote: »
Cosigned.13 -
"People don't want to eat one slice of pizza; they want to eat a meal." Uhhh, I'm from NYC so a slice of pizza is a meal. Sometimes I'll get a slice of pizza from my favorite local place and fix up a salad to go with it. Other times I have the calorie allowance to eat a whole frozen pizza or whole thin crust pizza from Domino's by myself and I'm 114 pounds. If I can be able to do that at my weight, I know others can at theirs.
The point, as others have said, is moderation. In addition, it's about learning how to change habits and lifestyles. A slice or two of pizza is indeed a meal. Eating an entire pizza is usually a meal...for a family. That is unless someone has the calorie allowance for it. Overeating and poor portion control is what got most people needing to lose weight in the first place. If the only way you can be successful is by going balls to the wall and give up everything, then do what you have to I guess.20 -
good luck whatever approach you use!
I did lose 30 pounds here between 12 & 14 and have basically kept it off, and it was by counting every calorie. i did eat (within moderation) anything I wanted, including drinking almost every day between 8 and 20 ounces of real, sugary coke (my one vice!). I did slide off the wagon in part of '15 and '16 about logging, but did keep the weight off for which I was grateful. Only this past Christmas did I gain 5 pounds, but I have already taken off about 3. I did start logging again 2 weeks ago, as I really would like to lose another 40 pounds. I plan to do it the same way. It probably doesn't work for everyone, but not cutting out my favorite foods helps me succeed at this. However, a note to anyone in a similar boat, before I started back 2 weeks ago, I was having WAY TOO MUCH sugar. Somehow I had just gravitated back to that, a trap I had been in before MFP or Sparkpeople, so I did cut out pop altogether for 4 days, and then went to only 8 oz. every few days. I also have not had a cookie or any candy in almost 2 weeks. I did have one piece of birthday cake a few days ago. I'm still doing ok. One day at a time!
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I had a whole pizza for dinner tonight. It was homemade thin crust made with regular white flour, homemade sauce made with crushed tomatoes and olive oil, regular mozzarella cheese, regular pepperoni, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. No 'diet' ingredients! It had 629 calories and fit very easily into my daily caloric goal of 2,258 calories. I also had a plain glazed donut with my mid-morning tea. It fit into my calories. I ate 10 jelly beans before my afternoon workout. They fit into my daily goal, too.
Breakfast was homemade granola and Greek yogurt. Lunch was stir fry with lots of veggies and a little lean steak.
I still have 458 calories available to eat before I go to bed tonight.
I *definitely* think there is a way to balance what you should eat with what you like to eat. It's worked beautifully for me!
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The_Enginerd wrote: »
This is incorrect.38 -
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lemurcat12 wrote: »The_Enginerd wrote: »
This is incorrect.
Agreed. BBQ chicken pizza with green peppers, onions, and pineapple is a gift from the universe.14
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