Been eating crap lately. Help!
white0rabbit0
Posts: 21 Member
I can't seem to find the discipline to eat right and everyday I'm looking for excuses to not workout. I've lost 10lbs so for with mfp and have gained noticeable muscle mass. I want to continue to lose at least 20lbs more but every time I go grocery shopping, all I want is junk and can't even think of anything healthy I would want to eat.
I have noticed a huge difference in my mood and overall health. I'm tired and that makes me want even more bad food. I feel as if I'm just spiraling out of control at this point. How can I stop this and get back on track? I've always heard the last 10/15 pounds are the hardest to lose but damn this is rough.
I have noticed a huge difference in my mood and overall health. I'm tired and that makes me want even more bad food. I feel as if I'm just spiraling out of control at this point. How can I stop this and get back on track? I've always heard the last 10/15 pounds are the hardest to lose but damn this is rough.
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Replies
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Are you going grocery shopping while hungry? I find that I make much better choices when I go after a full meal. Weird, huh?
Could it be that you're actually under your calorie requirement and the hunger signals are actually real?3 -
How are you defining junk foods ?
Good whole fats are really filling...and stay with you for a nice long time.
... what specifically do you crave I'll try to brainstorm alternatives.1 -
Well I usually am full when going to the grocery store. I think it has been me just being in an emotional funk I can't shake. And mostly I crave salty chips and pizza. Cheese anything and breads. I've tried eating salads and I can't do it. I usually LOVE salads.2
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Also I am eating my required calories according to mfp. I haven't gained weight but I've stopped losing it1
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Is it PMS? Make air popped popcorn at home with kernels in a brown paper bag. Make some kind of cheesy pizza alternative. Also, just be good in the grocery store
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It's not but pms definitely messes with my diet. I usually go through at least one bottle of rosé around that time.0
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I feel your pain! Peanuts in the shell are addicting and I have waaay too many open bags of chips lying around! It's a slippery slope...once you cave, it's easy to cave again. Grrrrrr!2
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You are so right! I have a big bag of pistachios and I have to remind myself that just because they are healthy doesn't mean I can eat the whole bag.0
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The first time i hit my goal (I'm back at it again) - that last 7 was just brutal. i started skipping rest days of cardio and running sprints. I would sprint for 20 seconds... walk for 5.... sprint for 20... walk for 5. It didn't take long. After about 10 minutes of that i was exhausted, but the heart was racing and the sweat was pouring. I need to do it again soon. Good luck!1
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That sound rough but like an awesome workout!0
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do you use a food scale to weigh all your portions?
are you logging everything?
using correct MFP database entries?
are you eating back 100% of your exercise burned calories?1 -
Does your local grocery have a shopping service? I can place an order online with our local Kroger's and then just pick it up without having to actually 'shop'.
I don't use it every time but if grocery shopping is giving you anxieties/where you go wrong it could help remove some temptation.1 -
Are you logging things before you eat them? Sometimes if I want something yummy I will log it first to see what it does to the rest of my day (how many calories are left) and that will change my mind! Create a healthy meal plan and list for the week before you go grocery shopping.0
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rolenthegreat wrote: »Does your local grocery have a shopping service? I can place an order online with our local Kroger's and then just pick it up without having to actually 'shop'.
I don't use it every time but if grocery shopping is giving you anxieties/where you go wrong it could help remove some temptation.
I love this idea!! I do really good with my food service, but the second I walk into a grocery store, there is 2-3 times the amount of food I came in to buy!0 -
Try veggies with a salty dip? I make my own. Cottage cheese and artichokes/spinach, spices, blended well. Great protein boost and relatively low-calorie.0
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I do log everything I eat however I don't have a good scale. And I usually only eat half the calories I've burned from exercise.
I do have a local grocery store that has a program like that.0 -
Maybe I should do a small fast to help kickstart my healthy eating habit again.0
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This may be something absolutely not relevant, but i'm going to chuck it in their anyway as an example of how it can really help to 'know' your body; it sounds like you are craving salty, carby foods and I ALWAYS get that the day after drinking, or if I am overly tired. Are you drinking in the evenings, or are you getting enough sleep (sometimes even just getting an hour less than i'm used to over three or four consecutive nights can have the 'tired' effect even if i'm not physically falling asleep at my desk)? If I go grocery shopping with a lack of sleep I always reach for the junk-y, comforting food. Maybe there is something out of whack with your routine having an effect you are consciously unaware of? Just something to maybe consider. Anyway, good luck 1
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white0rabbit0 wrote: »I do log everything I eat however I don't have a good scale. And I usually only eat half the calories I've burned from exercise.
I do have a local grocery store that has a program like that.
Get a food scale and weigh everything....eyeballing portions results in 25-35% error rate in logging...1 -
white0rabbit0 wrote: »I can't seem to find the discipline to eat right and everyday I'm looking for excuses to not workout. I've lost 10lbs so for with mfp and have gained noticeable muscle mass. I want to continue to lose at least 20lbs more but every time I go grocery shopping, all I want is junk and can't even think of anything healthy I would want to eat.
I have noticed a huge difference in my mood and overall health. I'm tired and that makes me want even more bad food. I feel as if I'm just spiraling out of control at this point. How can I stop this and get back on track? I've always heard the last 10/15 pounds are the hardest to lose but damn this is rough.
You're human! We all go through something similar to this from time to time. I have children in the home so I still buy snacks and things that they enjoy occasionally so it's easy to want those things. Hang in there. You're doing great! You've come a long way.0 -
When I feel drained or I need something for an energy boost I eat an apple. Its the fruit that seems to give me a quick boost of energy. Try a natural form of simple carbs (any fruit) for energy. Much better than greasy pizza and salted greasy chips lol I love those too I just make sure they are within parameters!0
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white0rabbit0 wrote: »I do log everything I eat however I don't have a good scale. And I usually only eat half the calories I've burned from exercise.
I do have a local grocery store that has a program like that.
Get a food scale and weigh everything....eyeballing portions results in 25-35% error rate in logging...
QFT. Instead of a fast, OP, buy a food scale. Trust us.
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white0rabbit0 wrote: »Maybe I should do a small fast to help kickstart my healthy eating habit again.
Hmm better to just focus on eating cleaner and eating when you are hungry. Fasting will make you hangry then you get diet rage and crash lol jk.0 -
white0rabbit0 wrote: »Maybe I should do a small fast to help kickstart my healthy eating habit again.
No, you should not0 -
I would just try mixing things up a bit. Maybe search Pinterest for a new recipe that looks fairly healthy - it may excite you to cook and taste something new. If you are like me, you may tend to get in a rut and eat the same foods over and over because you know they fit your macros, and eventually you just get sick of them.
Same with exercise. Skip the gym and go for a nature walk or hike, or play tennis with a friend. Just something that's totally different from what you were previously doing.1 -
Be careful with fasting, you don't want to start a binge and restrict cycle.
A few things that work for me:
1. Food is food. Yes, some food is nutritionally better than other food but food is not "crap." Just because you had some pizza doesn't mean suddenly you're not going to be able to lose weight. This morning I caved and had a couple chocolate chip pancakes that I had made for my kids. The little suckers didn't finish them, and I gave in and ate them. But you know what? I logged it, I have about 700 cal left for the day, so I'll be eating a lot of soup and drinking a lot of tea but it doesn't mean the day is shot.
2. If you're craving pizza, figure out a way to make it healthy and work for your calories. If you're craving chips, buy one of those individual serving size bags. Make it work for you. I personally hate salads. If I'm craving something hot and cheesy I make a tuna melt or a personal size veggie pizza.
3. Drink a ton of water. Tell yourself, I can eat it but first I need to drink a quart of water. Set yourself up with a quart of water and a straw and zone out on your phone while you suck it down. 90% of the time after I'm done with my water I don't want whatever it is I was craving.
4. Make sure you're getting enough sleep! If you're craving something at night, and it's going to put you over your calorie goal for the day, just go to bed. At the very least, if you can't do that, brush teeth, floss, and mouthwash.
Again, I just want to reiterate that if you're craving hot, salty food, that does not mean you're craving crap, and there are hundreds of ways to satisfy that craving while keeping your weight loss goals in mind.1 -
I always plan out what I'm going to buy before going grocery shopping because I'm forgetful and if I don't then I'm just in the store with no idea what to buy. I don't buy things that are unplanned unless I really need them (i.e. I'm out of bottled water but forgot to put it on the list) otherwise I stick to my list and that's that.
When I can't figure out what to eat or what to buy I troll Pinterest for recipes.0 -
Thanks for this thread and the great suggestions. I had three strong weeks on MFP and lost 6 of the 15 lbs I had to lose but this week I'm regressing. So in the same boat @white0rabbit0 and hoping to kick myself in the butt tomorrow.
Weighing and logging everything despite the embarrassment (chips AND goldfish crackers with lunch today) and hitting calorie goals anyway, and hoping I'll come out of this funk.
Also, I had a little sugar the last couple of days and I might try cutting that out completely again.0 -
wellnesschaser wrote: »The water suggestions is great by the way @EmbeeKay and also I for one have not been sleeping due to baby and snoring husband!
It works great for me @wellnesschaser!
The "no sleep due to baby" thing sucks! I personally find it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to meet any kind of diet goals if I get less than seven hours of sleep a night. Right now I'm 33 weeks pregnant and I wake frequently at night, and on nights I try to get by on six hours of sleep or so, the next day I want to eat EVERYTHING. With other kids to take care of, naps aren't always an option (honestly hardly ever an option) though they would help my diet immensely (nap vs more food... naps are better!). I personally feel like sleep is CRUCIAL to fitness, and I don't think people always realize that, but when you simply can't get enough sleep due to external factors, it can be really frustrating.
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