No more foods I love

Im really struggling with not being able to eat my favorite foods. But i guess thats what got me in to this state in the first place. Althoug I dont eat fast food, I do like to eat out. Im not a great cook and i never feel motivated to do it. Take out is just easier. Ive only lost about 10lbs in 6 months. Help!

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited July 2017
    I still eat them. I don't eat them as often or in large quantities like I used to do, but I still eat them.

    Moderation has let me lose about 130 pounds without giving up anything.

    You need to experiment to find a comfortable, sustainable plan. If every day is a struggle and you aren't making as much progress as you hope to make anyway, what's the point in continuing on with what you are doing now?

    Take the 10 pounds you've lost and build on that. 10 pounds are a great start.
  • MrsLannister
    MrsLannister Posts: 347 Member
    I never cook. I haven't even tried cooking in probably 2 - 3 years (unless you count the high protein cheesecake...). I mainly eat lean cuisines and I've lost 90 pounds. That said, you can certainly make takeout work. You just have to be mindful of your calories and portions.

    You'll hear a lot of different perspectives. For my part, I don't feel like I need to give up anything. I just work what I like into my goals. I've recently been trying a thing where I have a ~1200 calorie deficit 6 days a week and eat at maintenance on the 7th day. It gives me a lot of freedom to eat my favorite things while still keeping my weight loss progressing. On my deficit days I just focus on calories and getting 100+ grams of protein. As long as I achieve those goals, I feel free to add in snacks of my choosing throughout the day.
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
    When I go out I check the calories online first so I can choose more wisely. If they don't have it I do my best using mfp. When the food arrives I ask for a box, and package up half before I even start eating. That's helped me a lot to enjoy eating out- with a second meal the next day.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    You don't need to give up your favorite foods, you just need to eat less of them.
  • pamfgil
    pamfgil Posts: 449 Member
    Losing 10 pounds is a good result, take the loss, keep chipping away and you will eventually get there. Also you don't need to be motivated to cook, if you make the decision that it will help with your goals you just have to do it. Also being mediocre at cooking is not a set state. If you want to improve put in the effort and learn. It is your choice, you need to decide what will work for you
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,706 Member
    I still eat the foods I love, and actually through this process, I discovered a whole bunch of new foods I love. :)
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    One thing that helped me - I was diagnosed with diabetes so I very suddenly had to completely change the way I look at food - was reminding myself I can eat again tomorrow. I know, to people with a healthy relationship with food this may sound obvious or silly. But with my blood glucose issues, if I'm craving French fries and ice cream I can probably safely eat a few French fries OR ice cream, but not both at the same time. Just learning to say, "I'm going to really enjoy some French fries now and tomorrow I'll have a little ice cream. Gosh, looking forward to tomorrow!" made it so much easier. Reframing the situation so you have something to look forward to, instead of feeling deprived.

    You don't have to learn to cook in order to lose weight, but it does make life easier in the long run. Most take out foods are high in calories and low in satisfaction. And you don't have to be a great cook, anyone can stir fry vegetables and lean meat. When I tally up the amount of time spent waiting in lines, driving to restaurants, and waiting to be served, I probably even save time by cooking regularly. I definitely save money. Maybe you could dip your toes in - just learn how to make one healthy, low calorie meal you enjoy - and seeing how much more food you can eat when it's made with low calories in mind might motivate you to do more cooking.
  • MeredithDeVoe1
    MeredithDeVoe1 Posts: 67 Member
    @hfordchat1993, you lost 10 lbs!!! That is great!

    I would suggest that you make a plan for eating out.

    #1 Choose menu items that have less calories and carbs. For example, get the stir fry and forego the rice. If you just really need those fries, maybe get the burger without a bun, and a small fries.

    #2 Plan to make 2 meals out of your takeout. Divide the meal in half and stow half in a reheatable container in the fridge or freezer.

    #3 Find takeout foods that are just healthier to begin with. Panera and Subway are much better for you than McDonald's or Pizza Hut.

    Buy celery and carrots and keep them ready to eat in the fridge, so if you finish your half portion and the other half is calling your name, there is something low-cal to fill up on!

    Keep it up, you are doing fine!