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MyFitnessPal Community

How to eat less sugar when you are surrounded by bakeries/cafes?

idk319

Oh and bubble tea places, donuts, rolled ice cream parlors and lots of gelato in every corner
It is ruining my diet since I moved here and I have gained weight
The items are calorie dense and I am having a hard time eating at maintenance at 1600 calories and sometimes I attempt to eat 1200-1300 but it doesn't happen
I end up eating pastries and ice cream everyday
Sweets are my weakness

Replies

seska422

Record everything in your food log before you consume it. Consider whether or not the item fits into your plan for the day, and, if so, how much of it you'll eat or drink. Calories are like money. If you don't stick to your budget there are consequences but the occasional splurge can be worked into your plan.

Self control takes practice. You may need to stay away at first until you can moderate. If you can't moderate, you need to decide the relative importance of weight control vs. the enjoyment of indulgence.

Gallowmere1984

vOv I just don't even notice it anymore. After a period of time, my brain just stopped acknowledging it's presence/existence. I have to be one of the few Americans who can walk by a Cinn-a-bon and not be remotely affected by that smell wafting thing that they do. If a food isn't in my plan, it doesn't exist to me, even when I am bulking.

stretinjak

I'm using myfitnesspay.com and I create my eating plan for a whole day. Then I just stick to it. It requires some willpower and self-control in the beginning, but after a while it becomes a daily routine. It's all about habits.

Machka9

Where I work, I'm surrounded by all those things too.
But I never go in.
Those things cost money, and I've got more important things to spend my money on.
Plus I've got a collection of food at work that works for me.

joinn68

These things you usually buy cash so don't keep cash on you when walking around your neighborhood.
Prelog the whole week so you can decide what you indulge in each day or every couple of day.
Exercise more. Convert what you are eating extra into exercise. It is absolutely discouraging

Or decide how much extra weight you are willing to live with

livingleanlivingclean

Is there anything special about any of those things? (I'd say no)
Can you get them any day? (yes)

= Probably not worth it!
Preplan and prep meals so you don't need to go out for food or resort to pastries/icecream everyday .

bassforhire555

Cook your own food at home. I work 12 hours a day at a Domino's, and avoiding calorie dense, carb heavy food is nigh on impossible without some foresight and planning. Cook some simple stuff before heading out, rice, chicken, lean red meat, stuff like that in amounts that meet your calorie and macro goals. It's much easier to keep to your goals when you have food ready to eat that fits your goals. You got this! (Oh, and learn how to use seasoning. Plain chicken breast, plain broccoli, and plain rice gets old REAL fast lol)

mmapags

Who cares about all that. Decide what is important to you and set your decisions and actions on that. I don't care how many bakeries or whatever there are. While I may enjoy a treat occasionally, it doesn`the derail me. I know what I value, I set goals and make decisions based on those things. My behaviour follows.
The bakeries aren't ruining your diet. Your decision making is.

cbl40

Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

vOv I just don't even notice it anymore. After a period of time, my brain just stopped acknowledging it's presence/existence. I have to be one of the few Americans who can walk by a Cinn-a-bon and not be remotely affected by that smell wafting thing that they do. If a food isn't in my plan, it doesn't exist to me, even when I am bulking.

Just want to say how awesome that is! How did you train your brain? Any tips to share?

Heather4448

Prelog your days. There may be room for one of these desserts.

Francl27

Leave your credit card and cash at home.

Machka9

Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

vOv I just don't even notice it anymore. After a period of time, my brain just stopped acknowledging it's presence/existence. I have to be one of the few Americans who can walk by a Cinn-a-bon and not be remotely affected by that smell wafting thing that they do. If a food isn't in my plan, it doesn't exist to me, even when I am bulking.

I actually kind of half-heartedly looked for one when I was in Canada recently, but didn't notice any. Oh well ... no biggie.

ninerbuff

idk319 wrote: »

Oh and bubble tea places, donuts, rolled ice cream parlors and lots of gelato in every corner
It is ruining my diet since I moved here and I have gained weight
The items are calorie dense and I am having a hard time eating at maintenance at 1600 calories and sometimes I attempt to eat 1200-1300 but it doesn't happen
I end up eating pastries and ice cream everyday
Sweets are my weakness

YOU make the decision. No one forces you to eat them. You'll always have temptations and it's up to you to learn how to deny them or at least limit them.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

unknown

This content has been removed.

VintageFeline

I literally live above an Indian restaurant, round the corner is a chocolatier, there is a triangle of roads of which one side I live on, and every second unit is a food outlet of every type you can imagine.

And yet, I go into any of these places once in a blue moon. Because once you've walked past once, you can do it again, and again, and again. Oh and try to never go near those places hungry.

but yeah, stop making excuses about how you can't avoid it and just stop going in.

PeachyFit

Plan a once-a week treat and log it in. Maybe for Fridays? So maybe this Friday you get bubble tea, next Friday it's a pastry. It'll allow you to not feel deprived and to look forward to your treat each week.

Lounmoun

I don't eat out or shop for food more than once a week. Saves a lot of money. When I do get something I have planned for it.

You could set one day a week where you will get one of these things and not go into the bakeries or cafes otherwise.
Look for sweet things that are lower calorie that you can enjoy. Maybe a fruit sorbet instead of ice cream some days or a small amount of dark chocolate.

xvolution

Gradually reduce how much sugary food you eat everyday until you barely eat any. Once you get that far a lot of the sugary confectionaries of those shops will taste too sweet and rich to enjoy.

Confuzzled4ever

xvolution wrote: »

Gradually reduce how much sugary food you eat everyday until you barely eat any. Once you get that far a lot of the sugary confectionaries of those shops will taste too sweet and rich to enjoy.

Yes.. Even a lot of granola is to sweet for me now. I love whiskey and gingerale, but have to cut it with soda water or it's too sweet now. And my beloved honey..i love it, but it's so sweet I can only have a taste so it's not worth it.. I do love Klondike bars and chips though... So I just don't buy them. Don't even go in the aisle...

lorrpb

Walk past them!

Gallowmere1984

cbl40 wrote: »

Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

vOv I just don't even notice it anymore. After a period of time, my brain just stopped acknowledging it's presence/existence. I have to be one of the few Americans who can walk by a Cinn-a-bon and not be remotely affected by that smell wafting thing that they do. If a food isn't in my plan, it doesn't exist to me, even when I am bulking.

Just want to say how awesome that is! How did you train your brain? Any tips to share?

Basically, I just started cooking all of my own food. What this did, is made me realize how many little things I don't like about pubbie food, and since I can't control those things when others make the food, it caused me to stop wanting it altogether.

Essentially, my mild form of hyperfocused ADHD acted as an enabler for beneficial change.

wenrob

seska422 wrote: »

Record everything in your food log before you consume it. Consider whether or not the item fits into your plan for the day, and, if so, how much of it you'll eat or drink. Calories are like money. If you don't stick to your budget there are consequences but the occasional splurge can be worked into your plan.

Self control takes practice. You may need to stay away at first until you can moderate. If you can't moderate, you need to decide the relative importance of weight control vs. the enjoyment of indulgence.

100% this. You are in control of what and how much you eat.

My daughter started training as a baker her freshman year of high school. She was chosen to compete for her school, State, Nationals and everything in between. That meant a LOT of practice and a LOT of amazing bread, cookies, rolls, cakes, muffins, bread. Did I say bread? To die for, my neighbors called it the "Holy Bread." During those years my kitchen always looked and smelled like a bakery. When she started this is about the time I decided to get my crap together and finally lose weight. I lost 69 lbs and maintained if for four years. DD is now a professional with a degree. I could/can have any baked confection I choose with just a request and sometimes I do, I just make it fit.

My point is that in order to succeed you need to learn to navigate around these things. You have to decide what matters more to you. There's nothing wrong with indulging in a desert now and then but you know what? That first bite tastes exactly like the last. We don't need to "eat all the things" right now. Those cookies and cakes and whatever are always going to be there, you can have them anytime you want so leave some for later. Sometimes just keeping that in mind is enough to walk away from them.

Mrsabror

Imagine working at a bakery...

Mrsabror

I'm a cake decorator.

malibu927

I work in a Walmart-type store where there's plenty of that food. I only buy it if I want it and can fit it into my goals.

DancingMoosie

I would just order a hot coffee, non fat misto(cafe au lait), or iced coffee with sugar free syrup and either soy or cream(add it myself). As far as pastries go, I try not to indulge too much. Maybe a small biscotti or just make room for an extra treat in your day by eating lighter the rest of the time.

dragon_girl26

Mrsabror wrote: »

I'm a cake decorator.

Ohhh, I know that pain! I was a full time cake decorator for awhile, too, in a family owned bakery. Cake scraps, cookies, doughnuts...the supply was endless!
Of course, the one thing I've noticed now is that I can't eat anything from that bakery anymore, even years later, because I ate so much of it that I can't stand the thought of eating it now.
You may eventually get tired of it, too, OP.

kokonani

I have the biggest sweet tooth and love for all those foods mentioned above! So this is what I do,: I eat OMAD - one meal a day- 23 hour fast. So I consume 1500 per day at maintenance to keep at 115lbs. (I'm 5'4") So I make sure that I have a pastry or two everyday as long as it fits into my 1500 calories perday/meal. Those sweets as you have mentioned is very high in calories, so I fill up on alot of Vegetables and salad with lean protein. This allows me to have slot of remaining calories left over for the sweets that I love. Sometimes I will go and buy a few at a time from these delicious shops and freeze them. Then I eat one or two with my meal for the day ! It works out perfect and I never feel deprived!

emilyyoung4506721

Self control and schedule an occasional cheat day. Thats what i do so i can enjoy whatever i want an not worry about it.