How do you handle the feeling of wanting to give up the diet?
kolson111322
Posts: 34 Member
How do you all handle those days where you are just miserable mentally with eating healthy? It's only been a day since I started eating properly but I feel already like I want to throw in the towel, but I know I need to stay the course and lose the weight.
Is it possible I just need an incentive to keep going? Like I knit/crochet, so when I reach the halfway point of my weight loss reward myself with a yarn I've been really wanting?
Is it possible I just need an incentive to keep going? Like I knit/crochet, so when I reach the halfway point of my weight loss reward myself with a yarn I've been really wanting?
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Replies
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What is the healthy diet you have started? What is eating properly, in your opinion?
I personally never want to give up my diet, because that's just what I eat, and I have to eat, and I enjoy what I eat. It makes me feel great and I look forward to every meal.8 -
This is usually an indication that one has a very myopic view of what constitutes "healthy" and eating properly...also an indication that maybe the deficit is too aggressive...
Losing weight doesn't have to be and shouldn't be torture. Eating healthy doesn't mean everything has to be bland and boring and nothing but salads and plain chicken breasts and steamed broccoli. Just cook a variety of meals using largely whole foods...make them delicious.19 -
Don't start something you can't maintain long term16
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Go and cheat for a whole day!...eat everything you can...then tell me how you feel...
Write that feeling down.
Post it on your fridge.
So everytime you look at it you remember that god awful feeling and you'll have a little more motivation to stick with it
Also...just one Hershey bar is not failure...
Just save it for a special day....lol5 -
I get undressed and look in the mirror. That is all the motivation I need.17
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kommodevaran wrote: »What is the healthy diet you have started? What is eating properly, in your opinion?
I personally never want to give up my diet, because that's just what I eat, and I have to eat, and I enjoy what I eat. It makes me feel great and I look forward to every meal.
Just portion control, eating healthier with more of the right things than the junk foods (I'm using Jenny Craig for 2 weeks to help with that). There's nothing wrong with the food. So far, everything I've eaten is good and I've enjoyed it and I'm getting enough food. My brain is just doing the double-talking thing and I'm not sure how to handle that.0 -
What has helped me the most is merely focusing in an attainable daily calorie goal, and planning my meals to meet that goal. I never planned any super specific rewards along the way, because I found smaller clothing sizes (especially going from plus size to regular size) extremely rewarding. Some folks work well with incentives, and fancy yarn sounds like a great one!
I don't eat particularly healthy per-se. I eat a lot of the same foods I've always eaten--just not as much--or swapped out elements for lower calorie options. I think I would have failed mentally if I thought I had to eat salad, chicken breast, and brown rice in order to lose weight. I would say I eat more boring, though, because I find it easier to be successful with consistency between meals. Each week I typically eat the same thing for breakfast/lunch/snacks and then vary dinner based on what I'm cooking for the family. I kind of ebb and flow through various staple foods and get on a kick with certain foods.
Some folks find it most satisfying to eat a LOT of food and others find it easier to cope with the calorie deficit by making "naughty" food fit into their calorie goal. Both work equally as well--you just have to find your weight loss personality type (wouldn't it be nice if there were a BUZZFEED quiz for that?). Others find eating only within a certain window of time each day the best way to stick to their calorie goal.
There are many ways to solve the weight loss equation, and it just takes some trial and error to figure out what makes it work for you. But stick with it! We all have hard days at this. There are times we've all wanted to quit. Many of us have taken diet breaks to cope with the excessive periods of being in a calorie deficit (honestly, it's exhausting sometimes!!). Just keep working at it, and it will become second nature.7 -
I just ate whatever I wanted as long as it fit within my calorie limit.
Of course, some things had more "staying power" than others. For example, I discovered that cashews, pears and cereal just weren't worth it for me.
But being able to eat anything I liked (as long as it fit within my calorie limit) meant that there was no reason to throw in the towel ... what was I going to do? Start eating foods I didn't like?
A tip that helped me ... I went to several grocery stores and markets and things and found all sorts of foods that fit within my calorie limit. I went from eating the same ol' same ol' for dinner all the time, to quite a variety of delicious food. Plus I found things that worked for lunch and all my snacks.
Then it just became a habit. I eat this at this time and that at that time. Same as I brush my teeth at this time and take my shower at that time.
And exercise helps a lot ... I go for a long bicycle ride on weekends and we can "afford" to get a pizza or go out for fish and chips or have a slice of cheesecake or whatever.
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What helped me was to not deprive myself of the foods that I truly love. I just eat them in smaller portions.
Mentally, eating one square of chocolate was way better than saying "You can't eat chocolate ever again."
Because I was still eating my favorite foods, I never felt like giving up. There's no need to make yourself miserable.7 -
Write a list of Pros & Cons. If the Pros outweigh the Cons, keep going knowing that your decision was made rationally. The same is true if the Cons win out. It's important to make these decisions dispassionately because dieting can be hard on the mind and emotions.3
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Sometimes I struggle with hunger and urges to binge. I'm already at a healthy BMI and just trying to drop another 20lbs so I really don't have many calories to play with. It can be tough.
Here's what I do to keep myself sane:
- Drink looots of tea! I have about 20 different flavours at my work desk, keeps my mouth busy all day.
- Save a good portion of my calories for dinner, because I like to have a big meal at night and not feel hungry before sleep.
- Eat filling foods as much as possible. Salads, soups, protein fluff, eggs, chicken, veggies.
- Enjoy little treats every day. Half a chocolate bar, a bit of icecream, mini-bag of chips, etc. I work all those cravings into my calorie goal in small, reasonable portions.7 -
When I started discovering how to be healthier....the key for me was self talk every single day, sometimes all day long. I started walking like a maniac and would tell myself.... "your body is at the top of the next hill....at the end of the next mile.....not inside the fridge or at the bottom of a bag of chips". Our minds are so powerful. You can do this....just love yourself enough. Seriously.10
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Don't wait too long to buy the yarn! Set up some mini-goals for yourself. One might be: log everything you eat for one week. Give yourself a reward. Or, lose 5 pounds. Reward. Walk 20 minutes every day for a week. Reward. You should definitely get that yarn within a month, regardless. You can't snack on greasy food when you're knitting, so it will be a good purchase. Your ultimate long-term reward will be all the weight you've lost and the healthier body you have, and probably a good dose of improved confidence because of your successes. Just be sure to reward yourself a lot along the way, it will keep you motivated to reach your goal.4
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I stop thinking like a wimp.
I developed the discipline to do the job so I finish what I started.
If you want to give up more than you want results then that is mostly a reflection on you, your goals, and your approach.
If it was easy then the majority of the First World would not be carrying too much body fat.7 -
I've been using a strategy of very gradual decreases and have genuinely never had any moments where I wanted to quit. I started off logging my existing diet for about six months, then spent maybe three months eating around maintenance, then for the last 2-3 months have been reducing my average daily calories by around 100-200 calories a month. I didn't actually start losing weight until the beginning of this year (I was actually a bit under maintenance at first) but I'm down about 23 pounds and I've been losing maybe 1.5 lbs a week for about a month now. And I swear to kittens, it's been way easier than losing weight has any right to be.9
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What is doing Jenny Craig teaching you about making sustainable choices?
The idea you should get about this whole thing isn't to lose weight, the idea is that you should manage your weight for life. It's not something that ever stops.
There comes a point where you can't perpetually give up everything you like because life is long and the tempting stuff will always be there, but you will have to find a way to balance your desire to maintain a healthy weight and a way to fit in some less than ideal caloric "bargains" into your life.
The only way to do that is to actually eat food you prepare yourself and learn through trial and error what works for you, what you can eat in moderation, what you can't. Find out which foods keep you full, which foods don't.
This will take time. The most important goal you should have is to learn. The more you learn, the easier the weight loss will be, and it will come in time.
Everyone is in a hurry to lose weight, but going about it in a way that leaves you feeling defeated and ready to quit is simply a recipe for a quick-fix that's likely to result in a short-term loss.12 -
My motivation is I know if I keep at it, I'll see results. If I give up, I'll either stay the same or get fatter.
Also I don't do anything crazy that makes me miserable. It's all about balance. But I do believe a little sacrifice is needed to accomplish anything worth having in life.4 -
The first day is always the hardest, if you can hang on for the first four days it gets much easier after that. I also eat at specific times and if I'm hungry in between it's coffee or tea or water. Have to get rid of the junk food in your house too, that's a big one. Just wait until you see how great you feel and that number on the scale goes down, that's great motivation. Do whatever you have to for four days, sleep a lot if possible. Your body will get used to less food, just give it time and stay focused.2
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There are going to be many days that you aren't going to feel "motivated" to eat your calorie budget, go workout, etc... Those are the days that your dedication to your cause is going to need to be strongest. Just like with going to work, cooking dinner, grocery shopping...you just do it.5
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As I've gotten older, I realize how much I really need to honor and love myself. Therefore, I eat healthy and don't put crap in my body that I love. I consider crap stuff where 90% of the ingredients I can't pronounce! Don't think of healthy eating as denying yourself...think of it as giving yourself the health you need to have a happy and fulfilling life!8
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For the first time in many years of being a yo yo dieter I decide this time around that I wasn't going to diet. I was going to work on changing my lifestyle by changing my bad eating habits and eat within my calories. If it fit in my calories and I wanted it, I ate it. If it didn't fit in my calories I worked out to make it fit. Yes I get frustrated at times and over indulge at times but never do I think about giving up. I just own it and start back at it with the next meal. When I started I had 95lbs to lose and honestly I didnt think I would stick to it, but I have loss 71lbs of that 95 in 9 months by changing my eating habits and my relationship with food and I don't ever want to go back. These last 24lbs are going to be harder than the first 71lbs and I have already set my mind at slow and stead... Healthy lifestyle is already in place and has become routine... the scale will eventually catch up. I like this new lifestyle of mine, diets are short term. Changing your lifestyle is for life. Good luck, push through the discouragement... your future self will thank you!!!7
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Think about what makes you want to stop. Then see if you can find a compromise. Is your diet too restrictive? Loosen it up.3
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For me, it was the knowledge that I lost 55 lbs. in the past and it wasn't that difficult, nor did I have to deny myself the foods I love. I just have to learn to practice moderation and be aware that certain foods can trigger me to binge, if I don't keep close tabs on myself. I'm a horrible dieter. I have to plan everything out, which gets frustrating, but once it becomes habit, it gets easier. Not proud to admit this, but I had lots of extra calories one night last week because I had a particularly stressful and busy day where I didn't get much to eat, so I was starved by dinner. Found a box of sugar-free instant pudding in the pantry, made it with 1% milk (can't stand skim), and ate that for dinner. It was delicious and I felt like crap afterward. LOL You'll find yourself with more energy and feeling better once you've been eating cleaner for a while. The hardest part is the initial few weeks because your body is adjusting to a decreased intake. Be sure you're eating all your set calories for the day (without eating up exercise calories, unless you've increased your activity level by a lot). Not eating enough can really mess with your head and will kill your willpower faster than being in Ben & Jerry's with a gift certificate. Believe in yourself. Distract yourself when you're feeling hungry (as long as you're out of calories). Keep healthy snacks around. Figure out whether you're actually hungry or trying to stuff feelings. If you're stuffing feelings, distract yourself with healthy activities, call a friend, go for a walk, meditate, pray, do a crossword puzzle. These are things that have worked for me. YMMV. Please don't give up on yourself.3
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I can't be "on a diet." If I'm "on a diet," it implies it will end. If my diet, which comprises eating fewer calories than I expend, ends I will, by definition, be eating more calories than I expend because, when I'm eating what has been my "normal" for many years, I weigh twice what I ought. I will resume eating enough to sustain that higher weight.
I am not "on a diet." I'm adopting a new normal and slowing reducing my weight by half, at which point, I will continue the new normal, which will be maintenance for that healthy weight.9 -
I definitely appreciate all the insight everyone. You all brought many things to the table and tons to think about what may work and why I am doing this because I don't want to give up. I think it'll take talking to myself every day, maybe even every hour or minute. It definitely isn't easy.1
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The first few days were the hardest for me, then I hit a sort of "groove" and made peace with feeling a little hungry at times. After several months, I took a maintenance break for a week or so then jumped back in - and again the first few days were the hardest. Cycling between deficit and maintenance at the then-weight works for me. Don't give up, OP 0
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I've been on here for 4 years and lost my weight twice, only to regain it plus a little more, by stopping logging and counting. This time around I've been losing 1-2 pounds a month (had 25 to lose). I have 8 to go. When I ate 24 mini-Snickers last week, I went over my calories by 550, and logged it. I ate 15 the next day, was over by 300 calories, and logged it. Now I'm back on track and back to where I started weight wise, before the Snickers. I knew I hadn't really gained 2 pounds of fat. Just a lot of water weight and a little bit of real weight. Maybe a third of a pound.
This is an example of the "learning" many talk about. It's taken me years to get to this point. I guess I'm a slow learner. But, better late than never. Hang in there, and work on understanding what makes you tick, and the foods you want to eat, as well as the foods you need to eat.4 -
It's only been a day! Don't give up before you've given yourself and your body a chance to even start,
My advice is don't force yourself to eat things you don't like. Don't like kale? Don't eat it. Don't like turkey? Don't eat it. You wont stick to a diet (or maybe you will, but with more difficulty than necessary) if you don't enjoy what you're eating. Treat yourself once in a while but don't go overboard. (I allow myself a treat daily, eg. a 95cal chocolate bar and/or some Metcalfe's Skinny Popcorn). Don't make it feel like a chore basically.
Second is don't beat yourself up for eating more than your goal. Start the next day anew. Make sure you're not under-eating but are still at a deficit that will help you lose.
This is my second go around at losing weight with MFP, I lost 50lbs 2 years ago and then some things happened in my personal life that made me quit and fall off the wagon, I'm back on it this time.
It can take a lot of learning and adjusting. Some days you'll be hungrier than others, and the loss won't always be linear but don't give up. The idea of rewarding yourself is a great idea and I'm doing something similar myself.
I wish you all the best!
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cwolfman13 wrote: »This is usually an indication that one has a very myopic view of what constitutes "healthy" and eating properly...also an indication that maybe the deficit is too aggressive...
Losing weight doesn't have to be and shouldn't be torture. Eating healthy doesn't mean everything has to be bland and boring and nothing but salads and plain chicken breasts and steamed broccoli. Just cook a variety of meals using largely whole foods...make them delicious.
Agree 100%1 -
LZMiner ... "I really need to honor and love myself".... Very profound and to the point!!! Thank you!0
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