How do you all do it?

First, for the OP, hugs. It's SO hard, I know, and even harder when you get a few days and then screw up. I know exactly what that's like.

Here's a few bits of info that might help, plus what has worked in the past for me...and what I'm using right now, because I screwed up and got off my good diet and am in the same boat (for different reasons, but same boat, basically).


Okay, so first off, it's good to have some 'good' snacks around for whenever you need them. AT home, in the car, in your purse or pocket, whatever.

Then, it is REALLY helpful to notice WHEN you are eating the 'bad' foods. When you are hungry? Stressed or emotionally upset? Relaxed and happy? After work? During work?

If you notice some common themes, that's what you want to guard against with 'good' snacks for yourself. Go and proactively GET the good snacks when the themes are happening. You start to feel hungry, go right for the good snack before the cravings hit. If stress is the trigger, just go start munching when you feel stressed, and so on.


Another big, BIG help is to find food you can have and that you LIKE. This may take a little while (some nutritionists have their clients do this slowly, but you sound like that may not be possible), but basically, start trying out new dishes that meet your food requirements. Whenever you find a 'good' one, add that to your weekly meal plan until you eventually only have safe AND good tasting dishes to eat. It makes it much more likely to stay on the diet if you actually like it, you know?

I go on pinterest for this. If you haven't before, it is SO easy to browse for new recipes there and you get that visual picture right off the bat, so it's nice to browse through. Just put in recipe low sodium (or heart healthy maybe) and maybe an ingredient or two, and you'll likely come up with some good stuff (like this low sodium ranch seasoning mix - https://bakeatmidnite.com/low-sodium-ranch-seasoning-mix/).

And that brings me to another thing that can help - herbs. I would highly recommend starting an herb garden, because throwing in a handful of herbs can make a huge difference in flavor, which is such a big thing with the low sodium, yeah? And having a garden means you can use a lot of herbs without a big cost. :-)

And one last thing...a while back, there was a study on self-control/will. And basically, what was found was that people tend to have, well, kind of a finite level of will power. Everyone is different, but essentially, if you use a lot of will power for one thing, then you have LESS will power left for other things.

Like, if you use your will power in forcing yourself to exercise, you leave less that day for helping you eat right. And vice versa. It applies to anything that involves control, too. Didn't yell at a crummy boss, stayed up late studying, forced yourself to get up early, did a chore you didn't like? All of that takes will power.

So one thing that has helped me is to basically try to lower my 'will power' moments while i was trying to stick to my good diet. Not try to exercise, not try to talk to that one person who drives me nuts, and so on. It's not perfect, but it can help. And KNOWING about the will power, if it's been a day that required a lot of will power, it can help me to remember that it's going to be harder to stick to my diet that day, so I may want to take steps to help myself stay on track, you know?

wishing you good luck!

First of all - hurray to you for not letting a bumpy day throw you off track. We have them but can't let them defeat us. You are trying to learn from your bumpy day - so please give yourself a pat on the back for that.

I am finding that it gets easier the longer you are at it. At the beginning of this it takes a lot of thought and planning to change the way you eat and your old habits. But once you are more established in the better eating patterns instead of grabbing a few sandwiches you have more items in your repertoire to quickly pull together for a healthier option.

While I hate to grocery shop I am happy that I am the one to do the shopping and cooking because I am just keeping items I don't want to eat out of the house. It's not an option.

Keep at it. It will become more natural.

I went through the same thing a few days ago. Did great for about 5 days then all I could think about was pizza. And of course I didn't just order pizza I went ahead and ordered wedges and spicy wings and garlic bread. It arrived, I sat and enjoyed a slice of pizza and garlic bread and had two spicy wings. The rest as was always my habit I cooled and put in the fridge, again as I always used to. No later had I put it away that guilt hit me. The thought that I had done so well and now gone over. Suddenly the remaining food sitting in the fridge was my enemy. I grew so disheartened with myself that I threw it all out and made myself pay the equivalent amount I had spent on the food to a charity. Needless to say it was a hefty price to pay for one slip but a powerful lesson. There was no need for me to order the extras, I should have just stuck to pizza. But habit didn't even give me a chance to stop and think what I was doing when ordering, purely because this is how I had always ordered. So the next day I picked myself up, dusted myself off decided I wasn't going to beat myself up for it anymore and continued with my new way of eating. Accountable, calorie controlled and no guilt

I gotta tell you, the hardest part is the beginning. If you stick with it, really stick with it for let's say a month, you'll feel the difference in your body. More energy, less gas/bloating. Then, have an unhealthy meal. In the immediate, it's great but very soon after I feel greasy and bloated and heavy and lethargic. I've really come to differentiate how I feel after a cheat meal and sometimes I'm ok and it tempts me to continue eating crappy but then I do it too soon after and that gross feeling comes back.

Does that mean I don't stress? No freaking way. I still love the bad stuff but I hate the way I feel after eating it too much now.

sarjenki wrote: »

I'm not sure if this is a problem for you, but I feel like what derails me most often is the all or nothing attitude. I have to miss my class at the gym so I might as well eat terribly to right? Or... I messed up and ate a piece of cake, so now my daily goal is ruined so I might as well eat a few doughnuts too... I am often guilty of that same thing with exercise. If I don't have time to get in three miles, instead of trying to do one or two I'm just gonna not exercise at all.
What I should be doing after I "mess up" is move on and go back to trying to do the best I can, or don't even think of it as messing up. You'd be miserable if you never ate any of the treat foods you love. What good is being hot if you aren't happy?
Sometimes I have a hard time fighting against that attitude but I have a lot more success when I just log it and move on, start again with a blank slate

Yes sarjenki! I use to live like that too and that's why I think I hated fitness and nutrition for so long. That extreme all or nothing attitude just left me failing constantly because I couldn't live up to my own expectations. It's all about balance! I had a a bowl of chkn/veggies and a pumpkin bar today, no regrets.

I stepped on the scale about a month ago and it surprised me so badly that I committed myself to it. Haven't looked back since

Boar's Head has a line of low sodium lunch meat. If you can't find that brand at your grocery store, look around and read the labels.

bigguygettingskinny wrote: »

How do you all stay on track for long periods of time. I was doing good for a few days then today happened.

This may sound very cliche (I know it did for me until I wrapped my head around it), this is about the journey. Many people (often myself included) are so fixated on our end goal we put alot of pressure on ourselves. We fixate on "good" and "bad", adding more stress.

The way I have stayed on track for 55 days (and counting), is to focus only on the choices I can make today. Yesterday is done, tomorrow isn't here yet. I make the best choices I can given my surroundings and information. This is not to say I take a sloppy approach to things, or don't put some control in my day.

My fridge is full of things that I (mostly) like to eat, and that my body will accept. I whip up something from those ingredients that suits what I feel like at that meal. If we are going out for supper, then I research the menu of where we are going, and choose something that appeals to me. I log this in my day ahead of time, and then fit the rest of my day around it.

I realize people need to pack lunches for work, so when I had to do that, I simply made something that would fuel my body, and usually it was the same thing every day so I didn't have to think about it.

Good luck with your journey, and try to be gentle on yourself!

By being incredibly, pig-headedly stubborn!

I take diet breaks. That is, two weeks off every 10 - 12 weeks of "dieting" (being in deficit). It keeps me on track and it helps me to realise that maintenance is doable and the world will not come to an abrupt halt when the dieting days are over. The breaks are planned/logged (except for then I am on holiday, then there is no internet for me) and are not an excuse to over-indulge/gorge/eat stupid amounts of anything. I eat at maintenance or just below and up my carbs to above 150g.

This is what helps me. Also feeling great, more healthy, seeing the measurements of my body parts go down, fitting in clothes better and even buying the next size down all keep me on track too. As does the thought of the negatives that go with being overweight. Those, I recall and encourage myself to go forward from. Remembering how my self-esteem was low and how different I feel now and comparing those feelings.

Also, from an eating disordered standpoint (yes I have been there), maybe seeing a counsellor/therapist or joining group therapy sessions and talking about what triggers you and why and learning methods of coping and not using the eating (or not eating) and the food for comfort. Maybe finding a hobby you love, or doing stuff you enjoy that does not involve food?

Yeah, sorry this is all a bit fluffy and "emotion" based, but eating can be and is for a lot of us...

@JerSchmare
Not a rumor, my friend.
Salt follows water. Blood volume increases- BP increases.

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For me, its come with experience. Honestly Ive done it so long, and know my body so well that I dont need to keep track of it but I do because it keeps me honest with myself. Take it in strides, go for small weekly goals. At first you are not going to see the results. You may not feel them right away either but that next week you may start to feel better, motivation to keep going. Then the week after you may see a physical change, more motivation. Keep goals small. Hopefully this make sense, Im a bit sleepy....

bigguygettingskinny wrote: »

How do you all stay on track for long periods of time. I was doing good for a few days then today happened. 2 sandwiches on white bread with processed lunch meat processed cheese and mayo. Then half a bag of crispers and half a tube of pringles. Now my bp is up and making my head screwy.

It happens every time i have a few good days and my bp comes down just a few points and i start to feel better then i do days like today.

How do you all keep on track. Please no smart remarks I know I messed up just looking for advice to not make it happen again.

I haven't read this whole thread yet, but will go back and do so as soon as I finish this entry.

Simply put, just don't have the bad stuff in your house. Mayonnaise a problem? Don't keep it around. Salami? Olive loaf? Make sure they aren't available. Etc. Make sure anything you keep for snacks is good stuff. Maybe a few almonds, mix a smoothie, etc.