Sticking with it

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Laurc19
Laurc19 Posts: 6 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I can't even say how many times I decided to try and start dieting. My version of dieting is cutting out all crap basically - processed foods, white breads, rice and, potatoes, junk food, chocolate, ice cream, cheese etc. and doing some cleaning eating (lots of fruits and veggies and lean protein). I am not going to cut these things out for life but I need to do a cold turkey in the beginning to get kind of restart my system and try to get over my cravings etc.

I can do this fine for a couple days but then I get to the point where I just DON'T CARE. I want a Snickers or a grilled cheese so bad (usually when I am tired or stressed out) that I just don't care if I don't lose any weight, it's not important to me anymore all the sudden. I just get fixated. And once I give into that one time, it just starts a downward spiral. Which is why I said just going cold turkey seems to be the best way for me. When I get to this point, I've tried eating something healthy instead, drinking a glass of water, going for a walk, thinking about my goals, etc. And at the end of all these things, I still want whatever it is just as much.

How do you guys get past this point and not give into your craving?

Replies

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    Maybe restriction isn't for you. Things like white bread, potatoes and cheese are not 'crap', they are often quite good for you unless you have allergies. Most helpful thing I've done was focused on making my meals balanced and filling, and I feel less urges to snack later. I just don't have the appetite. But that's what I would suggest to you, make meals balanced and filling and perhaps drop this idea of restriction. It doesn't work for everyone and the process only becomes more miserable.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Elimination can help in dieting BUT is it going to be helpful after you are at goal? Losing weight is step #1.

    Fast forward to maintenance......step #2. Are you eliminating (long laundry list of "crap" - your definition) forever, or do you then start to figure out moderation?

    A smaller (future) you is going to require fewer calories. Maintenance takes some permanent changes. If you can figure out how to eliminate processed foods, white breads, rice and, potatoes, junk food, chocolate, ice cream, cheese etc forever....good for you.

    I don't do elimination diets anymore. Gained the weight back too many times. It doesn't work for me. Instead my mantra is "all things in moderation." I can have a cookie and lose weight......but I can't maintain by eating cookies "whenever." As long as it fits my goals. I plan a treat everyday as opposed to eating all the treats "whenever."
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Firstly, I want to thank you for giving me the clearest definition of 'clean eating' I've ever seen. "Lots of fruit and vegetables and lean meat".

    OK, so stuff yourself with lots of that for 2 days and then come back and tell us if you're craving anything.

    You're probably starting your dieting by not eating enough to maintain your well-being. Most of us can easily survive on 80% of our maintenance needs. Most of us normally don't want to starve and most of our subconscious brains will force us to seek food if our higher cortical functions do dumb stuff like try to lose weight on too few calories.

    By the way, ice cream, white rice, chocolate, potatoes, and even white bread, especially when slathered with butter and fried around a slice of cheese, is good clean food. The sooner you learn that, the more successfully you'll lose weight.

    I have an annoying habit of getting home in the evening and wanting to eat the stuff I write about.
    OK, 2 slices of white bread (200) + 1 slice of cheese (70) + say 15 ml butter (135) is 405, a small meal that fits my calorie goals. It'll be a welcome change from the Honeybaked glazed ham I've been working my way through this week.
  • Laurc19
    Laurc19 Posts: 6 Member
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    Thank you for the responses! I know alot of the stuff I listed isn't "crap", I misspoke. But those are the things I like, and I have found that when I'm eating those things, I don't eat fruits or veggies etc. I just want potatoes and cheese and bread, etc. I am doing elimination because "in moderation" doesn't seem to work for me because I don't stick to it - I start eating more and more of the things I am trying to eat in moderation. I don't plan to eliminate these foods forever but what I want to do is almost a "detox" because when I've done this in the past, I noticed my cravings for alot of the other food went away. However, I didn't do the "next step" correctly when I started introducing those foods back in - I went off the deep end and back to eating only those foods and when I do that the cravings get stronger and more ridiculous (I had a Snickers bar every day last week.......). I am very much an all or nothing person in general (not just with food) so just to jumpstart this whole thing, i'd like to start out with a "detox" where I don't eat any of those foods I crave but I eat alot of fruits, veggies, lean meats and some whole grains. Long term goal is to eat everything in moderation but for right now, I need help with sticking out this "detox" phase.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Detoxing isn't a real thing though. When you start to add foods back, you are still going to be left with learning moderation.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    How exactly are rice, potatoes, and cheese "crap?"

    Hell, potatoes are one of the most nutritious foods you can find in one package.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    Laurc19 wrote: »
    Thank you for the responses! I know alot of the stuff I listed isn't "crap", I misspoke. But those are the things I like, and I have found that when I'm eating those things, I don't eat fruits or veggies etc. I just want potatoes and cheese and bread, etc. I am doing elimination because "in moderation" doesn't seem to work for me because I don't stick to it - I start eating more and more of the things I am trying to eat in moderation. I don't plan to eliminate these foods forever but what I want to do is almost a "detox" because when I've done this in the past, I noticed my cravings for alot of the other food went away. However, I didn't do the "next step" correctly when I started introducing those foods back in - I went off the deep end and back to eating only those foods and when I do that the cravings get stronger and more ridiculous (I had a Snickers bar every day last week.......). I am very much an all or nothing person in general (not just with food) so just to jumpstart this whole thing, i'd like to start out with a "detox" where I don't eat any of those foods I crave but I eat alot of fruits, veggies, lean meats and some whole grains. Long term goal is to eat everything in moderation but for right now, I need help with sticking out this "detox" phase.

    But it doesn't sound like restriction is working for you either, if when you try to re-introduce them you as you say 'go off the deep end'. There's nothing wrong with wanting potatoes and cheese and bread, but maybe it may be more about buckling down and pairing those things with other foods so you're not over-indulging, rather than moderation or complete restriction.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    Laurc19 wrote: »
    Thank you for the responses! I know alot of the stuff I listed isn't "crap", I misspoke. But those are the things I like, and I have found that when I'm eating those things, I don't eat fruits or veggies etc. I just want potatoes and cheese and bread, etc. I am doing elimination because "in moderation" doesn't seem to work for me because I don't stick to it - I start eating more and more of the things I am trying to eat in moderation. I don't plan to eliminate these foods forever but what I want to do is almost a "detox" because when I've done this in the past, I noticed my cravings for alot of the other food went away. However, I didn't do the "next step" correctly when I started introducing those foods back in - I went off the deep end and back to eating only those foods and when I do that the cravings get stronger and more ridiculous (I had a Snickers bar every day last week.......). I am very much an all or nothing person in general (not just with food) so just to jumpstart this whole thing, i'd like to start out with a "detox" where I don't eat any of those foods I crave but I eat alot of fruits, veggies, lean meats and some whole grains. Long term goal is to eat everything in moderation but for right now, I need help with sticking out this "detox" phase.

    So actually, this isn't working for you either... Time to rethink and make a new plan.

  • Laurc19
    Laurc19 Posts: 6 Member
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    Ok thank you for the help

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