How to avoid overeating/ eating unhealthy foods at my grandparents house?
elizabethdzenitis
Posts: 63 Member
My grandparents are basically my plug for all of my favorite unhealthy foods. They bought almost larger than my head cinnamon rolls drenched in icing, they have Oreos, Froot Loops, chocolate chip cookie dough, Cheez-its etc. how can I avoid overeating/ eating this food ? They never buy fruit or anything so we brought over bananas and oatmeal. But I don't know if I can survive off bananas and oatmeal until Tuesday. Along with that, it's super hard for me to resist the urge to just eat everything if it's nearby me.
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YepItsKriss wrote: »you do not have to avoid eating anything. Eat a sensible amount, log a close approx reasonable calorie for it.
The point of this is to develope new habits, you cant make new ones if you don't try to change your behavior, avoidance isn't going to teach you anything
But isn't it like a bad idea to just solely divulge in eatting fatty/sugary foods ?3 -
Oh god my comment has super bad grammar problems but oh well you get the point I think lol0
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Tell them you're trying to avoid added sugars and see if they will keep some healthier foods in the house while you are there.
If they won't, then bring your own healthy food and eat that instead.0 -
You can eat unhealthy food and lose weight. Those are mainly just snacks at your grandmas though. Snacks are my weakness too, so I get the struggle. Just work them in your calories and have a bit. No need to deprive yourself. If you are able to drive then you can get some low calorie stuff for cheap. Surprisingly enough Taco Bell is pretty low calorie and it's cheap. I get the temptations because it surrounds me at my college, but I've learned it's totally cool to give in to those temptations as long as you don't over indulge. Just take a bit and then have a low calorie meal with some water and you'll feel full for a while. Don't put yourself down ever if you want an Oreo or something. I've lost a ton of weight while still eating pizza, drinking beer and eating sweets all because I watch my calories.3
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Did your grandparents buy at least some of this food as treats for you? Will they be a little sad and/or hurt if you refuse to eat any of it? If the answer is yes, then find a way to work it in, even if it means eating at maintenance for the duration of your visit. They're old, and you're not going to have them forever, so if they're going to get a bit of joy from seeing you eat the cinnamon roll, eat it. Your diet will still be there on Tuesday when you get home.14
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If I visit a relative and they have that stuff out I pack it out of sight into their kitchen cupboards and try avoid the kitchen! Also, drink 500ml water about 20 minutes before every meal - it'll help stop you overeating. I also take a tiny first portion so I can accept a second portion and It'S still not a lot of food (Italian mom-in-law)!!0
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Is it just a visit or are you living with them? If you are living with them you can buy your own food. If it's a visit, I second eating at maintenance. Nothing bad will happen if you pause weight loss for a little while when needed. If the visit won't last several weeks or months then you don't even have to worry about the nutritional side of things. You need to be eating poorly consistently over a relatively long period of time to see damage.3
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Nony_Mouse wrote: »Did your grandparents buy at least some of this food as treats for you? Will they be a little sad and/or hurt if you refuse to eat any of it? If the answer is yes, then find a way to work it in, even if it means eating at maintenance for the duration of your visit. They're old, and you're not going to have them forever, so if they're going to get a bit of joy from seeing you eat the cinnamon roll, eat it. Your diet will still be there on Tuesday when you get home.
So much no to the bolded part. My family are all food pushers. It's how they show love. If I ate even a fraction of what they wanted me to when I visit, I'd be blowing the doors off my diet. And if I eat "a little" this time, next time they'll push HARDER because they know I'll eventually cave so they don't "feel bad".
If you want to enjoy time with your grandparents since you're "not going to have them forever", do it by sitting and talking with them over a cup of tea or water or look through photo albums or ask them about their life or go for a walk. Don't make your quality time with them shoving food you don't want/need into your face while they watch.
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elizabethdzenitis wrote: »YepItsKriss wrote: »you do not have to avoid eating anything. Eat a sensible amount, log a close approx reasonable calorie for it.
The point of this is to develope new habits, you cant make new ones if you don't try to change your behavior, avoidance isn't going to teach you anything
But isn't it like a bad idea to just solely divulge in eatting fatty/sugary foods ?
You can indulge in fatty and sugary foods within moderation.
Do your grandparents have those foods around normally, or just when you visit? It sounds like your grandmother is still thinking of you as a child. Couldn't you just tell your grandmother ahead of the visit that you're trying to cut back on the treats and eat healthier, so it's not necessary to get them just for you?
Or even better, you could ask if she has a favorite recipe she'd like to show you. Passing down a recipe is a much better way to show love with food than buying store bought treats.4 -
Can you have a heart to heart discussion with your grandparents? They might think they are treating you with things you enjoy.0
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Are you saying that there is literally no other food available? For the next 48 hours your only choices are oatmeal, bananas, cinnamon rolls, oreos, cheez-its, and cookie dough? Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this is what will be served?5
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elizabethdzenitis wrote: »My grandparents are basically my plug for all of my favorite unhealthy foods. They bought almost larger than my head cinnamon rolls drenched in icing, they have Oreos, Froot Loops, chocolate chip cookie dough, Cheez-its etc. how can I avoid overeating/ eating this food ? They never buy fruit or anything so we brought over bananas and oatmeal. But I don't know if I can survive off bananas and oatmeal until Tuesday. Along with that, it's super hard for me to resist the urge to just eat everything if it's nearby me.
Are you just visiting? How old are you?
They probably mean to be nice and treat you to things you always seemed to enjoy.
Bringing some of your own food is a good idea. Offer to shop or cook for them.
Tell and show them what you like to eat now. Don't put down their food. Do talk enthusiastically about what you like.
Don't eat the stuff you don't want. They are not going to waste money on stuff you won't eat in future.
Eat reasonable portions of some of the food. Pick one thing maybe.
Have a maintenance calorie week if it is a visit.
Get some exercise.
Get out of the house. Help with outdoor chores. Go for a walk. Take your grandparents somewhere.
I'd say you should worry more about a lack of protein rather than fruit.0 -
1- no one is making you eat anything.
2- eat a small amount of what you truly want
3- get in a little more exercise or cut back slightly on calories elsewhere for a few days
4- i eat chocolate in some form damn near every day and have lost right about 100 pounds.2 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »1- no one is making you eat anything.
2- eat a small amount of what you truly want
3- get in a little more exercise or cut back slightly on calories elsewhere for a few days
4- i eat chocolate in some form damn near every day and have lost right about 100 pounds.
Obviously no one is making me eat anything but what am I supposed to eat lol1 -
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elizabethdzenitis wrote: »callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »1- no one is making you eat anything.
2- eat a small amount of what you truly want
3- get in a little more exercise or cut back slightly on calories elsewhere for a few days
4- i eat chocolate in some form damn near every day and have lost right about 100 pounds.
Obviously no one is making me eat anything but what am I supposed to eat lol
Smaller portions? You can't cut a cinnamon roll in half or even quarters? Ask your grandmother (or grandfather) to split it with you.
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What are meals like? Ask for larger portions? They're not sitting down to dinner and putting a bowl of fruit loops and a cinnamon roll on dinner plates surely?0
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Non of the food listed is a meal, it is all snacking food.
Share a cinnamon roll if you need a mid morning snack.
Have the correct serving size of any of the other treats if you feel like them, and they fit into your calories
What are you being offered for meals?
I am old enough to be your grandmother, I get some treats in for family visits, I tell the visitors where they are, and will serve some as snacks, but it is up to them to decide if they want to eat them or not.
I also offer 3 well balanced nutritious meals a day.
Surely you eat the meals and can skip or reduce the snacks.
Honestly saying no is OK, especially if you are being offered food your grandparents remember you loving when you were younger. Tastes change, just let them know. Communication is key.
I used to get requests for a particular cake, now it is a particular grilled veg dish with bacon (I don't particularly like bacon) I miss the cake, I loved it too, but I am not offended by being told something different is now preferred.
Cheers, h.0
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