Cleaning Out the Pantry
ZaftigBetty
Posts: 86 Member
Did anyone clean out the junk foods from their kitchen before starting their new diet/lifestyle change? As someone who grew up in poverty, I have not been able to toss out items that have been opened, but are still 3/4 full. I also have other people in the house that are not eating the same as I do. Unfortunately, many of these items are creating the occasional stumble in my own Keto journey. For example, the giant Pub Mix, three different kinds of ice creams, and Whole Milk. The ice cream is probably the biggest culprit since I am sugar addicted. Hence, why as a pre-diabetic I'm trying out Keto. Any advice? Discipline is not exactly my strongest suit right now. Otherwise, I might not be 250lbs. Maybe I could compromise with my other family household members about tossing out the ice cream? Thanks in advance!
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so the rest of your family can no longer eat ice cream because you need to lose weight? doesn't sound very fair.
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TavistockToad wrote: »so the rest of your family can no longer eat ice cream because you need to lose weight? doesn't sound very fair.
It wouldn't be a forever thing, but that's why I was seeking advice. Thanks for your perspective though!1 -
My mom is also pre-diabetic and we did throw out our ice cream in solidarity! She can't have it and it isn't a 'need' so we only have it in the house for the holidays when people come over. A great alternative for you and your family could be sugar-free popsicles. They only have something like 15 calories and are great for when you're craving something cold and sweet.
At the same time, we still have a LOT of junk foods in our house and it has been a real struggle for me sometimes, resulting in a few cheat days (ritz crackers... my weakness). The ultimate goal is to be able to overcome cravings and increase your discipline. For me I think not having a certain food for a few weeks makes me less likely to 'need' it, and if I give myself a cheat day I'm more likely to crave the junk food again.
Try actively staying away from the pantry when not cooking - set aside all your healthy meals and snacks, and don't let yourself see or smell junk food as much as possible. Out of sight, out of mind!3 -
You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.4
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No, esp if you live with other people! Why toss food that they are eating? My mother did that on her many various diets of eating this or that, or NOT eating this or that and I resented the heck out of it. If YOU can't control yourself that's on YOU, not them.
A compromise might be, in the future buy the low fat/no sugar/no fat ice cream, baked chips, or have a certain cupboard set aside for junk-y food that you simply don't open and don't stock.4 -
Yes, I did, and I regret it. Because not very much later, I learnt that I could eat anything in moderation, and that sugar addiction is not a thing, and demonizing foods I like was what made me obsess about them. I also chose to eat as close to a normal diet I could, not try some extreme diet. This made it possible to not rely on willpower, easier to adjust to and stay in maintenance, and quite easy to dispense the small daily doses of discipline I have to.
You can eat what you want, but I think that if you live with other people, it's not your business to throw out their food or deny them to eat it.10 -
You are making a change and the other people in your household don't have to change. You have no right to tell other people what they can eat just like they have no right to tell you that you can't stop eating ice cream. This would be a good time to practice self control and discipline which are skills everyone needs. Good luck.2
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Maybe you should skip the keto and just try calorie counting. That way you can eat whatever you want in moderation. Otherwise it's gonna take a lot of willpower and it sounds like you know yourself enough to know you don't have it. I just think trying to get other people in the house to go on a keto diet with you is probably a bad idea. I ended up divorced over a raw food diet once. (It was probably a contributing factor.) Anyway, i do agree though if it's really bad junk food and no one else wants it, throw it out! Better in the trash than on your hips! I was just given two packages of my favorite cookies and three boxes of a new kind of cookie. I ate about 4 of the cookies then threw them in the garbage. I am so glad I did that! Otherwise they would have gotten eaten and I wouldn't have lost the pound I lost this week. And trust me I was thinking about those cookies I threw away!5
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vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!5 -
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No don’t throw it if someone in the house will eat it. You have to train yourself to ask yourself if 1) are you hungry? Could you eat a whole apple? If not you’re not hungry enough (this is my rule of thumb). 2). Is it worth the calories? Does actually taste that good that you want to use the calories on it?
Also buy some items that are just for you so if you do feel like you want a snack then you can grab one of those items instead. Not everyday is going to be perfect but you have to let yourself make mistakes and learn from them instead of letting it derail you completely. Once those items are gone then don’t buy them again. I don’t really buy ice cream unless it’s a special occasion now.
Lastly sugar addiction isn’t real. Yes it makes you feel good when you eat it but so does other things that aren’t sugar laden. That is just a gimmick put forth by fad diet gurus. And you don’t have to do keto that is also a gimmick (unless instructed by a doctor). You can lose weight eating anything you want within your calorie allotment.2 -
ZaftigBetty wrote: »vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!
Why wasn't calorie counting successful?1 -
moosmum1972 wrote: »ZaftigBetty wrote: »vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!
You do realise ALL of these use CICO. ...non of them are magic and you still need to calorie count. You can't "rid" your body of using carbs and the reintroduced carbs on paleo will cause water gain.
Truth.
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ZaftigBetty wrote: »vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!
If you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight. Keto relies on you consuming less calories than you burn and so do all the other temporary diets you have mentioned, please find something sustainable for you.2 -
I live with 3 other adults so I definitely do not throw out food. However, I do have my own snacks that are mine alone. And the others know better than to touch my stash!
I have to say that I confused as to why you would follow a keto diet, then Paleo, then whole 30. You could eat the things you like in moderation while keeping a calorie deficit.1 -
Your body needs energy and doesn’t really care if they come from carbs or fat or whatever. You need protein to build muscles. Using diet gimmicks like keto and paleo just make things more difficult then necessary. (I know from experience). The easiest diet I’ve done and the only once I’m successful at is CiCo. You have to be careful logging but that is a learned skill. There is no magic pill for weight loss. For all the people who say they had success with keto, etc there are those stories of people who gained the weight back or failed st it that you don’t hear too.1
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Calorie counting isn't the same as CICO, CICO is the process by which you lose, gain or maintain weight (calories in - calories out), and every weightloss diet or strategy works by that principle. Many diets are marketed by tricking you into believing CICO isn't at play, and those diets tend to have the lowest rate of success. You can't expect to be successful with calorie counting just by trying, you have to do it, and use your food diary and food scale correctly, just like any other tools.ZaftigBetty wrote: »vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!
Your body runs fine on any combination of sugar and fat, it uses whatever you feed it. You won't necessarily plateau, a plateau is just hitting the point where you're eating at maintenance. To continue losing, you just have to reduce calorie intake further. Your eagerness for jumping from one fad to another can probably explain why you weigh 250 pounds - managing weight takes patience and long term commitment. You don't "need" processed sugar, but eating it is no big deal, processed sugar is identical to sugar naturally occurring in plants, because it's made from plants, and so it has the same effect on your body, and cutting it out means cutting out a wide range of nutritious foods. There are no healthy carbs as there are no unhealthy carbs or unhealty or unhealthy foods.
Unsustainable diets tend to be more and more difficult, not easier, to adhere to, as time goes by.3 -
well if you really want to try keto, you need to steel yourself. perhaps thinking of those foods as other people's foods not for you will help1
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Eating low carb or keto can be a strategy for managing blood sugars in diabetics so I can see why it would appeal to you that way. I did low carb for a while (not keto, about 50-70g net carbs a day) and both lost significant weight and have kept it off for over a year now.
Since your reason for doing this is to manage diabetes, maybe it will help to reframe it that way. No one diet is going to be a miracle cure, but the choices you make each day are impacting your health long term. Make lower sugar or sugar replacement substitutes. Consult with a registered dietician on an appropriate meal plan and macros for managing diabetes. Increase your activity! I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy and just going for a brisk 30 minute walk after eating did wonders for my blood sugar control.
You may also want to do some introspection and self examination as to why you feel you are addicted to sugar. I've seen a lot of people claim that on these forums and for most of them they are either using food to deal with stress or they are using it as an excuse because they aren't yet in the right place to be ready to lose weight. This isn't a slight against them, by the way. The stars really do need to align in a person's life before they can successfully lose weight (myself included) but blaming something you have no agency over doesn't hasten the process of reaching that point.
Ultimately, your future health is in your hands.3 -
kommodevaran wrote: »
Calorie counting isn't the same as CICO, CICO is the process by which you lose, gain or maintain weight (calories in - calories out), and every weightloss diet or strategy works by that principle. Many diets are marketed by tricking you into believing CICO isn't at play, and those diets tend to have the lowest rate of success. You can't expect to be successful with calorie counting just by trying, you have to do it, and use your food diary and food scale correctly, just like any other tools.ZaftigBetty wrote: »vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!
Your body runs fine on sugar and fat or a combination, it uses whatever you feed it. You won't necessarily plateau, a plateau is just hitting the point where you're eating at maintenance. To continue losing, you just have to reduce calorie intake further. Your eagerness for jumping from one fad to another can probably explain why you weigh 250 pounds - managing weight takes patience and long term commitment. You don't "need" processed sugar, but eating it is no big deal, processed sugar is identical to sugar naturally occurring in plants, because it's made from plants, and so it has the same effect on your body, and cutting it out means cutting out a wide range of nutritious foods. There are no healthy carbs as there are no unhealthy carbs or unhealty or unhealthy foods.
Unsustainable diets tend to be more and more difficult, not easier, to adhere to, as time goes by.
I know that having a calorie deficit is ultimately the goal. It seems that there is a lot of backlash towards Keto, but I do feel to each their own. I know how I treated my body before and yes, there are unhealthy carbs/sugars/foods in general (i.e. fast food). I also understand that this time it isn't a magic diet. I'm making a lifestyle change which will have different tiers in it to help me reach a goal where food is for energy and exercise is just a part of my average day. All of this will take time. You guys are right, I won't throw anything out. However, since I do the grocery shopping, I also will not buy it again. There are healthier options. If there is a strong urge and my fiance and child want ice cream, they/we can take a quick run to grab a quick cone of ice cream/froyo/etc.
Much appreciated! Good luck to all in your own journey!0 -
ZaftigBetty wrote: »Did anyone clean out the junk foods from their kitchen before starting their new diet/lifestyle change? As someone who grew up in poverty, I have not been able to toss out items that have been opened, but are still 3/4 full. I also have other people in the house that are not eating the same as I do. Unfortunately, many of these items are creating the occasional stumble in my own Keto journey. For example, the giant Pub Mix, three different kinds of ice creams, and Whole Milk. The ice cream is probably the biggest culprit since I am sugar addicted. Hence, why as a pre-diabetic I'm trying out Keto. Any advice? Discipline is not exactly my strongest suit right now. Otherwise, I might not be 250lbs. Maybe I could compromise with my other family household members about tossing out the ice cream? Thanks in advance!
This is how I handled things at my house: I purchase the groceries, so I try to make healthy choices for what I buy. If my family wants to eat things other than what I bring home, they are welcome to purchase it themselves for their individual consumption, hopefully outside the house. I figure junk food is not healthy for them, just like it's not for me, so why would I stock junk food in my house? I can't control what each person chooses to put in their mouths, but I don't feel right sabotaging myself or others who are trying to make healthy choices, either. And, for the most part, my family has been caring & respectful of each other in not bringing trigger foods into our home.1 -
Eating low carb or keto can be a strategy for managing blood sugars in diabetics so I can see why it would appeal to you that way. I did low carb for a while (not keto, about 50-70g net carbs a day) and both lost significant weight and have kept it off for over a year now.
Since your reason for doing this is to manage diabetes, maybe it will help to reframe it that way. No one diet is going to be a miracle cure, but the choices you make each day are impacting your health long term. Make lower sugar or sugar replacement substitutes. Consult with a registered dietician on an appropriate meal plan and macros for managing diabetes. Increase your activity! I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy and just going for a brisk 30 minute walk after eating did wonders for my blood sugar control.
You may also want to do some introspection and self examination as to why you feel you are addicted to sugar. I've seen a lot of people claim that on these forums and for most of them they are either using food to deal with stress or they are using it as an excuse because they aren't yet in the right place to be ready to lose weight. This isn't a slight against them, by the way. The stars really do need to align in a person's life before they can successfully lose weight (myself included) but blaming something you have no agency over doesn't hasten the process of reaching that point.
Ultimately, your future health is in your hands.
Thank you so much! Yes, Keto is for managing my pre-diabetic status. My mother is 61 and is practically bed-ridden due to the ailments inflicted by her diabetes. The realization of seeing how much impact it has had on her life and seeing those similarities occurring in my own, I had to pull the blinders off. I am exercising 5-7 days a week. You're right, the next time I am craving sugar, I will ask myself 'why'. You offered much appreciated advice. Thank you!2 -
ZaftigBetty wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »
Calorie counting isn't the same as CICO, CICO is the process by which you lose, gain or maintain weight (calories in - calories out), and every weightloss diet or strategy works by that principle. Many diets are marketed by tricking you into believing CICO isn't at play, and those diets tend to have the lowest rate of success. You can't expect to be successful with calorie counting just by trying, you have to do it, and use your food diary and food scale correctly, just like any other tools.ZaftigBetty wrote: »vampirequeen1959 wrote: »You have my sympathy. It's very hard to diet when there is so much food in the house. Do you have to do Keto? If you opt for healthy eating and calorie counting you can have some of the other foods without feeling you've blown your diet and becoming disheartened. My doctor's advice was deny yourself nothing but think about what you eat and how much you exercise i.e. eat less and move more. The MFP calorie counting system is very effective and allows for things you crave. If you ban them completely you'll simply crave them even more and eventually won't be able to resist.
I've tried CICO on several occasions, but wasn't successful. I want to use Keto as a way to rid my body of the need to use carbs and sugars. Once I plateau on Keto, I want to move to Paleo and then, Whole30. Ultimately, my goal would be to no longer need processed sugars and eat healthy carbs along with exercise. Its going to be long process but first, I have to kick the junk food. However, the first two to three weeks of Keto can be the hardest. Thank you and good luck on your journey!
Your body runs fine on sugar and fat or a combination, it uses whatever you feed it. You won't necessarily plateau, a plateau is just hitting the point where you're eating at maintenance. To continue losing, you just have to reduce calorie intake further. Your eagerness for jumping from one fad to another can probably explain why you weigh 250 pounds - managing weight takes patience and long term commitment. You don't "need" processed sugar, but eating it is no big deal, processed sugar is identical to sugar naturally occurring in plants, because it's made from plants, and so it has the same effect on your body, and cutting it out means cutting out a wide range of nutritious foods. There are no healthy carbs as there are no unhealthy carbs or unhealty or unhealthy foods.
Unsustainable diets tend to be more and more difficult, not easier, to adhere to, as time goes by.
I know that having a calorie deficit is ultimately the goal. It seems that there is a lot of backlash towards Keto, but I do feel to each their own. I know how I treated my body before and yes, there are unhealthy carbs/sugars/foods in general (i.e. fast food). I also understand that this time it isn't a magic diet. I'm making a lifestyle change which will have different tiers in it to help me reach a goal where food is for energy and exercise is just a part of my average day. All of this will take time. You guys are right, I won't throw anything out. However, since I do the grocery shopping, I also will not buy it again. There are healthier options. If there is a strong urge and my fiance and child want ice cream, they/we can take a quick run to grab a quick cone of ice cream/froyo/etc.
Much appreciated! Good luck to all in your own journey!
This is what I was going to suggest. When I first started, I didn't throw anything out that my husband liked to eat and just avoided it until it was gone. Since I do the majority of the grocery shopping, I just simply stopped buying things I no longer wanted in the house or bought lower calorie or "healthier" versions of certain foods (like ice cream). If he wants potato chips or whatever, he can make the effort to do the shopping and buy them. Otherwise, he can eat what I buy or get take out.
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Give it to a local church2
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