What diet???
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tracking calories and keeping a food diary like MFP helps you to do is a great way. sometimes you don't realise how much you eat each day, or how many hidden calories there are in things (ie Ketchup) until you see it written down.
However I like you fell of the wagon many times and im doing a lot more successfully now after binge watching "how to lose weight well" I took inspiration from that a year or so ago and count calories but also factor in some of the other diets principles. it seems to make it less boring, less samey and somewhat more exciting so you don't feel stuck in a rut and so much like its a diet as you can chop and change things.
give it a try and see how you get on.
Good Luck!0 -
OP, have you tried just logging your food and attempting to hit a reasonable calorie target yet? Not following a diet, not restricting specific things, just... eating a little less? Many of us have found it freeing. Often that uncontrollable urge to eat specific foods is an emotional response to feeling deprived of them in the first place.
I lost my weight eating pizza, ice cream, and lots of other often "off-limits" foods. It wasn't all I ate obviously, I built my meals around lean proteins and veggies, but there was nothing off limits.5 -
WinoGelato wrote: »sammyj19902015 wrote: »Nothing triggers it, I’ve done low carb for 13 days straight really focused losing weight then bang yesterday woke up and ate so much rubbish but I literally could not stop myself, I knew I was doing it but couldn’t stop
First of all, one day falling off the wagon isn’t the end of the world. Brush yourself off and reevaluate your plan (again - it’s a plan, not a diet). Also, low carb isn’t necessary for weight loss, perhaps that is too restrictive for you if you feel tempted to over indulge. Have you read the recommendations above including the stickied posts?
I totally freak out and binge just like OP described when I try to do low carb. Now I just try to hit my calorie goal and my protein and let the rest fall where it may.
I have a little chocolate or ice cream pretty much every night. Helps me stay on track.2 -
But I don’t lose anything I just hit a plateau which is why I tried something different but just can’t seem to find something that suits, I’m actually addicted to food but want to be slim and it’s never going to happen
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But you can! Log what you eat now and eat a little less day to day.1
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You won't lose any discernible amount of weight unless you stick to a calorie deficit for at least a few weeks.sammyj19902015 wrote: »But I don’t lose anything I just hit a plateau which is why I tried something different but just can’t seem to find something that suits, I’m actually addicted to food but want to be slim and it’s never going to happen
Nobody's addicted to food.6 -
sammyj19902015 wrote: »But I don’t lose anything I just hit a plateau which is why I tried something different but just can’t seem to find something that suits, I’m actually addicted to food but want to be slim and it’s never going to happen
You're over complicating it. Complete your diet profile in MFP. Set it to lose .5 or 1 lb per week. Read the stickied posts here on the forums so that you can: Track and log honestly and accurately. Above all, be patient.2 -
sammyj19902015 wrote: »But I don’t lose anything I just hit a plateau which is why I tried something different but just can’t seem to find something that suits, I’m actually addicted to food but want to be slim and it’s never going to happen
If you have a true addiction you should seek help. Over-eaters Anonymous or psychologist who specializes would be good options.1 -
I feel the same way towards food as I do to cigarettes. I get the same ‘angryness’ when I can’t have food I want as I do when I can’t have a cigarette, then I eat said food then get annoyed with myself for eating it... lose lose situation
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sammyj19902015 wrote: »I feel the same way towards food as I do to cigarettes. I get the same ‘angryness’ when I can’t have food I want as I do when I can’t have a cigarette, then I eat said food then get annoyed with myself for eating it... lose lose situation
You'll need to develop some coping skills.
What I did in the situation you're describing:
Ask myself, "Can I have this same food again later?"
If the answer is yes (which it most often is), tell myself I'll have it another time.
If the answer is no, then I may allow myself to have it, but I'll have to make some other changes to my diet that day. I probably won't get my evening treat, which I love and always look forward to. Is it worth that trade? Maybe yes, maybe no.2 -
Cigarettes are addictive though, they put additives in them to make it so. Food, on the other, keeps us alive and fuels our activities. Put to rest that food is addictive because it is not. Just learn to eat the right amount, it takes practice.4
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sammyj19902015 wrote: »But I don’t lose anything I just hit a plateau which is why I tried something different but just can’t seem to find something that suits, I’m actually addicted to food but want to be slim and it’s never going to happen
If you have a true addiction you should seek help. Over-eaters Anonymous or psychologist who specializes would be good options.
I feel like I do have an addiction to food but here’s me sitting here like I’m 30 odd stone, I actually weigh 13st 5lb so kept some control over it but would just like to lose some rather than sitting at this weight
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sammyj19902015 wrote: »sammyj19902015 wrote: »But I don’t lose anything I just hit a plateau which is why I tried something different but just can’t seem to find something that suits, I’m actually addicted to food but want to be slim and it’s never going to happen
If you have a true addiction you should seek help. Over-eaters Anonymous or psychologist who specializes would be good options.
I feel like I do have an addiction to food but here’s me sitting here like I’m 30 odd stone, I actually weigh 13st 5lb so kept some control over it but would just like to lose some rather than sitting at this weight
Then stop trying to find quick weight loss solutions and stick to what was working. Weigh your food. Log everything you consume. Don't make this more complicated and stressful than it should be.4 -
For weight loss, sacrifices need to be made. They don't need to be drastic, but they need to be there. Foods you overeat are just that, foods you overeat. They aren't bad, and you aren't bad for wanting to eat them. Dieting sacrifices come in form of cutting out a food, replacing with another, limiting it's quantity, or limiting its frequency. You get to pick which one feels easier to you for any particular food. You tried cutting out these particular foods and it didn't work for you. Are there lower calorie foods that hit the same notes? If not, will you be able to budget in smaller portions daily or every other day? Or would you rather have a larger portion less frequently and save up for it throughout the week/month/whatever time period you decide on? Finding the easiest approach (not necessarily as easy as giving in every time) takes trial and error. Don't look for prepackaged diets, look for a way to personalize your own because that's more likely to last.
As for being impatient, losing quickly and restrictively then giving in and regaining some is stressful and results in similar in the short term, much worse in the long term, results to a slower less stressful diet that has fewer binges, so picking the slower paced diet may actually be a faster way to achieve your goal.8 -
sammyj19902015 wrote: »I feel the same way towards food as I do to cigarettes. I get the same ‘angryness’ when I can’t have food I want as I do when I can’t have a cigarette, then I eat said food then get annoyed with myself for eating it... lose lose situation
Again, is it a certain food? A certain type of food? Do you crave sweets? Chips? Is there something lower calorie that will “scratch the itch” to use an addiction phrase?
Why do you feel you can’t have those foods, have you tried eating them in moderation and you overindulge or do you believe you must cut them out because you feel like a “restrictive diet” is required to be successful?1 -
I eat protein and carbs and chocolate and cheese and avocado and whatever else sounds good IF it’s within my calorie allotment for the day. If you insist on making excuses for yourself, you’ll stay right where you are. There’s no reason to deny yourself the foods you want. Maybe instead of wallowing in despair about your so-called addiction, you could consider talking to a therapist about establishing healthy habits and coping skills to avoid binging. Good luck!7
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My thought is that you should go ahead and just continue to eat whatever you want to eat, as much as you want to eat, but be sure to log accurately. Then as you have developed the habit of logging, you can slowly start to reduce the amount you eat. It's not hard it's just new habits. What you're really doing is developing Life Time habits.
You can even binge sometimes. It's an old pattern and may take some time to change, but over time the urge to do so will lessen. Don't beat yourself up. Just get right back on new process the next day.
And really, it must be said: Stop making excuses. When you fall get back up. That is the only way to succeed.
Hugs to you.1 -
I think about the only real restrictions I imposed on my way of eating (besides being already vegetarian and strictly kosher) was keeping my homemade desserts to 200 calories or fewer per serving and not buying any items where I couldn't at least ballpark the calories.
Example: as I said, I'm strictly kosher. There are a few pizza places I go to. While these restaurants aren't in the database, Pizza Pizza is. I work on the principle that a large slice of cheese pizza is likely to be around the same calories no matter which restaurant makes it. But I've stopped ordering their more 'unique' varieties that are hard to estimate. (Stuffed crust spinach-feta, topped with cheese, veggies, and sauce? I really have no idea).
For the rest, I eat mostly healthy within my calorie allotment.3 -
The magic happens in your head when you truthfully log your food. That means you use a scale to weigh it, carefully select accurate database entries, and log every morsel that crosses your lips.
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My trainer has me counting my macros instead of my calories. By default, my calories happen to fall within my calorie range every day. I enjoy macro counting much more than calorie counting. It’s made a big difference for me. If you’re interested let me know and I can tell you how to set them up in the app.0
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Do you have trouble focusing in other areas as well? School, work, hobbies, getting places on time? Too many experiences with trust being broken, for instance in relationships? Weightloss is just about buckling down and stop overeating, but not starving or depriving yourself. Day in, day out, taking each meal, each day as a challenge as well as a wonderful opportunity to learn and enjoy. Blame this or that and cry and believe in magic, DOES NOT WORK.2
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kommodevaran wrote: »Do you have trouble focusing in other areas as well? School, work, hobbies, getting places on time? Too many experiences with trust being broken, for instance in relationships? Weightloss is just about buckling down and stop overeating, but not starving or depriving yourself. Day in, day out, taking each meal, each day as a challenge as well as a wonderful opportunity to learn and enjoy. Blame this or that and cry and believe in magic, DOES NOT WORK.
Relationships definitely.. mainly cheated on which is where my insecurity comes from and my personal view on my body image. I’m also 28 years of age not 3 so do u really think I believe magic will work... I just get frustrated on here of people thinking they know everything when people are different. I’ve been doing mfp for 3 years now and still not working for me so yeah frustrated that I can’t stick to it but I would kill to be slim.. figure that one out lol
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People are different in aspects like preferences, experiences, height, weight, hair color and learning styles, but we're also bound by the same physical laws. So what you perceive as (I assume) people thinking they know everything about you even though we don't know you, is just facts that are true for everybody, like, a calorie deficit over time leads to weightloss. MFP doesn't work for you BECAUSE you can’t stick to it. Are you willing to kill somebody, if so, why is being patient and consistent so impossible? Or is it just a hyperbole (like my use of "magic")?sammyj19902015 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »Do you have trouble focusing in other areas as well? School, work, hobbies, getting places on time? Too many experiences with trust being broken, for instance in relationships? Weightloss is just about buckling down and stop overeating, but not starving or depriving yourself. Day in, day out, taking each meal, each day as a challenge as well as a wonderful opportunity to learn and enjoy. Blame this or that and cry and believe in magic, DOES NOT WORK.
Relationships definitely.. mainly cheated on which is where my insecurity comes from and my personal view on my body image. I’m also 28 years of age not 3 so do u really think I believe magic will work... I just get frustrated on here of people thinking they know everything when people are different. I’ve been doing mfp for 3 years now and still not working for me so yeah frustrated that I can’t stick to it but I would kill to be slim.. figure that one out lol5 -
sammyj19902015 wrote: »kommodevaran wrote: »Do you have trouble focusing in other areas as well? School, work, hobbies, getting places on time? Too many experiences with trust being broken, for instance in relationships? Weightloss is just about buckling down and stop overeating, but not starving or depriving yourself. Day in, day out, taking each meal, each day as a challenge as well as a wonderful opportunity to learn and enjoy. Blame this or that and cry and believe in magic, DOES NOT WORK.
Relationships definitely.. mainly cheated on which is where my insecurity comes from and my personal view on my body image. I’m also 28 years of age not 3 so do u really think I believe magic will work... I just get frustrated on here of people thinking they know everything when people are different. I’ve been doing mfp for 3 years now and still not working for me so yeah frustrated that I can’t stick to it but I would kill to be slim.. figure that one out lol
how long have you stuck to a calorie deficit for? you've been on here 3 years? have you actually been consistent for a period of time longer than a month?0 -
Strike a balance between eating at a calorie deficit and eating the foods that satisfy you most. There you have sustainability. Your diet like a tailor made suit needs to be tailored exactly to your liking. No one else's.0
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Yeah I’m not saying it hasnt worked for me, when I 1st started I lost 3 stone and nearly got to what I wanted to be then something clicked in my head and a baby later I’ve gained it all again. I’m not saying the calorie deficits don’t work for everyone I understand that what I’m trying to say is I can’t seem to stick to anything I’ll do it for months on end then when I hit a plateau my brain goes awol and I eat everything in sight, I can’t tell you why I can’t stick to it, I can lose 2 stone yet something clicks and it all goes wrong ??0
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sammyj19902015 wrote: »Yeah I’m not saying it hasnt worked for me, when I 1st started I lost 3 stone and nearly got to what I wanted to be then something clicked in my head and a baby later I’ve gained it all again. I’m not saying the calorie deficits don’t work for everyone I understand that what I’m trying to say is I can’t seem to stick to anything I’ll do it for months on end then when I hit a plateau my brain goes awol and I eat everything in sight, I can’t tell you why I can’t stick to it, I can lose 2 stone yet something clicks and it all goes wrong ??
given your other posts it seems that you don't hit a plateau (more than 8 weeks of not losing weight), you have a normal weight fluctuation and you throw the towel in.
read and learn about water weight and how weight loss isn't linear... stick to a deficit and you WILL lose weight.8 -
It sounds like you're making drastic, temporary changes which is possibly why you're finding the process so unsustainable. You're asking 'what diet?' like there's a quick fix solution that you haven't tried, there isn't. You can eat what you like within your calorie allowance. Focus on small, sustainable changes. The fact you've lost before is great but you've gone back to bad habits and regained (it happens-life is a nightmare like that). If it takes you x months to put that weight on it's not going to come off in a matter of weeks and sitting there beating yourself up about what's already happened isn't going to help.
Log everything, even when you screw up, have a manageable deficit and aim for a healthy weight, if you have a bad day move on and start again the next day. Don't make it a bad week or month. I've lost nearly 30lbs in 8 months and am still going. I had bad days, my weight went up and then down again by a few pounds a week sometimes. That's normal and you can't let it discourage you.
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If you need some extra no bovine excrement sort of approach, check Facebook for Richie Howey (sweary Geordie) or James Smith PT (sweary Berkshireman, currently living in Aus). Both do regular live videos and explain CICO, BMR, TDEE, why fad diets don't work, and why keeping track of macros does help in addition to CICO. Although I am not signed up to either, I like their no nonsense approach and regularly watch their videos.
But at the end of the day you have to want change. You have to be ready to make small lifestyle changes and force yourself to stick to them. I eat everything, just in moderation. If it fits my calories and/or macros I will have chocolate, cake, alcohol, you name it. The best thing is you don't have to do it at once. Gradual changes make them part of your life.
I started at Easter last year and have gradually gotten healthier. I have lost close to 20lbs and kept it off. My plateau (December/January) has reduced significantly, and my desire for bad food has declined, which is amazing. I still have it, but if I have it in the quantities that I used to I start to feel dodgy. Which is great! Long process, but worth every minute.2 -
I’ve been doing mfp for 3 years now and still not working for me so yeah frustrated that I can’t stick to it
So the issue isn't MFP, it's you not sticking to it.
They key to ANY diet is sticking to it. It doesn't take willpower as much as it takes a desire to change and willingness to work hard.6
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