Let’s be real...

dr3wkhalifa · February 2018

Ok so here’s the thing. I just started a diet. Well basically cut out all bad food and only eating good healthy (nasty) food. I am seriously feeling worse than I was before now. I can never eat bad food again? If I go out to eat with the guys I can’t order a big ol juicy burger with fries? “Hey drew how’s that salad?” Ya..embarrassing. I just don’t think I’ll be able to do this. I’m obese and scared of heart disease and all that stuff but I just can’t imagine life without the good food. “But fruit is so good and tasty and it’s so good for you omg” *kitten* that. Fried chicken is the *kitten*!! Idc what you say but healthy food is just nasty I just won’t get used to it and quite frankly I don’t want to get used to it. I’m just suffering inside. Yes I want to be fit and healthy but I don’t wanna completely block out the good tasting food. Idk what to do. I just want to eat what I want and be happy. I’m happy being fat I don’t care about my looks I’m not trying to impress anyone I just don’t want to die from a heart attack or clogged arteries or whatever doctors scare you about obeseity. PLEASE HELP

mamadon · February 2018

Ok. Being real. You will not be able to eat the same amount of food that you did before. You can however eat the same foods. Just smaller portions of them. In order to lose weight you have to eat less calories than you burn. It’s really that simple. The burger and fries for example, maybe you’ll have enough calories in your day, to have half an order. No foods need to be forbidden but some foods will give you more volume or bang for your buck. Eat the amount of calories MFP gives you, invest in a kitchen scale and you will lose weight. It doesn’t have to be torture.

RaeBeeBaby · February 2018

Good food, bad food, "nasty" food is all in the taste buds of the consumer. A lot of people consider a greasy burger and fries to be nasty while a big robust salad to be delicious. If you consider "healthy" foods as nasty it might be hard for you to make the changes you may need to reach your goals. Some mindset changes might be worth consideration.

Yes, it's absolutely true you can lose weight without eliminating all these foods you love. However, if your goal is to NOT die from a heart attack or clogged arteries, then reducing the quantity of higher fat foods will help get you there. Weight loss will be a nice side effect, as well.

malibu927 · February 2018

Don't quantify food as "good" or "bad". Find healthier foods you do enjoy eating, but if you occasionally want a burger or fried chicken? Work it into your calories.

notreallychris · February 2018

malibu927 wrote: »

Don't quantify food as "good" or "bad". Find healthier foods you do enjoy eating, but if you occasionally want a burger or fried chicken? Work it into your calories.

+1

Machka9 · February 2018

dr3wkhalifa wrote: »

Well basically cut out all bad food

I don't eat bad food ... never have. Unless it has been by accident.

There have been a few food poisoning incidents, but thankfully, not too many of those.

And when things start to turn green and fuzzy in the fridge, they get tossed.

TavistockToad · February 2018

Stop thinking of food as 'good' or 'bad'.

Eat food you like in portions sizes that fit your daily/weekly cals.

Eat some fruit and veg. Do some exercise that you enjoy.

As someone else has already stated, you can't keep eating what you used to eat if you want to lose weight - there have to be some changes if you want to see changes to the scales, but it doesn't have to be as terrible as you seem to think.

kommodevaran · February 2018

I was in the same dilemma, in fact I would define healthy food as boring food, and food I liked as bad food. I was also terrified of preventable disease. No wonder I felt stuck. Coming in here I learnt a lot! I learnt that you can eat anything in moderation, and moderation, as well as healthy eating, is defined as "enough of everything I need every day, and not too much of anything over time". This means that I don't have to eat diet foods, or focus on low fat, low sugar, lots of greens and whole grains. I can eat ordinary food! I can have treats! Loosing that fear, and opening up for traditional, enjoyable, simple meals, and allowing myself as much sugar, salt and fat I needed to make my food taste just right, made everything taste different, and I wanted to eat more vegetables and whole grains, because they started to taste less bitter and more exciting. I started to pick up the nuances, I started to love cooking, I almost became a food snob - I, who would earlier gobble up anything, as long as it was cheap, easy to eat, available, and nobody watched.

Another change that happened, and something that might indicate that you're not ready to take the plunge yet, is that I was fed up with the lifestyle, not just with being overweight. Getting enough was becoming harder and harder - and I understand it now: Junk food isn't meant to fill any nutritional need, so it can be consumed in unlimited amounts, so trying to get enough, is futile. You can get enough of real food.

snowflake954 · February 2018

It's important that you stay within your calorie goal everyday. How you do that is up to you. Get a digital food scale, start weighing, measuring and logging your food--that is what's essential. Move more if you can, even walking is good to start. I imagine you want to stay alive and healthy to watch that baby grow, so get moving, don't feel sorry for yourself, and good luck.

livingleanlivingclean · February 2018

Do you know how to cook? If not, please find someone to teach you. Learn to prepare foods in ways you find appetising.

Francl27 · February 2018

Being real - you might not be able to eat the same food in smaller quantities. If I ate the same thing that I used to eat 5 years ago in smaller quantities, I'd be hungry all the time, because it was mostly high calorie/not filling stuff. Yes, it's all about calories, but really, you don't want to be hungry all the time either.

But no, you don't have to stop eating it. But yes, you'll have to learn to make better choices overall. Really though, websites like skinnytaste give some pretty good lower calorie recipes of comfort food. Surely there are SOME lower calorie things that you like? Focus on those. And you can modify things you like and make your own burgers with leaner meat to start with, for example (and homemade fries with just a bit of olive oil and roasted in the oven).

After that, if you don't want to be completely miserable, don't pick a crazy 'lose 2 lbs a week' goal (1 lb is better than nothing, trust me), and try to be active so you can eat more (that's key for me, I'd never have lost weight if I could only eat 1400 calories a day - NEVER).

JoRocka · February 2018

Sounds like you're trying to take on too much- too fast in terms of dietary changes. And that's never a good thing.

Don't eat food you don't like- but you're going to have to make SOME adjustments to maximize your calories.

You could eat baked/grilled chicken instead of fried and battered- and then have room for dinner.

Or you could have your burger and frys- but you have to accept the fact that's it for the day- that's all you get to eat.

This whole calorie balancing thing is about making the most out of the calorie allowance- not punishing yourself.

Finally- how old are you "drew" that you can't eat a salad in front of your friends without them making fun of you- that's so insanely childish. Either find new friends- or teach them to grow the fk up. That's insane.

sarasmiles124 · February 2018

I will still have a burger with fries occasionally but I will often eat the burger sans bun and halve the fries or order a side salad instead. When I cook burgers at home, I wont have the bun and will make some other type of side.

ksz1104 · February 2018

It's called moderation. Hell I am a dibaetic but I sure eat a doughnut or cupcake or pasta sometimes. You cannot eat like that everyday. No one should be eating like that every day, not the guys you hang out with that aren't on a diet. It'd not healthy for anyone to eat pizza and drink beer several times a week in the long run. But also if you just go cold turkey and go from pizza and purgers and KFC to a salad you'll go nuts. Try changing the options like get a side salad instead of fries with the burger, go for the green beans instead of mac and cheese with the fried chicken. Drink more water during the day.

Jenniferakajacel311 · February 2018

Can you and your friends go to a more upscale burger joint like Five Guys or Smashburger? Add some veggies to your burger, try the mushroom or veggie or turkey burgers. Change it up and try new tastes. Having a weekly or monthly treat will make you feel you haven't gone insane!

toxikon · February 2018

Good news! Weight loss is all about calories. As long as you're in a caloric deficit, you'll lose weight. It doesn't matter if those calories come from a burger or a salad.

I personally eat lots of fast food, desserts, etc... and it hasn't affected my weight loss progress at all. Because I log everything as accurately as possible and stick to my calorie deficit every day.

onematch · February 2018

Weight matters and if you don't want to be overweight, due to fear of a heart attack or whatever, you need to either cut back on how much you eat, OR change the type of foods that you eat. You could probably lose weight eating burgers and fries, but you won't necessarily be that much healthier.
I eat healthy about 85% of the time. I still eat juicy burgers sometimes. And pizza. And nachos. And beer. Just not every day. For me it's about having a balance and there are some things I don't compromise on. I refuse to eat low fat cheese, for example. And I can't imagine life without wine.
So, it doesn't sound like you're quite ready to do what it takes to make you healthier. When you reach that point, you'll have to decide what changes you're willing to make.

Lounmoun · February 2018

I eat pretty much the same foods I always did just changed portion sizes to fit my calorie goals.
I like vegetables and fruits but I am still eating burgers. I'm not eating a triple bacon cheeseburger with fries and shake but a regular burger, side salad and unsweetened tea fit my goal okay. Some days I have the fries.
I find prelogging very helpful to meeting my goals and making better choices.

To lose weight you need to consume fewer calories. You have to decide what foods fit uour calorie goal and satisfy you. If you completely change your diet to stuff you don't like it won't be very sustainable. Log what you normally eat and see where you can make smaller changes but stilll have stuff you like. Look at your whole day or week.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10532249/do-you-eat-what-you-want/p1

rybo · February 2018

5 guys is "upscale"?

OP you've definitely got to work on changing your mindset first and foremost. until you are able to do that, your chances of successfully losing weight are pretty small.

SilverRose89 · February 2018

dr3wkhalifa wrote: »

If I go out to eat with the guys I can’t order a big ol juicy burger with fries? “Hey drew how’s that salad?” Ya..embarrassing.

If your friends are actual friends, they will support you in becoming healthier and reaching your goals. Sure, they may have a bit of a laugh with you as friends do, but ultimately they will support you if they are worth bothering about.

Saying that, you don't have to switch burger for salad. How about a smaller burger? Half the fries? Or just having the whole thing but only once in a while or having a bit less in the days around it? This isn't about switching to all the food you hate, it's about eating what you don't hate but in moderation and sensibly while keeping to a calorie goal. In time you will likely find that you want to switch things as you don't find them filling enough to fit in, but that will come with time.

cwolfman13 · February 2018

There's more to "good food" than just salads and fruit...

Do you know how to cook? If you can cook, you can make some pretty awesome "good food" that is also delicious.

You also don't have to be so restrictive as to never have X of Y ever again...I just had a 1/2 Lb burger loaded with cheese and bacon and a pile of french fries on the side last night from Turtle Mountain...I do that *kitten* every once in awhile...I don't do that *kitten* everyday.

jessicagreen1828 · February 2018

My husband grew-up eating burgers, potatoes, steak, and very few veggies. After I started eating better, he actually prefers bean or turkey burgers! Try to make some small changes, and eventually you’ll get used to them. Chili is hearty and filling and fairly decent for the calories. Try to eat more of the veggies and fruits you do like! It will keep you feeling fuller longer. Good luck! Also soup is a dieters best friend!

JeromeBarry1 · February 2018

Drew, my wife likes to drink Coca Cola, eat Cheetos and ice cream, and sleep late. She got to a point where she couldn't take her wedding ring off, and knew she needed to lose some weight. To lose weight, she drank Coca Cola, ate Cheetos and ice cream, Just a little less. She got the ring off.

That's how it works. Eat what you like, just a little less.

I like ice cream and pizza.

mmapags · February 2018

Why do you think bean or turkey burgers are better than beef burgers and steak?

AnnPT77 · February 2018

All of the above.

Also, if you're still worried that the "the boys" will tease you about something you really, genuinely want to do <eye roll>, pre-imagine some confident counter-gibes, and rehearse them as vividly as possible in your head in advance. "Dating a rabbit - gotta practice", "laugh at me later, when I miss out on the heart disease", "gotta counter-balance the beer" - whatever.

When with them, don't make a point of what you're doing, be low-key and matter of fact . . . but if someone mouths off, snark right back, with bravado (even if you're faking - just fake with fake confidence

). Then change the subject immediately, like a boss. The moment will pass, and after a few repetitions, your friends will get used to the new you. Flinch or cringe, and the teasing goes on forever.

Poisonedpawn78 · February 2018

lets be honest. Your husband prefers the real burgers. Hes just being nice and supportive.

slossia · February 2018

Hey Jerome!!!!!

slossia · February 2018

That felt good.

acorsaut89 · February 2018

This is interesting to me because I remember the days where my entire diet consisted of what you're deeming the "good food" and now if I eat those foods I will legitimately be in the bathroom for hours that night . . . so my palette - and my gut - have changed over time.

It wasn't, though, an overnight change. It was small changes at a time. It was switching out the breakfast sandwich for home made oatmeal and berries (and I put chocolate chips in my oatmeal) and then switching out that afternoon donut for an apple with peanut butter . . . which is still very sweet tasting and isn't a "nasty" green.

There's two things at play for weight gain: portion size and food choices. Some foods will be naturally more satiating than others, and other foods will be less so but have higher calorie content. With those less satiating foods, with higher calories, you end up needing to eat more because you're hungry and you go over your daily calorie limit. When you go out to eat - which I still do sometimes - you can choose to save up calories for a couple days . . . by eating lighter meals . . . or work out more.

Good food - in the sense of nutrition - isn't just made up of nasty greens and fruit. There's so many options out there to eat, you just need to do a little research and put some effort in.

You said this isn't about vanity and it's about health (you don't want to die from the complications that come with obesity) but even for the health benefits you will need to put in the effort. You will need to change your eating habits and/or working out. If you've been eating this way for X number of years and it's gotten you to a high risk situation where your doctor(s) are talking about things like heart disease and other obesity related complications then obviously something has to change. You cannot expect to be eating the same things, living the same lifestyle and get healthier - that just isn't going to happen. You need to make some changes, and you also need to understand that you need to make those changes.

If you keep doing what you've always done, you're going to continue going where you've always gone. If you want to be healthy, you'll need to put in the effort. It's that's simple.

Let’s be real...

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