Will Power

Food diary. Everything gets recorded and counted no matter what. If you can make it fit within your number go ahead.

The process separates the people involved in weight loss from people who just wish they weighed less.

Just don't go through the drive through. Make food to take with you. If your going to have fast food, look for healthier options. Ect... My coach used to tell me this. Inspiration is fleet, motivation is short lived, determination draws on will power which is finite, but habits, that's the *kitten* that last.

There are a lot of things that help, but nothing is 100% full proof

* Get sleep to increase will power
* Avoid temptation (e.g. don't drive by fast food places)
* Reward yourself. Have small daily rewards (eg. if you don't cheat on a diet for a day) and a large rewards that you are working towards.
* Punish yourself for bad behavior (e.g. if you eat fast food, donate $20 to political party you hate)
* Use social pressure to your advantage. Promise to someone that you will not eat any fast food and keep them updated.
* If you have installed any apps from fast food places, uninstall them. Throw away coupons, loyalty cards, gift cards, whatever.
* Think of and repeat a mantra as often as you can. For example "if you eat S*T you become S*T"
* Write down two long lists: ONe is of all the positive reasons you want to lose weight. Another one is of all the negative consequences if you fail to lose weight.
* Make your own commercials and reminders and put them in places where you can see.
* Sign up for a race or some sort of endurance event which will motivate you to stay in shape.

And so on.

Chrism2212 wrote: »

Hello all,

I have been saying I’ll start tomorrow for the last 2 years and finally have started but I cannot resist a cheeky drive through or takeaway.

Anyone got any tips to steer me away as I can’t manage it!

I think a lot of it depends on personality - are you the kind of person who can recognize you're having a craving, honor that craving and get back on track the next meal? Or one meal, turns into two, turns into the whole week? I don't think punishing yourself or using negative tactics is particularly helpful or healthy. I'm of the mindset that I'll have the fast food if I truly want it. If I have a craving and (in the least sad way of putting it) has been on my mind a few days, I'll get it, enjoy and move forward. I fit it into my macros to the best of my ability and get back on track. For me completely eliminating it/putting it on the "no can have" list will only make me want it more - it's human nature.

If you really can't have it without it spiraling out of control, maybe look into recipes that create a more health conscious version. A lot of the times you'll find that the taste (while never the same) can be fairly comparable and the substitute ingredients typically allow you to have larger portions (keeping your calorie goal in mind of course).

Best of luck!

There two kinds of people - people who can have one chip / chocolate / etc. and stop, and those who can't. Figure out which one you are and either abstain entirely or figure out a way to moderate.

The calorie & exercise logs seem odious at first, but you get used to them and even rely on them to make good judgments.