Self control?
CrimsonFireLight9
Posts: 6 Member
How to avoid eating unhealthy foods if they are in close reach?
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Replies
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Self control is a limited resource. Use it wisely. Better to adopt new habits that help you cope with the inevitable temptations, whatever they may be (both the temptations and the habits). What specifically are you struggling with the most?
ETA also, how are you defining unhealthy?8 -
Unhealthy like junk food and sweets which I totally have to avoid.0
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I have more trouble with sweets if they’re in near distance of me.0
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Self control is a limited resource. Use it wisely. Better to adopt new habits that help you cope with the inevitable temptations, whatever they may be (both the temptations and the habits). What specifically are you struggling with the most?
ETA also, how are you defining unhealthy?
This.
the problem with self control is you don't just sorta face it once, it's a continuous battle. like put my fav cookies in front of me and make me sit there two hours that means i have to "show self control' at last once per few minutes. that often!
so you need tools OTHER than self control.
Maybe some context to the type of situation would allow us to give more specific tips?
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Other tools as other things to do I’m thinking.0
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Don't buy it in the first place really helps me. Don't shop when you are hungry or have cravings. I personally find I have more self control to.not buy something or not even go down that Aile then I do if it's sitting in my house.2
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Don't let them near you if you can manage it, hide them if someone else in the house insists on having them around, and fill up on healthy foods so when you do come across the unhealthy stuff, you aren't tempted so much.1
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Don’t buy it? I don’t buy potato chips anymore because I can’t moderate them.6
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131runner262 wrote: »Don't buy it in the first place really helps me. Don't shop when you are hungry or have cravings. I personally find I have more self control to.not buy something or not even go down that Aile then I do if it's sitting in my house.
This! If I shouldn't be eating it. I don't buy it. I restrict sweets for when I eat out. If I host something that involves things I shouldn't normally eat, I give away the left overs.0 -
Unfortunately, some of us live with people who keep them in the house. That is (one of) my biggest struggles. I feel your pain. I live with my sister, who has absolutely no intentions to diet now or ever, so she constantly has junk food that tempts me. What I am going to start doing is logging everything in the morning with all my own food, so that there isn't even an option for anything else.1
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I few things help me stay on track... most of them are positive self talk.... if I feel myself going for am unhealthy choice I remind myself that I am trying to do what is best for the health of my body... my body is not a garbage can so don't put trash inside... then allowing myself to indulge in my most favorite treats also helps me avoid the less desirable sweets or junk2
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Recently I had to use self-control as it relates to eating my absolute favorite: Sugar Cookies. I love sugar cookies and they are certainly in reach every time I go in the kitchen. They are just too tempting, and I eat way too many cookies at one time (normally between 9pm and 10pm) Sugar is where I struggle. So, anything that tempts me I have to get rid of eat.1
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look at certain foods as dangerous, I know not to have much of them. I go to healthy foods. I keep reminding myself there is nothing positive in those cakes, cookies. yes, dangerous, reminds me of toxic people in my family, only need a little bit of them as well as certain foods4
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You have two options
1. Keep the food that tempts you out of the house so you don't have to rely on self-control not to eat it or
2. Make an allowance in your daily calorie budget for that special treat, just in a small amount. Many dietitians recommend an 80/20 diet where 80% of your intake is good wholesome, high nutrition food and 20% is treats.
Only you will know what works best for you to avoid overeating that overindulgence of treats. Some find the first option leads to overeating and some the second.2 -
CrimsonFireLight9 wrote: »I have more trouble with sweets if they’re in near distance of me.
is it near you because others in your household bring them in? If it is family in the household, can you have a family meeting to discuss how to keep a limited amount for them? if it's kids i'd consider a change in routine where they pick up a special treat for themselves on weekends but not have it around all the time. throw out once they are done. a bit more $ but help set up a routine for the kids on eating portions and not splurging daily.
For signifiant other is there a place he can keep his snacks and maybe keep them to a limited? the goal not to stop them from eating it but not having tons in the house at once and keeping them out of your day to day sight.
Consider buy snack bags (portioned amount) and you can have a bit too. or sharing (obviously this depends on situation).
I don't think you need to stop ALL treats, we all have our weakness that we should try to avoid, and maybe that one thing you can have a family meeting about.
At work I just sorta try to ensure sweets are not in eyeview and not walk by. i'm pretty picky so on my treats so that helps.
Lastly - you don't need to white knuckle it. if you NEVER indulge in moderation then it may be hard to alwasy avoid it. Now, sure avoid the one food that is your ultimate weakness but not all sweets? I still have a dessert daily, it helps me not grab random stuff at work and keeps me happy. they fit in my calorie goal.1 -
Also, living within reach of certain ‘kid’ snacks had been a problem for me. I’ve found that when I’m with my family, I do great. But, on days when I’m off and home alone, those are the days when I’m more likely to binge. I’m planning to text my husband what I eat today in hopes that it will help keep me accountable.2
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... Lastly - you don't need to white knuckle it. if you NEVER indulge in moderation then it may be hard to alwasy avoid it. Now, sure avoid the one food that is your ultimate weakness but not all sweets? I still have a dessert daily, it helps me not grab random stuff at work and keeps me happy. they fit in my calorie goal.
The 80 / 20 rule is what my dr said too. (Barring severe food allergies, of course) the trick is that the 80% has to be the good-for-you stuff. If it is, then the once-every-two-weeks (on average) isn't going to kill you.
Moderation in all things .... INCLUDING moderation.
Context for why it is even in the house (other family members?) will make a difference in strategies / workarounds that all involved can live with. Lots of good suggestions for both solo and group situations above.1 -
As far as things that other people like that are in the house, how about a "that's theirs" rule. Just don't touch their food. That's just respectful and kind, right? Maybe a separate bin or cupboard shelf for a while? I find if it's not right in view I can avoid it much easier.1
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I found that, for me, being real with myself about what I wanted and whether I could fit a small amount in helped. In other words, suppose I'm going to a birthday part. I know, based on the hostess, that there's going to be fruit and veg-and-dip platters, bowls of popcorn, veggie straws, and candy, maybe sheet of cheese pizza cut into 2" squares, and birthday cake. I know that the fruit and veg are "safe", but not to go overboard on the dip. I figure out that I'm going to have a small piece of cake, check the calorie range on "birthday cake" in the database and pick something on the high side of average, preferably something that either gives me a weight or the dimensions, because "birthday cake, 1 slice" tells me absolutely nothing. As this point, I figure that's 300 calories. If I walk to the party, I'll get... 200 calories. So,if I have a scrambled egg and veg stirfry for lunch and don't have my usual morning snack... yes, I can make this work.
Next question is, "Is it worth it/do I want to?" If the answer is "yes", I have my plan. If it's "no", somehow I've got the control to pass up the cake. I might decide that I haven't had jelly beans in ages, I'd rather look up the calories on that and fill my plate with those and the popcorn and veggie straws and really, I'd rather have those than a bakery cake that looks nice and tastes meh.
Basically, for me, a treat isn't a cheat. It's a choice. And once I start looking at high-calorie foods that way, I find that it's easier for me to choose whether to indulge/not indulge without any of the guilt that used to send me spiraling into an emotional eating vortex.6 -
I had to completely purge our house of all the bad foods. Probably at least $200.00 we gave away in junk. Best decision I ever made as long as we had that stuff I knew it was there wanting me to eat it lol. I still have a long ways to go but so far this has been the easiest diet I have ever been on just because I don't have all the bad stuff to fall back on. I also just don't buy the bad stuff anymore. Also knowing I gave away that much food I don't want it to be for nothing.0
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Before I started my diet, I brought a take away of fried chicken and chips. A large portion. I stuffed myself till I was painfully full. Hurt to move and felt sick and lousy for hours after. Put me off getting it again. This was a planned for method since I found self control hard before. If it was in the house or an option to have, I'd have it. Out shopping, I'd want to buy the chocolate, biscuits and pastries. Especially if I was having a bad day or felt I deserved it. I wanted to remember how horrible junk food could make me feel.
Being on my diet now, I have no desire at all. My sister lives with me and buys takeouts 2 or 3 times a week. She constantly has snacks and frozen junk. But I still don't want it. I'm on keto which helps with sugar cravings. What's really nice is there are plenty of desserts and snacks you can make, while still losing the weight and not triggering a binge. (since no sugar to trigger sugar craving). You eat the amount that fits into your daily goals and don't feel the need to have more. You can just wait until tomorrow if there are more portions. I actually prefer these keto deserts over actual deserts with sugar and wheat.
The diet has made me happier and more emotionally stable, so I don't really need the comfort side to eating as I used to have. If I do have a stressful day or something and want a comfort, I just look up some quick recipes and fit it into my allowances. The making of it is a nice distraction from my thoughts and the dessert is then my reward.
I think apart from the reduced sugar cravings from keto, what also helps is my progress. I've been doing so well, losing weight, being more active, feeling and looking much healthier; that I don't want to hurt that. The way I feel now is so much better than how I'd feel if I cheated. Why cheat if it won't satisfy you? That gives me will power.
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i try to avoid buying junk if i can, although i don’t live alone so not all the groceries in the house are my doing. that being said, i keep my snacks in the open. all my refrigerated foods i put towards the front of the fridge so they’re the first things i see when i open the door.
self control is tricky because some days i couldn’t care less about a brownie and some days i’d love to eat 20. and i have slipped up a few times throughout my diet, but i try to remind myself how crappy i’m going to feel after a binge. also, find some healthier foods you actually crave. i’ve surprisingly fallen in love with baby carrots lol.1 -
I'm big on the "Treat is a choice" train of thought. I usually try and plan out what I'm going to eat in the morning and log everything. That way I just eat what I log. So I put in expecting me to eat my kids advent chocolate or the hostess donette I'm going to eat watching the Good Place. It helps if I figure it out beforehand.3
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My husband has a buffet of snacks at night and it drives me crazy. Chips, nuts and candy are always around. I've tried picking it up and putting it away but he takes it right back out. Finally my strategy was to save some calories for the evening and pick a low calorie substitute. For example an apple for candy, low fat air popped popcorn for chips. You get the idea. If I have something that isn't as calorie laden I can still have a treat without blowing my calorie budget for the day. I don't feel left out and I stay on track.1
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I'll go a different route and ask the following:
Is there a particular time of day when you find yourself susceptible to giving in to these temptations? If so you could rearrange your eating schedule so you're not as hungry during those weak times.
Historically, my weakness comes in the mid-to-late morning, between my breakfast (formerly at 5am) and lunch (at noon). By delaying breakfast until later in the morning I'm not as hungry--and it's far easier to resist tempting foods when you're not hungry.
NOTE: This worked for me. It may not work for you or anyone else; this is just an example.
The important thing is that you've identified and stated your problem. The challenge now is to dig deep to diagnose the causes and circumstances involving that problem. Then figure out how you can change the circumstances in a way that neutralizes the problem.2 -
I'm trying the substitution thing out, and it's working ok so far. At night is when I usually have cravings, and, if I want a sweet treat, I'll have a juice box, or a berry flavoured tea, or a piece or fruit or a small portion of yogurt. If that doesn't satisfy my craving then I either brush my teeth and go to bed, or just have a small bit of whatever it is that I'm dying for.0
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Like the slice of pizza I just inhaled. LOL.1
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chromium supplement helped my sweet tooth.
i have to keep junk out of sight and not watch food tv
for birthdays, we get the smallest nothing bundt cake and sometimes split that1
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