Giving Up Foods to Lose Weight

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Tamie_Girl
Tamie_Girl Posts: 218 Member
in Food and Nutrition
http://ezinearticles.com/?Giving-Up-Foods-to-Lose-Weight&id=3525969


I was so successful two years ago when I gave up "half and half" in my coffee. And I was always one to put extra cream in my coffee. Then, one day, I went cold turkey and started drinking it black. It was tough in the beginning, but now it's been over two years and I enjoy my coffee even more now. I've been thinking about giving up another food item from my diet.


:drinker:

Have you had success eliminating an item from you diet - for good? If so, what?

Replies

  • hm_day
    hm_day Posts: 857 Member
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    I don't believe in fully eliminating foods, just because I've seen so many people who CRAVE the foods they give up and end up falling off the wagon. However, for the most part, I've given up soda. Soda alone has so much sugar and calories that eliminating it from your diet can make you lose so much weight. I am continuing to lose 1.5-2lbs a week (although it's slowing down a bit now) even when I'm over a month into using MFP. I'll admit, I have a glass of soda every now and then if I have room in my calories, but it almost tastes funny to drink.

    But I still eat my ice cream daily :)
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    I gave up grains and dairy and don't miss them. It's been 6 months, and has made a very positive difference in my health.
  • runningmom1977
    runningmom1977 Posts: 56
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    I did that with the sugar in my coffee and the salt and butter on cob corn. They both taste just as good without the extra. All the little changes add up. You don't necessarily need to give up something, just find an alternative. I switched from 2% milk to 1% (tried skim but just couldn't do it for straight drinking milk). Turned in my salt shaker for Mrs. Dash. Full fat cheese for low fat.

    There are other foods I love, and I still have them, but they are a treat, I don't eat them nearly as often as I used to. Like pizza- I used to have that three times a week! I still have it, but way less often. And lattes, I don't have them all the time, and when I do I don't get the biggest size anymore and I swapped for skim milk, but I still stop for one once in a while. I think the foods we scale back on taste better when you have them, you appreciate them more and eat slower and enjoy the taste rather than inhaling it and going back for more!
  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
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    I've given up cheese and whilst I do miss it I know over time I won't. It has been 41 days since I last ate cheese!

    Years ago I stopped buttering bread and switched to skimmed milk. I don't miss full fat or butter/spread.
  • acstein
    acstein Posts: 55
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    I gave up soda except for a "special" treat from time to time. I would crave a Coca Cola, so I would get 1 glass when eating out, once or twice a month. That satisfied my craving but wasn't enough to hinder my weight loss.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    I went vegetarian for 2 years and then cracked with chicken. However, I don't really give up foods. Every night I allow a small treat and once a week I go out for dinner or frozen yogurt. I've tried going cold turkey, and then crave it and overindulge. However, I definitely eat a lot less of certain foods! For example...can't remember the last time I had a fry or chip!
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    I will never give up fats, especially those fats found in yogurt, heavy cream or butter. I eat the raw form of these foods and the fats help to burn body fat.

    However, I have given up ALL processed (boxed or packaged) foods, sugar, grains and legumes / lentils. I don't even miss these foods.

    I can live off meat, fat, vegetables and fruits for the rest of my life easily.
  • sweetiebelle
    sweetiebelle Posts: 332 Member
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    I gave up cream and sugar in my coffee, also don't eat hardly any cheese. Don't eat butter at all.
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
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    Thanks for the post!!! I don't know that I've given up anything with 'intention', but as I have cut back and eat more healthfully, things I used to eat just don't taste that great any longer. I went with a low fat regime back in the 90's, goal was to keep your average daily fat intake at 20%. I remember driving past a Long John Silvers, and just the smell of the grease surrounding the place almost made me ill. I don't think I had ever even noticed it that much before.
  • baileylm
    baileylm Posts: 23 Member
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    I've chosen to give up specific things and I've found it to actually be freeing. It takes the "should I or shouldn't I" question out of the equation. I can go to a potluck and walk right by the dessert table without flinching because it's just not an option. I gave up movie theater popcorn and I've come to the point where I can simply enjoy the aroma without having to eat it. It's been several months and I don't miss these things at all. And the results on the scale make it all worth it!
  • derbylea
    derbylea Posts: 22
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    When I first became diabetic there were some foods I put on the "I no longer eat this" list.
    Rice- too much of a sugar spike for something I only marginally like
    Hard Candy/Gummy candy- too high of a sugar spike
    Regular Soda-will kill me, LOL
    Sugar cereals- this one was hard, even regular "healthy" cereal gives me a sharp sugar spike so I don't eat it. I do eat Kashi sometimes
    Bagels- Those things have so many carbs its hard to take enough insulin to counter act it. I do eat bagel thins.
  • jessbennett1986
    jessbennett1986 Posts: 243
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    I gave up meat and went vegetarian 10 months ago. I also only have cheese a few days a week instead of eating it every day four times a day like I used to. I now make my own "cheese" that helps with my cheese cravings. I miss both sometimes, especially when I have a salt craving, then all I think about is lunchmeat roast beef. I switched to soy milk, instead of skim which was easy for me. I've also been cutting down on pop and only drink it a few times a week instead of everyday as well. It's ok to have bad things every once in awhile beccause otherwise you might be miserable after a few months without them Good luck!
  • vmccullouch
    vmccullouch Posts: 16 Member
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    Soda. I used to drink 2 cans of pepsi daily. I quit cold turkey in January. It sucked for a while because I was addicted to the caffeine but once I got past that, I felt so much better! If I drink it now I feel terrible afterwards, not worth it. I think it tastes funny now too.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Coke, milky coffee first thing (interferes with my synthroid), 90% of my intake of pizza, burgers, etc. In fact I gave up a lot of wheat products and it's worked so well for me.
  • prettyfitchick
    prettyfitchick Posts: 502 Member
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    little debbie oat meal pies and pop tarts and i rarley drink soda those use to be some of my favs
  • naptural1
    naptural1 Posts: 15 Member
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    I switched from 1% milk to unsweetened almond milk. I actually enjoy it much better and its only 40 calories per cup. The only red meat I eat is an occasional hamburger when Im really craving beef otherwise its veggie burgers, poultry and a little fish. Now if I could just get the nuts out of my life...food and human lol!

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