How to keep yourself from giving into cravings

r76w4qhg5p
r76w4qhg5p Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss

hi all! I am currently trying to lose weight after already losing 15 lbs in the past and gaining it back. I have been really struggling with motivation and not just eating whatever I want. Have any tips?

Replies

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 2,154 Member

    Whatever you tried last time doesn't seem to have been sustainable for you. You need to find a way of eating you can maintain for the rest of your life… till death us do part, amen. That will look different for everybody.

  • Hikerlyn
    Hikerlyn Posts: 1 Member

    Different approach: Focus on what you CAN have instead of thinking about what you cannot have.

  • kayemarks
    kayemarks Posts: 1 Member

    prepare portion sized meals beforehand so you don’t have to to think about it. Just grab one out of the fridge.

    Do the same with snacks

  • anxietyfairy
    anxietyfairy Posts: 195 Member

    I think about the number on the scale going down the next day. I also try to eat lots of healthy food so I'm not hungry and there's less space for junkfood. I make lots of vegetable soup and apples.

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 7,331 Member

    The more restrictive your approach is, the more motivation you need. So I would focus on a sustainable strategy:

    • don't ban all of your favorite foods, find a way to have them in moderation (and/or find lower calorie versions)
    • don't overhaul your entire diet in one go, make gradual changes
    • don't aim for a very aggressive weight loss rate - faster is not better, you're more likely to give up and/or regain the weight afterwards because you want to go back to eating 'like normal'

    Motivation is a rare commodity so it's best not to rely on it - focus on sustainable habits. Think of brushing your teeth, doing laundry… we are rarely motivated to do those things, but they are things we do because we need to do them/have made a habit of it.

  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,434 Member

    I build chocolate into my day. Sometimes it’s a single cookie. Sometimes it’s a mini Dove ice cream (70 cals) or a square of dark chocolate. If I make enough room by holding back on meals I can at times have a Hostess Cupcake.

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 10,304 Member

    pre-plan and pre-log meals.

    Have a grocery list and don’t deviate.

    Start with easy substitutions (Diet Coke for full sugar, carrots instead of breadsticks or pita for hummus, that kind of thing.). As you get better at it, find healthier substitutions for those (water with fruit infusion for Diet Coke, lower cal homemade hummus).

    Don’t choose foods you heard you “have” to eat. Choose foods you enjoy eating. While I like any kind of cottage cheese, I’ve made a point to set aside extra calories so I can enjoy full fat. Yes, more calories per serving, but the enjoyment quotient is so much better. As long as you’re enjoying the foods you choose, this whole new, future life will be so much more joyful.

    If I’m peckish, I take the dog for a walk.

    If I’m peckish, I’ll have a glass of water and wait a few minutes. For a lot of us, thirst cues register as false hunger cues. Make sure you’re hydrated.

    Develop your hobbies. I do a lot of needlepoint, fine crochet, and hand beading. I can’t have greasy or “Cheeto” hands doing this type of work, and as long as my hands are occupied, they’re not shoveling food into my mouth anyway.

    Choose wisely. That 3 oz serving of carrots is surprisingly large, intrinsically sweet, satisfying, and 35 calories. Those two Oreos are 130, and are very more’ish, as we here know too well! You could add a healthy scoop of hummus to the carrots for a wee bit of added protein and satiety, and still have lots calories “left over” as compared to those two “fast” Oreos or that 240 calorie Milky Way bar.


    I tend to look at it as Milky Way: 240 versus carrots/hummus:95, hey! that leaves enough left over for a whole serving of air popped popcorn!

    Treat food like you treat your budget how can you get the most out of your money/calories. In my mind, control with one goes hand in hand with control of the other

    But prelogging and preplanning is still #1 in my book If I have a list and resolve when I go to the grocery store, I’m not going to fill the basket with “I deserve this” extras .


    oh and have a filling snack or meal before going to the grocery store Studies show shoppers buy fewer impulse items on a full stomach

  • Strudders67
    Strudders67 Posts: 1,045 Member

    I did multiple things

    1. I reduced my portion sizes for high cal things such as potatoes, pasta and rice and increased the amount of veg going onto my plate so that, due to the volume, I felt full. I now almost never cook potatoes, pasta or rice at home. For post-lunch crisps, I found something that came in smaller packets. Per 100g, those lentil curls were the same as my previous potato crisps, but the smaller bags meant fewer calories whilst still getting that post-lunch snack. I rarely eat bread, but I know which loaf has the fewest calories per slice (because they're cut thinner), so that's what's in my freezer.
    2. I swapped higher calorie things for lower calorie ones. I like them all but a serving of peas and carrots are higher cals than kale, broccoli and cauliflower, so that's what I mostly have at home. ditto for cheese - I mostly buy cheddar vs stilton for my post-dinner snack (and the thinnest crackers possible).
    3. I figured out that protein (some people prefer fats, others need carbs) keeps me feeling fuller for longer, so I make sure I definitely meet my quota of protein per day. I also make sure I eat plenty of fibre (the UK Health recommendation is 30g a day).
    4. I prefer spending longer in bed so don't bother with breakfast. Lunch is usually a huge salad or omelette (with plenty of protein) and side salad, but I eat a lot for dinner.

    A combination of all three keeps me away from snacking as I'm full. I don't deprive myself, but I choose the lower calorie options that meet my protein / carb / fibre requirements.

    If you're more likely to snack in the evening, factor that into your meal planning and eat more at dinner. Or factor snacks in to your mel plan and reduce the size of your meals.

  • age_is_just_a_number
    age_is_just_a_number Posts: 1,337 Member

    Congratulations on re-starting your healthy lifestyle journey!

    Motivation is different for everyone. For me, I think about my why and I've also found the MFP challenges provide additional accountability that keep me on track. In terms of cravings, I find this approach works for me most of the time:

    1. eat healthy food throughout the day —> avoids the cravings in the first place
    2. when the craving comes (usually in the evening after dinner):
      1. keep a glass of water on the kitchen counter —> drink that and go somewhere else.
      2. wait at least 15 minutes —> usually the craving is gone
      3. if the craving is still there then think "am I hungry?" —> most of the time I am not hungry. It is just a craving and will pass. I may drink another glass of water
      4. if yes, I am hungry, then I eat something

    Additional thoughts: 

    Focus on what you can control (calories IN and OUT). 
    Give yourself time. Slow and steady progress. 

    1 meal at a time - 1 day at a time - 1 pound at a time

    We are here for you if you have questions along the way. You got this!

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