How did you learn to have more self discipline/control?
HealthyWayorNoWay
Posts: 83 Member
I have no kind of self discipline, when I see candy I have to eat it (hard candy). I want to learn how to not eat the candy when I see it but I just can't say no. How did you learn to stop doing something. I need help. Thanks In Advance!
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Don't buy it, to begin with. If it's not around, you won't be tempted.0
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This is my motto:
EVERY CHOICE YOU MAKE ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL PUT IN YOUR BODY AND HOW YOU WILL MOVE YOUR BODY WILL EITHER PUT YOU ONE STEP CLOSER TO GOOD HEALTH OR ONE STEP FURTHER AWAY.
I remind myself of this when I get tempted to gorge (I do indulge cravings, but sensibly so as to not destroy my progress) and then make the choice to be healthy.0 -
First, I stopped buying all my favorite junky snacks. Then, I took myself out of situations where I knew I would be tempted. In the beginning I had absolutely NO willpower. So, I would eat before going to a family gathering, avoid work potlucks and going out to eat with anyone. Now I have the willpower so I can join in again, but I just had to not participate otherwise I'd sabotage all my hard work.
Good luck to you!0 -
It's called "compulsive eating" and it'll never go away, you just have to find a way to deal with it somehow.
I am a compulsive eater, and sometimes it comes back and I lose a little control, but then sometimes I can totally handle it.
No one can tell you how to handle it, it has to come from analyzing and learning more about yourself, everyone is different.
But one bit of advice, is just keep all the junk out of the house.
I think once you get off the merry go round of processed junk, and start to eat "whole" foods, the compulsion is a lot easier to deal with. You start to crave "good" foods like fruits, veggies, grains, beans, etc.
Good luck!0 -
I have no kind of self discipline, when I see candy I have to eat it (hard candy). I want to learn how to not eat the candy when I see it but I just can't say no. How did you learn to stop doing something. I need help. Thanks In Advance!
You do not HAVE to eat it. You WANT to. You need to learn that there is a big difference between those two things. Next time you get tempted, do something else. Walk away and think about why you are trying to lose weight in the first place.0 -
you just have to set your food down and win the battle against yourself0
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Don't buy it, to begin with. If it's not around, you won't be tempted.
Same here. I used to eat a lot of chips, ice cream, and soda simply because it was around my house and I used to see it every time I was in the kitchen. I rarely ever eat that stuff anymore since it's not staring at me when I am cooking in the kitchen. I've also found that over time, as I have mostly stopped eating this types of highly processed foods, that I have stopped craving them for the most part. I do however, keep a bit of dark chocolate around for those times when I just can't stop thinking about something sweet or chocolaty.0 -
I wrote down my goals...and eventually the things I hate about being overweight. I did the things that are in my will power blog (see below). I told myself if I wanted to achieve my goals and walk away from the overweight lifestyle, that I would have to make certain sacrifices. My goals and the things I hate about being overweight are strong enough to encourage me to bypass some of my favorite things more often than not. Spend some time reflecting on your own specific goals and things you hate about being overweight. write them down. if they are important enough to you, it will become easier to bypass goodies more often. if they are not important enough to you, either you should take more time to reflect on additional/more powerful reasons or perhaps you enjoy the overweight lifestyle (which is fine if you do).
Saying this, I do believe you have to treat yourself to the things you love from time to time. I do. There are some things that are more tempting to me than others (i.e., cape cod kettle cooked salt & vinegar potato chips). for those things, I just have to keep them out of my house. out of sight, out of mind.0 -
I always have sugar free candy near by, when I want it, I have it and don't feel bad.0
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This is my motto:
EVERY CHOICE YOU MAKE ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL PUT IN YOUR BODY AND HOW YOU WILL MOVE YOUR BODY WILL EITHER PUT YOU ONE STEP CLOSER TO GOOD HEALTH OR ONE STEP FURTHER AWAY.
I remind myself of this when I get tempted to gorge (I do indulge cravings, but sensibly so as to not destroy my progress) and then make the choice to be healthy.
^^ well said ^^ . I have said something similar to myself and others....I may not lose weight everyday. But everyday, I can make decisions that give me a chance to live healthier and eventually lose the weight I want to lose. Everyday I can do something about the things I hate about being overweight. Everyday can be one day closer to my goals.0 -
I have a wonderful doctor now (after 15 years of bad ones) who sat me down and explained exactly what happens in my body when I eat sugar or carbs. How it makes my insulin levels soar, how it gives me a brief burst of energy followed by a crash, how my body doesn't process things correctly so most carbs I eat end up stored as fat, how the different hormones & chemicals interact & influence my mood, making me tired & depressed.
He gave me a few simple rules, and because he had explained the science behind it, all I had to do when I was tempted to break them was to think about what it would do to my body if I broke those rules. And then, after a couple of weeks, I felt so much better & happier, it made it easier and easier to resist those temptations.
Whether or not you have a metabolic disorder like mine, part of your sugar/carb cravings is physiological: there are chemicals in your brain influencing your behavior, trying to convince you that you're hungry when you're not. Once you understand that, somehow it makes it easier to fight it. (For me, anyway.) And every time you do fight it, the vicious cycle of binge/high/crash/craving is broken and it will be less likely to recur. Practicing good eating habits may be hard at first but will get easier!0 -
I battled this for years. I finally got it right when the doctor told me I had prediabetes. I still occasionally crave things if I see a commercial or go to the store and see Candy corn, chips, etc. But I have been able to buy chips and pop for my family (on request) and not be tempted to try it. I just feel so much better I don't want to jepordize this. Log it before you eat it and see how many calories/fats/ sodium it has and decide whether you should eat it. Also try having ONE bite and give the rest to someone else. If ordering a desert in a restaurant. eat three small, bites and ask the server to take the rest away. Ask, will this NOURISH me or just fill the hole?0
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It is a mental challenge...between yourself and yourself alone....I myself started filling up on veggies and eating mini meals...which changed my whole outlook on eating or craving tons like I use to...And trust me....I LOVE CHOCOLATE & CHIPS..HEHE..but I don't even crave them anymore..kinda weird..but I don't...
Even when I say, I can have that..I end up not...
So, some people will tell you to completely stay clear from your fave foodie items..but I don't have to..and yet I do, because I have that choice to want or not want it...
Your body craves things for a reason...and we don't always know what it really is..just know that we want a certain food item...even if it could be the wrong choice...so discipline is in the eye of the beholder..your choice, I'd rather not take away fave item, instead I'd rather eat it..and make sure I'm within my net calories for the day..no need for torturing yourself...
just make sure you eat some sort of balance to release the items in the first place..down the ummmmm...drain....lol0 -
No one can tell you how to handle it, it has to come from analyzing and learning more about yourself, everyone is different.
This too!
Think about times you *have* resisted temptation. How & why? Whatever worked for you, could you make it work again?0 -
I think you are beginning to learn how to take control over your weakness. This is making progress, whether you realize it or not :flowerforyou:
I like the one who said to eat sugar-free. Buy a healthy choice & use it as a reward, but learn how to not go overboard with it. That brings me to think that you were really hungry, you may need to think ahead on your meal planning. Then that effort put into meal planning will be so worth it.
You will gain a step ahead on this journey of eating healthy. If you are having trouble learning what you should be eating. Do your homework & then make a list, then go shopping!!!! Do not deprive yourself anything you like to eat; just eat less. Get smaller dishes, work on giving yourself choices. I really like going by serving sizes, that works really well for me.
5'4"
234
Started Sept. 5, 2011
227.4
Sept. 12, 2011
228.9
Sept. 19, 2011
227.4
Sept. 26, 2011
226.6
Oct. 3, 2011
224.8
Oct. 10, 2011
223.4
Oct. 17, 2011:huh: Really??
125-145---Goal weight0 -
I just don't buy it so it isn't there to tempt me!0
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You don't have to stop, you just need to limit the amount. Completely stopping something you actually enjoy (which isn't harmful to the body) leads to cravings and many times the cravings totally disrupt the goal you're trying to reach. Eat one then walk away for the day.I have no kind of self discipline, when I see candy I have to eat it (hard candy). I want to learn how to not eat the candy when I see it but I just can't say no. How did you learn to stop doing something. I need help. Thanks In Advance!0 -
I try not to keep food that i find hard to resist around the house. That goes for chips, candy, even goat cheese (i have a weakness for it, i can eat a whole log in one sitting lol). I find that even though most of the time i could be in control, some days when i'm feeling weak i always turn to this type of food and binge. It's easy for me to follow this strategy though because i live alone so i'm in control of my pantry/fridge. If you have to have these food around because of other family members, i would try to keep healthy snacks ready for whenever cravings hit. I would buy low calorie popsicles, they satisfy a sweet tooth, as well as fresh fruit, or edamame, or bell pepper, or similar healthy foods. Good luck!0
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I used a form of weight loss "hypnosis". I know. Crazy stuff. but it worked for me, so who cares?!
(slowdeepbreath.com)0 -
I wrote about this a while back. No matter what you choose to do, you're ALWAYS exerting self-control:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ajbeans/view/self-control-1273340 -
My former boss used to say that it takes two weeks to form a habit. If you struggle through the first couple weeks, it should get easier after that.
When it comes to foodie treats, I think it's much easier to cut back on things than it is to cut them out. However, if you're the type of person who can't have cake without eating the entire cake, it might be easier to cut out the candy cold turkey. If you can have just a few rather than eating a whole bag in one day, then you can probably just slow your intake a little each day.0 -
It's a mind thing - Mind Over Body!
No, do you NOT have to have that candy! What's the worst thing that could happen to you if you don't have the candy? Answer that question for yourself.
What I'm trying to say is that your mind needs to be in control of your body. Don't tell yourself that you can't resist. Start telling yourself that you can resist and that hard candy isn't important to you. Most importantly, don't buy that stuff anymore! If it's not there, you can't eat it. Re-focus your thoughts onto something else whenever you feel you must eat candy.
I'm not that big with sweets but chips and salty stuff is my weak spot. For the first 4 weeks I stayed away from all of it. Eventually, I had a cheeseburger and you know, it wasn't all that great. I felt overstuffed, I felt horrible because I had eaten something with no real nutritional value, just a bunch of grease. I figured that the next time I would crave fast food, I would remember that feeling but the temptation hasn't come back. I think I'm done with it! It's all in your mind.0 -
Sugar can be addictive, so limiting your intake of it (or just going cold turkey on candy) for a few days can help with your craving for it. I know from experience.
As far as other "bad" food, you'll get there, eventually once you get used to eating healthier more often than not. That took months for me to control on a regular basis, as opposed to sugar, which took me a few days.0 -
There is nothing more I want than to eat a big, hot, gooey, plate of cheese fries. The place I go to uses Merkts cheese. Then they place it in the hot dog steamers so all of the cheese melts so wonderfully. I dont even go into the store that makes them. I know I wont be able to resist. As far as everything else. I try to tell myself how I looked before and how I DO NOT want to look that way again. I must have been disgusting since all I get (almost every day) is people telling me how great I look. As I write this now, a coworker walked by and and said, "There's that skinny girl." Me skinny. How rediculous. You can do it. Stay strong!0
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This is the million dollar question! I have been searching for the answer recently because I have lost my dedication. I think I have found it today, and was able to make a conscious choice to not get a huge cup of corn chowder on top of the 2 boneless wings and have a nice salad with veges and a piece of fruit. I reached and then stopped dead in my tracks and thought about how badly I want to be thinner and how the poorer choice would just keep me on my same old crappy old path. It felt terrific!!!0
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I limit myself to one, or a small portion. If I forbid myself, I get obsessed. If everything is still available to me, then life is easier. I eat whatever I want, and as a result, I don't want it that much! I let myself have some, not all. I budget my eating around a treat if I want it that much.0
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I have no kind of self discipline, when I see candy I have to eat it (hard candy). I want to learn how to not eat the candy when I see it but I just can't say no. How did you learn to stop doing something. I need help. Thanks In Advance!
I have always been disipline and I have no idea why.. If I want to accomplish something I just have to complete the job....I stay at it until the mission is complete.. Why I'm this way I have not a clue...You must be the alfa dog when it comes to your health...0 -
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You do not HAVE to eat it. You WANT to. You need to learn that there is a big difference between those two things. Next time you get tempted, do something else. Walk away and think about why you are trying to lose weight in the first place.
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This is great advice. I think some of us, me espicially, forget why I want to lose in the first place... its so easy to fall back into bad habbits.0 -
oops^^ top half was a quote, lol0
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