Why use a restrictive dieting plan...

I'm guessing some people hard to restrict portions.
i.e. I can't eat just one small block of chocolate without eating the whole lot, so for me it's been easier to stop all together and now I don't crave it as much.

pizza and beer are my favs.

i eat pizza all the time..because its high in protein (the cheeses)

I'm guessing some people hard to restrict portions.
i.e. I can't eat just one small block of chocolate without eating the whole lot, so for me it's been easier to stop all together and now I don't crave it as much.

That's how it is for me. For almost all foods, I'm okay with having them in moderation. However, there are certain things I literally just can't handle at this point. Maybe at some point when I'm further along in my journey, I will be able to add those things back in. Cookies is one big one for me. If I start eating them I will literally not be able to stop at 1 or 2. It's easier for me will power wise to just stay away rather than tease myself with one. I won't even allow them on a cheat day at this point, because even on a cheat day having 9 cookies has gone way above and beyond my "cheat meal." I'm not saying I'll never eat them again, just that I am taking a break while I get on my feet. Other foods, like pizza, I am okay with having on a cheat day and maybe having 3 slices. However, maybe pizza is someone else's weakness and they can't stop before they eat the whole thing. There are also a lot of healthier versions of pizza you can make at home. Since I live alone, I also have to be conscience of what leftovers I will have, and may shy away from things that can't be made in small portions.

ETA: There are also some foods that i have eaten in the past out of convenience, but now that I'm really watching what I eat I don't want to "waste" my "junk foods" on things I don't like that much anyway. For example, in the past I've eaten at Mcdonalds/Wendys a lot. If I'm watching what I eat and trying to limit these type of "cheat meals" to once a week, I certainly don't want to waste that on something as silly as Mcdonald's or Wendy's- I'd rather have something higher quality. During the week, I theoretically could fit these into my calories, but again have to remind myself that I don't really like these foods that much and would rather make something tastier. It's about being conscience about it and not just grabbing something because it was convenient like I did in the past.

I eat whatever I want, I just use portion control and moderation.

I also swapped a few things around, I love chocolate but they are really high in calories so I eat Atkins Endulge Bars instead, very tasty and the Crispy Chocolate is only 141 calories per 30g bar and it tastes the same as Nestle Crunch which is 168 calories for a bar the same size.

I found some bread is higher in calories than others so switched, same with butter etc.

I never restrict myself to anything but I eat in moderation.

Yep.... nothing off limits ... .just restraint.

I love my pizza and I enjoy a beer but not on the same day that I do nothing and have a burger as well.

I agree. I allow myself a small portion of the foods I love. I tried the low carb diet for awhile, but it didn't really work out because of the restriction. I have to admit, though, that starting a low carb diet and then allowing myself a more diverse and well proportioned diet later has helped me with cravings. This is a girl who could eat 5-6 bowls of cereal in one sitting. My portions were out of control.

You're right. Moderation is key.

Use portion control and enjoy an occasional pizza here and there will allow you to stay on track.

I think the OP would probably concede that where there is a medical reason to eliminate something completely, people are justified in doing so. What is also true, though, is that for many people who don't have a compelling medical reason to give up a particular thing that they enjoy completely, doing so can often make a big difference in whether or not they are able to follow through with their healthier-eating plans. You have a sound, medically-advised reason to give up pizza completely, so, though not easy if it's one of your favourite foods, you are more likely to follow through with removing it from your diet, and staying on-track. For someone who has eliminated pizza, or any other food, simply because it's 'bad', the chances of them staying on-track are significantly reduced.

Speaking from personal experience, my diet is approximately 90% 'good', 10% what the diet industry would have us believe is 'bad'. The ten percent is what allows me to continue with the 90 % without getting too far off track, too often. If I removed that 10% completely under a restrictive diet plan, I would feel deprived and resentful, and would be more likely to return to around a 50-50 quotient of so-called 'good' and 'bad' foods. I have no compelling reason to give up my 10%, so I'm less likely to stick to any plan that requires me to give it up entirely, just because someone says so. It's the old carrot and stick adage!

I'm shaking my head on why people restrict foods out of their diets. There's a post of a member not eating pizza. Ok pizza isn't the healthiest choice out there but why cut it out all together? I'm not saying its ok to eat a large pizza by yourself but moderation is the point, its being sensible about the amounts you consume.

I'm not trying to start a heated debate, I'm just trying to understand. Restrictive diets to me seem like they fail more often than not because people crave the things they no longer have. Cut back on those things rather than eliminating them altogether. Weight loss is just like weight gain, it doesn't happen overnight.

:drinker:

Ok, this is from my own perspective and experience...........

Eating in "moderation" isn't for everyone, just like restriction isn't for everyone else either...........We are all different.

Many people that have health conditions such as Celiacs Disease, Chron's Disease, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, etc should not have things like pizza.

Many people are emotional eaters and having a "trigger" food will cause an all out binge, so it is just best to stay away from it. No different than an alcoholic or a drug addict.

There are many reasons that a restrictive eating plan is needed and warranted.

Don't be so quick to judge. Until you have walked a mile in someone else's shoes, there is no reason to judge. You do you and I will continue to do me.

Yes, this is a thorn in my side because it is none of no one else's business what the next person does or doesn't do.

I COMPLETELY agree. When people begin cutting things out completely is when you see people fail on their diets. It is all about moderation and giving yourself a "cheat day" every now and then. I loooove food and I loooove to eat! If I go over here or there, big deal. My tummy is happy and so is my mind

Just my opinion

DITTO!:flowerforyou:

I'm shaking my head on why people restrict foods out of their diets. There's a post of a member not eating pizza. Ok pizza isn't the healthiest choice out there but why cut it out all together? I'm not saying its ok to eat a large pizza by yourself but moderation is the point, its being sensible about the amounts you consume.

I'm not trying to start a heated debate, I'm just trying to understand. Restrictive diets to me seem like they fail more often than not because people crave the things they no longer have. Cut back on those things rather than eliminating them altogether. Weight loss is just like weight gain, it doesn't happen overnight.

:drinker:

I love cakes, I adore Belgiun buns, however, I have to completely cut them out of my diet. Not because I want to, but because if I don't, it mean approx 500 calories are wasted out of my 1200 calorie per day allotment. This would mean I would end up starving hungry with rumbling stomach. Most likely I would end up breaking my diet.

It was eating that crap that got me here in the first place.

Me personally, i dont eat pizza or macdonals or burger king...ever. Maybe a rare occasion when im totally drunk. Thats not becasue i dont like it or im restricting it i just dont see anything good about it...apart from the nice feeling you get whilst eating which lasts all of 1 minute then you feel guilty. There is no nutrition in it, and as for the person that said its protein becasue of the cheese...its all so over process you arent getting any nutrients out of it at all!

Why put something in your body thats giving you nothing back?

I find that, with certain things, I can have none, or I can eat ALL OF THE DOUGHNUTS.

I don't want doughnuts. I don't crave them. But, if they are in the house, I will eat them. Thus, we don't have them in the house.

(Happily, since I am vegan, and there is only one brand of doughnuts I can eat, my Anthony can still eat doughnuts simply by buying another brand).

That said, I still intend to buy a doughnut pan at some point, and make my own healthy doughnuts. It's just the damn cheap jammy ones and their seductive little sugar-coated faces that I am avoiding.

I eat and drink anythink i want, i just have a smaller portion instead. Ill have chocolate, sweets, pizza, wine, chinese takeaway. I just have a smaller portion than what im use to but if i do over-indulge ill just work out for a bit longer.

This works for me but everyone is different.

I'm shaking my head on why people restrict foods out of their diets. There's a post of a member not eating pizza. Ok pizza isn't the healthiest choice out there but why cut it out all together? I'm not saying its ok to eat a large pizza by yourself but moderation is the point, its being sensible about the amounts you consume.

I'm not trying to start a heated debate, I'm just trying to understand. Restrictive diets to me seem like they fail more often than not because people crave the things they no longer have. Cut back on those things rather than eliminating them altogether. Weight loss is just like weight gain, it doesn't happen overnight.

:drinker:

People do this out of some misguided sense of guilt and shame.
They think they must become a food Nazi all of a sudden.
It's human nature.

And I especially get weary of those who say they just can't manage to eat back their exercise calories, turning something simple into a diet drama worthy of the worse of reality TV. It's better to eat french fries at McDonalds than to NOT eat back exercise calories, but they suddenly forget how to eat once they get on these absurd, restrictive diets.

Again, human nature - poor me, pity me, look at me.......:yawn:

Such people just won't make it without a major change of attitude.