Do you still eat what you want?

Thank you all for your excellent advice! I find it so hard to eat healthier when my family has no interest in it. We don't eat horrible, but I can't say that we eat leafy stuff ever.

I've lost 6lbs in 4 weeks and I am happy for that, but I wish it were more!

Congrats on the weight loss. I'm down 16 lbs since March, it's not huge but it's something. Find a few people to walk with or go to the gym, the motivation definitely gets you moving in the right direction.

Since I want to be able to maintain this when I'm through, I am not making hugely drastic changes in my eating habits. Just cutting out the eating just because I am bored...If I feel like I've over done it with the calories, I just exercise more that day.

Yup for the most part, but I do plan sometimes for the week or day when I know somethign is coming up. I try not to make a habit of going over and try to avoid fried stuff. Now that being said, every now and then I have it, if I want it. This must be something I can live my life doing, do cutting out what people consider 'bad' whatever that is, just isnt an option. Not feasible nor realistic for me anyway.

Yes, just a lot less of it!

I know from past failures that depriving myself completely just led to binge eating, so now, as long as I stay in my calorie total, I still have icecream, chocolate etc. I'm so much more aware of portion control now, and I've always been careful how I cooked my foods, i.e. not adding fat, trimming fat etc.

Friday night is my 'relaxed' night, and I've found over time that I'm eating much less because I'm not feeling guilty.

OK I may not be toned, but the weight is coming off nicely and the toning can come later!

I do eat what I want. And I do very rarely eat fast food, but it's usually out of necessity or convenience rather than "want" as most fast food is not very tasty. My preference for eating out splurges are always going to be a restaurant where someone serves me freshly prepared food along with a beer or glass of wine, preferably a locally owned place with a chef in the back.

Other times I make my own healthy dinners. I love to cook and I'm good at it so that's what I usually want.

Personally I never ate breakfast, but not I eat a little something to start my metabolism. When I eat I defiantly look at what is in it. For example, I replace ingredients with healthier choices like replacing pizza dough with wheat pizza dough. If I don't replace ingredients, I eat the recommended portions and add other things to meals like fruits or vegetables. Because I am keeping myself strict, I am now used to not stopping at fast food restaurants and not picking up cookies at the grocery store. My advice would be to look at what your eating and experiment different, healthier options to replace ingredients. Or cut your meal in half and add fruits or vegetables. Based on you, calorie intake should be between 1500-2000 calories everyday. So it depends on what you are putting in your body and making sure that you add every food group to your diet.

I eat whatever I want within my goal. I even *gasp* go over from time to time.

This ^^^^^

I have a difficult time eating what I want (pasta, pizza, potatoes, chips, salsa, etc...) with any sort of moderation. I'd rather crush 7500 calories once every few weeks while eating what I want and how much I want, than eating 2 oz of pasta or 1 slice of pizza.

This is a lifestyle change, not a diet. I do eat whatever I want although I try to make healthy choices. I am not going to give up pizza for the rest of my life but I can get my pizza fix with 1-1.5 slices and love to have lots of veggies on my pizza and always have a large salad to go with it. As for fast food, the only place that I would eat fast food prior to joining MFP and cleaning my eating was Taco Bell. I've only been there once since starting and I did order heavy since I was MAJORLY short on calories that day. I felt like CRAP for the next 3 days. I might occasionally indulge my family and agree to Taco Bell but I won't miss it if I don't. If I want Mexican food, we have a great local place that has good, high quality food and I can indulge in that instead!

One thing that I have learned is to check out calorie contents on menus (here in NY, chain restaurants must provide nutritional data on menu and/or a lot can be found online including on MFP). I have learned that, in the past, I would often make a "healthier" choice and have since learned that what I REALLY wanted was actually significantly less in calories! Also, if your dinner is being served on a platter (what's up with that????), you shouldn't be eating it all! I will often order a 1,500 calorie dinner when we go out but I eat 1/3 and take home 2/3. I'm happy. (I have learned that I am not happy ordering a light meal and eating it all, being satisfied but certainly not full, and not having anything leftover for lunch the next day!)

absolutely

Yes. I rarely have fast food, though. Only because I don't enjoy it so it isn't worth the calories to me. I will have pizza occasionally, but that's one of those foods I have trouble controlling myself with.

Yep. If I feel deprived every step of the way I won't have much incentive to stick with it in the long run, right?

Yes, totally.. I try and stay away from too much processed foods..and when hubby's off its what I want to eat..cravings here I come and I'm still getting the results I want..

Scale be damned! The appearance is what counts..inches, clothing size, etc!

I eat what I want. I don't eat as much as I want.

i dont deprive myself of anything i just find a way to work it all in