How to resist food temptation?

[Sparkly Eyes]

So I've been wanting to lose weight for YEARS now and not even a lot of weight, 10 to 15 pounds and I'll be content. But I just can't seem to do it and I think it is related to my diet and the fact that I don't have a strong motivation. I don't gain weight but I have a very hard time losing. Not eating makes me depressed...sweets make my day and I just can't resist the temptation to eat. I don't understand how people can eat like 1200 a day and be happy with it.

 

So how do I resist temptations? Can I somehow make myself enjoy less eating/eating healthy food instead of all the junk that I like? Because I think the problem is that I just don't enjoy it at all and look at dieting like a torture. Maybe if I change my attitude, I find it an easy thing to do. But how do I do it?

 

Ant advice or tips are appreciated.

[shuttlefish]

Nothing tastes as good as lean feels.

[greywolf]

Learn to snack on healthy food. Buy a lot of fruits. Strawberries are nice for a sweet snack. My mom likes to mash up avocado and eat it with sugar and milk. Not exactly low-fat but there are still health benefits.

[Seraphim]

One of the big keys is exercise, you have to have more calories going out, than ones coming in.

 

The other thing is sugar, fat and salt are addictive...once they are out of your system you do not crave them as often.

[Sparkly Eyes]

One of the big keys is exercise, you have to have more calories going out, than ones coming in.

 

The other thing is sugar, fat and salt are addictive...once they are out of your system you do not crave them as often.

 

I do exercise. That's a good point...maybe I'm just addicted to them and a few weeks of resistance take away my cravings.

 

you know, I think having having a weight loss buddy might help me, someone who is going trhough the same and who I can report my progress to. If anyone here is serious about losing weight and want a buddy in it, they can pm me

[Seraphim]

I do know what you mean. I do like all the foods that are bad for us too. I really try to minimize them in my diet. The thing is once you eat them they take away from the "good" calories you could be eating. Try eating more fruit? I love berries, they are so good and nice and sweet...that takes away the craving for sweets and they have a lot of health benefits.

[Sparkly Eyes]

I do know what you mean. I do like all the foods that are bad for us too. I really try to minimize them in my diet. The thing is once you eat them they take away from the "good" calories you could be eating. Try eating more fruit? I love berries, they are so good and nice and sweet...that takes away the craving for sweets and they have a lot of health benefits.

 

But sweet fruits have lots of calories too...I got some grapes the other day, so sweet and good for my cravings. But the fact that they are fruits doesn't make them any less fattening.

[greywolf]

But sweet fruits have lots of calories too...I got some grapes the other day, so sweet and good for my cravings. But the fact that they are fruits doesn't make them any less fattening.

 

You can't completely cut calories from your diet. But you can at least make sure you are getting calories from healthy sources.

[Taikero]

Exercise for an hour a day at medium to high intensity (break a sweat!), first and foremost. That will help you more than any dietary changes.

 

Slowly shift your diet to one high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef). Keep starches down, and if you must have them pick healthy varieties such as Rye over Wheat, or Wheat over White.

 

Don't be afraid of fats. Use coconut oil and/or butter for cooking at high temperatures, and use olive oil for low temperature cooking or raw meals, such as for dressings.

 

Cut down on sodium, and eat link removed.

 

Do make calorie conscious choices. Snacking on a bag of baby carrots is better than snacking on Pringles or chocolates.

 

If you must indulge, decide beforehand how much you will allow yourself, take only that, then put the junk food away and don't allow yourself to think about it or touch it again for at least the rest of the day. It is now off limits no matter how much you want more.

[Seraphim]

You can't completely cut calories from your diet. But you can at least make sure you are getting calories from healthy sources.

 

Correct.

 

You have to consider WHERE your calories come from. You can eat 160 g of raspberries it is only 60 calories. That is NOT a lot and it is also good for you.

[Sparkly Eyes]

You can't completely cut calories from your diet. But you can at least make sure you are getting calories from healthy sources.

 

yes..but that still doesn't necessarily help in losing weight.

 

Taikero: I do exercise but it makes me want to eat even more! I think cardio increases my appetite even more than weight training. Maybe I have to stick with weights?

[lila...]

I don't think you should cut back completely on the sweets and salts though, not to mention it's pretty much impossible if you have a sweet tooth. Depriving your body of them for weeks will only make you miserable and binge eat at the end. Like victoria said, the key is to exercise.

 

I'm like you...I eat A LOT. And no matter how many times I've tried putting myself on a restricted diet or cutting back on sweets and certain foods, I always go back to my old habits. You can't change years of bad habits in one day, or month even. It's a very slow (and painful) process. You have to have a lot of motivation and will power, which I don't at the moment. Call it laziness hahah. Plus I love my sweets too much to take that pleasure away- I'd be miserable if I didn't have my daily dose of chocolates. So I just counteract the effects of overeating by exercising. I don't even do heavy exercising, but I walk a lot. And I mean a lot. It's done wonders.

[Sparkly Eyes]

OMG, someone else like me out there,lol. How many hours a day do you walk? walking is the easiest exercise ever, I'm willing to do it even 2 hours a day...However, I live in Canada, it's to cold outside to go for a walk. Well not in summer, but it is most of the year.

 

My final goal is to have lots of muscles tho, I don't just want to lose fat or look thin. I like the thick look for women. I'm even ok with my size now, if I can have muscles instead of fat.

[renaissancewoman101]

Bubalu, I agree with you, sometimes it is just hard to cut things out. I've been trying to eat healthier but slowly. I've cut out my daily can of soda and replaced it with drinking water. I have been having a hard time cutting out sweets (that is my downfall). I try to cut down on it though.

 

Mostly I have been exercising more (go to the gym 4-5 times a week now) and people say I look thinner (even though the scale doesn't really show it), but I feel better nowadays.

[renaissancewoman101]

I think in order to gain muscles you have to do more resistance training and ab work.

[Seraphim]

Weight training is good then if you want muscles.

[Day_Walker]

The easiest way is to modify your diet. Particularly increase the amount of meals that you eat per day to 5-6. This means that your meals will be smaller but you will be eating more often and you are less likely to be hungry, which will have an effect on eating sweets or unhealthy food.

 

Personally, I would suggest eating high protein lean meat (staying away from red meat) whole grains, .yogurt, fruits and vegetables.

 

Incorporate exercise into that routine and you will be able to get down to your ideal weight

[Sonicxman]

Hi worriedgirl, several things I would recommend:

-first create a food log, know exactly what eating and write it down (even the sweets). At the end of the day total it up, it may surprise you how many calories your taking in and what foods your eating. The internet has so many places where you can find the food type and the calories that come with it.

-Next, it is not wise for anyone to eat only 1200 calories a day. Have you ever found out what your BMR and BMI is? This will tell you how many calories a day you need. Maybe you can fit in the sweets. Do you exercise?

-Eat more and eat less, have more meals a day and less calories per meal. The more vegetables and fruits you add in there the more you can have of it, because of how many calories they hold. How many meals a day do you have? Me I have 5 so I am not starving at the end of the day. Before I get hungry I start on my next meal, usually every 3 hours. Do you eat breakfast?

-If you want to eat the sweets, make your body pay for it, exercise.

[lila...]

OMG, someone else like me out there,lol. How many hours a day do you walk? walking is the easiest exercise ever, I'm willing to do it even 2 hours a day...However, I live in Canada, it's to cold outside to go for a walk. Well not in summer, but it is most of the year.

 

My final goal is to have lots of muscles tho, I don't just want to lose fat or look thin. I like the thick look for women. I'm even ok with my size now, if I can have muscles instead of fat.

 

Haha yeah to get toned and muscles I wouldn't recommend just walking. I've gotten very thin but I lost weight in the worse places (butt, chest) lol. I'm going to start doing leg/gluteal exercises to tone those areas. I walk about 2-3 hours daily, but yeah if you live in Canada I understand that's pretty much impossible about 9 months during the year lol.

[Sparkly Eyes]

I think in order to gain muscles you have to do more resistance training and ab work.

 

I do and I much rather it to cardio. But cardio seems to be necessary to lose fat.:splat:

 

When I read online, they say that women with my body shape(I'm hourglass and thus have my weight spread every where except my waist) should do lots of cardio before using weight training. That weight training will actually makes them look bigger! Does anyone know if it's true? cause I wish I could just skip the cardio and stick to weights.

[lila...]

Bubalu, I agree with you, sometimes it is just hard to cut things out. I've been trying to eat healthier but slowly. I've cut out my daily can of soda and replaced it with drinking water. I have been having a hard time cutting out sweets (that is my downfall). I try to cut down on it though.

 

Mostly I have been exercising more (go to the gym 4-5 times a week now) and people say I look thinner (even though the scale doesn't really show it), but I feel better nowadays.

 

Don't pay attention to the scale! It's how you feel and what you see in the mirror that matters. Besides, even when we're getting thinner we could probably be gaining weight in muscle, so a scale is not a very good indicator. I think what you're doing is great- replacing certain foods and cutting back a little without completely cutting them out. Just cutting out soda alone removes a TON of calories.

[Sparkly Eyes]

My BMI is 23.4, I do exercise but not very regularly, I have been busy lately, so it was hard to make myself go to gym.

 

For my weight and height, 1700 a day is recommended, if I want to lose weight, I should eat about 1200 a day.:splat:

 

No I don't eat breakfast really. So you think if I spread my meals during the day, I can even eat more calories? that's intresting. I will try it.

[greywolf]

My BMI is 23.4, I do exercise but not very regularly, I have been busy lately, so it was hard to make myself go to gym.

 

For my weight and height, 1700 a day is recommended, if I want to lose weight, I should eat about 1200 a day.:splat:

 

No I don't eat breakfast really. So you think if I spread my meals during the day, I can even eat more calories? that's intresting. I will try it.

 

Have you ever tried link removed? You can track the food you eat there and it'll add up the calories for you. You can even log your exercise in their too and it'll track calories burned.

[Sonicxman]

This is true, you will initially start to gain weight, which is OK and typical of any one weight training. You want your body to burn through calories like it's cool, and strong muscles helps you do that. So you want both, cardio and weight lifting. Stay away from the scale and listen to your jeans, they will tell you everything you know about weither or not your losing weight or not. Remember do not get discouraged, it takes time, but soon your body will listen.

[quirky]

Worried girl

 

I'm on a diet at the moment, since yesterday. A nutritionist gave it to my mum and we're on it together. It's a bit boring I can't eat whatever I want but I realised that I need to make a sacrifice if I want a certain result. I aim to lose 12-18 pounds. I don't really exercise though..I should, I just dance in my room for 15 min. I thought I wouldn't be able to keep the diet but I'm really fine with it because I just think of the result. Keep your eye on the prize. Put up pictures, post it notes that will motivate you to keep going. Understand deep in your heart why you re doing this, how it's gonna make you feel (more confident in my case), how you're gonna stroll around Make it a habbit, read relevant articles to boost your willpower and keep your focus on the target.