How to get out of the "eat what I want" Mentality

[loridee11 523]

Well, the holiday's are officially over, but you wouldn't know it by what I am eating. I gave myself a little to much freedom and ate Cookies and candy and... end result being I gained 4 lbs over the holidays (Not too bad considering). Unfortunately, I am having a hard time getting back on track. I swear, once you start eating crap that's what you crave.

So --- what are you tricks to get back to eating healthy? Any good/simple recipes to share? ANy mental tricks you use? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

~Lori

[lapbandtalker 0]

Wow - great post! So true. I've been there many times when dieting....just a taste of 'the good stuff' at a special event or holiday and I was doomed. Couldn't 'go' without after that.

But this time around it's been different. Since achieving goal, I've not had this problem. If I want something, I have it. But the thing is....I don't want-like I used to.

I want veggies. I want milk/cheese/nuts.

I still have pizza (but no more pizza Hut-I make my own)

I still have Cookies (but 1 will do-instead of the whole box)

I still have Pasta (but a few bites will do)

Lori, NOT being able to have something makes me want it all the more. So I've changed my way of thinking since being banded. I can have what I want- and what I've done was change what I want.

There is no easy answer for you. This is something you will have to find a way that works for you. But try what I did and hopefully you will have success. Others will post so just try a few things.

Good luck!

[aubrie 6]

For me it's not so much not eating "what" I want, but not eating it "Whenever" I want, and not eatiing "how much" I want. I too, do not deprive myself of regular food. I just don't eat the trigger foods nearly as often, and limit them to a bite or two. That way I never feel deprived or "dieting". I'm now just a normal person, eating in a normal way. I still had to change my mindset, just different frame of reference.

[ninner 0]

For me I track every calorie of extra crap food I eat, then I work out that much extra. It eventually becomes a decision weather or not are those Cookies worth an extra hour on the treadmill. The answer more times than not is NO. I've had a paradime shift from rewarding myself with crap food to punishing myself for eating crap food, this new way of thinking will change my life if I can keep it up. I use my natural disposition to lazyness to keep my eating in check, it's a win win situation.

Edited January 8, 2009 by ninner

[Donna113 2]

For me it's not so much not eating "what" I want, but not eating it "Whenever" I want, and not eatiing "how much" I want. I too, do not deprive myself of regular food. I just don't eat the trigger foods nearly as often, and limit them to a bite or two. That way I never feel deprived or "dieting". I'm now just a normal person, eating in a normal way. I still had to change my mindset, just different frame of reference.

That's exactly my approach as well.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

For me I track every calorie of extra crap food I eat, then I work out that much extra. It eventually becomes a decision weather or not are those Cookies worth an extra hour on the treadmill. The answer more times than not is NO. I've had a paradime shift from rewarding myself with crap food to punishing myself for eating crap food, this new way of thinking will change my life if I can keep it up. I use my natural disposition to lazyness to keep my eating in check, it's a win win situation.

That is a fantastic idea - one I have of course heard before, but for some reason it never really rang to me. This time it did, and I think you are on to something.

As for right now, I'm just NOT eating anything I really shouldn't be. chips, candy, pastries, fast food, etc. I won't until I get to goal, and I'm sure by then I will have broken my addiction to these dangerous foods. I may not even think about them by then. So far it's day 8 without any such foods and believe me, for me that's monumental.

So when I get to goal, I will have the mindset that yeah, you can have that 1 oz. bag of Doritos, but be prepared to work off that 140 Calories by adding it to your workout routine.

[ninner 0]

That is a fantastic idea - one I have of course heard before, but for some reason it never really rang to me. This time it did, and I think you are on to something.

As for right now, I'm just NOT eating anything I really shouldn't be. chips, candy, pastries, fast food, etc. I won't until I get to goal, and I'm sure by then I will have broken my addiction to these dangerous foods. I may not even think about them by then. So far it's day 8 without any such foods and believe me, for me that's monumental.

So when I get to goal, I will have the mindset that yeah, you can have that 1 oz. bag of Doritos, but be prepared to work off that 140 Calories by adding it to your workout routine.

It's funny that you said it never rang to you until now. It never rang true to me before being banded but now it does, weird:blush:.

[luluc 6]

[quote=loridee11;1111142So --- what are you tricks to get back to eating healthy? Any good/simple recipes to share? ANy mental tricks you use? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

~Lori

the saturday before nyrs - i weighed myself ... i was up a few lbs for the first time since being banded. i allowed for many indulgences (small portions - but still, foods i normally don't eat).

whether popular or not - i jumped on a thread here and did the 5 day pouch test with 2 days of liquids first. when i got on the scale this AM at the gym, it's been the lowest weight i've been since i was 23.

i was concerned i needed a fill & my portions were getting larger. both were taken care of just doing the pouch test. again - may not be a popular approach, but i got the results i wanted, and my eating habits back in check.

[ninner 0]

the saturday before nyrs - i weighed myself ... i was up a few lbs for the first time since being banded. i allowed for many indulgences (small portions - but still, foods i normally don't eat).

whether popular or not - i jumped on a thread here and did the 5 day pouch test with 2 days of liquids first. when i got on the scale this AM at the gym, it's been the lowest weight i've been since i was 23.

i was concerned i needed a fill & my portions were getting larger. both were taken care of just doing the pouch test. again - may not be a popular approach, but i got the results i wanted, and my eating habits back in check.

I've considered 2 day liquid diets each week to jump start my weight loss but DW dosent think it would be a healthy approach. I may do it for a few weeks just to see what happens I'm sure it won't kill me.