Today is officially one week from my start of a new lifestyle. So far so good.. but I do have to admit that giving up my fast food obsession has NOT been easy, of course. Now I know you shouldn't completely deprive yourself of your favorite foods and/or restaurants or you're looking for failure, so what I would like to know is if I do decide to indulge every once in a while at a favorite fast food restaurant, what should I eat (besides salads) that is small and can be used as a little fix or something. I love love LOVE Taco Bell by the way!
Question 2: Weighing in?? How often do you guys weigh yourself? I'm not so much obsessed with how much I weigh, but how healthy I LOOK and FEEL. I'm thinking of every two weeks, or twice a month. Is that a good practice to start? I'm positive that I've lost SOMETHING this week. My body hasn't seen the types of foods that I've been eating this week in years.
So anyways.. any answers & advice are greatly appreciated, and also any motivational quotes to keep me on track would be great! Thanks everybody!!
Last edited by ashlovesherfennecfox; 10-03-2008 at 06:03 PM.
I don't think there is a right answer for when you should weigh in. Different people respond differently. I weigh everyday which is best for me. In my mind, knowing that I have to look at the scale tomorrow morning helps motivate me to stay on track today. But some people work best weighing once a week, or even less. There's no right answer, whatever seems to work best.
I agree with you that treats are important. What's tough is deciding how much and how often. And I don't think there is a right answer for everyone. It just takes practice and trial and error and learning about yourself.
(I'm like the fellow who wrote the article, don't usually eat at fast food places. Subway is my place of choice if I'm out and can't take my own lunch.)
I weigh every morning ... same time, right out of the shower (I towel dry my hair, but it's short, so I'm not freaked about my hair weighing heavy , naked. I log it on The Daily Plate every day, but my "official" weight is my Monday weight, which is what I use to update my ticker here and on my blog.
As far as fast food - I indulge every once in a while as part of my "no count" meals. My favorite is a 5 Guys burger and fries. Honestly if it will help you stay on plan the rest of the time, then an occasional (and I do mean *occasional*) treat is ok. Just don't get into the habit of justifying it all the time.
I can also indulge in junk food once in a while and still stay in my calorie range, but that does mean that I have to eat very carefully the rest of the day in order to make up for it, and a lot of times it's simply not worth it to me.
What I would do is simply check the calorie content online and see what you can get that will satisfy your craving and keep you within your calorie range or to at least be a reasonable splurge.
So for example, a regular taco with cheese, lettuce, and tomato is 170 calories. If I *really* wanted to, I could have 2 of those for lunch and still stay within my calorie levels for the day. Or I could have one for a snack and still stay within my calorie levels.
So ... for me it's all about choices. I *choose* what I eat. And sometimes I *choose* to eat something that is unhealthy or not part of my regular eating plan. But then I just continue on with the rest of my healthy eating.
I'm a once a week weigher, I can't be bothered with the emotional upheaval once a day would bring to ME - i know lots of others can't live without it, but I can't stand those usually-false highs and lows of daily fluctuations.
As for fast food, I swear I used to eat it for 4 meals a week. My drug of choice was a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Fries and Diet Coke at McDonalds. I haven't had that in ages, but the last time I went with a friend and her children, and i got a happy meal -- it was small portion and the kids were happy with the extra toy LOL. And I spent most of the night in the bathroom LOL which kinda cured me of the crap food I have to say!
Everyone's different - some people swear by a modest snack each evening, but I avoid it like the plague. Some people swear by those 100 calorie pack thingies, but i won't touch 'em. So you have to find out what's right for you. maybe having a 400 calorie meal at taco bell in a week is what you need to stay on track the rest of the week?
And doesn't Taco Bell have that "diet" (maybe it's called Fresco? I'm not sure...) menu now? Maybe you could pick something off of that that'll help with your cravings!
Trazey -- that used to be my fast food meal of choice too! But I would have regular Coke instead of diet, haha. I think I've had a Happy Meal once since swearing off fast food and I had the hamburger with the apple dippers. It was good, but I was mad after I ate it cause I realized I could have had a lot more food for the same amount of WW points. Now, no more Happy Meals.
As for the weighing in, I do it everyday too. It keeps me accountable like bethbeth said. But, I only count Thursdays as my weigh-in days, so that day's number is the only one that actually gets written down.
Taco Bell does have the fresco menu. I eat there a couple of times a week usually and it hasn't hurt my weight loss. I always choose something from the fresco menu though. Jack in the Box's chicken fajita pita is good too, and it's under 400 calories. I've never been a huge hamburger or french fry lover so I don't miss McDonalds or Burger King.
I can't eat fast food {except for salads from McD's or Wendy's}. It's all downhill from the first cheat. For me, the most important part of limitation has been to not deprive, but have nicer things more often. I keep a tupperware container FULL of really nice chocolate "tasting squares" which have 2 carbs and about 25 calories each. If I feel my determination slipping, I pull one out, let it warm up a bit then eat it in the tiniest bites.
As far as weighing...I weigh every morning. Sometimes, I also weigh in the evening. It keeps me on track, and lets me predict when my trouble times will be. For example, mid cycle my weight PLUMMETS, and around my TOM it stops. Knowing the cycle lets me know when I need to be uber-strict and when I need to dial it down a bit to prevent dropping too much too soon. I only "officially" record my Friday morning weight, though.
I weigh myself once a week. It keeps me honest but not obsessed.
Here are some ideas for fast food. If you cook you can find recipies for altering many of the major fast food treats like a big mac. If you make it at home it can be similar but you have more control over what goes in it and you can make little changes that reduce the over all calories. Also you might like the book "Eat this Not That". It is not a great book but it shows pictures of fast food and suggest some suprising suggestions of what to eat. Be careful to consider your plan, the book might be counting calories and you are counting carbs or fat or soduim.
I think education and planning are key to making good chocies and turning one week on plan into lang term sucess.
I weigh every morning. the only one that counts is the first of every month.
as for fast food... I can't even remember the last time I ate at one... and I ate there daily or sometimes even twice a day (breakfast and dinner) before changing the way I eat to how i eat now.
but it's truly going to be a personal choice..... if you can find something you love that satisfies you and keeps you in control then go for it.
I can't eat fast food {except for salads from McD's or Wendy's}. It's all downhill from the first cheat. For me, the most important part of limitation has been to not deprive, but have nicer things more often. I keep a tupperware container FULL of really nice chocolate "tasting squares" which have 2 carbs and about 25 calories each. If I feel my determination slipping, I pull one out, let it warm up a bit then eat it in the tiniest bites.
As far as weighing...I weigh every morning. Sometimes, I also weigh in the evening. It keeps me on track, and lets me predict when my trouble times will be. For example, mid cycle my weight PLUMMETS, and around my TOM it stops. Knowing the cycle lets me know when I need to be uber-strict and when I need to dial it down a bit to prevent dropping too much too soon. I only "officially" record my Friday morning weight, though.
One week down! Weigh-in and fast food questions!!
, naked. I log it on The Daily Plate every day, but my "official" weight is my Monday weight, which is what I use to update my ticker here and on my blog. 
