[PinkHoodie]

So, you all that suggested it were right. That kid's meal from Mcdonalds started a craving into me. I ended up having a large meal at Wendy's the same night....so its back to the drawing boards for me. I don't know why I eat that food, it makes me feel horrible inside...I feel SO bloated and tired and ugh...
How do I start learning to live without this food? If its going to start cravings in me, what do I do when its SO second nature to stop by these places and pick something up? Because I can avoid them for awhile, but inevitably I will find myself back there.
I know some of it was emotional eating because I am having my first root canal on Thursday, and I suffer from anxiety sometimes and its causing me GREAT anxiety....
I don't know if I should put my scale away and stop focusing on this as a weight loss program but more as changing my lifestyle? But I honestly don't know if that would really even help.
I just feel like I can't win. I am feeling like today I will ALWAYS be obese...because I can't control my own impulses. Maybe I should see if I can get in to a counselor, maybe these issues run deeper then I know? I guess I'm just reaching out for help.
Thank you for all the support and help you have all given me. This board has been a great help.

[Rosinante]

Moved to 100lb club

[Rosinante]

OK.
"I don't know why I eat this food."
Have you seen the episode of Frasier when Niles becomes addicted to fast food, particularly curly fries? You eat this food because the heady combination of fat and salt is very, very addictive. One/once is never enough, however bad it makes you feel.

"It's so second nature to stop by these places."
Yes, it's a habit. And you won't be able to break the habit just by stopping dead or by stopping by and hoping you'll pick up something healthier (if there is anything healthier). You need to set up another habit instead. Try and make a note of When you go to these places, then deliberately look for another thing to do, so that every time you think "I'm dying for an X-burger" you go and do the other thing instead.
It is so Not Easy, you have to make it a real, determined project.

"I don't know if I should put my scale away"
Only imho, but I wouldn't. For me, if I put the scale away, I put my determined mindset away. I might make a few better choices but not enough to show in my clothes or bloodwork.

"I feel like I will always be obese"
Well, you've lost 24lbs already, so you know you Can do this. You will only always be obese if you give up trying to tackle it. I don't read giving up in your post, so that means you will beat this.
I see you're doing SBD. Millions of people are successful with this or another Named Diet - but millions of us ain't. I'm not, I'm back to calorie counting, with a smidge of carb control, and a dash of not eating processed stuff. The good thing about calorie counting, if you stick to it, is that you can spend the calorie on anything you like. I always find that I get miserly about my calories (currently around 1400) and after reviewing how much of a burger/Mars Bar I could have for my budget versus how much home made bolognese sauce on corn pasta (today's lunch) I could have, I always opt for the bigger bang for my buck. Just a thought.

You've already made a start on your weightloss journey - I read determination in your post: you Will do this.

[rdw1]

Im not sure where this is going to post(since it says it has been moved-and not sure why there either?) anywho- I think the idea of thinking of it as a lifestyle instead of a diet is exactly what you need to do. It IS a lifestyle change- if it is just a diet then you will go back to your old habits and you will get the results you have always got with those bad habits!

What I find helps me with those kind of cravings is either thinking
1. Maybe I will indulge if I still have the craving in a couple days
2. Tell yourself that you can make a healthier version of the same thing at home! though not sbd appropriate I am sure that oven baked fries sprayed with EVOO are a hundred times better for you than the modified food starch filled ones at the restaurant!

Keep a snack in your purse or car at all times in case you are hungry ... When left without fast healthy options we turn to fast anything I can get my hands on options and that isn't good!

Maybe you should see a counselor...maybe your body just needs time to adjust. Honestly I feel like the first few weeks of changing eating habits is always the worst. I used to crave fries and now the thought of eating them really really doesn't appeal to me at all. AND to top that when I do eat something fried it makes me sick to my stomach!(both physically and mentally!) Thats motivation enough to not want to eat them... you just have to kind of tough it out in the beginning!

One more thing, I too used to throw away the entire day if I cheated one meal... now that is not the case. You have to get out of the mentality that oh sh*t I blew today oh well, start again tomorrow. sometimes that new start will take days or weeks to come, undoing all the hard work that you have put into it... I say PLAN PLAN PLAN! for me failing to plan is almost like planning to fail. better for me to have good choices ready to go so I don't fall into old bad habits!

[dragonwoman64]

I don't see it as you being "back to the drawing board." You've lost 24lbs and I'm sure you've made in roads on changing your habits, stopping at a fast food place is just ONE habit.

You identified why you did it: I know some of it was emotional eating because I am having my first root canal on Thursday, and I suffer from anxiety sometimes and its causing me GREAT anxiety....

so what could you have done differently?

asked other people you know, or here, about what it's like to have a root canal. commisserate with family and friends and vent that way. What other things help you with anxiety? watching tv? exercising? taking a walk? listening to music? reading? remind yourself that you don't want to use food to deal with other emotions (I do that).

it's your call whether you want to do counseling. I think you can learn to manage your impulses to get the results you want. the scale is a tool, use it or don't use it as you see fit.

[Trazey34]

24lbs is a LOT, don't forget that! I'll jump on my therapy bandwagon again lol, I'm a firm believer in that old adage "it's not what you're eating it's what's eating YOU". You can lose all the weight in the world, but if you never DEAL with why/how you got fat, what lead to that point in your life, how is it ever going to be different??? I've seen people keep weight off for 5 years thru constant hyper vigilance, but one slip led to gaining it all back and then some, because they never learned the root causes of the cravings, the insane desire, the out of control emotions. Once you get that under control, you can have ONE of something and move on in life. DON"T GIVE UP!!!!! Remember those 24 pounds and concentrate on the next one

Good luck at the dentist, i hate it too but imagine if it were 1950 or something??? gah!!! At least we have all the modern freezing and speedy procedures -- gotta look on the bright side eh? lol

**big hugs**

[Quail]

PinkHoodie, I think I might have passed you on my way to Jack in the Box today.

I started eating restaurant food on Wednesday and it's been a landslide since then:

Wednesday: Chilis
Thursday: Claim Jumper
Friday: Islands
Saturday (icing on the fat cake): Jack in the Box

I'm still keeping up with my evening workout, but it's going to take days to recover from this. I am putting the scale away for the next three days to focus on losing the regained water weight and resetting. I feel so stupid and bad... I KNOW I'm better than this.

I wish I didn't do this to myself. I wish I had willpower and honestly, more respect for myself.

I figure right now I have two options (as do you):

1) Fall off the wagon completely and accept the label of being obese for life.
2) Come on here, talk about what happened, read stories about people who once were where you are now and lost the weight, post a NSV (if there's one to be had), then go for a walk.

I am choosing option #2. It sounds like you can, too!!

[femmecreole]

It's all in your head. You have to become a food snob...really.

this is what I convinced myself of when I started this journey and after a while it became second nature:

Fast food is "beneath" me. It's the food that is killing "all the other people"
and it won't kill me. Think how companies like McDonald's are killing people just so they can make a buck. Get militant. Refuse to eat at any establishment that cares more for money than for serving quality food. It's crap and it shouldn't go in your body.

I watched a video the other day called "Is God Stupid?" the point was that if God ( or Mother Nature or whoever or whatever you believe) Did not put it in the ground or on the ground, then you shouldn't eat it because God was NOT stupid when he gave us our food choices.

Don't give "the man" your hard earned money to rob you of your life.
If that's the mindset you get, then you'll have it made. I won't give those people killers one penny of my money.

[Lexxiss]

Oopsie

Yeah, that stuff does seem to turn the cravings back on...I think both physically and mentally. I agree with other posters, that you've come along way and this is in means a verdict that says you will be obese forever. It's just a learning experience.

South Beach Diet is different in that it is really specific about certain foods whereas other plans are more about calories-if it fits into your daily allotment you're technically ok even though it wasn't the best choice.

I am far more satisfied to plan ahead and make a substitute meal at home. When I have a craving for a burger, I make my own at home with fresh ingredients and a whole wheat bun. At home I control the ingredients. Pizza was always a favorite and I've adapted and make a whole wheat boboli pizza that the family loves!

Anytime you have a craving and haven't come up with the substitute just post your desired recipe here and everyone will pitch in with ideas.

And....Cat is right...it's crap designed to create more cravings so you will come back and spend more money. Read the book, The End of Overeating, by David Kessler who used to work for the FDA. I stopped going to any restaurant that was part of a chain after reading it. Chilis, Wendys, Village Inn, IHop....when the food you're going to eat is mass produced at a factory it's like a chemistry project. The exact perfect combination of sugar fat and salt are added to create cravings in humans.

lol I was being polite yesterday, but when you are used to being craving free on SBD that food just turns that craving switch right back on.

[murphmitch]

Originally Posted by Rosinante

OK.
"I don't know why I eat this food."
Have you seen the episode of Frasier when Niles becomes addicted to fast food, particularly curly fries? You eat this food because the heady combination of fat and salt is very, very addictive. One/once is never enough, however bad it makes you feel.

I think this book was very helpful in dealing with this dilemma. The more I read and learn about the Western diet, the more convinced I am that SB is the way to go. I also agree the film "Food, Inc." was an eyeopener!

http://www.amazon.com/End-Overeating...1223272&sr=8-1

[femmecreole]

Here's more food for thought. A fast food burger...without food additives, it would be like eating meat jello. It is actually the additives you are tasting..it's not meat, it's fat. It's gross.

Go to this site and look at the videos on additives and bleach in flour. You'll never want to eat that stuff again. If you get enough of the gross out factor, fast food will be such a turn off you'll get nauseated just driving past those places. Don't even get me started on feeding chicken mcnuggets to kids.

[Fat Melanie]

I think a counselor would be great! I went and I told mine about my overeating problems. I don't know if it's helping yet because they've canceled my appointment for the other day but it can't hurt!

Don't throw all your WONDERFUL progress away just because of one day. Think of the next day as a totally new, clean day, and eat clean and be satisfied and happy as you make those healthy choices. The positive feelings associated with eating 'clean' and healthy have a lasting impact on you. I try to stay away from fast foods too, but when I AM in a situation where I'm there, I always go for the salad. They give you dressing packets. It's the best option at any fast food restaurant hands down. Their burgers and chicken and all of that is amazingly processed and it's all crap. Most restaurants offer grilled chicken breast salad. What's in the marinade if any they use on it may not be totally desirable but it's still better than going for the burgers or fried chickens and fries and all of that stuff. You can do it! Once you eat that salad and get full, you'll let go of the craving for the other stuff such restaurants offer.

Plus making your own homemade versions of stuff is a great idea, I know a lot of people mentioned that. I've been craving pizza so I made a homemade whole wheat/flax/soy crust, homemade tomato sauce, and used lots of chopped vegetables and a little italian sausage and skim mozzarella to satisfy my craving. It hit the spot (and OMG IT WAS DELICIOUS!!)

You can make delicious burgers at home (with all natural ingredients, without the fillers and all that other gross stuff fast food has in it!) and have it on a whole wheat bun or a romaine lettuce leaf. There are even simple recipes for homemade ketchups, and you can pile on plenty of tomato, mustard, pickles, onion, etc. Add a slice of reduced fat cheese (Sargento makes a delicious RF provolone, free of fillers and potato starch and all that crap). it's yum!

Maybe to knock your french fry craving out, you could make some sweet potato fries, or some Butternut Squash Fries.

I've found for me, the more you stick to it, the easier it is to deny cravings for unhealthy food, and making enjoyable healthy food really helps also.

Planning out your mealplan for the day in the morning really helps me too. I stick to it instead of wondering what I'm going to eat and that way I never get too out of control hungry and reach for no nos.

I am finding a lot of recipes and healthier ways to cook things and incorporate healthy things into my menus and dishes, and not only is it good for me and enjoyable, but it's also really fun (it's starting to become a habit and a hobby!)

The reason why I'm saying all of those things is to help give you some suggestions that might help you. I've been there before too, so I know how you feel. It's hard, and a lifestyle change is constantly a work in progress until one day you find it's truly your new lifestyle. Thinking of it as a lifestyle change IS the best way. Only thinking of it as some diet that will help you lose weight and then you can return to eating junk isn't the way to go. That's a hard lesson I've learned.

Your progress has been so great that it shouldn't all thrown away. It's okay, you made a mistake, we're all human, everyone does. You can start the next day fresh and clean and take it one day at a time. Don't beat yourself up for what happened because sometimes guilt can trigger hopelessness and then you'll just want to keep eating all the unhealthy stuff for comfort (I've definitely been there! Too many times to count!) Just dust yourself off and keep heading for that goal: to make this your lifestyle change for ultimately your health, and weight loss. You can do it! You've already done such a wonderful job and I give you many kudos. :-)

We are here for you! :-)

[PinkHoodie]

Thank you so much for all the suggestions and support! I really don't know why I didn't just think of making my own version at home...Its hard when DH doesn't gain any weight though after eating those types of foods. He just doesn't get it.
I am so worried because I got down to 216 and now I am all the way back up to 221...do you think this is mostly just bloat? I hope so. I will understand if I stay up a pound...maybe 2...but to be up that high is just crazy.
I am learning. I got right back on to plan today, even though I wanted to eat everything in sight, just kept it to what I had planned to eat. So I think I'm back on track...until the next time I'm challenged!
Thanks again everyone!

[Lexxiss]

PinkHoodie, you'll have water weight for awhile so don't worry about the extra ##(another useful technique). The most important thing I see here contributing to your long term success is
1/you did it
2/you learned
3/you came back

Sounds strange, but there have been a number of times that someone would post that they were going off plan for a night....and we never hear from them again.

BTW my hubby is exactly like yours. Now mine loves the healthy way we're eating now, but he snacks before dinner-and after-and lots! It's alot of acceptance for me that I can't do that, but I will say that many nights I retire early with a book.

[Fat Melanie]

Pinkhoodie, I agree with Lexxis, it's just water weight. Probably a lot of bloating and water retention from all the sodium and other artificial filler stuff they put on those foods. I'd drink a lot of water (or maybe water with some lemon juice) and eat a lot of fiber to pass it through your system (lol) like raw broccoli for example. So nice to see you are still here and haven't gone anywhere. :-)