20-Somethings - I keep forgetting I'm dieting?

I literally have lost it.

Seriously - I eat stuff without thinking! I literally forget I'm meant to be eating properly to lose weight.

And whilst Im naturally a healthy eater - dont eat takeaways and stuff - when Im out ordering dinner or munch on crackers I literally forget Im dieting.

I can't say no any more, I just don't have the will power!

Anyone got any tips to keep my will power or, or even make me REMEMBER Im on a diet!

I have often gone through the same thing, until recently! I would seriously forget I was dieting. Then something happened that was like 'a wake up call'. Now there's no way I'd ever cheat. Perhaps it is subconscious for you, like it was for me. Maybe your subconscious thinks 'I don't need to lose' or 'I don't need to lose FAST' or 'I have all the time in the world to lose'. These are just some possibilities. I know it was that way for me.

But now I'm in panic mode (well, not panic, but I'm in 'serious' mode). Lost 5lbs last week and went the whole weekend OP! So, trying to change 'your mind' may help.

So, this really comes down to being mindful while eating, right? Once you can be mindful while eating most of the time, then you'll at least be aware of the choice you're making when you choose to eat the crackers or whatnot.

Start by trying to be mindful while planning the meal you're eating. Let's say you're sitting down at a regular meal at your house. Focus on eating right then at that moment. How the food tastes, smells, the texture. How many times you're chewing it. How it looks on your plate. How it fills you up while you're eating. It actually takes a fair bit of work to do this! But it's worth it if you can carry the habit with you.

Practicing under normal circumstances might help you to keep mindful when out even if there's bread or crackers in front of you.

Keep your eye on the goal , you have come so far and don't have much more to go.

Could you just be rebelling against having to diet? It's a pain, not being able to eat what you want, all the time! But we all know that we can't do that and stay healthy. I plan exactally what i'm going to eat, before i set down (or stand up) to eat it. If i'm going to a restaurant I decide what I'm going to do before i go. If I haven't been there before I go online and look at their menu and decide. None of this last min. thing, it's too easy to change your mind and order soemthing totally different because it "looks so good". I also ask for a take-out bos before i start eating. Most restaurants give you way too much food for one serving. I put the portion I am not going to eat away right then. If i wait untill the end of the meal I will sit there and pick at it untill it's gone.

One of my favorite saying is "fail to plan, plan to fail"

I used to say I have no willpower also, until I realized I was willing myself to fail at eating right for me.

Something that has really helped me stay on track is writing down every thing I get. I started, because I went on WW, but it's really helped me keep accountable and keep track of what I'm actually eating.

i too forget....
altho im pretty good when it comes to crap food....
unless its take chinese take away!....

ive just restarted serriously today....
no more junk for me!....

What I need to work on is that I am not a diet - I on a lifestyle. Which means you can eat whatever food you like - within your daily limit. Like - weight watchers.

When you eat are you standing in front of your fridge? Or do you put it on a plate and make it look nice? I have also started to use smaller plates and salad forks when I eat forcing myself to be aware.

I do agree with Faerie, however, in trying to be mindful of what goes in your mouth.

You guys are so right. Really you have me sussed mentall in a nutshell!

I thnk u are right about the being mindful and planning thing...I am rebelling against having to diet - even when I have perfect days I will finish up by eating peanut buter out of the pantry or half a bar of chocolate. I know these binges are like NOTHING compared to what I used to binge on, but still!

I also think subconsiously I know I a) don't neccesarily need to lose weight - im a size and b) Its the middle of winter, so I don't need to quickly.

Anyway I can get around my naughty games I'm playing with myself! Planning you say? I can do that! I might have to get onto the fitday - as much as i reallly don't want to!

I use www.calorieking.com.au to track my calorie intake - you might like it as it's Australian based and may have a few more familiar brands than fitday which is American. I used that for awhile but got a bit frustrated with having to look everything up on an Australian calorie site and plugging it manually into fitday lol.

I hear you with the careless eating though - I know I don't have much to go indeed don't really -need- to lose anything at the moment. It's definitely a will power thing. I find using calorieking handy because it holds me accountable and I really need that. Even so I still have bad days - like today, just had a few pieces of a jam slice (homemade so I know whats in it...but still!) with my evening cup of tea. Totally didn't need them!

I use thedailyplate.com, honestly fit day does not have a good database.

I know how you feel about the crackers or bread, sometimes I just munch on pretzels - then i'm like DAMN - how many of those did I just eat.

Sarah -- I feel EXACTLY in the same place you're describing. I'm down to a weight that I'm OK with, but still 10 lbs above where I'm aiming. For the past couple of months, I've been OP enough to stay right where I am and not gain, but I've DEFINITELY not been very OP! Going out to eat, a slice of pizza here and there, not measuring out my food -- like you say, it's as though I've forgotten that it took a lot of work to get to where I am, and it will continue to take work to get further along!
I just want to thank you for writing. I can really relate to where you are. Good luck getting back on plan!

I ate wendy's last night - but I planned it. I went to their site - saw my options and then went.

And believe it or not - I still had 183 calories left for the day and even got to have a skinny cow ice cream bar!

I read all the comments, and it all sounded good. I too forget that I'm on a diet, or just get in a hurry. When you plan out your day, does that in reality mean you have to think about food all the time? It makes me not even want to do it, but I feel like there's a lot of suggestions, but in reality I feel like I don't know where to start. I'm over weight and I need to get serious about losing but am overwhelmed with all the material. Any suggestions?

i do the same thing too! really mindlessly end up at a mcdonalds drive through and dont think twice until later in the day... ugh! i ended up putting a post-it note on my dashboard as a reminder!

I used to be really obsesssive about my diet - kept myself to 1000 calories a day, exercised of at least 500 everyday. It really took over my life and put alot of pressure on many relationships - well practically every relationship that was important to me.

I went through a stage where I was constantly telling myself "It's okay Sarah - you are a young, fit, healthy woman and you are allowed to eat that!" and now I justify everything I eat?

It's interesting that so many people have this issue, especially those with just a few more pounds to lose.

I'll check out Calorie-King - thanks for the tip off :) I used to just plug everything in and it got to be a pain!

I'm so glad people pointed out to me what I'm doing. I'm going to try ask myself before I eat why I am doing it - and if there is a valid reasons - and if there could be a better choice to make.

For things like crackers, it could be as simple as counting out how many you intend to eat, putting them on a plate or napkin and closing the box before you sit down to deliberately eat them. It can be very easy to munch them down as you carry them to your seat before you've even focused on eating them.

That is a really good point Webrover - see here I am subconsiously self sabotaging again.

I instantly think - oh but I don't have that much to lose - I don't NEED to go to those lengths. But really I do! Infact I weighed myself today and I've gained! eeeeeekk!

Oh Sarah, I totally hear you! You and I could be the same person -- I used to be so thin because I was OBSESSED! Then, I didn't like that, and it was like a pendulum swing the other way, to "oh, stop worrying about what you eat all the time! Just eat!" And it is funny, how my mindset has changed so much since I've gotten "close enough" to goal again. Maybe the maintainers' site has some wisdom about this!
Good luck!
S

I went through the same thing. I lost alot of weight... looked great, told myself that I was fit and I could afford to eat that just this once... then once turned into twice and before I knew it I was saying well I'll eat this today and start my diet on Monday... and then its next Monday... or next month etc.

You have to tell yourself you are making a life change and then realize that you should always be eating healthy. When "Monday" finally came for me, I put up a picture of what I looked like the last time I met my goal weight on the fidge, the cabinet were I keep snacks, and where I keep my makeup. So when I am about to eat or go out with friends to eat I remember what I am striving for. That helped me get back on track. Good Luck

This is so funny, I thought I was the only person this happened to. When I've dieted in the past, I would forget too.

This time I'm writing down everything I eat, and I'm reporting my food intake to a friend at the end of the day (she's doing the same). It keeps me really mindful when I'm about to eat - I get out my notepad, write it down, and then send an email in the evening.

I really think being accountable to someone other than yourself is helpful. I rarely forget to do things when I've made a commitment to someone else.