Is there anything at all you won't give up during your weightloss efforts? You can list foods, snacks, or other things like tv time or whatever it is you refuse to give up.

For me there are foods I refuse to give up, such as:

Steak (red meat)
although my mom remembers a story of a woman who lost weight from chewing the meat but then spitting it out as opposed to swallowing it. I cannot force myself to do this but I've been pondering it, because the digestion of red meat is hard for the body. But chewing it you are getting everthing that is healthy from the meat into your body. Has anyone else heard of this or tried it? (I think I'll make a new post on this subject alone). http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...95#post2753695

Cereal
Absolutely refuse to give up cereal. I tried to switch over to oatmeal for breakfast but I get sick of it after a week or two, AND I find that I get hungry faster when I've had oatmeal for breakfast as opposed to cereal. I eat lots of different kinds of cereal, sugary kind, fibery kind, etc.

Peanut Butter & Jam or Preserves sandwiches or crackers
I do Not eat an abundance of peanut butter. In fact I don't even use the total serving when I do eat it. And it's not something I eat all the time, but I do binge on pb & j/p crackers. Usually I have between 6 and 8 crackers. Also, I only use the extra crunchy pb because I love tasting the actual nuts.

Popcorn & blue bag Doritos
My salty snacks of choice though I don't make a habit of either


SO let's hear it crew! What are your weaknesses or refusals.

Chocolate. Never ever in a million babillion years could I ever EVER give up chocolate.

coffee and creamer are prob my biggest ones. and the sometimes splurge at starbucks for a blended coffee.

If I'm low on my calories after my meals, I like to go to Dairy Queen and get a soft serve vanilla cone. Today I'm at just over one thousand so a cone sounds good tonight! I've only done it about 3 or 4 times since January so I think I'm okay.

I can't think of anything specific I've given up. I don't eat any kind of junk food on a regular basis, however, I've worked in things like ice cream, chips, etc. when I've really wanted them. I suppose the only thing I've given up is eating to excess.

The only thing I think I've totally given up is chip and dip. I can (and do) eat that stuff until I'm sick, so I don't even buy either one anymore. I did have a few potato chips at a BBQ last night and was suprised at how salty they were. But that didn't stop me from eating them, so I know they're still a trigger food for me.

Anything.

Basically, I've given up sacrifice. I don't really do "giving up" anymore, because for many people, and especially me, nothing makes a thing more enticing and difficult to resist than making it forbidden.

That being said, I'm getting better and better at recognizing choices that just aren't worth it. Candy for example. I still occasionally (rarely) have a small amount, but more often than not, it's just not worth it. I never ate huge amounts of candy, nor did I even eat candy every week or every month. However, the longer I avoid super-high carbohydrate/GI foods, the more I notice unpleasant side effects. I'll feel a bit nauseous, or get a killer headache. I never associated headaches with sugar before, but I wonder if I've always experienced it and never noticed, because I rarely get headaches anymore, when I used to get them frequently.

I think it's really helped me to say to myself, "I can have anything if I want it, but how badly do I want it," and that helps. I think when it's forbidden, I only thought about wanting it, not the consequences of having it. With nothing forbidden, it's a bit easier to make the choice that fits best into my life - not only in weight loss, but in everything. Hubby and I are apartment hunting, and I find myself asking the same "how badly do I want it," in evaluating the apartments that we've seen.

Coffee with good flavored creamers, though I have been able to switch to sugar free ones pretty seamlessly. I love sitting out in the back screen room with my coffee every morning.

kaplods, I had headaches almost daily for years and now rarely, rarely get one. When I have them now it is (almost) always after I have binged on something with sugar and sodium.

ETA: YES, EXACTLY in regards to the "how badly do I want it" question. I ask myself the same. I don't deny myself anything I just keep in mind that I can't be healthy AND indulge frequently.

I'm fortunate that saying "no, I will not have that" doesn't trigger the yearning and urge to binge, at least not with the chip and dip. So it's no my "no" list, but it's not like I yearn for it and obsess over it. I just know that I won't be buying it. I have found other crunchy chip-like things to substitute.

Everything else is allowed, but like Kaplods and TBG have said, I evaluate whether or not it's worth it. TBG, like you, my headaches have all but disappeared since I stopped eating high quantities of sugary or salty foods. And I'm a beer girl, but lately I've been asking the "Is it worth it?" question, and have decided that, for now, beer is something to be enjoyed only occasionally and not every weekend.

I'm sure that my upcoming class reunion in a month has nothing at all to do with my desire to get rid of my beer belly. Nope.

I find that if I'm really craving something I will eat it, I will just eat less of it and save the rest for later because I eat less now. Like mac and cheese...I love pasta and mac and cheese is like my favorite food, but instead of eating the whole box like I used to I'll add tuna and peas to it and make three meals out of it. It's not the best choice but if I don't like what I'm eating I can't stick to a program.

I've given up [most] sugar and [most] white flour, and it honestly wasn't that painful at all. I don't miss it, during the week. I'm relatively strict with myself, honestly. But that's because...

On saturday I go to high tea at a formal tea room. I REFUSE to give it up. I have milk and sugar in my tea, I have a miniature blondie, a miniature brownie, and a miniature bread pudding, along with the tea sandwiches, fruit, soup, tea cookie, and scone. It's a huge amount of food and I eat what I want of it. I eat lightly for the rest of the day, and sunday I'm right back on plan. I focus on my program during the week with the thought that I am having tea on saturday. I REFUSE to give up my tea. Not gonna happen!

I refuse to give up flavor and satisfaction - fortunately what tastes good and satisfies is something that has changed drastically!

coffee with the flavored creamers (and the occasional naughty indulgence of a peppermint mocha), red meat and good cheese (I dont even bother with RF, or FF anymore 'cept with the mozzerella.. I just use less of the good stuff)

No and yes.
I deliberately chose calorie counting so that there would be no banned foods, more for ease of having a normal life round it but also because banning foods is not helpful for me mentally.
Having said that, as the weeks turn into months this no-ban means that all the foods that are unhelpful for weightloss have receded far from my mind. I never sit thinking, 'I crave a ..... '.
I still have a greedy head, and often think, 'I could have a bucket full of X or one tiny piece of Y - no contest!'
I am totally rigid about sticking to my calorie budget, and have been known to throw out/leave until tomorrow a treat, if I get to the end of the day and find I've over-estimated the calories I have left. This is a new experience!