help! I'm on the verge of eating something unhealthy
Ughhhh! I've been at this just under a month. I don't understand why I'm still having these cravings. I haven't had anything sweet since Jan 30th in an attempt to break my addiction. Right now I really just want something sticky and sweet or greasy and salty even though I've got my turkey chilli in the fridge ready to eat.
I'm seriously thinking about getting Chinese--and not even anything moderately healthy. I'm thinking about general tso's chicken and crab rangoon and those fried dumplings and egg rolls. And now for some reason krispy kreme donuts are on my mind. I could eat a half dozen right now.
I don't know why I'm feeling so discouraged. I've been steadily losing about 2lbs a week, but for some reason I feel like I should be losing faster.
Wisely, I stopped buying anything unhealthy or fattening and have nothing 'good' in the house. I bought girl scout cookies last week but I left them at a friend's house so I wouldn't be tempted. Now I want them sooo bad! The unhealthiest thing I have here are granola bars.
What do you do when you face really bad cravings? Ignore them? Give in? How do I ignore, this. Or should I? What do you do when you want something sooo bad but you know you'll eat way too much of it.
Not sure...but when this happens to me, i plan to ask myself, "how am i going to deal with this for the rest of my life?" Because you can give in to the craving ONCE--it's not gonna hurt anything. But the question is, what if you crave it every week? Every day? Then how are you going to deal with it?
So I think what i would do is think through it really hard, and think what can be an unusual treat that will taste good, but not derail you from your diet. Something that you can eat once a week and be ok--but not once a day. And you can have ONE of those things--not all of them. For example, maybe eat your turkey chili but spruce it up by throwing some onions and cheddar cheese on top? Make it yummy for an extra 100 calories! Or...even a small piece of cornbread on the side? A treat for sure, but not going to break the bank.
When I have a craving, I make that ONE thing my entire meal. If I'm craving pretzels, for example, I have nothing but pretzels for lunch -- a huge bowl of them. I find that having a healthy portion of that ONE thing is enough to satisfy the craving without doing significant damage to my calorie count for the day. Of course this approach wouldn't work if I had such cravings (or gave into them) every day, but if it's every few weeks and the rest of my diet is healthy I don't think it matters.
Everyone is different, of course. If you think this strategy would lead you to indulge in cravings every day, then it isn't for you. We all have to experiment and see what works and doesn't work for us.
I had something I would consider "unhealthy" everyday. I saved calories for it - usually my snack at night would be a light hot chocolate and a few cookies. That indulgence (even though it was in my calorie budget) helped me to stay on plan - I still have some kind of snack everyday - I don't think I could make this a life long plan if I didn't include things like this - you just need to find what works for you!
You have to figure out what works for you. I think its very different for everybody. What works for me is to eat a treat once a week. Atleast then I know I have something to look forward to when I want something unhealthy.
Also, if you know exactly what motivates you for your weight-loss. Then use that to remind yourself why you gotta keep going.
What helped for me was learning to plan and prepare meals that are so flavorful and delicious that I look forward to eating them. I don't crave restaurant Indian food, for example, because the Indian food I make for myself is yummy, controlled, and on my plan.
I also plan all my meals so I never find myself in the position of thing "hm, it's dinner time...what do I want? What should I get?" Responding to those appetites - to eating whatever looks and sounds good at the moment, without any mindfulness - is how I got fat. Planning my meals, knowing that "tonight is the leftover trout I seared up yesterday, with what is left of the cauliflower and if that doesn't look like enough vegetables, I'll make a quick chopped salad" - that takes the appetite out of the equation. That is what has made it possible for me to lose weight.
When I do go to restaurants - which believe me I do, about once a week - I have a staple of menu items that I know I can order that are on my plan, or at least manageable. If you are going to the Chinese place, you don't have to order the greasiest, most fattening items on the menu. Even if you want them - sometimes you just have to say no to yourself. If your inner five-year-old throws a tantrum, you can be the adult. But if you can find lighter items on the menu that are tasty, you can still enjoy those meals without making it an all-or-nothing sort of experience.
I had something I would consider "unhealthy" everyday. I saved calories for it - usually my snack at night would be a light hot chocolate and a few cookies. That indulgence (even though it was in my calorie budget) helped me to stay on plan - I still have some kind of snack everyday - I don't think I could make this a life long plan if I didn't include things like this - you just need to find what works for you!
i do this too. it's worked out really well for me.
Well, I caved. Completely indulged myself in all the things I listed in the first post. It *tasted* great but now I feel gross. I made sure to give any leftovers to my dog so I wouldn't have anything hanging around the next day (today). That was one meal, now its over and back on plan.
I don't feel guilty. Today is a new day and that one mean doesn't negate all the hard work I've done. If I could have learned to indulge just *once in a while* like I am able to do now, I never would have gotten this big.
Your dog shouldn't be eating that stuff either. Next time put it in the garbage and dump coffee grounds on it, or something else icky.
You just have to go forward, now that you've done the experiment.
An addictions counselor once posted here that the voice that tells someone to drink or use a drug tells all kinds of lies--like one won't hurt, like you can stop anytime, etc. And that voice doesn't care what happens to you, it just wants you to use.
The same is true of the voice that tells you you're "craving" a food. It doesn't care if you gain more weight, or develop diabetes, or ruin your joints from your weight, or develop heart disease--it just wants you to eat that food.
Next time, perhaps you'll find a way not to listen to it.
An addictions counselor once posted here that the voice that tells someone to drink or use a drug tells all kinds of lies--like one won't hurt, like you can stop anytime, etc. And that voice doesn't care what happens to you, it just wants you to use.
The same is true of the voice that tells you you're "craving" a food. It doesn't care if you gain more weight, or develop diabetes, or ruin your joints from your weight, or develop heart disease--it just wants you to eat that food.
Next time, perhaps you'll find a way not to listen to it.
For me, I waited a couple weeks to get over my sugar addiction because in the past, once I started I couldn't stop. Now I feel comfortable with one small treat everyday. I get whatever 100 calorie pack or whatever I chose and one box has to last me all week. This had been 100 calorie pack of cupcakes or skinny cow ice cream bars so far. And that has been working for me. I haven't had cravings and I stay way within my calories for the day.. But everyone is different so idk if that would work for you
Your dog shouldn't be eating that stuff either. Next time put it in the garbage and dump coffee grounds on it, or something else icky.
You just have to go forward, now that you've done the experiment.
An addictions counselor once posted here that the voice that tells someone to drink or use a drug tells all kinds of lies--like one won't hurt, like you can stop anytime, etc. And that voice doesn't care what happens to you, it just wants you to use.
The same is true of the voice that tells you you're "craving" a food. It doesn't care if you gain more weight, or develop diabetes, or ruin your joints from your weight, or develop heart disease--it just wants you to eat that food.
Next time, perhaps you'll find a way not to listen to it.
Jay
This is true. Though I don't mind listening to the voice once in a blue moon. For me, the point isn't to never eat certain foods again--that's not realistic. I think the true test is now, am I able to come back from the 'bad' meal I ate last night. And so far, the answer is yes. I didn't throw my hands up, conclude that all has been lost, and go out for more Chinese the way I would have done in the past. I've been on plan all day and plan to continue all week and beyond.
And my dog thoroughly enjoyed herself. lol. I didn't want it to go to waste.
Last edited by gonnabfitmom; 02-12-2012 at 02:32 PM.
help! I'm on the verge of eating something unhealthy
