Hello All,
I have just recently joined 3FC and this is my first post. I have been dieting/exercising for about a year and half. My workout routine includes working out 6 days per week, for approximately an hour and a half, I include both cardio and strenght training. I am very happy with the progress I have made. The problem however is my diet. For the past couple of months I have been struggling to sticking to my allowed number of calories. I find myself craving foods and can't seem to control myself. Today, for example, I work a 12 hour shift and while I have packed a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner I am strongly considering ditching my dinner and buying something else to eat. I am frustrated by my lack of self control. Any suggestions or comments are welcomed.
Hey darlin!
It's really hard to stick to the super healthy foods that you pack for yourself if you don't really enjoy those foods, I find.
I, personally... am not a luke-warm packed lunch person. I don't enjoy sandwiches all that much, and I much prefer a hot meal... so I find that if the foods that I pack are things that I'm... well, it sounds sad, but.. EXCITED about getting to eat, I'm much less likely to ditch them in favour of spending money on junk! When I have access to a microwave, I make myself something yummy in advance (rice pasta, veggies and healthy spaghetti sauce, or a chicken casserole) and heat it up for myself.
The other ladies here will I'm sure give you tons more (and probably better!) suggestions, but... just know that you're putting SO much effort into working out and getting fit, and you're losing SO many calories by doing that... But it's so easy to replace those calories you worked so hard to lose by junking out on just a few crappy meals!
I also have the same problem you have. No matter how many times I'm going to "stick" to my diet, I constantly find myself cheating and going and eating something else. What I normally do, is go to the supermarket once a week and spend like $40 on those little diet meals (SmartOnes, Lean Cuisine, etc). I only buy the ones that aren't to high in calories so that way I don't feel trapped when counting my calories and making sure I dont go over what I am technically supposed to be having. This helps me because its a hot meal regardless if its microwaved. I also do alot of things to spruce up normally boring food. Such as with salads, I add some tuna or flavored tuna on top to still make it healthy but alot less boring. Doing little things like this make me look forward to trying to stick to my diet because its something I wouldnt normally eat, and it makes it kind of exciting in a way. Also, writing down everything you eat with the calorie intake helps to because if you ever feel like your going to cheat, you can look at what you previously ate and ask yourself, "Can I really eat this without ruining my diet?" Normally, the answer is no so that gives me a little push to stick with it since I did it all day anyways.
I've been able to stay excited about eating healthy because I found something that I REALLY love. I have a personal, and rather intimate, relationship with spinach. I love it. I eat it with everything and its sooo good for you that I get excited about finding new ways to eat it. For example: I had a spinach and cheese omlet last wknd for breakfast, salads of course, whole wheat wraps with spinach instead of lettuce.. etc. I think if you find something that you really like thats a healthy add-on to a lot of foods you'll be more excited to eat them! and of course I own stock in the spinach and mushroom pizza's from lean cuisine haha.
I try to be nice to myself by making foods that I really like. I have the fortune of liking vegetables and I don't mind to eat vegetarian, but still. For example, yesterday I started with a nice large bowl of muesli, yoghurt and orange pieces. For lunch I had a salad of lettuce, noodles, avocado, orange, cucumber and peas. In the evening I made myself a nice bowl of carrot soup with corn and I ate some bread with ricotta and fresh basil with it. Snacks I had 10 grammes of dark chocolate and a muesli bar. Total about 1400 calories and all stuff I really like to eat. Moreover, it makes me feel so full that I don't have much craving for other stuff. Maybe if you have a dinner you really enjoy to eat you won't have as much desire to take something else?
Browneyedgirl - WELCOME! Oh mygoodness, I have the EXACT same problem, except mine is fueled by having many friends who enjoy eating out. I love to eat out as well, and would much prefer someone else cook. Eating on plan is hard, but I think we can do it, especially considering the financial status we are all facing right now in the states.
As an added perk, packing my own lunch is SO much cheaper, and I have saved money with it! Added benefit...
Struggling with diet and looking for support!
