Quote:
Originally Posted by carolva77
OMG thanks so much, I am so relieved there is people that actually understand where I am coming from... it is like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.
It's a HUGE one.
And you don't have to restrict everything. That's one thing I DO NOT believe in, deprivation. I'm in this for life. Do you think I'm going to go the rest of my life without pizza or chocolate chip cookies or the occasional piece or two of fried chicken?
No way!
I still eat those things. I just eat them in extreme moderation. I eat 90% healthy, 10% not so great. I still steer clear of loads of sugar and deep-fried foods. But yep, I grab the occasional egg roll or piece of fried fish from the Chinese buffet. That's my little "sinful" treat. I allow myself these things. I just eat healthy most of the time (veggies, whole grains, beans, lowfat and fat-free dairy, etc.) and then let myself have a little fun once in a while. As I said, we're in this for life and there's no reason why you should HAVE to give up the occasional treat. If I'm craving an ice cream cone, I have one. I just make sure it's counted in with my calories for the day
In fact, getting myself into this mentality - away from diets and away from depriving myself of the foods I love - is when I started to lose the weight.
And you're absolutely right, depriving yourself leads to binges. If you give yourself the occasional taste of a beloved food, you won't be so tempted to go eat the refrigerator, LOL.
And we all have the occasional meal where we think OMG I've totally blown it. No, you haven't. If you eat a little too much in one sitting, like if you go out with family or friends, then count it as an enjoyed experience and move on, getting back on track the next day. There's no point in beating yourself up or thinking of yourself as a failure. Because we're not failures. We're human.