Eating healthy - the inner voice that some people have to stay in control
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Anonymous
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could you try meal prepping? It sounded from your post like maybe you make each meal decision on the fly.
Also, I'm a "normal weight" person, but I never feel satisfied with a salad, either. Maybe you can plan meals with more fiber/bulk, or soups with a really satisfying chicken/beef broth, stuff like that. Like, you could make a burrito bowl with beans, brown rice, a little bit of meat, a lot of vegetables, and avocado. That's a filling meal, but also a healthy one (unless you're sensitive to carbs). Or a chili with lots of vegetables and a little bit of ground beef. |
Anonymous
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Op here - I really appreciate everyone’s helpful advice. Wanted to clarify I don’t think I’m a victim or it’s genetics that have caused my wright problem. I understand it’s my consistent poor choices and basic lack of focus/prioritization I put on my health. I am quite accomplished professionally and feel that is where most of my time and mental effort goes. I just signed up for weight watchers tonight and am hoping some structural will help. Love the book/podcast suggestions, I spend ~2 hours in the car each day so hoping listening to something will help me help stay mentally focused and finding ways to build the right habits to be successful.
Any additional suggestions welcome! |
Anonymous
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I am thin. Lost all the baby weight. I simply value being thin. I would be unhappy overweight. I enjoy wearing nice clothes and looking good. I don’t overeat because then I won’t be thin and I want to be thin.
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Anonymous
Get over food. It’s just food. |
Anonymous
| This sounds terrible but it worked for me. I read Never Binge Again. Every time I went to mindlessly eat, I said “there goes your inner pig” . It was effective. |
Anonymous
P.P. asked for advice, not a monologue |
Anonymous
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Weight Watchers is great. I never joined but lost weight on it about 20 years ago and kept almost all of it off, because it truly is about developing new habits. First you definitely need to push through with willpower (It's hard at first) ... There's no other way....and then later you can't imagine any other way.
Create a menu for yourself of allowable foods and stick to it! Calorie count. Measure portions. Put your food on a plate... don't graze or take bites here and there.Don't be too strict. Allow yourself one small indulgence every day and when yoy do, put it on a actual plate, sit down and take the time to savour it. Good luck. You really can do this. |
Anonymous
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First, there may be something physiological. Don't discount it, and don't pay attention to people who do. Personally, I pay no attention to anyone who is normal weight and never struggled with weight because they have no idea what it's like to be in my body, and their advice is worse than useless. As an example of what I deal with: I am almost never, ever satiated. I am always hungry. I can eat a meal full of fats, proteins, and low carb and I will be hungry again in less than 30 minutes. I don't have the satiation signals others do. In any event, it took close to ten years to diagnose, but it turns out I have a serious autoimmune disorder. I'll never be normal, but life is better now that I'm finally under treatment.
In addition to treatment, I can only control weight by setting strict time limits on when I eat. I don't eat after 8 or before 2 pm, although I drink bone broth in the morning. I have also trained myself to live with hunger on this schedule. Since I am always hungry, it just meant learning to live through it rather than satisfy it. It's not wonderful to be hungry, but I view it as something I have to deal with as part of my overall health. I had an interesting experience a few years back where I was put on a medication that made my satiation "normal." OMG. It was so, so easy to not overeat. I could not believe how easy it was. It made me realize just how different my body is from all those sanctimonious, fat-shaming asshats. They are so freaking lazy (and lucky) and have no idea. |
Anonymous
Op here - yes, I agree, I wish my mind was totally indifferent but instead I find myself with intense cravings, continuing to eat when I have observed a “normal” person would probably stop or appear satisfied, etc. I do think a lot is just habits people develop so hope I can focus enough to retrain my mind and have more control. I think I’ve just been lazy and never really cared. While I’ve always been overweight I have always had a great life and career so never felt the impacts..... suddenly I am feeling physical effects (horrible plantar fasciitis that isn’t going away) and I feel a bit jolted to finally try to figure this out. |
Anonymous
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There is a lot more recent research done on behavior science that says having willpower / motivation - traditional things we think rarely works For most people when building habits / breaking habits. . It’s not to say it never works, just it’s a hard path. It’s pretty fascinating Atomic Habits is probably the major book - there are some other smaller books as well that push it further with tiny habits (Stanford design progressive) etc I do design work and have incorporated these concepts in my life including weight loss with some success. It’s not going to be a big fast win but small wins help. it’s also helpful in support of whatever larger program you choose.
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Anonymous
| You probably would do well with a very structured plan where you do not have to decide much. Set up a few menus of food for the day and don’t exceed 1500 calories. If you don’t want to eat that day’s food, oh well. You must not really be that hungry. |
Anonymous
| I recently started tracking all my food in the my fitness pal app, and it has really helped me with self control! You can calculate your TDEE - then calculate what calorie deficit you need every day in order to meet your weight loss goal. Mine is 500 deficit/day since I'm aiming to lose 1 lb a week until I've lost 15 lbs. The tracker really helps because I can see how many calories I have left for the day and I know I won't lose that lb if I go over - it has also helped in general knowing where my "hidden calories" come from and how many calories are in certain foods. My vice is sweets/desserts and I am now satisfied with a couple of clementines or jut one square of dark chocolate. It will take some time to change your cravings but it will happen if you just stick with it! |
Anonymous
| When I was thin, my mantra was “eat to live, don’t live to eat”. I ate just what was needed to keep hunger away instead of for entertainment. |
Anonymous
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I have lost about 30 through WW and kept it off for 1 1/2 years. I'm still about 50 pounds overweight, but the 30 pounds that I lost have allowed me to be so much more active and healthy. I'm on the blue plan now, and it works well for me. Of course I would PREFER to eat a burger, but I've learned to fill up on other high protein foods like eggs, poultry and fish. I save my roll over points all week so that I can enjoy at least one decadent meal over the weekend. (Friday night I used all of my extra points on a burger and fries and it was GLORIOUS!)
I think WW is a great plan, but I still struggle with emotional eating. I was able to quit drinking two years ago by changing my thinking (thanks to This Naked Mind), but I haven't been able to do it with my eating yet. I'm now listening to some episodes from "The Life Coach School" with Brooke Castillo, and they've been helpful so far. You have to scroll through the episodes to find the ones related to weight loss, but weight loss coaching is her expertise. If I can find a way to change my thinking around food the way that I did around alcohol I think it would make a tremendous difference in my long term health. Good luck! |
Anonymous
Totally agree! I think a lot of people downplay the mental part of changing any habit and if you can unlock your brainpower to stop letting the food consume your thoughts it makes a monumental difference. I am the type that marketers love - I see something and want it, which turns into craving, which turns into this intense thing that I ultimately cave to! |