How do you...?

[IAmBumblebee]

Hi ladies (and gents?)

Over the years (too many...) I've stumbled from one diet to another- did WW first and SL more recently. Had some success and loss on both diets but nothing major

My biggest downfall is temptation... I just cannot 'do' moderation. I know (and love) that lots of diets these days discourage you from banning foods and that 'it's okay' to indulge in treats - but instead of treating myself to one or two squares of dark chocolate...I end up finishing the entire pack. Every. Time.

So my question to you all is how on earth do you resist temptation?? I know lots of you have had very successful weight loss journeys (well done!! I'm in awe!) so please, any words of wisdom you have would be much appreciated! HELP!

[TalkinPeace]

You have to decide what you want more.
Long term health and fitness and weight control
or short term sugar hit

[Dyrne]

Hi there Bumblebee. I know exactly how you feel - I just cannot do the whole 'eat less, move more' thing, or the 'nothing is banned' thing.

The only thing I've found that works for me is by downloading a calorie counting app (MFP) and being seriously strict. I know loads of people hate it, however the only thing that's stopping me from grabbing handfuls of chocolate is having the figures all laid out in front of me - I don't want to go over my 1200 kcal limit for the day. I can't get my head round having "syns" or "freebies" on certain diets - I'd just pig out on those and never get anywhere!

I'm not saying it's been easy - I've tried and failed over the years, but this time I've been seriously motivated and am sticking to it - if I have a bad day, I meticulously log every calorie over and then figure out how I'm going to do damage control for the rest of the week.

As for staying motivated - I've got a folder on my computer full of photos of me at various sizes - there's one of me at my biggest that I look at a lot and remember how unhappy and unhealthy I was - I don't want to go back to that! I'm also trying to get back into my hobby; and a very expensive crucial bit of equipment that I have to wear is actually too small for me at the moment - I had a sudden moment of "I really don't want to spend hundreds having this thing altered, I'm going to lose weight to fit back into it!"

Do you have something like that - maybe an event coming up, or a certain dress you'd like to fit back into by Christmas party season?

[IAmBumblebee]

Thank you TalkinPeace and Dyrne for your advice.

I'm glad it's not just me that struggle with this. Dyrne - dying to know what your hobby is that requires 'equipment' that you need to wear...? Horse riding perhaps?

Anyway, you mentioned lots of helpful tips. Calorie counting is a nightmare for me - when I see the figures, I feel so limited and I want to give up before I've even started! When I see that I'm nearing my limit, I just throw in the towel and my self-control is, well, UNcontrollable.

I like the idea about using past photos as motivators. I have clothes in every size, too, and I could use the smaller sized items as targets to work towards.

I think maybe the reasons I have failed in the past has been because I have dieted using calorie restrictive/ negative/ limiting-and-therefore demotivating methods... which I give up because it feels overwhelming and too difficult to follow long term. The concept of working towards something positive, like fitting into a dress or looking good for a future event, will maybe seem less inhibiting and more exciting and motivating. Maybe?

Thanks for your replies! x

[Ta1kinPeace]

Bumblebee
From the 5:2 threads, its clear that the only route to long term weight control is to concentrate on health and fitness and non Scale Victories
like being able to wear a favourite pair of jeans
or getting back into a jacket from before kids
and looking FAB in it

as that lasts for ever

[IAmBumblebee]

Thanks TP.

I haven't done 5:2 because the thought of 'fasting' (read:starving myself) seems like pure torture. If I can't resist having more biscuits or chocs one a normal meal plan, how the heck am I going to NOT EAT ANYTHING all day??

But, yes, the non scale victories concept make it seem more doable. I also fear that if I ever DID manage to somehow drop the weight, then I know it wouldn't last. I would get into that dress/jeans and then think "hey, diets off! I can eat again!" and the weight would pile back on.

Haha! Pessimistic much? Am I overthinking it?

I need nothing short of a miracle.

[Ta1kinPeace]

Iambumblebee
Fasting is not starving : its saving calories for a later meal.

The easy way to ease in is to give up all snacking : which allows nicer meals.
Then skip breakfast and just have a mug of tea and get busy

Once you are going from supper through to lunch without solid food or sugary drinks you've successfully done a 16 hour fast
and started to reset your insulin system for the better.

And it means that lunch and supper can be yummier

[MrsTedCrilly]

I'm the same as you! I can't do moderation so I was super strict and focussed when I dieted and that worked really well for me. Then when I got to my goal I have one pig out day a week so I can still enjoy treats and rest of week strict. I can never just have one of something! I wish I could.

[whitershadeofpale]

Have you considered low-carbing? That way you don't have to count or track, just eat food that's low carb. At first you don't have to worry too much about moderation and soon you really won't want to gorge (your appetite represses itself).

[Ta1kinPeace]

whitershade
Sorry but I could never give up spag bol with garlic bread.
I'd rather skip meals than know I could not have that again

[raisin3cookies]

I'm a sugar addict, and I say that very seriously. I couldn't stop eating it, and definitely cannot eat it in moderation. I can (and have done) easily eat an entire cake in one sitting - Bruce Bogtrotter has nothing on me. The only way I've gotten a hold on my eating patterns and weight loss is by cutting out refined sugar and carbs entirely.

Many people find this drastic, but I was so utterly out of control and at a size 20, eating chocolate/biscuits/cakes several times a day, getting shaky in between meals, looking and feeling awful. I never want to go back to that, so missing out on chocolate or whathaveyou is not a loss in my book. I feel free.

I'm also doing a 16:8 intermittent fast every day, which means I essentially skip breakfast and eat my daily calories between the hours of 12-8pm. This also works really well for me, because breakfast was usually a carb-fest that made me hungry the rest of the day, and not for the healthy stuff.

I am now size 14 and getting slimmer all the time. I have lost almost 3 inches off my waist in the past 4 weeks, and I don't feel weak or deprived. I feel fab (apart from the sleep deprivation my toddler has recently subjected me to!).

This is definitely a way of life for me; the alternative is going back to what I was before, and that's just not going to happen.

[Dowser]

Wow well done raisin. I'm practically no sugar.

I had a piece of toblerone yesterday and I've had a mint this morning.

I did do 3 months total no sugar apart from sugar found naturally in an apple or some dred fruit in a fruity curry.

I have a protein breakfast, a green soup lunch and protein, veg and sall carb supper.

I'm not losing. I'm staying the same I think.

I'm a big size 12 a small 16 so roundabout a 14 . That's fine. I've newr wanted Tobe skinny. Healthy will do.

It's not easy.

I can't cope withavingabit of this, that and the other. I'm better sticking to a simple regime.

My metabolism is very slow I imagine.

[ZeldaTheWindBreaker]

The only thing that works for me is to stop and think, "If i eat this now, how will I feel tomorrow morning?"

This works for me because previously I would give into tempation on sooooo many evenings, and then the next morning I'd wake up feeling heavier and sluggish. And full of regret for eating too much.

I think it boils down to the old saying "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips". Yes, eating that giant family sized Galaxy while settling down with a movie might be a very enjoyable experience at the time. And yes, you might go to bed feeling lovely and warm and full. But when you wake up, you're going to have to start at Day One again. And you might dread going on the scales. You're more bloated than usual so the jeans that fit you perfectly yesterday morning are now digging in to your stomach.

So that's what I tell myself.

Also, not having many treats in the house is also sound advice. I buy biscuits for my daughter that I absolutely hate (custard creams) and occassional treats that are then eaten the same day so they don't call on me from the cupboards in the evenings and provoke a binge-fest.

[raisin3cookies]

Thanks, Dowser. :) I have been working terribly hard at it so it's nice to see a change in my physical appearance, haha.

[IAmBumblebee]

Raisin - Congratulations on the weight loss! I would love to drop a few dress sizes.

And congrats to everyone here who has lost weight! Thanks for all your responses.

As I was reading through the replies, I had that same feeling of 'rules rules rules' as when I read any forum/ message board regarding weight loss. It's like 5:2 diet? Here's a great long list of rules to follow. Slimming World? Here's a bloody great hand book/ bible/ tome with dos and don'ts. Weight Watchers? Low Carb? VLCD? Atkins? Raw Food? Rules, rules, rules. And then I throw in the towel (and reach for the biscuit tin) before I've even begun!

I either have to give up food altogether and swear never ever to touch a cream bun again.... or I have to eat it all, here, now, at once.

Now pass me the biscuits.