Community Chat

[SaRina]

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@straykatz wrote:

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@Peaches McPhee wrote:

I need a mental overhaul regarding weight loss.  I know all about calories, exercise, fats, carbs, etc., but I have zero will power.  I cannot say no to a donut, a french fry, or a starch.

Does anyone have any experience or tips or suggestions on how to improve will power, so I can make the choices that I know are correct?  I know it is all in my head, but it is really real, and does affect my body.

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It's becoming common knowledge that the more bad carbs/sweets you eat the more you crave them.  The 1st step is to eliminate refined sugars and carbs....after a while you will stop wanting them and be satisfied with a piece of fruit or something savory instead.

Also...find other ways to treat yourself -  reward yourself with non-food items.   

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Adding to this, it's pretty well known that carbs cause an insulin release, which is largely responsible for fat (weight) gain.  You can google carb sensitivity for more detailed explanation.  So, if your meals are largely carbs, it sets up a vicious cycle throughout the day of constant insulin release and, therefore, constant hunger.

I finally discovered the answer for myself, which is eating lean protein at every meal.  This is a must.  And the more protein you eat, the less hungry you will feel.  I eat primarily protein for breakfast and lunch (with vegetables), then add carbs at dinner.  I am rarely hungry.   Once or twice a week, I reward myself with my favorite treats.  This has been highly successful for me as a weight loss and maintenance program for the past several years.

[MaggieMack]

I joined a group with friends a year ago to do a 30-day clean eating program. No sugar, no dairy, no gluten, no soy, only fruits that had the word berry in them. And anything you wanted to eat that wasn't excluded. We were encouraged to eat the right things freely. Everyone lost weight, the ones needing to lose the most lost the most. We had a closed group on FB that we would share stories on every day. The most amazing thing to me was that we all lost that urge to shove stuff down our throats all the time after a few days.

Those that remained gluten free have kept the weight off, which is what I did. The others who went back to bread, bagels, pasta, etc., have gained the weight back. Having read a number of books on gluten in the past several months, I have learned that gluten suppresses the satiety button in our brains. The more we eat, the more we want to eat. Gluten kills your willpower. 

i would suggest you find a couple of friends to take the weight loss journey with you, go on a clean eating program (Arbonne has the best one out there IMO), and when you're done with the program, remain gluten free. If you are successful, your self esteem and love for your life will skyrocket. Best wishes for your success!

[skuggles]

Get a scale and weigh yourself every day. Learn correct portions for the foods you eat. Understand healthy calorie requirements for age and sexfor both weight loss and maintenance. Then finally, practice portion control. If you want to indulge go ahead, but swap it out for some other equivalent calorie amount in the day. i lost a good amount of weight over the past three years, and that portion control thing is key. You can still have what you want, but in correct portion size.

[NoelSeven]

There are good suggestions for you on this topic.  I have one more...

While you're busy organizing yourself, start changing the way you eat and what you eat.  There are wonderful skinny/healthy food bloggers online, I can give you a couple of names and links if you wish.

You WILL feel better if you do and you will learn how to make food that's not only better for your body, but that's packed with flavor.

You CAN have food that goes with the seasons and the holidays, not to mention Asian or Mexican food if you like.

Example from one of my favorite bloggers:

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/09/pumpkin-nut-muffins.html

[HULAGIRL]

I'm a lifetime WW memeber, but the problem is I always gained the weight back.......in 2012 I started Jenny Craig and haven't lookd back......somehow it clicked and worked for me!!! 

[Lipstickdiva]

@NoelSeven I'd love if you would share the links. 

I'm beginning to think I need to have my mouth wired shut!  

[June222]

Honestly, for me it is eating right for my health....not a size or how I look in clothes.  I never kept the weight off after years of yo yoing until I wanted to only feed my body Health.  I quit smoking the same way 25 years ago.  When I no longer wanted chemicals in my body quiting was easier.  It is mental like you said....you have to have power over the choices you make. And think about how everything you ingest is what your body makes YOU out of.  An apple  or a cookie? You know the answer and your body will thank you for the right choice.

[violann]

I think that motivation is more important than will power.

My motivation was my desire to be the healthiest grandparent I could be.

I omitted all grain, all dairy, all added salt and all added sgar from my meals. I eat mostly low carb veggies, berries or green apples, eggs, and nuts.

I love what I eat, and the cravings for what I DON'T eat vanished about two days after I started.

[Goldengate8361]

Everybody is different. That's why it's always hard to give advice to others about something so personal. I lost over 90 lbs about 12 months ago and I've had no problem in keeping it off. I simply changed the way I eat. I don't eat ANY sugar and I avoid as many carbs as possible. For me, this works beautifully. I'm not someone who can just eat moderate little portions and be done. I'm either "in" or "not" about things. Moderation is not in my vocabulary. I can fully appreciate that for some people. moderation is key.

The biggest motivation that's always worked for me is that I remind myself that sugar/carbs make you fat--and fat is associated with diabetes and cancer. My mom had both of these and, sadly, she passed away 5 years ago. Hence, those health concerns are very real to me. Sugar and carbs completely lose their appeal when you think of it that way--which is, by the way, factual.

[chickenbutt]

Honestly, I find that the thing with 'will power' is that you just have to do it.   The more you do the right thing the easier it gets.  You just need to jump right in the next time you are faced with a temptation and decline it.  Then the next time and the next time.   Pretty soon it's a lot easier.  But every time you break, you have to start over.

It's just like stopping to smoke cigarettes.  The longer you don't do it the better it gets but when you blow it, then you are back to step one and that's a bummer.

Just do it!    You'll feel better about it the more you take charge.