diet tips: willpower?

[BoyceyLDN]

not sure if more one for the sports forum, so I am looking to shift some weight, with it being the season for "new year, new me" I weight 15 and half stone and looking to shift about 3 stone in total, maybe 2 and a half. I am 6 foot tall; one thing I always struggle with all my life is just saying no to things, as I love my food, I am a bit of a “foodie or foodaholic”. I go to gym and play football as I enjoy exercise but also enjoy my food. It sounds easy like just be strong, just say no, some people for example; when it comes to gambling or alcohol will post on here and say it just takes will power to not get yourself in trouble. However when it comes to food I find i have very little at times, for example if my mates want to go for a nandos I find i have to order chips and a fizzy drink, as i don't want to pay or sit eating a boring salad lol. Another example is if it's someone’s birthday in the office and they bring in cakes I think.. Oh go on then 1 won't hurt or if my mates or girlfriend wants to order a Chinese or pizza i find it hard to resist. This kind of attitude has left me feeling overweight but i cannot seem to turn it down... want to know of others who have been in a similar position or those who have lost weight or low body fat – how do you stay on the straight and narrow and say no to things, it sounds easy in theory but I always find I cave and give in.


TLR how to you become stubborn / mentally strong to saying no to bad / tasty food / takeaways / pizzs

 

[VincentHanna]

for example if my mates want to go for a nandos I find i have to order chips and a fizzy drink, as i don't want to pay or sit eating a boring salad lol.

Well fizzy drinks are fine as long as they are sugar free.

I'm just shy of 5ft 10" and 15 stone, and my ideal weight is more like 12-12 1/2 stone. Joined the gym last March, but I do find it a faff and I don't do any sports.

I remember reading about a study recently that meal replacement shakes (not gym protein shakes) were one of the best ways to lose weight and the NHS was going to consider prescribing them (something like that) so me and the wife have got loads of different flavours in and we've been doing that. They are really tasty but they don't fill you up like a good meal

My biggest problem is sweet stuff. Biscuits, chocolate etc. Even sitting here right now, all day I've been wanting to pop to the co-op over the road from my office and get some Fox's Viennese biscuits...Mmmmm

Have resisted though.

 

[MikeTheNative]

If you can't trust yourself to limit yourself to treats/cheat meals etc. Then I would go tee total, refuse everything, yes is sucks for first few weeks but there is not much you can do with that. Create a meal plan for the week and don't have anything out of that plan.

 

[BoyceyLDN]

Well fizzy drinks are fine as long as they are sugar free.

I remember reading about a study recently that meal replacement shakes (not gym protein shakes) were one of the best ways to lose weight and the NHS was going to consider prescribing them (something like that) so me and the wife have got loads of different flavours in and we've been doing that. They are really tasty but they don't fill you up like a good meal

My biggest problem is sweet stuff. Biscuits, chocolate etc. Even sitting here right now, all day I've been wanting to pop to the co-op over the road from my office and get some Fox's Viennese biscuits...Mmmmm

Have resisted though.

How long you done the replacement shakes for, is it the Huel ones you are doing and how much weight you lost so far? I find doing shakes is only a temporary thing untill i give in.

I also have a sweet tooth and often cave in

 

[SPG]

Stop the pop, moderate the booze, alternate between a beer and a sparkling water.

Cook from scratch for everything, cut out bread.

Time will not stop, so might as well change if you want to

 

[Minusorange]

so I am looking to shift some weight

Eat the correct calories and burn more than you eat and you will lose weight

It's really that simple

 

[Roar87]

Intermittent Fasting is good, Keto diet works but is fairly restrictive, counting Calories with the MyFitnessPal app is probably the best bet. You can fit a treat in but you'll know what the impact will be and it might mean having a small dinner later on.

 

[Screeeech]

It's very difficult to avoid bad food for most people, this is the reason why the majority (around 68% of adults) are overweight of obese in the UK and even higher in the US, we live in an environment saturated with great tasting junk, trying to avoid it and instead eat real food is very difficult - especially if you already have a taste for junk, sweets, crisps, fizzy drinks etc.

One thing I learnt, is that if you cut out processed junk food - which in most cases is food containing large amounts of added sugar, or processed food which is extremely rich, (chocolate, crisps, fast food, cheap pastries, pizza etc) if you eliminate all of it, from your diet - as time goes on, you do lose the craving for it, but you have to stay off it.

I've helped and observed many people lose weight and I've also watched as most of them put it back on again, nearly all of them made the same fatal mistakes;

• They get off to a good start, cut out the junk - join a gym, obviously lose weight
• They lose a few stone, or hit a target - then make the fatal error of thinking "that's it - the work is done"
• They eventually start going back to old habits, one or two chocolate bars a week, turns into 2 a day,
• They make the fatal mistake of thinking - I can just burn off the bad thing I ate at the gym tomorrow

One rule I learnt, from reading clinical books, going to seminars, helping people lose weight, watching them put it back on - is you can't outrun a bad diet, it starts and ends with diet.

My advice would be the following;

• Remove all junk, processed food from your diet, sweets, crisps, chocolate, pizzas, takeaway, sugar sweetened beverages, immediately.
• Eat real food, specifically a balanced diet containing a mixture of protein, fruits, vegetables and wholegrain.
• Don't eat low-fat foods posing as healthier alternatives, avoid cheap low fat spreads, instead eat smaller amounts of natural dietary fat such as butter, as part of the balanced diet
• Maintain your activity - but don't go mad, you don't need to join a gym to lose weight, however exercise does make you feel really good - which can be a big boost, but watch your appetite.
• Learn to cook - you'll be amazed how tasty you can make basic food if you learn - I regularly do cookalongs on my ipad, it's fun too
• Consider - these things are forever, any fad diet will work for 6 months, the above things need to be for the rest of your life.

 

[malachi]

Well fizzy drinks are fine as long as they are sugar free.

Uuumm....I'm not sure about that as the chemicals they put in fizzy drinks to make up the lack of sugar isn't good for you either. That's why I avoid all fizzy drinks.

One good way is to not have any junk food in the house so you are not tempted to pick or binge.

Another shout for Intermittent Fasting, I did it for a month and lost a stone. So I could move quicker during in Kickboxing.

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Don't do diets that are not sustainable.

If you cant lose weight due to a lack of willpower than mentality change is the issue. I never thought i could ignore unhealthy food and have small sensible portions until i decided to wanted really put effort into changing and it was more than just looking at what i eat or going to the gym, it was the attitude towards it. Once i really started to get addicted to getting fit and going to the gym, it became easy to count macros and every calorie while ignoring fast food that would send me over - i simply didn't want it because i enjoyed the attitude that came with my new lifestyle.

If i did cheat once in a blue moon, i wouldn't feel guilty because my nutrition goals for the day didn't feel like restrictions. People often let the standard slip because they ruin their record and their motivation slips with their clean sheets. A ban on all unhealthy stuff isn't sustainable for most and those cheat days contribute in their own way on the days you don't feel the urge to chow down on crap.

Eventually (and sooner rather than later) the weight loss and physique changes that happened were a bonus to the lifestyle i started leading rather than the end goal. I plan to continue my good eating habits and routine because i enjoy it and im excited to see where i will end up, despite long beating my original weight loss goal.


No need to go all in and count as militantly as myself, that is just what I enjoy doing. Just do it in a way you enjoy and can sustain. After all, there is no point in losing 3 stone in diet you hate doing only to gain it when you reach your goal

 

[Maccapacca]

Willpower and motivation is not what you need, consistency is a better approach.

 

[booyaka]

Only you can change - no one can help you/do it for you.

I hate the word "diet" - Ultimately it's a short term fix for a longer term problem.

Enjoy your food, however try starting with the basics of say 5 "clean" days and 2 "cheat" days. Eat clean, (no sugar, no treats, no alcohol) - If you can't say no to your missus wanting a pizza then you need to take a good look at yourself!!

Exercise well (doesn't need to be hours and hours in the gym). Drink lots of water.

Your willpower is the only thing that can change your habits in the short term, then consistency is the long term approach - can take a while to change your habits but it's only you that can do it.

 

[Ayahuasca]

You need to take the consequences of being overweight for years on end seriously and the impact it will have on your later life if you continue, it also gets more and more difficult as the years go on and your metabolism slows and exercising gets more difficult.

There's a lot of research coming through now on caloric restriction being fundamental in our long term health and fitness.

 

[nitram100]

Uuumm....I'm not sure about that as the chemicals they put in fizzy drinks to make up the lack of sugar isn't good for you either. That's why I avoid all fizzy drinks.

One good way is to not have any junk food in the house so you are not tempted to pick or binge.

Another shout for Intermittent Fasting, I did it for a month and lost a stone. So I could move quicker during in Kickboxing.

I drink about 20 pepsi max per week, it helps keep the cravings away. I've been bodybuilding for 10 years now (naturally). Losing weight is ridiculously easy, the secret to weight loss is that there is no secret.

Get your BMR using harris benedict to give you a rough idea how many calories you need then create a deficit from that, say 250 a day. Train 4-5 times per week. I do HIIT treadmill every night only 1.5 miles but it keeps me ripped.

 

[Illusion]

Post #8 pretty much nailed it. It does get much easier after 3-4 weeks with cravings. Don't go too hard to the point where you are always hungry as you will 100% give in and binge eat. If you are 15 stone you could probably lose weight while eating 2500 calories a day so don't go on a silly 1800 calorie a day diet. Eat enough that you aren't constantly hungry and avoid all the bad stuff you mentioned. Biscuits, chocolate, crisps all snacky food etc they aren't a good thing to include in your diet regularly.

Try and do consistent exercise too, it doesn't have to be balls to the wall to have a noticeable effect, just walking consistently can make a big difference. I walked 3-5 miles a day for 4 months last year in between cars and lost a good 3.5kg of fat when I was already in better than average shape, and struggled to gain weight at the gym with the constant exercise.

 

[BoyceyLDN]

It's very difficult to avoid bad food for most people, this is the reason why the majority (around 68% of adults) are overweight of obese in the UK and even higher in the US, we live in an environment saturated with great tasting junk, trying to avoid it and instead eat real food is very difficult - especially if you already have a taste for junk, sweets, crisps, fizzy drinks etc.

One thing I learnt, is that if you cut out processed junk food - which in most cases is food containing large amounts of added sugar, or processed food which is extremely rich, (chocolate, crisps, fast food, cheap pastries, pizza etc) if you eliminate all of it, from your diet - as time goes on, you do lose the craving for it, but you have to stay off it.

I've helped and observed many people lose weight and I've also watched as most of them put it back on again, nearly all of them made the same fatal mistakes;

• They get off to a good start, cut out the junk - join a gym, obviously lose weight
• They lose a few stone, or hit a target - then make the fatal error of thinking "that's it - the work is done"
• They eventually start going back to old habits, one or two chocolate bars a week, turns into 2 a day,
• They make the fatal mistake of thinking - I can just burn off the bad thing I ate at the gym tomorrow

One rule I learnt, from reading clinical books, going to seminars, helping people lose weight, watching them put it back on - is you can't outrun a bad diet, it starts and ends with diet.

My advice would be the following;

• Remove all junk, processed food from your diet, sweets, crisps, chocolate, pizzas, takeaway, sugar sweetened beverages, immediately.
• Eat real food, specifically a balanced diet containing a mixture of protein, fruits, vegetables and wholegrain.
• Don't eat low-fat foods posing as healthier alternatives, avoid cheap low fat spreads, instead eat smaller amounts of natural dietary fat such as butter, as part of the balanced diet
• Maintain your activity - but don't go mad, you don't need to join a gym to lose weight, however exercise does make you feel really good - which can be a big boost, but watch your appetite.
• Learn to cook - you'll be amazed how tasty you can make basic food if you learn - I regularly do cookalongs on my ipad, it's fun too
• Consider - these things are forever, any fad diet will work for 6 months, the above things need to be for the rest of your life.

Thanks Screech and others so far, find the feedback and responses very positive and it's interesting hearing other peoples stories as i know i am not the only person who has been in this boat

 

[COYS]

Keep a food diary and highlight any meals/snacks where you have cheated. I find doing that makes me feel guilty and less reluctant to slip again that week.

 

[Lartyconshayo]

Watch the snake juice guy Cole Robinson on YouTube. "Hey fatty!..."

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I went on a big diet for the first few months of last year. I lost 3 stone and was quite a lot fitter at the end of it.

I don't think it's about willpower...it's more about avoiding temptation for the first week or so, and being prepared. If you are prepared i.e. you know exactly what you're going to eat and when, the whole thing is dramatically simpler.

This is the first week I've ever done it full on, but I'm currently meal prepping. All of my meals are pre-determined and I even got all the little tubs. There's no room for junk food to be honest, as much as I love it.

I did get into a routine last year of batch cooking, so that isn't massively different, but it was just bolognese and chicken wrapped in bacon.

Personally, I log absolutely everything in MyFitnessPal and I think that's the best way of managing your intake. Intermittent Fasting also seems to work well, but only if you are interested in having larger meals later in the day.

Good luck. I'm back on the diet now too as I put at least a stone of the 3 back on.

PS. If you are a fan of fizzy drinks then personally I think Pepsi Max is brilliant. It may have stuff in it that isn't good for me, but it really helps me stay on track.

 

[DarkHorizon472]

It takes time to adjust to a healthier diet and needs to be done gradually. Eating lettuce and cardboard in small portions just means you will be permanently hungry and fail.

Make sure you eat plenty of healthy foods and for most people the excess weight steadily drops off. Avoid processed food, junk food and sugary drinks / alcohol as far as possible but this is not a religious crusade to live like a devote monk. Eating healthy food it is a lot harder to gain weight as with junk food. Fill the freezer with quick fresh meals you have cooked in bulk.

As for exercise walking, cycling and swimming are low impact and if done regularly will help a lot.

The key is make gradual changes you can live with.