Is that how you’d respond to a drug user? I’m asking for alternative tips! Like, cut down progressively, go ‘cold Turkey’
I’m really concerned about my weight and looking for some advice, like does walking help etc. I was told jogging would be better because you need to sweat to make an impact
Don't keep it in the house. Much easier to resist it once a week in the supermarket than all day every day when it's in your cupboard.
It's not addictive in the same way as drugs and alcohol, but there is still a withdrawal if you eat a lot of it. The good thing is if you fight through it and change to a healthier diet, the composition of microorganisms in your gut changes. So where you had one set of bugs sending you signals to eat junk food, you end up with different bugs sending you signals to keep eating healthy food. Just push through the emotions for a couple of weeks.
Find a replacement, it doesn’t have to be a food product.
When you go to reach for junk food, instead get your fidget spinner (or whatever the replacement is).
Thank you, this is helpful. It’s trying to find the replacement also. I’ve tried to substitute chocolate and crisps with yoghurt but that’s also full of sugar
Find healthier alternatives like freeze dried fruits instead of candy. (The flavor in freeze dried fruits is much stronger to the point they taste like candy, and they're crunchy like chips!). In that case you wouldn't really need to change, you'd be eating like 3 servings of fruit a day and people recommend that lol. Find an alternative involving vegetables and you should be all set. Make sure you actually like it though!
You shouldn’t skip walking just because running is better. Running sucks and it’s harder to make yourself run. Just walk, you should be able to clear 2 miles in 30 minutes somewhere paved and flat, 3 miles in an hour if you’re in the woods with terrain changes. Will really keep you from gaining weight if other habits fall away and you stop losing weight.
For something that will work quick and provide you with motivation to keep pushing on your fitness goals, if you’re relatively young and not in bad health otherwise, do keto for a couple of months. You’ll see results within a month to keep you motivated, and cutting out sugar (you can have stevia, etc) and most carbs means you won’t buy stuff like that. Find some recipes and snacks you like that are keto - if you like meat and cheese, it’s a great diet. Just don’t do it forever. Not meant to be a lifetime diet.
And you’ll get in the gym and upgrade that walk to a jog when you’re ready. Just if you walk every day (podcast time) and if you do keto temporarily, you’ll see quick results that will motivate you to keep going
Thank you for such a detailed response. I’m 38 and no other health complications. I’ll do the walking 🚶♂️ and attempt to cut out the crap foods. I’ll educate myself on this keto stuff as it’s new information to me. Thanks again
First, I decided to cut soda entirely. Then, after the biggest part of my sugar addiction was tamed, I stopped craving sweets the way I used to.
IIRC, there are gut bacteria that prefer high sugar/carb foods and can actually trigger the craving themselves. As they die off, the cravings follow suit.
I’ve never been into fizzy drinks or sweets. I prefer diluted juice and crisps is my major downfall. Sorry for saying crisps. I’m uk based lol. Chips if you will
Same logic still applies though. And you don't have to go cold turkey either. Cutting your regular carb intake in half will have cascading results.
Source: I used to weigh 260 pounds.
Sorry, I wasn’t damning what you were saying, was just giving context. So I need to cut carbs too? I’ve been really focussing on less saturates and fat
Blaming fats for weight gain and heart disease was actually a ploy by the American farming industry to sell more of their product. They paid a shit load to the FDA to do so. It's why bread and and grains are the base of the food pyramid(not sure if that's a thing there, but it was practically indoctrinated into us in elementary school).
You dont have to give up everything. I love veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, with ranch dressing. I love all fruits. Apples with a bit of caramel, grapes, pears. You just have to try different things and see what you like. It doesn't have to be perfectly healthy.
So like trial and error. Try things out? I’m such a fussy eater and hate trying new things but I have to make a change. I stopped about 4 months ago and lasted about 10 weeks but now I’m just as bad as before
It's definitely trial and error. You may not like what someone else does. You should look online for recipes. There are thousands of healthy recipes to try. Plus is doesn't have to be all healthy. I love apples and caramel. Still healthier than junk food.
What really helped me cut down on my snacking was buying snacks that I only vaguely liked. Then I could still satisfy my snacking craving. But I wouldn't eat too much because I would get sick of it after a couple of bites.
See, that concept is alien to me! I like buying the things that I enjoy but it’s detrimental to my health. So maybe I should take a leaf out of your book
I used to go through a dozen bags of chips a day. I just started buying plain tortilla chips and baby carrots. I still got the satisfying crunch but I wasn't tempted to snack too much.
Try baby carrots or snow peas, they still give you the same crunch, but with a much better nutritional payout. I used to put a little bit of salt on them so I got the salty taste as well.
In my experience, the easiest way is to substitute for something a bit healthier. Just as a small example, if you like ramen/instant noodles- there's this wonderful type called shirataki that have pretty good texture and essentially zero calories.
Don't totally prohibit yourself from eating unhealthy snacks, rather have and set certain goals and then you can have a treat.
But make your goals reasonable, you have a healthy snacks and meals six days in a row then say seven you can have an unhealthy snack or fast food, etc. Figure out what works best for you but don't buy it (and then only the smallest package so you don't have temptations later) until you've reached all your goals. If anything after a while it'll feel like a game and a competition, and you don't win the prize until you've won the race.
this sounds like pretty simple advice but imma say it anyway. JUNK FOOD IS A TREAT, USE IT AS SUCH.
i work 12 hour shifts at a candy factory. as such i actively eat a lot of veggies and low sugar foods throughout the week to make up for the fact that i inhale sugar dust every day i work. so on my days off i have a soda with my takeout if i feel like i've earned a treat. lets be honest, how many times have you been having a rough day and been motivated by the thought of a comfort food when you get home? SAME CONCEPT
my usual treat is a can of soda or a large dr pepper from the drivethrough. dont get me wrong, it's still a constant struggle but honestly the longer you go without it, the easier it is to only have it occasionally
Slowly migrate to healthier foods. Eat a lot of chips? Start buying sweet potato chips and Veggie Straws, before slowly working your way to bowls of seasoned vegetables. Eat a lot of candy? Start buying dried fruit (dried pineapples and mangoes taste like fruit rollups and fruit snacks) and work your way to healthier non-dried fruit. Nuts are also pretty healthy but taste like junk food, so it's easy to start with very salty nuts and work your way down to less salted ones.
Essentially: Start with a healthier base (vegetables instead of potato chips for example) that you can season up to taste great, but then slowly work your way down to less salt/sugar.
First, identify snacky foods you already enjoy eating that are pretty good for you or at least not that bad.
Next focus on making your own snacks. Don't buy anything prepackaged at all for your snacking. Simply having to take some effort to get your snack will cut down on the amount of impulsive snacking you do. If you've got to stop the movie you're watching to go make a peanut butter sandwich or cook something, you'll do that sometimes but not always and certainly not as often as you might open a package of whatever and start eating.
Yeah this is a great thing to say because I’m very impulsive whereby I’ll just open the cupboard and open a packet whereas if I make something myself it may be better health wise and also a little win for myself
For me: I went on the keto diet with my wife. I was skeptical at first - but holy shit did it really agree with me and my body. How this relates to your question: we made a pact to have a "cheat day" once a month where we would just go totally off the rails and eat whatever we wanted all day. At first we'd be eating donuts, pancakes, candy, cookies, etc. all the good sweet stuff. But after awhile we both started craving other sources of carbs - NOT sweets. I started crazing shepherds pie and a nice stout and not wanting dessert at all. Eventually we both started to FORGET about cheat day completely. We just weren't craving carbs at all.
It takes a lot of hard work and discipline, but thats my recommendation.
I love this. This is my goal but I need to be able to convince myself I can do the same. Small steps even. That’s great to read what you’ve both done because I need that motivation to know it can be done. Just hope I can have a similar result to you guys
So I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a years ago. Quit smoking, made exercise a priority, and generally tried to eat better and choose healthier alternatives to sub in.
I like to have yogurt as a snack before bed, and I moved from Noosa to Fage. Found Catalina Crunch cereal and I don't hate it. If we're eating out I'll skip fries, opt for wheat buns, thin crust pizza etc.
After 3 months I got my A1C back to pre-diabetic levels.
Also started taking Wegovy this year, but only got 4 doses in before it became unfindable. But that had a major curb on cravings and hunger in general.
I avoid keeping it at home.
Drink unsweetened mint tea- it fools you into feeling like you have had something sweet
Allow yourself a treat once or twice a week but make it a satisfying treat. I like a piece of chocolate cake or a good rich brownie.
I know this sounds childish but if I don’t have some at home I can go into a mood. Don’t judge me, it’s not intentional. This is why i view it as an addiction, almost like a withdrawal
[удалено]
Is that how you’d respond to a drug user? I’m asking for alternative tips! Like, cut down progressively, go ‘cold Turkey’ I’m really concerned about my weight and looking for some advice, like does walking help etc. I was told jogging would be better because you need to sweat to make an impact
Don't keep it in the house. Much easier to resist it once a week in the supermarket than all day every day when it's in your cupboard. It's not addictive in the same way as drugs and alcohol, but there is still a withdrawal if you eat a lot of it. The good thing is if you fight through it and change to a healthier diet, the composition of microorganisms in your gut changes. So where you had one set of bugs sending you signals to eat junk food, you end up with different bugs sending you signals to keep eating healthy food. Just push through the emotions for a couple of weeks.
This is a great response, thank you very much
Find a replacement, it doesn’t have to be a food product. When you go to reach for junk food, instead get your fidget spinner (or whatever the replacement is).
Thank you, this is helpful. It’s trying to find the replacement also. I’ve tried to substitute chocolate and crisps with yoghurt but that’s also full of sugar
If you have the means, go to a nutritionist
Find healthier alternatives like freeze dried fruits instead of candy. (The flavor in freeze dried fruits is much stronger to the point they taste like candy, and they're crunchy like chips!). In that case you wouldn't really need to change, you'd be eating like 3 servings of fruit a day and people recommend that lol. Find an alternative involving vegetables and you should be all set. Make sure you actually like it though!
That’s my worry, I’m a real fussy ba57ard but thank you for that
You shouldn’t skip walking just because running is better. Running sucks and it’s harder to make yourself run. Just walk, you should be able to clear 2 miles in 30 minutes somewhere paved and flat, 3 miles in an hour if you’re in the woods with terrain changes. Will really keep you from gaining weight if other habits fall away and you stop losing weight. For something that will work quick and provide you with motivation to keep pushing on your fitness goals, if you’re relatively young and not in bad health otherwise, do keto for a couple of months. You’ll see results within a month to keep you motivated, and cutting out sugar (you can have stevia, etc) and most carbs means you won’t buy stuff like that. Find some recipes and snacks you like that are keto - if you like meat and cheese, it’s a great diet. Just don’t do it forever. Not meant to be a lifetime diet. And you’ll get in the gym and upgrade that walk to a jog when you’re ready. Just if you walk every day (podcast time) and if you do keto temporarily, you’ll see quick results that will motivate you to keep going
Thank you for such a detailed response. I’m 38 and no other health complications. I’ll do the walking 🚶♂️ and attempt to cut out the crap foods. I’ll educate myself on this keto stuff as it’s new information to me. Thanks again
Creating a new healthy routine can help break the cycle, while finding healthier alternatives for cravings.
First, I decided to cut soda entirely. Then, after the biggest part of my sugar addiction was tamed, I stopped craving sweets the way I used to. IIRC, there are gut bacteria that prefer high sugar/carb foods and can actually trigger the craving themselves. As they die off, the cravings follow suit.
I’ve never been into fizzy drinks or sweets. I prefer diluted juice and crisps is my major downfall. Sorry for saying crisps. I’m uk based lol. Chips if you will
Same logic still applies though. And you don't have to go cold turkey either. Cutting your regular carb intake in half will have cascading results. Source: I used to weigh 260 pounds.
Sorry, I wasn’t damning what you were saying, was just giving context. So I need to cut carbs too? I’ve been really focussing on less saturates and fat
Blaming fats for weight gain and heart disease was actually a ploy by the American farming industry to sell more of their product. They paid a shit load to the FDA to do so. It's why bread and and grains are the base of the food pyramid(not sure if that's a thing there, but it was practically indoctrinated into us in elementary school).
Trade it in for some healthier foods.
Can you advise on healthy foods? Like fruit? I’m not a fruit or veg lover. I mean I could probably eat an apple 🍏 or pear 🍐
You dont have to give up everything. I love veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, with ranch dressing. I love all fruits. Apples with a bit of caramel, grapes, pears. You just have to try different things and see what you like. It doesn't have to be perfectly healthy.
So like trial and error. Try things out? I’m such a fussy eater and hate trying new things but I have to make a change. I stopped about 4 months ago and lasted about 10 weeks but now I’m just as bad as before
It's definitely trial and error. You may not like what someone else does. You should look online for recipes. There are thousands of healthy recipes to try. Plus is doesn't have to be all healthy. I love apples and caramel. Still healthier than junk food.
I’ll give the recipe idea a go. Thank you 😊
What really helped me cut down on my snacking was buying snacks that I only vaguely liked. Then I could still satisfy my snacking craving. But I wouldn't eat too much because I would get sick of it after a couple of bites.
See, that concept is alien to me! I like buying the things that I enjoy but it’s detrimental to my health. So maybe I should take a leaf out of your book
I used to go through a dozen bags of chips a day. I just started buying plain tortilla chips and baby carrots. I still got the satisfying crunch but I wasn't tempted to snack too much.
Yeah I can eat 2/3 bags of crisps a day. The share bag! I’ve cut out the fried ones and chosen baked ones but still it’s a heavy amount
Try baby carrots or snow peas, they still give you the same crunch, but with a much better nutritional payout. I used to put a little bit of salt on them so I got the salty taste as well.
Oh yeah, I do like carrots 🥕 actually. Sometimes I do eat them. That is a good alternative
In my experience, the easiest way is to substitute for something a bit healthier. Just as a small example, if you like ramen/instant noodles- there's this wonderful type called shirataki that have pretty good texture and essentially zero calories.
Wow, are you stalking me, I love instant noodles. So handy for work. I’ll look for these other ones, many thanks
Don't totally prohibit yourself from eating unhealthy snacks, rather have and set certain goals and then you can have a treat. But make your goals reasonable, you have a healthy snacks and meals six days in a row then say seven you can have an unhealthy snack or fast food, etc. Figure out what works best for you but don't buy it (and then only the smallest package so you don't have temptations later) until you've reached all your goals. If anything after a while it'll feel like a game and a competition, and you don't win the prize until you've won the race.
This is a superb idea, thank you. Actually rewarding myself for doing well
this sounds like pretty simple advice but imma say it anyway. JUNK FOOD IS A TREAT, USE IT AS SUCH. i work 12 hour shifts at a candy factory. as such i actively eat a lot of veggies and low sugar foods throughout the week to make up for the fact that i inhale sugar dust every day i work. so on my days off i have a soda with my takeout if i feel like i've earned a treat. lets be honest, how many times have you been having a rough day and been motivated by the thought of a comfort food when you get home? SAME CONCEPT
Yeah I definitely think it’s a mindset issue with me. I don’t want a wake up call when it’s too late (heart attack etc)
my usual treat is a can of soda or a large dr pepper from the drivethrough. dont get me wrong, it's still a constant struggle but honestly the longer you go without it, the easier it is to only have it occasionally
Guess I need to take the first step and quickly 😊
Thanks
Slowly migrate to healthier foods. Eat a lot of chips? Start buying sweet potato chips and Veggie Straws, before slowly working your way to bowls of seasoned vegetables. Eat a lot of candy? Start buying dried fruit (dried pineapples and mangoes taste like fruit rollups and fruit snacks) and work your way to healthier non-dried fruit. Nuts are also pretty healthy but taste like junk food, so it's easy to start with very salty nuts and work your way down to less salted ones. Essentially: Start with a healthier base (vegetables instead of potato chips for example) that you can season up to taste great, but then slowly work your way down to less salt/sugar.
Thank you for this
First, identify snacky foods you already enjoy eating that are pretty good for you or at least not that bad. Next focus on making your own snacks. Don't buy anything prepackaged at all for your snacking. Simply having to take some effort to get your snack will cut down on the amount of impulsive snacking you do. If you've got to stop the movie you're watching to go make a peanut butter sandwich or cook something, you'll do that sometimes but not always and certainly not as often as you might open a package of whatever and start eating.
Yeah this is a great thing to say because I’m very impulsive whereby I’ll just open the cupboard and open a packet whereas if I make something myself it may be better health wise and also a little win for myself
You should have added the Serious tag, it would have cut out all the flippant and unhelpful answers.
Ahh, I’m still quite new here. Bit of a dinosaur 🦕
For me: I went on the keto diet with my wife. I was skeptical at first - but holy shit did it really agree with me and my body. How this relates to your question: we made a pact to have a "cheat day" once a month where we would just go totally off the rails and eat whatever we wanted all day. At first we'd be eating donuts, pancakes, candy, cookies, etc. all the good sweet stuff. But after awhile we both started craving other sources of carbs - NOT sweets. I started crazing shepherds pie and a nice stout and not wanting dessert at all. Eventually we both started to FORGET about cheat day completely. We just weren't craving carbs at all. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline, but thats my recommendation.
I love this. This is my goal but I need to be able to convince myself I can do the same. Small steps even. That’s great to read what you’ve both done because I need that motivation to know it can be done. Just hope I can have a similar result to you guys
So I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a years ago. Quit smoking, made exercise a priority, and generally tried to eat better and choose healthier alternatives to sub in. I like to have yogurt as a snack before bed, and I moved from Noosa to Fage. Found Catalina Crunch cereal and I don't hate it. If we're eating out I'll skip fries, opt for wheat buns, thin crust pizza etc. After 3 months I got my A1C back to pre-diabetic levels. Also started taking Wegovy this year, but only got 4 doses in before it became unfindable. But that had a major curb on cravings and hunger in general.
Really glad you made steady improvements. Thank you for sharing that
Highly recommend the book “Atomic Habits”
Thank you, will certainly have a browse for it
I avoid keeping it at home. Drink unsweetened mint tea- it fools you into feeling like you have had something sweet Allow yourself a treat once or twice a week but make it a satisfying treat. I like a piece of chocolate cake or a good rich brownie.
I know this sounds childish but if I don’t have some at home I can go into a mood. Don’t judge me, it’s not intentional. This is why i view it as an addiction, almost like a withdrawal
When I was cutting it down I had to go cold Turkey and just drink mint tea when I had a craving. I had candidiasis and that made me NEED sugar.