“I’m never eating chocolate again.”
“I give up on soda – forever.”
“I absolutely refuse to eat fast food – ever.”
“I abstain from potato chips – always.”
In teaching my class and working with people individually, I hear these kinds of statements very frequently. And I understand the need to speak these statements, as I made those same kinds of statements all the time during my 10 years of obesity. Looking back, I think I felt like these particular foods were partially responsible for my problem. Sodas had a lot of calories, chocolate was hard to resist and potato chips were just fattening.
I was never able to abstain from the foods I semi-blamed for my obesity very long. I might have been able to avoid potato chips for a few days, but I substituted brownies in their place. If I got rid of all the chocolate in the house, I turned to potato chips or ice cream. I was still in a viscous cycle of trying to “fix” the problem without really acknowledging what the problem was.
In my years, I’ve only known a handful of people who have actually kept their pledge to completely eliminate the “problem” food from their diet.
When I began my final diet 14 years ago, the only thing I eliminated for a few months was chocolate. I felt like I needed a break – almost a “detox” from chocolate. But other than the temporary moratorium on chocolate, I didn’t absolutely forbid myself from any food groups. It worked for me because I told myself that I “could” eat anything I wanted, but I didn’t “need” to eat everything.
The difference between “could” and “need” was a wake-up call and a solution to me. I had finally learned that for me, it wasn’t wise to make sweeping declarations of what I would never eat again, because those declarations just made me want it more.
How have you handled those foods which you thought were “causing” your weight problem? Did you abstain? Did it work? Diane
I have abstained from the “weight gaining food” in the beginning but nowadays I believe that I can “handle” the fact of eating only one block of chocolate, half a slice of cake or half a glass of soda ect.
In the beginning it was necessary for me to leave these foods out of my diet to give me a boost but nowadays I can “handle” it
blackhuff´s last fabulous musings ..What my next goal is
I have chosen to leave certain foods out of my diet, but cause I chose to do this I find it very do able…with MS there are foods that could trigger me off so I stay away and see it as poison for my body…
I still allow myself chips, biscuits….but now and again and with portion control
Soda I will NEVER touch again…
Marcelle´s last fabulous musings ..Taking Control
said with a smile -
you are talking about NONfoods, not foods
Vickie´s last fabulous musings ..4th year in registry- time flies
I have come full circle. When I dieted a lot, I used to fear foods. Bananas cost too many points on WW. Fats were evil.
Now I realized that I can moderate the really good things in life and that allowing them in periodically (like cupcakes) keeps me from binging on them.
There are some foods I don’t have in my diet at all because I just don’t like them anymore as my taste buds have changed (like packaged , frozen meals, and things like that).
Taking the fear out of food was a huge turning point for me. Not that I don’t have trigger foods (looking in your direction Reeses PB cups), but I know what they are and can choose whether or not to have them.
Lori´s last fabulous musings ..Chock full weekend
I am with you Diane! I actually learned the hard way when I was young that eliminating certain foods just made me want them more. Over time, I learned to incorporate them back in BUT in a way that I could handle. I really don’t eliminate any wide ranging food groups. I eat my best & healthy & plan for treats & it is working for me…
Jody – Fit at 53´s last fabulous musings ..To Count or Not to Count Calories Debate
I agree, I think the key is to learn to not “need” to eat your problem foods all the time and to really pay attention to portions when you eat them. I also think keeping only a very limited supply (or none) of some of the problem foods in your house is wise. But “never” is a very strong word that can easily make you give up… The only thing I eliminated completely was diet soda.
Andrea@WellnessNotes´s last fabulous musings ..Toddler No Nap Slightly Stressed Parents Seven Layer Dip for Dinner
I’ve blogged about this a lot. I think it is different for everyone but for me, right now, I do best to just abstain. There are certain foods that are real triggers. I will either overeat them or move on to eating other things. Someday, I will try reintroducing these again. But for now, this is working for me.
Karen´s last fabulous musings ..Specifically Speaking
I abstained from some for probably a year – like french fries, burgers, etc. but some I KNEW I couldn’t give up like pizza. For me, it’s less about abstaining and more about making it myself so I can cook it healthier! (i.e. sweet potato fries and 96/4 beef!)
fittingbackin´s last fabulous musings ..Body Works- 2 Miles- Wedding- Out with Friends- Book Review
I feel like I’m still working this balance out. Abstaining completely worked for me up to a point, but now I’m trying to figure out how to allow for occasional treats without letting those treats take over.
Desert Agave´s last fabulous musings ..Solitary vs Social
I find it hard to myself that I must not eat this or that. Like you said, it make me want it more! I simply tell myself that while I can have it, I should eat something else instead and remind myself of my goal. It is easy to grab something fast and easy, but it is more fulfilling to sit and have a healthy meal or snack, I also remind myself of this fact.
Jasmine´s last fabulous musings ..First Anniversary Gifts
I think this is an excellent post. I know there have been times before that I would completely swear off a certain food, only to end up binging on it again.
I have temporarily sworn off Chinese buffets, only because I have found that I truly cannot eat there and stay on track. However, I’m not saying I’ll never eat there again. It just won’t be a weekly occurrence like it has been before.
Jeremy Logsdon´s last fabulous musings ..My First Walking 5K
Been there, done that. Who hasn’t, of those of us that have made a lifetime ‘career’ of dieting. And that, I believe, is a big reason so many diets don’t work; the sense of deprivation they cause. This time, I’m not worrying about specifics; I’m eating healthy, but focusing mostly about WHY I eat outside of meals. I’m putting the psychological first and foremost. Without dealing with the emotions of snacking, one can never be cured of the overeating. I’m convinced of that.
Sunny´s last fabulous musings ..Holiday Monday Musings
I am right there with this issue now. I am about to finish a cleanse in one more week and trying to decide what I do next. I am such an all or nothing eater and I realize that is a problem, but the answer to that problem is so complicated! I think I will have to stick to a plan with some foods off limits for a while or the floodgates will open. I hope some day I can trust myself to allow almost everything.
I always thought chocolate was my worst enemy. Then I realized that it was the sugar and milk in the chocolate that hurt my stomach. I can now eat it in moderation in extremely dark varieties to soothe the taste but not overdo it.
Cynthia (It All Changes)´s last fabulous musings ..Just A Simple Nickel Goals
I eliminated hot dogs
I became a vegetarian so I guess I did eliminate many of the foods I had once eaten. In my opinion, there are many foods that we would all be better off never eating.
I’m working on finding peace with “those” foods. Because I need to be able to know I could have them so when I do have them I don’t go overboard.
Siobhan´s last fabulous musings ..Score- baby
I haven’t really eliminated things from my life….I just eat the things in small portions. And if it’s a “trigger food” that I can’t control myself around I try not to have it in my house.
I think at the beginning of a weight loss program, some of us need to eliminate our trigger foods in an effort to get a handle on making our “diets” work. After much trial and error, I have found that I am one of those people who can’t eat chocolate, refined sugar, chips, and sweets. I have to keep my trigger foods out of my house and out of my diet–at least for right now. I don’t know what the future may bring for me, in terms of what I can and cannot eat and still maintain a weight loss. I guess this is a process, and I am learning along the way.
I do know from past weight loss experiences, that once I began adding my trigger foods, my body just began to crave them again, and I was doomed to regain. I’m not speaking for anyone else–just for me. I don’t plan to make that mistake again–I just can’t.
Jane´s last fabulous musings ..Monday Musings-and Looking for Feedback About Home Schooling
In the beginning I cut out a fair few things, but have gradually reintroduced some of them … in moderation. Although it isn’t a ‘banned’ substance per se, the only thing I dare not buy is peanut butter. With almost anything else I stand a fighting chance of being ‘moderate’ but with PB…. er, not!
Still, although it probably didn’t help me, it wasn’t specifically ‘that’ which made me fat so just cutting PB out wouldn’t have got me too far. It was long-term overeating that got me to serious obesity, and that included all sorts of foods, and, of course, not doing anything much towards exercising.
There is an awful lot of good and healthy food out there to eat so I’m not going to let myself mourn PB’s absence from my diet.
Deniz´s last fabulous musings ..Growing fat!
I try to eat healthy 80 -90% of the time.
I never say never to anything but I only eat somethings on a rare occasion, like fried food maybe once or twice a year.
If I want something “extra” I have it in moderation at a planned time after a healthy meal so it won’t mess with my blood sugar and I savor every bite!
There are certain foods I abstain from and do not plan on going back to such as McDonalds a.k.a. fast foods. Other than that everything is open for me. I just now make better decisions when to eat them and its not frequently.
Sheri´s last fabulous musings ..Its The Best Day Ever!
Ahh chocolate, how I love thee. At first, I had to eradicate everything that I felt I couldn’t control myself with: primarily chocolate but snacky stuff too like chips. And I also didn’t bake anything luscious at ALL. I slowly introduced it all back into my home as time went on and I didn’t fall on everything like a slobbering pig. And now I can make chocolate chip cookies, take one taste of the batter, then have a warm cookie with 1 cup of milk and can say no to eating more. I have 1 can of Barq’s root beer with my lunch about once a week. If I have it everyday, that adds 160 calories to my day so no. But I do have something chocolate everyday. When it’s hot I have a fudgesicle. When it’s cold, I have hot cocoa. Or I have a serving of cocoa puffs. I haven’t read the comments before, and someone else may have said this already but you have to find what works for you. Never eating chocolate again is ridiculous and insane and is why I gave up on many diets. I am satisfied with a little. I try to eat around 1500 calories a day and walk daily. If I find myself really hankering after something I eat a portioned amount and add those calories to my day. Early on in my weight loss journey, I started craving intense chocolate in a big way, it went on for about a week, freaked me out so much. I should have just had something chocolate and moved on. Instead, I let it derail me for a bit. How silly! How terrified I was of not being ‘perfect’, which is what ruined every. single. ‘diet’ I have been on in my life. Now I’m not perfect. I just want to be consistent. Daily count my calories, portion my food, take a walk, say no to large portions and extra servings. No guilt when my daughter wants chili dogs and fries for a fun dinner when a friend came over. I could eat them too! Love sitting and watching a movie with my measured puppy chow (you know what that is) all chocolatey and warm when its freshly made yummm. I like saving calories so I can go to lunch with my daughter at McD and get a double cheeseburger and small fry and just enjoying the time with her without freaking out about it all!
So yes, I say, enjoy the foods you love in moderation.
Four years ago I started abstaining from corn syrup. Three years ago I added cow’s milk fat to the abstain list. Two years ago wheat and this past year processed sugars. It is all one day at a time and I am maintaining a 220 pounds weight loss.
Jane~
A friend an I gave up chocolate and desserts for the month of January this year. We both decided it was the worst thing ever to do to ourselves. She is in maintenance mode and I am still trying to lose, so we thought it might be nice to detox after Christmas.
However, we found that we were both eating more chocolate than normal during February. We’ve decided that allowing a small portion daily, or even weekly is much more suitable to keeping a rein on things.
Leah´s last fabulous musings ..Weigh-In Doing Something Right