Xtracute..... I've been a yo-yo dieter for years but this year I totally reviewed my eating habits, reduced my ginormous portion sizes and finally... FINALLY.... my stomach is getting used to reduced rations. It has also betrayed me by giving me indigestion if I eat anything too sweet and rich
cry
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I guess turning 50 in June was a bit of a wake up call and I realised that I'm now getting to the age where I could get heart disease, diabetes, etc. And I wanted to get fit too. When I feel myself weakening I ask myself "What do you want more? The <insert food temptation here> or to be thin?" And so far, I always want to be thin more than I want the food.
Because I calorie count and log everything on My Fitness Pal, if I eat something "bad", I either reduce my intake for the rest of the day or have a lighter day the next day. For example, this morning I went to a horse sale and bought a bacon roll. So for my tea tonight I had a low calorie egg salad to balance out my earlier "sin" (and very lovely the sin was too! I'm only human
) I don't forbid anything, I am just learning to be strong enough to first think whether I REALLY want it and to either say no... or "just a small piece". I also use "tomorrow" meaning that I won't today, but if I still fancy it tomorrow I will then... and usually find that I don't actually want it so much then.
I didn't realise it at the time, but I used to be a compulsive over-eater (why eat only 2 or 3 biscuits when the rest of the pack is there) but I realised that I was letting my emotional stomach rule my REAL stomach and that I was eating out of boredom. Once I acknowledged that I had a form of eating disorder and faced it, I've learned coping mechanisms and distractions.
I also do the 5:2 intermittent fasting so that has taught me that I can go 24 or even 36 hours without food and without dying. It has also taught me that hunger comes in waves and doesn't get worse as the day progresses. And that distraction will make it go away. And that a pint of water will fool your stomach for a while.... as long as you have lots of loo roll for inevitable copious trips to the toilet!!! So when I think I fancy a snack in between breakfast and lunch on a normal eating day, I think "if you can go all day without eating, you can certainly go between meals without snacking!!!!" For me it is all about thinking rationally.
I no longer buy cakes and biscuits but have a fridge full of fat-free yoghurts and fruit. I do buy some treats so that I don't feel like I'm missing out, my current faves are Jumbo caramel Snack-a-Jacks, which give me a sugar hit but are far less calories than a bar of chocolate. Or Chocolate Fudge Alpen Lite bars are only 70 calories and are scrummy....
