I think I have some kind of Mommy rebellion going on. . .

[Jean in Newcastle]

I know all the healthy choices I should make (esp. to lose these 45 pounds I need to lose) but I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! (Sorry, for shouting.) How do I make myself want to make healthy choices? (Or is that too much of a paradox?) I think perhaps it is because the unhealthy choices have too much of a "benefit" for me - not in health of course, but in emotional or psychological terms.

[1bassoon]

I know all the healthy choices I should make (esp. to lose these 45 pounds I need to lose) but I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! (Sorry, for shouting.) How do I make myself want to make healthy choices? (Or is that too much of a paradox?) I think perhaps it is because the unhealthy choices have too much of a "benefit" for me - not in health of course, but in emotional or psychological terms.

 

I think, Jean, I could have written this post. I mean, really.

 

I'm working through it right now - no insights, just commiseration.

[swellmomma]

I find the same thing, and I find as soon as I realize I have lost even 5 lbs I sabotage myself. The only thing helping now is that I got this puppy a week ago. Because of all the forced exercise from taking her for daily walks I have lost 2 lbs already without changing my eating habits much. I do find the emotional side of those unhealthy choices is what sets me up. WHen I am stressed, which is often, I turn to high fast, grease laden, high sugar foods. I am trying to change that with journalling, visiting neighbors, phoning my sister, darn near anything I can when stressed to avoid turning to those foods. Friday was hard because the 2 neighbors that I spend 75% of my day visiting lately were both left town, and my sister couldn't talk because my nephew was under the weather. The only thing that saved me from a major mc donald's run was the lack of $$ in my bank account, otherwise I would have gained back those 2 lbs I lost no problem.

[elise1mds]

No tips here, either. I can only lose 10 pounds a year, usually within a 2-month time frame, before I completely lose all motivation and then stay stable for the next 10 months. During that time, I simply canNOT make myself do the 'good things' I should do! I'll get back into it eventually... when I have time, right? :lol:

[lionfamily1999]

I feel like this some times too. My gramma exploded at her doctor when he tried to alter her diet. Lol, she went off the deep end, "I am a grown woman and for the first time in my life I can buy the foods I want to eat without having other people eat it or complain that they don't like it. I will be darned if I'm going to let you invade my fridge now that I've finally gotten it to myself!" That's pretty much my feelings on it too... I don't want to eat healthy, because that's like letting someone else pick out my food for me. I know it's rediculous, but I really need a way to make it all my idea, iykwIm.

[KrissiK]

I know what you mean. I've hit goal with WW and have had the darndest time staying here. I have these Hershey's kisses I use for rewards for my SS class for learning their verses and I'm eating them hand over fist tonight when I'm studying my lesson with this "I'm going to eat them, and I don't care!" attitude. What is the matter with me?:confused:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Oh, and one other thing - I find myself feeling a bit ticked at my dd and dh who are uber healthy. Like they're doing it just to annoy me! But then I'm also ticked at my ds who is following my footsteps in the same bad choices. So then I eat just because I'm generally P.O'd.

[MotherMayI]

I know all the healthy choices I should make (esp. to lose these 45 pounds I need to lose) but I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! (Sorry, for shouting.) How do I make myself want to make healthy choices? (Or is that too much of a paradox?) I think perhaps it is because the unhealthy choices have too much of a "benefit" for me - not in health of course, but in emotional or psychological terms.

 

 

I am right there with you. I know what I need to do- and I am really frustrated with myself, but not enough to stop apparently. I have been on this path of emotional eating for over a year now and it's time to stop. I am planning on doing a 21 day cleanse after our guests leave in a couple of weeks. I hope that kick starts me into better eating. I think part of my problem is that it takes a lot of planning to change. I am really sick of unhealthy food choices controlling me! (said as I am holding myself back from the German Chocoalte Cake I have leftover from dinner:001_huh:)

[Rosie_0801]

I find there's nothing like an uber-binge to inspire me to eat healthily again. I like eating my healthy food, but it really doesn't satisfy the emotional need to eat junk when there's two kids screaming before I've actually got out of bed. In uber-binge mood now, and I think the pizza we're going to have for dinner should tip the scales back towards healthy again.

So, my recommendation is to eat nothing but utter rubbish for three days, and you should feel so lousy that your body will demand a salad!

 

;)

Rosie

[Blessedfamily]

I find there's nothing like an uber-binge to inspire me to eat healthily again. I like eating my healthy food, but it really doesn't satisfy the emotional need to eat junk when there's two kids screaming before I've actually got out of bed. In uber-binge mood now, and I think the pizza we're going to have for dinner should tip the scales back towards healthy again.

So, my recommendation is to eat nothing but utter rubbish for three days, and you should feel so lousy that your body will demand a salad!

 

;)

Rosie

 

Rosie, you might have something there. :001_smile:

[linders]

I feel guilty - I am a grown, intelligent woman who knows quite well what healthy eating and exercise look like. I know the long-term health benefits. I have the means to buy good-quality food and the time to prepare it. I feel like I don't have time for exercise (DH works long hours) but I know if I tried I could fit in exercise at home.

 

I'm sitting here with a diet Coke and a box of Cheesits (the crackers I doled out sparingly to the boys, "because they aren't that good for you - go get some fruit.") Yet I whine because of the way clothes fit and my overall fitness.

 

No idea what would motivate me.

[LindaOz]

 

I'm sitting here with a diet Coke and a box of Cheesits (the crackers I doled out sparingly to the boys, "because they aren't that good for you - go get some fruit.") Yet I whine because of the way clothes fit and my overall fitness.

 

No idea what would motivate me.

 

It was health (or rather, lack of it) that finally motivated me. Something I found really helpful was to have a list of good things I needed to eat and drink in a day eg: fresh vegetable juice, 8 cups water, a salad, two pieces fruit etc. By the time I had consumed all the things on my list, there wasn't so much time or need to eat the things I shouldn't. I found it really good to focus on adding good things to my diet rather than focus just on the things I COULDN'T have. It's worked, too, as this has become a way of life for me, rather than something I have to force myself to do all the time - and i also lost lots of weight ;)

[Loupelou]

I find there's nothing like an uber-binge to inspire me to eat healthily again. I like eating my healthy food, but it really doesn't satisfy the emotional need to eat junk when there's two kids screaming before I've actually got out of bed. In uber-binge mood now, and I think the pizza we're going to have for dinner should tip the scales back towards healthy again.

So, my recommendation is to eat nothing but utter rubbish for three days, and you should feel so lousy that your body will demand a salad!

 

;)

Rosie

:iagree:Totally!

 

This is what always does it for me.

[Jean in Newcastle]

It was health (or rather, lack of it) that finally motivated me. Something I found really helpful was to have a list of good things I needed to eat and drink in a day eg: fresh vegetable juice, 8 cups water, a salad, two pieces fruit etc. By the time I had consumed all the things on my list, there wasn't so much time or need to eat the things I shouldn't. I found it really good to focus on adding good things to my diet rather than focus just on the things I COULDN'T have. It's worked, too, as this has become a way of life for me, rather than something I have to force myself to do all the time - and i also lost lots of weight ;)

 

Oooh. This looks like a good idea. Maybe if I have things actually made up ahead of time it might work. When faced with the prospect of fixing something healthy vs. grabbing the pre-made unhealthy junk, I choose the junk every time.:lurk5:

[Wyndie]

This may sound weird but having amino acids helped me with all that. I still struggle occassionally but before taking aminos I didn't WANT to struggle; I just gave in to the cravings. There's something to having your "feel good" chemicals in balance to help you motivate yourself.

 

That said, my best motivation was a serious loving talk from my girlfriend about how I was stealing my children's happiness by selfishly eating. Rather than giving them a clear headed, happy mommy they were having to live with an angry, moody slave to her food and "where's my chocolate" attitude and their behavior showed the neglect. Whenever I fall off the wagon now (which is usually when I stop taking my aminos) my gf will remind me of what I'm costing my children. They need a mom in good health with a clear mind, not a food zombie.

 

Darnit! :lol:

[Jean in Newcastle]

This may sound weird but having amino acids helped me with all that. I still struggle occassionally but before taking aminos I didn't WANT to struggle; I just gave in to the cravings. There's something to having your "feel good" chemicals in balance to help you motivate yourself.

 

 

 

Showing my ignorance here - do I look for "amino acids" at the health food store? Or are there specific ones to look for? Any good recommendations for brands etc?

 

What do the amino acids do for your body? It sounds like they do something for your hormones from what you said? (Am I reading that right?)

[Lovedtodeath]

I know all the healthy choices I should make (esp. to lose these 45 pounds I need to lose) but I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! (Sorry, for shouting.) How do I make myself want to make healthy choices? (Or is that too much of a paradox?) I think perhaps it is because the unhealthy choices have too much of a "benefit" for me - not in health of course, but in emotional or psychological terms.

Me too!:grouphug: I use nursing as an excuse.

[Wyndie]

Showing my ignorance here - do I look for "amino acids" at the health food store? Or are there specific ones to look for? Any good recommendations for brands etc?

 

What do the amino acids do for your body? It sounds like they do something for your hormones from what you said? (Am I reading that right?)

 

 

Yes I just get a free-form multi-amino acid from the HFS. Amino Acids do many things in the body, one of which is supply some of the feel good hormones (dopamine, seratonin, etc). Many people need to take them three times a day (need to be taken on an empty stomach) but I just take them first thing out of the bed and it's enough for me. Each person's needs vary but it's been a real life safer for me.

[DarlaS]

It was health (or rather, lack of it) that finally motivated me. Something I found really helpful was to have a list of good things I needed to eat and drink in a day eg: fresh vegetable juice, 8 cups water, a salad, two pieces fruit etc. By the time I had consumed all the things on my list, there wasn't so much time or need to eat the things I shouldn't. I found it really good to focus on adding good things to my diet rather than focus just on the things I COULDN'T have. It's worked, too, as this has become a way of life for me, rather than something I have to force myself to do all the time - and i also lost lots of weight ;)

 

It's good to know that works. It's an idea I've kicked around a time or two (but keep forgetting). I think I first saw something like it in a book called "Strong Women Stay Slim" or (something similar). The book was more about fitness, but that was the gist of the diet if I recall correctly.

 

I could see if you ate pretty much whole foods they would fill you up nicely (raw fruits & veggies, steel cut oats, extra fiber whole grain breads etc).

 

I feel a spreadsheet coming on complete with little boxes to check off. :D

[happyWImom]

Showing my ignorance here - do I look for "amino acids" at the health food store? Or are there specific ones to look for? Any good recommendations for brands etc?

 

What do the amino acids do for your body? It sounds like they do something for your hormones from what you said? (Am I reading that right?)

 

 

That's so funny-before I saw your post, I was about to google "amino acids":lol::lol: I am willing to do anything to get me off of this rollarcoaster too. I know I use food-junk food that is-as a reward and a comfort, but I don't know how to stop. This thread has helped me feel a little bit better by knowing I'm not alone.

[Garga]

I Something I found really helpful was to have a list of good things I needed to eat and drink in a day eg: fresh vegetable juice, 8 cups water, a salad, two pieces fruit etc. By the time I had consumed all the things on my list, there wasn't so much time or need to eat the things I shouldn't. ;)

 

 

 

Oooooo. Clever idea. I'll start on Wednesday when I go to the grocery store.

[Lovedtodeath]

That's a list of good things to sit in the fridge until I clean it out b/c I am too busy eating brownie batter right? :tongue_smilie:

[Carol in Cal.]

DH NOT buying a large box of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at Costco would have helped:glare:

 

And his NOT getting mad at me when I'm not hungry would also help, on an ongoing basis.

 

OTOH, having healthy, filling stuff around really works. The trouble is, none of it is fast except stuff that spoils horribly, like fennel bulbs. I have had some success with large Costco bags of greens, eaten like potato chips with lots of water, and with many, many Costco clamshells of raspberries, but seriously, who wants to have to shop every 2-3 days to have appealing fresh stuff around?

 

And the non - fresh stuff takes so dratted long to cook.

 

Hmmm.

 

I think I need a list of fast, healthy, appealing, and reasonably filling or at least engrossing items to stock:

 

Fennel bulbs

Pre washed salads in bags

Tart apples (great with homemade peanut butter)

Pork n Beans (there is so little actual pork in this that it's actually very healthy)

Raspberries

Radishes

Canned Pea Soup--in theory. In practice, I never really want this when I'm hungry.

Yellow or orange bell peppers

Very fresh apricots

Red cabbage (keeps well, too)

Radicchio

Mushrooms to saute (pretty fast. I use thyme and lemon juice and olive oil. Yum!)

German dark whole grain bread (great with nonfat cottage cheese with chives on top. Unfortunately, also great with liverwurst and havarti cheese. Sigh.)

Celery--surprisingly tasty, actually

Oven fries, but they take forever

[Lovedtodeath]

DH NOT buying a large box of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at Costco would have helped:glare:

 

And his NOT getting mad at me when I'm not hungry would also help, on an ongoing basis.

 

OTOH, having healthy, filling stuff around really works. The trouble is, none of it is fast except stuff that spoils horribly, like fennel bulbs. I have had some success with large Costco bags of greens, eaten like potato chips with lots of water, and with many, many Costco clamshells of raspberries, but seriously, who wants to have to shop every 2-3 days to have appealing fresh stuff around?

 

And the non - fresh stuff takes so dratted long to cook.

 

Hmmm.

 

I think I need a list of fast, healthy, appealing, and reasonably filling or at least engrossing items to stock:

 

Fennel bulbs

Pre washed salads in bags

Tart apples (great with homemade peanut butter)

Pork n Beans (there is so little actual pork in this that it's actually very healthy)

Raspberries

Radishes

Canned Pea Soup--in theory. In practice, I never really want this when I'm hungry.

Yellow or orange bell peppers

Very fresh apricots

Red cabbage (keeps well, too)

Radicchio

Mushrooms to saute (pretty fast. I use thyme and lemon juice and olive oil. Yum!)

German dark whole grain bread (great with nonfat cottage cheese with chives on top. Unfortunately, also great with liverwurst and havarti cheese. Sigh.)

Celery--surprisingly tasty, actually

Oven fries, but they take forever

Nice list. I really like fresh cawliflower and peas eaten straight from the can. Boiled eggs and bananas work well too. I can't stand to choke down most lettuces (romaine blech) day after day, but baby greens with balsamic vinegrette works well.

[Wyndie]

Yes I just get a free-form multi-amino acid from the HFS. Amino Acids do many things in the body, one of which is supply some of the feel good hormones (dopamine, seratonin, etc). Many people need to take them three times a day (need to be taken on an empty stomach) but I just take them first thing out of the bed and it's enough for me. Each person's needs vary but it's been a real life safer for me.

 

I was in a hurry earlier and forgot to mention that many times we eat not b/c we're hungry but b/c something inside us drives us to do so (I'm sure most of us know that ;) ) Having a good supply of dopamine and seratonin makes it much less likely that stress will bring the need to comfort eat. When I take aminos, I can handle stress without treating it with food. It's just that simple really. We eat uber healthy here, lots of green veggies and health foods, however stress can put me over the edge. Before my good friend gave me "the talk", I knew what to do but didn't want to. I hated everyone and everything b/c I couldn't eat junk and I made everyone around me pay the price for my "deprivation". I was going thru a bag (super size) of m&m's per day to deal with my issue. Taking those aminos made it so much easier to say no to the junk in the house. While the kids and I eat healthy, my husband does not and he has a cabinet full of artificial foods that taste ooo so good but are ooo so bad. I can totally ignore them all if my feel good hormones are in balance. :D

 

HTH I just felt a need to further comment b/c I hadn't finished before posting last time.

[Peela]

I find there's nothing like an uber-binge to inspire me to eat healthily again. I like eating my healthy food, but it really doesn't satisfy the emotional need to eat junk when there's two kids screaming before I've actually got out of bed. In uber-binge mood now, and I think the pizza we're going to have for dinner should tip the scales back towards healthy again.

So, my recommendation is to eat nothing but utter rubbish for three days, and you should feel so lousy that your body will demand a salad!

 

;)

Rosie

 

 

:iagree:

I think I am fortunate in that my body wont let me go off the rails for too long. I had one cup of coffee three days in a row- and two of those were decaf- and all my joints started aching yesterday.

I am sensitive to effect of food- and lack of exercise- on my body.

I recently had a terribly painful neck issue- simply because I had been refusing to do my yoga and walking, which maintains my scoliosis and chronic back issue quite well. But only if I do them. It was a wake up call.

I think people focus too much on the figure on the scales, instead of how they feel.

I get depressed and dont feel like exercising or eating well. But I do actuallly feel better when I do exercise and eat well, so the motivation is instrinsic- but not enough to make me exercise and eat well ALL the time.

Who are you rebelling against? I think you have to do it 100% for yourself. And its ok to eat crap and not exercise. Maybe you need to give yourself permission to do it so that you can stop fighting against it.

Flylady helped m with this one. I figured if I wasnt exercising LOTS it wasnt worth doing any. Same with food- if I wasnt eating a perfectly healthy diet, who cared, I may as well just not worry about it at all. But when I got into Flylady- for other reasons- I realised my all or nothing attitude was really hurting me and holding me back. Actually, 15 minutes of exercise- heck, even 5 minutes- is better than none, and I learned to give myself a pat on the back for a 15 minute walk instead of hurting myself for not doing more. Same with food.

[Rosie_0801]

I can't stand to choke down most lettuces (romaine blech) day after day, but baby greens with balsamic vinegrette works well.

 

They grow on you. (Er, not literally) The longer you keep to a salad with dinner routine, the better those green leafy things taste. Start off with the ones you do like, then after a few weeks or months, add some of the ones you didn't used to like. Just a bit. Then a bit more. I was always an iceberg lettuce sort of girl, cos lettuce if it was there, and that's it. Now we've given up buying the iceberg altogether and eat baby spinach, rocket (Oh, how I love rocket), the sunflower lettuce I'm growing, carrot tops, celery leaves and sometimes herbs from the garden. Dh went through a phase of putting parsley in everything while I was pregnant. I could always tell whether my iron levels were good or bad because if they were high, I couldn't eat the parsley!

 

:)

Rosie- a big fan of apple-balsamic. Ooh yeah! And mustard dressings, but I'm usually too lazy to make them.

[Lovedtodeath]

Lately I can't eat Romaine if I wanted to. (digestion)

 

I like mustard dressings too, but all of the recipes I have call for honey or sugar.

[Rosie_0801]

I like mustard dressings too, but all of the recipes I have call for honey or sugar.

 

You don't have to put it in. Or if it is too tart without, put less in, and less until you don't need it any more. I wish I could be lazy and buy bottled dressings but they put so much sugar in I don't know how anyone can eat them. I guess that's a good sign, huh? Perhaps I should celebrate by eating some of the organic chocolate dh bought yesterday , heheh.

 

;)

Rosie

[mamaof2andtwins]

I know all the healthy choices I should make (esp. to lose these 45 pounds I need to lose) but I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! (Sorry, for shouting.) How do I make myself want to make healthy choices? (Or is that too much of a paradox?) I think perhaps it is because the unhealthy choices have too much of a "benefit" for me - not in health of course, but in emotional or psychological terms.

 

 

Try going to the department store and trying on clothes. It worked for me.

 

Jennie

[KayT]

It was health (or rather, lack of it) that finally motivated me. Something I found really helpful was to have a list of good things I needed to eat and drink in a day eg: fresh vegetable juice, 8 cups water, a salad, two pieces fruit etc. By the time I had consumed all the things on my list, there wasn't so much time or need to eat the things I shouldn't. I found it really good to focus on adding good things to my diet rather than focus just on the things I COULDN'T have. It's worked, too, as this has become a way of life for me, rather than something I have to force myself to do all the time - and i also lost lots of weight ;)

 

LindaOz thanks for your post. I ALWAYS focus on what I CAN"T have and rarely last more than a few days on a healthy path . I am going to give making a list of what I can have a try and see if I can change my way of thinking !

 

OP I could have written your post. I really had no idea I had so much company until reading this thread.

[LindaOz]

LindaOz thanks for your post. I ALWAYS focus on what I CAN"T have and rarely last more than a few days on a healthy path . I am going to give making a list of what I can have a try and see if I can change my way of thinking

 

 

Sounds great. Let us all know how you go :001_smile:

[SquirrellyMama]

I can really relate to you. I'm not sure that I'll ever be totally fine with making those choices but I know how much better I feel when I do make them. I'm hoping that will help me.

[Sharon H in IL]

So, my recommendation is to eat nothing but utter rubbish for three days, and you should feel so lousy that your body will demand a salad!

 

;)

Rosie

 

As always, Rosie speaks with the voice of wisdom. :D

[DebonLI]

I often say I'm my biggest speed bump. Baby steps are the key. Kind of sneak up on yourself...hee hee

[Happy]

In addition to planning what you will eat--veggies, fruits, whole grains--stock your kitchen for success.

 

For example, if I want to lose weight, eat healthy, and feel better...I can NOT buy Oreos. Period. I'll eat them every time. So I don't buy them. If they aren't in the house, I won't snarf them.

 

Stack the deck in your favor...stock up on all the yummy goodies which are really good for you.

 

Once a week or so, I'll indulge in ice cream or a Dr Pepper...always out of the house. It keeps me sane the rest of the time knowing on Saturday I get to indulge a little.

 

I walk every morning. I started with just a few minutes, but have increased the time and distance to where a 45 minute walk is easy. And my body is stronger. Gardening is not as hard any more because I can pick up a bag of topsoil and mulch instead of hurting. cue the Wonder Woman music...

 

When I eat well, when I exercise, I feel good. I've decided I like to feel good.

[homeschoolmom]

I know all the healthy choices I should make (esp. to lose these 45 pounds I need to lose) but I DON'T WANT TO DO THEM! (Sorry, for shouting.) How do I make myself want to make healthy choices? (Or is that too much of a paradox?) I think perhaps it is because the unhealthy choices have too much of a "benefit" for me - not in health of course, but in emotional or psychological terms.

 

I'm there too. I find that it helps if I'm not on a diet that deprives me so I have to learn to like/love exercising daily (which I don't). I also feel better when I eat high protein. I suspect I have a wheat allergy but I LOVE carbs.

 

My advice - find a few methods that you can be happy with so you can mix/match as you get bored as I find boredom to also be my undoing. I eventually get started with a health program but I'm forever slipping back.

 

Obvious stuff I know.

 

Good luck!

[Lovedtodeath]

 

I suspect I have a wheat allergy but I LOVE carbs.

There's tons of different grains that you can use. I had to cut out wheat when nursing DD and I still had muffins, pancakes, cookies and bread. The trick is that I had to make it all from scratch. You don't tend to eat as much in that case. :001_smile: I was a smaller size than I have been for my entire married life.

[Carol in Cal.]

A whole tree full of healthy food! Woohooo!