How to kick bad eating habits..

[trillish10]

So over this past summer i lost about 25lbs and am feeling pretty good about myself. However, this weight was due to working construction daily for 3 1/2 months. I was eating badly during this time. Now that i have started school again i am not being so active but my eating habits are still horrible. I dont want to gain this weight back but i cant seem to lose the horrible, impuslive eating. is there any helpful tips to curb this habit? im trying to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle for my body, and mind. Thanks.

 

[Maya]

I am actually the same op, I eat a lot of food. If you are finding it hard to suddenly stop eating impulsively maybe you can start with cutting back on fatty food and eat more fruits and vegetables as it will be healthier this way. I would also suggest to exercise as this is the part of living healthy. Even 15 to 20 min of cardio as s start won't hurt as well. If you can try to do it at least 4 times a week this will benefit you. Portions portions portions! I have learned to listen to my stomach, if she is hungry, I feed her, if not then no need to eat additional snacks. It shouldn't be too hard once you get used to it.

 

[ilikestims]

What worked for me many years ago was beginning very slowly. I decided cutting out naughty foods was more productive than adding healthy ones. So I started with no more soda. Then no liquid calories. Then going from salty mixed nuts to unsalted mixed nuts. And so on.

Trying to do too much at one time is a recipe nearly guaranteed to failure.

Oh: write down everything you eat and the time you eat it. Helps tremendously.

 

[Foreigner]

Most junk food is either fat or sugar, which are things the body craves when it goes through periods of stress. Carbs especially are easy to digest, though not the most bountiful. When stress is high, cortisol is high, and the body will shift priorities toward fat storage because the evolutionary mechanism is that survival is being threatened.

In people with a wiry constitution - that is, skinny body, eats like crazy (especially carby things) but never gains - there are problems with protein digestion. It's usually due to poor diet early in life leading to malnutrition. These people shy away from heavier kinds of foods and stick to eating stuff that's easy to process. You can take 1-2 drops of mahonia aquifolium (oregon grape) 20 minutes before eating a protein meal and it will re-train your constitution to process protein.

A lot of people know how to eat healthy, they just feel compelled to do the opposite. IME the primary reason is stress. Managing stress leads to better eating, and then better eating makes stress more manageable.

 

[Maya]

Most junk food is either fat or sugar, which are things the body craves when it goes through periods of stress. Carbs especially are easy to digest, though not the most bountiful. When stress is high, cortisol is high, and the body will shift priorities toward fat storage because the evolutionary mechanism is that survival is being threatened.

In people with a wiry constitution - that is, skinny body, eats like crazy (especially carby things) but never gains - there are problems with protein digestion. It's usually due to poor diet early in life leading to malnutrition. These people shy away from heavier kinds of foods and stick to eating stuff that's easy to process. You can take 1-2 drops of mahonia aquifolium (oregon grape) 20 minutes before eating a protein meal and it will re-train your constitution to process protein.

A lot of people know how to eat healthy, they just feel compelled to do the opposite. IME the primary reason is stress. Managing stress leads to better eating, and then better eating makes stress more manageable.

I agree with this, some people tend to eat less when stressed out and others resort to eating. I am one of those who resort to eating sweets when I am stressed out so I do my best to control myself or just replace it with eating fruits instead of junk food.

I think this would also depend on the body type and metabolism. My body frame is medium built and I'm big boned as well so I don't expect to be super skinny.

 

[ilikestims]

Many people don't realize that your taste buds can and will change. We have bacteria in our gut that serves as a "second brain," with a "memory" of the things you've eaten. It takes time to change, but it's partly why you shouldn't, optimally speaking, have a "cheat day" or any of that nonsense.

I highly recommend "The Pleasure Trap" by Goldhamer and Lisle.

The habits that helped me change my taste buds and learn to literally desire healthful food over unhealthful food are, in rough order:

- Fasting
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh veggie juice (very little, or sometimes no, fruit)
- Spirulina & chlorella

 

[Maya]

^ Well that's good that you are super healthy but IMO you seem to over do it. Don't you think that everything should be done in moderation?

 

[Foreigner]

Many people don't realize that your taste buds can and will change.

That's an interesting statement. In the qi gong understanding of the body from eastern medicine, there are two organ meridians which go to the tongue and the taste buds: spleen (the term for the digestive apparatus), and heart.

In a "spleen" person, pleasure is what governs eating habits. They eat impulsively and often emotionally, with more regard for what foods bring feelings of instant gratification. Sweets are a big one.

A "heart" person is naturally attracted to foods that maintain a higher vibration, and they are repulsed by foods that have dead energy.

The transition from a spleen person to a heart person involves dealing with emotional baggage combined with learning new nutrition habits.

 

[ilikestims]

^ Well that's good that you are super healthy but IMO you seem to over do it. Don't you think that everything should be done in moderation?

For some things there is no such thing as moderation. "Everything should be done in moderation, including moderation." You'll just have to read the book to find out more.

People don't understand that a lot of things in our current environment -- porn is another example, as well as video games -- are hyperstimulants that, evolutionarily, our brain has no answer for. Indulging in them simply fucks your shit up, and the healthiest amount is "none."

Foreigner, is the qi gong understanding of the body related or similar to Ayurveda?

The transition from a spleen person to a heart person involves dealing with emotional baggage combined with learning new nutrition habits.

I like this .

 

[Maya]

For some things there is no such thing as moderation. "Everything should be done in moderation, including moderation." You'll just have to read the book to find out more.

People don't understand that a lot of things in our current environment -- porn is another example, as well as video games -- are hyperstimulants that, evolutionarily, our brain has no answer for. Indulging in them simply fucks your shit up, and the healthiest amount is "none."

See there you go I bolded the word indulge for you. For the sake of not derailing this thread I will not comment further as you clearly seem to over do things. We will always have different opinions and I respect your opinion on this.

 

[ilikestims]

I do not mean "indulging" in the connotation of excessive (a connotation which is not implicit to the definition of the word); I mean it as:

to yield to an inclination or desire; allow oneself to follow one's will

Anywho, "arguing" about it isn't going to do anything. If you're truly curious, you'll read the book or otherwise research the subject. If you aren't, you'll continue doing what you're doing and believing what you're believing.

From the tone of your post I get the indication that you just want to convince someone (you and/or me) of something. I'm not in the business of convincing anyone of anything, though; I don't care. I point the finger to potential information; ignore it or check it out, it's all the same to me. -shrugs-

 

[ch0psy]

I find one of the best ways to kick bad habits is to have a big cook up on the weekend

If you can make most of your lunches on the weekend so you can just grab it out of the freezer and heat it up for lunch you wont be tempted by bad things

Also eating every 2.5-3 hours

I will start my day with going to the gym, getting a decent breakfast in after that > Mid Morning Snack > Decent Sized Lunch > Mid Arvo Snack > Smaller dinner than lunch> Decent night sleep... REPEAT!

 

[dopemaster]

The best way to go about healthy eating is to make it a lifestyle and not a diet.

Fatty foods are pleasing at first, but once you switch to healthy foods you wont even be able to stomach them.

I highly suggest whole wheat bread, fruits, vegtables, and getting the leanest meat you can. A high protein diet will satisfy your urge for fatty foods.

You can eat a cheeseburger just fine it you cook it with the leanest beef at the store and eat it on a whole wheat bun. I personally prefer that over any fast food. Also don't buy your meet at walmart because they put a lot of preservative in it and most grocery stores don't.

It takes bit getting used to but after a while you will crave healthy food and really start to despise fast food. Also the best way to avoid fast food is to make your own lunch at home. It will also save you a lot of money eating healthier and preparing your own food. Produce is so cheap and fruits and veggies are so good for a person as well as filling.

That being said I think salads are over rated as lettuce is basically water so I just go straight for raw veggies and some veggie dip if need be for flavor.

 

[QUARE]

Get you some nice new recipe to cook. Eating at restaurants and fast-food is easy but it always taste the same. There thousan of millions of recipe over the internet, some are very easy to make if your not really a cook. I tell you what, I prefer by far my moms cooking to any of those burgers. I use to eat 1 or 2 in a while when I feel like eating junk but not even 1 every months. Eating good foods can be an habit too.

 

[MedullaOblongatas]

ilikestims I totally agree with you about changing your taste inclinations through consistent eating practices.

I do not mean "indulging" in the connotation of excessive (a connotation which is not implicit to the definition of the word); I mean it as:

Anywho, "arguing" about it isn't going to do anything. If you're truly curious, you'll read the book or otherwise research the subject. If you aren't, you'll continue doing what you're doing and believing what you're believing.

From the tone of your post I get the indication that you just want to convince someone (you and/or me) of something. I'm not in the business of convincing anyone of anything, though; I don't care. I point the finger to potential information; ignore it or check it out, it's all the same to me. -shrugs-

but ^ this post makes you sound like a pretentious person. unfortunate.

 

[Spoo]

Well, the urge to impulsivly eat doesnt necessarily equate to impulsive eating, so your going to have to distance yourself and manage what it is to have that urge and then not act up on it.


In some way your life-style shift actually contributed in part to that uncontrollable urge to eat because you were working out and being very active which naturally tends to make you more hungry. Now, just because you stop working out doesnt mean your body is fully accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle so your going to have to realize that for a brief time the caloric intake your body demands is not equal to what you're going to be expending.


You'll have to keep in mind, though, however the quality of food and quality of calories you take in. Sit down, make a list of all non-packaged healthy foods that follow the USDA dietary guidelines and reward yourself when you actually stick to that plan.

Why dont you exercise now? There is no down-side to that.

And there really is no secrete to keeping weight off. Keep track of your calories and be sure to expend more energy than you take in. Thats it. It may be helpful to find other activities that can keep you occupied when your hungry so you learn to control yourself to a moderation by way of behavioral conditioning. So when you're hungry, BOOM, that means do "this" and "this" activity and keep yourself preoccupied with another positive re-enforcement.

 

[ebola?]

Honestly...I've found that cutting out pot has reduced my random carb binges...that coupled with ~2 hrs. / cardio / day has made the pounds melt off. . .

ebola

 

[ilikestims]

ilikestims I totally agree with you about changing your taste inclinations through consistent eating practices.



but ^ this post makes you sound like a pretentious person. unfortunate.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

(Well, not really, but that just makes me sound like a pretentious person. )

 

[ebola?]

Ooooh...when I underdose caffeine, I seem to binge eat like a mofo. However, tapering off caffeine appears to be key for me keeping a relatively sane BP.

ebola

 

[euphoria]

What worked for me many years ago was beginning very slowly. I decided cutting out naughty foods was more productive than adding healthy ones. So I started with no more soda. Then no liquid calories. Then going from salty mixed nuts to unsalted mixed nuts. And so on.

Trying to do too much at one time is a recipe nearly guaranteed to failure.

Oh: write down everything you eat and the time you eat it. Helps tremendously.

This. Set yourself up for success. Speaking for myself, it's unlikely I'm going to be able to sustain a super strict diet for longer than a week or so. Just change one thing at a time, and eventually it becomes a lifestyle change. One day you suddenly realize you eat very healthy without even trying to.

Also, sugar and junk food cravings will decrease over time if you don't feed into them. It's like nicotine. Give it a couple days and wait it out, the cravings WILL decrease.