When I originally began my weight reduction quest, I refused to buy any processed meals because I was living away from my family, who always had such items in the house, and I frequently ended up devouring a lot of them. But I soon noticed that this only led to my going to the store and purchasing a large number of unhealthy snacks at once whenever I was stressed.
I’ve been practicing CICO for a few weeks now and have a 1900-day limit. So I tried to buy a pack of chocolate bars and have one within my daily calorie allowance, but I always end up eating the entire pack in the evening. Do you have any advice? Just trying not to have such a restrictive relationship around food but not binging either!!
It’s almost impossible for me, yet I can do it some days and not others. I believe it is related to how frequently I consume it; if I consume it infrequently, having a small amount is a novelty, and I do not feel the need to consume large quantities. It also tastes more sweeter and richer because my taste receptors have changed and having too much is no longer desirable. I’m not sure how people can eat like one chocolate bar and stuff every day, but I suppose the hardest part is just getting accustomed to it, and if you can get into the habit of eating only one small chocolate bar every day, it won’t be that difficult.
I buy the 2-packs of Oreos. And Hershey’s kisses. At the end of the day, I normally consume oreos or a yasso fudge brownie bar (100 calories), as well as a few kisses after lunch. It only adds about 170 calories to my day, and it’s well worth it.
I store a substantial amount of my “bonus” foods outside the house. If I want a treat, I’ll go get one and enjoy it. I normally strive to have two extra foods per week.
Aside from that, I prepare a lot of my own snacks in a healthy way, which makes it less appealing to consume chips, cookies, or anything on a regular basis.
I just finished preparing Mejool date “snickers”. It’s just dates with natural creamy peanut butter, crushed peanuts, a drizzle of dark chocolate, and sea salt, all refrigerated.
I buy 80% chocolate bars and have one after lunch and another after dinner. I quickly became used to the taste. If I want an extremely sweet chocolate, I go to local stores that offer single Hershey’s bars and buy one or two. If I buy the full bar, it will be gone in an hour max.
For me, it was largely a mental issue. First and foremost, I stopped eating my sweets in front of the candy stash or refrigerator. I’d take it, place it in a bowl or on a plate, and take it out of the kitchen to eat somewhere else. I believe this allows my brain to recognise that I have eaten candy rather of reaching for another piece right after.
After I ate it, I sat for a time. And I generally realise when my sweet tooth is satisfied. Unfortunately, it is sometimes necessary to deliberately tell myself no, that a snack is a snack, a treat is a treat, and the goal of a treat is to be something exceptional, not something until I don’t want it anymore.
I bake occasionally; right now, I have banana bread and brownies in the fridge, and I’d rather have a moderate serving and maintain my weight loss than treat food like an amusement park. Just attempting to think like a skinny person, and I already know how the other half lives.
I budget those calories at the start of the day and pre-log them. the way, if and when I want the 200-calorie item, I can decide whether I’m still hungry or want a reward.