What food items have you cut out, and how long?!
First thing I gave up was fast food and going out to the bar (which led to the fast food)! I started making my own breakfast (oatmela, yogurt) and then I decided that I would cut out ground beef. I've since had ground beef, but it's a really rare occasion. I started a yoga class for weight loss (lost 20 lbs!) and became a semi - vegetarian last summer! I joined a CSA and have gone back to meat, but in more moderation and balance!
It has now been one whole year since I have eaten a ground Beef hamburger. I've had turkey, buffalo, chicken and veggie-soy, but no Beef. I no longer crave a McDonald's Double Cheeseburger with small fries (okay, sometimes, but not as bad as before); in fact, It's been a year since McDonald's has seen any of my money!
What items have you give up? How Long? Was there a reason behind it?
And for those that are trying to be healthy in a more natural way (no diet pills, fad diets, extreme classes, or other "in" things), keep it up, remember to breathe and make each day a tiny workout!
Answers:
My husband just went through a health "episode" and we decided to eat "cleaner". We totally cut out soda and caffeine. We switched to water and tea, we've both lost 30 lbs since the beginning of Jan. We cut back our salt intake and when we do eat read meat we eat lean meat. My husband would add "toppings" to every thing he ate, such as cheese, ketchup, A1, he didn't realize how many calories/salt were in each. Cutting way back on dairy is good too. We try to eat at least one orange a day to get the Vitamin C and fiber. Instead of McDonald's breakfast sandwiches he gets the Jimmy Dean brand healthy option frozen sandwiches (he works on the road). I also pack his lunch now which cuts back on the "toppings" restaurants add in major quantities. Agave nectar (sold like honey) is great to keep around for a natural sweetener, you can use it in drinks as well as baking. We don't eat anything white if we can help it, it has zero nutritional Value, we eat all whole wheat breads, pastas, etc. They are good carbs and you are actually getting "fuel" from instead of processing them into sugar. Dr. Oz has some great books and his website is also great for this type of questions. Good Luck!!!
Hey. I'm only 15, but i find your story inspirational!
In June last year, i weighed 175lbs. Bit much for a 14 year old huh?
Now, i weigh 116lbs. And my lifestyle has changed a lot.
I'll admit, i mainly did it so i could feel young. And go out and feel good in clothes and feel able to stand in shops picking and choosing pretty outfits. Since i was 12 i tried crappy little diets, such as eat a small bowl of special k for breakfast, only one banana and apple in the day, and salad for dinner.
Well, i had episodes of this on and off which lasted about 2 days each times. Then i binged in between. So yeah, 'nothing worked'
In the summer holidays (August '10) I decided to start exercising daily (1 hour cardio) and i started to lose weight. Obviously, i decided to try and keep it up. But it dawned on me it didn't need to involve starving myself. I happily had a big bowl of healthy cereal for breakfast, snacks, sandwiches, snacks and a balanced dinner.
Cutting a long story short. I'm now actually classified as underweight for my height (5''7). But i'd rather be that than fat and eating all the time. I used to come home and eat about 1000 calories worth or sweets and chocolate and crisps BEFORE dinner. I can't believe it now.
Now, i like to FEEL healthy. I like exercise, i enjoy eating healthily., And i still enjoy junk food. But i don't CRAVE it, because i understand the meaning of food, and how it impacts your life sometimes, and the significance of setting guidelines. Now i don't actually crave anything, i guess i just miss my laid back days when i ate and ate and ate, despite i gained a lot.
Oddly enough, i'm still losing weight even though i eat about 2,000 calories a day. I'm not 'health' conscious, but i am weight conscious, and it feels amazing to have achieved something so large for myself. I eat one piece of junk a day so i feel like a normal teen haha :) But i genuinely do not like the feeling of being full, or even eating anything NEAR my old eating habits.
It shows that 'dieting' wont ever work unless you have had life changing thoughts for yourself, and i took me years to get it right. Now, eating well and feeling healthy comes naturally.
Anyways, i know we have 2 totally different stories. But theres mine. And similarly to your mc d's thing, i haven't 'binged' at a chinese buffet (my weakness) since october! I realized that having a treat day doesn't mean forget everything, because you are only attaching guilt to yourself, your physical reactions don't get a day off. (I came back 6lbs heavier LOL) and that was the day after!
By the way, i gave up all junk, except a chocolate piece a day (sometimes 2-3) because we had lots of choccy boxes at home. Funnily enough it didn't stop me losing. I didn't eat loads of carbs, but i still had them. I replaced snacks with small amounts of fruit, and set food times for myself. Rather than eating whenever. And found myself more grateful for food, and i savored it way more. (Now i'm happy with ONE chocolate, rather than half the freaking box!)
Anyways, Good luck to you :)
-Deana
Yeah, I gave up milk 15 years ago because I realized it was making me sick. Then I did research on it and was horrified that they've passing this off as "health food" for my whole entire life and even longer. It's a complete myth - nobody needs it. And my bones got stronger without milk - go figure. I don't eat ice cream, either - it's really horrible for you.
I gave up fast food and I'm trying to give up non-organic meat and eggs. I believe that most people need meat and shouldn't be totally vegetarian. Eating organic meat is a real mood-booster for me.
I stopped eating chocolate many years ago because it makes me "hormonal" - depressed, irritable, angry, paranoid, and generally wacko. I did lots of internet research, trying to find out which chemicals did that to me. It's very hard to find info like that on a food that's supposed to be "healthy". I found out it has neurotoxins in it, mild ones, but they're there, and I'm more sensitive to them than most other people. The better quality the chocolate, the worse I feel. It's not the sugar or caffeine - it's the theobroma plant it comes from.
I haven't had to give anything up because I take the moderation is key approach. To each their own as far as what they want to eat. I'm perfectly healthy and at my ideal weight and BMI. Personally, I consume food to survive and eat only when I'm hungry, I have never viewed food as a reward or whenever I'm feeling down. I do ocassionally desire a small piece of chocolate or a burger and have no problem eating it. And yes, I eat McDonalds ocassionally. I do simple things like taking half a bun or slice of bread off everything and I drink lots of water. I don't view it as giving something up, I view it as enjoying the stuff I prefer. But if more people took your position of taking care of their diet we wouldn't be the fattest nation in the world. Congratulations on your accomplishments. It sounds as though you are really proud of yourself and you should be.
