I cannot control my eating of junk food

[Jenelia]

Hello everyone,

I am a working executive, working long hours and addicted to fast food, usually eating while I'm in the office. I seem to eat whether I'm hungry or not and have got to a stage where I am unable to control my eating habit. Unfortunately, my weight is increasing and I'm being forced to buy clothes a size larger than normal. I can devote a little time to exercise, but is there a recommended safe way to lose weight? I've heard of all these diets, such as Atkins, that don't sound very healthy at all.

[Kiwismum]

Welcome Jenelia,

I am sure we can all relate to what you are saying.

Don't think of it as a diet, but rather you are retraining what and how you eat.

Eating small regular meals will stop the hunger as well as retrain your body into using the food as you eat it and not store it.

Eating real food in smaller amounts means that you are still eating what you like and don't have any major adjustments to make after you reach you goal weight.

Whatever way you choose to go you need to see it as an eating plan for life. It is ok to have some treats, but they need to be balanced in with the rest of your food.

Exercise is important to our overall health, but will not by itself solve an overweight problem.

There are many fad diets and quick fixes out there, but unless you have a long term plan you will always end up in the same place.

For me I love my food and although I don't eat alot of takeout food, I am guilty of quite often adding a bit more of whatever we are eating, so portion control is probably my biggest challenge right now. We all have to tackle it in our own personal way, and I find weighing and measuring helps me emensly.

Hope you stick around and chat with us for a while.

[lynda]

Hi Jenelia,
If you want to stop the junk food, biggest hint is "go prepared".  by that I mean take planned snacks and lunches.
The Kiwi Kiss programme is excellent and I think of it as a life plan.  I admit I don't always follow it but I can say that nearly 95% of meals I have are programme meals and I love them.  The recipes are there to be used, and I do use them and the whole family love them.  Snacking of course when working long hours is a problem and when I go prepared, I can snack and lose weight!!

Hope this helps at least a little.  Often we "know" the answer, its just standing up and "doing" it!!  Its a pity we can't just decide "I want to be slim today" and kaboom - its there!  Maybe next century!
Lynda

[Boskie]

Hi,
I fully understand your problem - its quite common that people working long hours in offices pick up habits like eating junk food and set aside no time to exercise. Junk food is a serious health risk. My advice would be the following:
•   Stop eating junk food, or at least cut it down to eating junk food a maximum of once per week.
•   Start some simple, low key exercise such as walking

[Yvonne]

Hi Jenella,
Nice to meet someone else trying to shed the dreaded kilos!  I think both kiwismum and Lynda have given you good advice.  I find smaller portions help, but bigger ones of low calorie food such as salads (go easy on the dressings), vegetable soups in winter, fruit within reason (good time now to snack on the low cal berries)...and pre planning meals and snacks...

As I was not in the postion to join a gym or get involved with sport just plain walking helped me.   At first it was no more than five minutes but slowly as the days went by the distances increased and now a forty minute walk is done easily.  Its taking those first steps and setting aside time each day...I found once the routine was established I had to keep it up or..I gave up!

I think sensible eating and an exercise that suits your lifestyle is the way to go (we have an exercise machine covered in dust..was such a waste of money)..and patience!!   It takes time and you will have the odd day when nothing goes right..just have to start again next day..you will get there!

Its more like choosing a new way to eat than thinking of it as losing weight, good luck, will be interested to hear how you go.
   

[lynda]

Hi, just another quick thought.  Long hours are taxing, but I have recently started using a pedometer and am amazed (not in a good way) how few steps I can take some days.  Its made me realise so I am regularly around 5-6500 now just by checking the count and thinking, oh I can walk outside at lunchtime to bring that up, around the house, just making the effort whereas before I was all for "streamlining" so I didn't have to backtrack - you know, picking everything from printer at once, do smaller visits, walk instead of email, it has made a bit of a difference!  Every little bit helps.

Good luck.  Would love to know if anything has helped or you would like us to think more outside the square for you!!!

[Yvonne]

I so totally agree with Lynda, for those of us who dont go to a gym or do outside physical,work a pedometer is invaluable.  They are not an expensive item.. I know the pedometer, a decent set of scales to weigh food and a diary to actually write down what I ate and steps for the day where three most important things in my weight loss...and a pair of shoes to walk in

If I dont physically go for a walk I only do about six thousand steps a day...

I do count the steps before I put it on and after I take it off Lynda   I reckon that time deserves another 100 added on

[lynda]

Yvonne, I was amazed often how many steps I took before I was up and going for the day.  I put it on from the moment my feet touched the ground and just going to the ladies, then letting dog out, making husband and I cup of tea, all those little things and it would easily be 200 plus!!!

I got to 8200 yesterday. After I got back from weighin it was a bit later than normal, I was starving and ti was dark by the time I felt up to a walk... now wasn't that handy!!!

[Yvonne]

Thats handy to know Lynda.  I dont put mine on until after I have showered and dressed..doesnt really clip onto a dressing gown   Before I get around to doing that I have let dogs in and out, fed dogs, fed myself so I reckon theres a few steps..same at the end of the day..even after I am ready for bed I seem to be letting animals in and out, giving them their suppertime biscuit, making my last drink for the evening..even during the night if anyone of the canine type needs to go out its me that gets up lets them out then back in..so those extra steps must count for something.

As your weight drops you are meant to reprogramme your pedometer (daughters job here, shes better at gadgets than I am)...I remember the first pedometer I had was hopeless, was heavy, never stayed clipped on, I always said first time it falls down the loo thats it!  Its history.   It never did and thankfully the ones after that have been much lighter (and cheaper) and different ones do different things...one type I bought beeps after a certain stage to let you know how you are doing
All encouragement helps.

How was your weigh in???