Eat the Things You Want to and Still Lose Weight

Losing weight can seem daunting, especially when you think you have to pass on all of your favorite foods. Eliminating all your favorite foods and restricting yourself too much can cause you to abandon your weight loss plans; however, as long as you incorporate exercise and eat the foods you love in moderation, you can still be successful with your weight loss goals.

Steps

Changing Your Eating Mindset

1. Avoid attaching guilt or judgement to food. Food is simply a source of nutrients and calories. It is not a moral entity or a thing you should feel guilty about. Stop thinking of your favorite foods as “guilty pleasures” or “weaknesses.” Replace those negative connotations with positive, encouraging ones that promote health and weight loss instead of shame and guilt.
   • For example, instead of saying that chocolate cake is your guilty pleasure, tell yourself that you love chocolate cake because it’s delicious, and that’s okay. To lose weight, you now simply stop at a small serving of the cake rather than eating two big pieces.
2. Give yourself permission to eat anything you want. Don’t make any foods off-limits. Instead, focus on eating foods you love in moderation. Allowing yourself moderate portions of foods and drinks that you love will stave off binges and help you feel less deprived, which in turn will help you lose weight.
   • Swearing off pizza or beer, for example, might sound like a good approach to weight loss for you if you love them. Unfortunately, if you deprive yourself of these treats, then you’ll likely sabotage yourself in the long run and binge on them. Instead of denying yourself the pizza, realize that it will be a part of your diet occasionally, and other foods like salad or fruit will complement that to give your body what it needs.
3. View food as fuel. Your body needs fuel to operate optimally. Food is neither your enemy nor your friend. It is there to keep you healthy and alive. Eat as much as you need to feel satisfied, and avoid severe calorie restriction as a weight loss tool, as this can lead to health problems and disordered eating.
   • A good approach to gauging your level of fullness is to rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10 during your meal. If 1 means you’re extremely hungry and 10 means you’re miserably full, aim for a score of 5 or 6 when your meal is over, to ensure that you’re not overeating and slowing down your weight loss.
   • Try addressing your nutrition needs by eating the necessary nutrients first, then anything else after that if you are still hungry.
   • If you eat only until you’re not hungry, as opposed to full, then you are practicing moderation with your eating. Even if you still occasionally incorporate your favorite unhealthy foods, eating them in smaller quantities will help with weight loss.
4. Concentrate on nutrition. When we are deficient in vitamins, minerals, and fat, we develop cravings for the wrong foods. To stave off these cravings and promote weight loss, be sure to eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods and take a multivitamin supplement, if needed.
   • Fruits, vegetables, and other fiber-rich foods are great sources of vitamins and minerals. These foods also tend to be low in calories, so filling up on these foods will help promote weight loss.
5. Don’t be afraid to eat fat. Your brain requires fat to function, so don’t be afraid of eating healthy fats like those found in avocados and fish. Studies have shown that very low fat diets are not ideal for weight loss or overall health because fats help with brain function, vitamin absorption, and help keep you fuller for longer.
   • Avoid dangerous types of fat like trans fats, which have been linked to a variety of health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke. Make sure you read food labels and do not buy anything with trans fats (sometimes called partially hydrogenated oils).
   • If you don’t enjoy eating fat, you can try a fish oil supplement. Be sure you store these supplements in the refrigerator to preserve freshness, and choose a brand that specifies that their supplements are free from Mercury.

Controlling Your Appetite

1. Know the difference between hunger and boredom. Many times when we are bored we turn to eating as a pleasurable activity to pass time; however, this can wreak havoc on our weight loss plans, especially if we choose unhealthy foods.
   • Avoid mindless eating in front of the TV or computer. Find other activities to keep your hands and/or mouth busy, such as knitting or chewing gum, so you don't feel compelled to mindlessly snack.
   • When you do eat, turn off the TV and put away your laptop, smartphone, or anything else distracting. Focus on eating mindfully and paying attention to your body.
2. Identify emotional eating. We often eat when we are stressed, sad, happy, or angry. Before you have a meal or snack, pause and ask yourself if you are actually hungry or if you're eating because of your present feelings.
   • Try keeping a food journal. Not only will this help you identify emotional eating, but it is also an excellent way to track your calories and plan for indulgences.
   • For example, if you want ice cream later in the day, you can plan ahead in your food journal to have a lighter lunch to make up for your high calorie treat. This will help you satisfy your cravings for the foods you love while still keeping you on track for your weight loss goals.
3. Stay hydrated. It is easy to confuse thirst for hunger because the same part of our brain, the hypothalamus, regulates both hunger and thirst. To combat this confusion, try having a large glass of water and waiting fifteen minutes. If you no longer feel hungry, then you were likely just dehydrated.
   • To avoid dehydration and help curb cravings, invest in a refillable water bottle, so you always have access to water.
4. Put cravings on hold. If you're craving a particular unhealthy food that you love, try to distract yourself and wait twenty minutes. Do something unrelated to food like going for a short walk or calling a friend. Have a small piece of fruit or vegetable, and then if you still want the food that you were craving, then don't deprive yourself (but limit your portion size).
5. Avoid foods known to cause cravings. Some foods and drinks contain ingredients that make us feel hungry when we consume them. Artificial sweeteners in diet sodas and regular sugar can cause us to feel hungrier by spiking blood sugar and having little nutritional value.

Burning Calories

1. Set a workout goal. Once you decide on a calorie goal for your weight loss regimen, then it’s important to create a matching workout plan. If you plan to keep incorporating your favorite foods, then you need to remain flexible with your expectations. To lose 1lb per week, you need to consume 500 fewer calories per day than you burn.
   • You might lose weight more slowly than those who adhere to very strict diets, but remember that your approach is more healthy and sustainable in the long-term. Crash diets and overly restrictive diets usually lead to binges and other unhealthy eating habits, and people usually gain back the weight they lost.
2. Burn as many calories as possible. When you want to lose weight and still eat your favorite foods, it’s important to exercise to offset any extra calories you might consume. Interval training in which you alternate bursts of hard cardio exercises with moderate cardio are very efficient calorie burners.
   • For example, if you know that you will be having a high-calorie dinner, then you can help offset the calorie overload by increasing your workout for that particular day. Be sure to accurately Measure Calories Burned During Exercise.
   • Running interspersed with fast walking or using an elliptical machine at varying levels of difficulty are excellent ways to incorporate interval training.
3. Add extra exercises throughout your day. If you have an office job or are a student, you might find that you spend a majority of your day sitting and getting little to no exercise. Incorporate techniques that will help you Burn Calories at Work, such as taking the stairs to your office, stretching at your desk, and taking walks during your lunch break.
   • If your workplace allows it, install a standing desk. We burn more calories standing than sitting, so this is an option to increase your calorie burn while at work. You might even be able to use a walking/treadmill desk, though these can be expensive.
4. Invest in a fitness tracker. If you are a visual person, then a fitness tracker might be helpful for you in your weight loss goals. These trackers can track your steps, calories burned, sleep patterns, and heart rate, to give you a broad picture of your weight loss and exercise progress.
   • Knowing your calorie burn for the day will tell you how many calories to allot at mealtimes, which will help accelerate your weight loss.
5. Move past setbacks. Don’t beat yourself up if you experience a setback and binge one day or skip a week at the gym. One day of overeating will not completely sabotage your weight loss goals. Be sure to pick up the next day with your exercise routine and eating the foods you love in moderation.
   • Remember that 3,500 calories equals a pound, so even if you binged on your favorite unhealthy food, you probably didn't undo very much of your weight loss progress.

Tips

• Avoid becoming too strict with your diet. Disordered eating can lead to serious health problems. If you feel like your eating or exercise patterns aren't healthy, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for help at 1-800-931-2237.

What You'll Need

• Journal (notebook or app)
• Fitness tracker
• Refillable water bottle

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