Quote:
Originally Posted by jw372  I also feel as though I'm not dieting nearly strictly enough to see significant results. Yet I feel that if I restricted my food any more than I have done, I'd be a basket case inside a week. Besides, I really am consuming far fewer calories than I normally would, as well as exercising far more. Since I haven't been gaining weight, doing this ought surely to make me lose weight. But then why do I feel so guilty over (relatively) small things like the mayonnaise in the coleslaw or the teaspoon of butter in the polenta? |
You're restricting plenty; I'd guess you could probably eat more if you counted
calories. (It's hard to tell what calorie level you're at just by reading descriptions.) I lost my first 25
pounds just "eating less" - I was having foot problems that kept me from doing any exercise.
The guilt you feel is emotional guilt, not logical guilt. You shouldn't expect it to be susceptible to logical analysis. At some point, you'll probably want to figure out the emotional reasons behind your food choices, but there's no need to go there now.
I'm not a binge eater, so something that's always worked well for me was to have a small portion of whatever I'm craving, but to make sure it's really good quality. Knowing that if I really want something badly enough, I can *always* choose to have some makes it a lot easier to decide if I *really* want it or if I'd just as soon pass. So I keep the chocolate I like best around, and if I really want chocolate, I'll have a square.
As far as carb cravings, the best thing for me for that is lots and lots of lean protein, and relatively few carbs other than fruits and veggies. Not necessarily low-carb (because you can get plenty of carbs in fruits and veggies, if you're so inclined), but a lot lower than I'd have eaten when I was gaining or maintaining. Not necessarily something that works for everyone, but I find it works for me.
Oh, and it took me forever after I started eating better (and less) to see any movement on the scale. Like 3 or 4 weeks. Some people see a really fast initial loss, but not me. So if that happens to you, hang in there. The scale will move eventually.
