Ok, so i'm not extremely overweight, but i'm definately not a healthy weight for my age/height.

I have no problems working out. I can go on the treadmill, walking at a faster pace for 30 minutes, then switch over to the bike for 30 minutes. I have no problems with that. I pretty much go through 3 cardio machines while i'm at the gym, doing 20-30 minutes on each. I can weight train with no hesitations as well.

MY PROBLEM IS, FOOD!
No matter what, I can never seem to stay away from junk food. It's almost like an addiction, like smoking. I'm being totally serious right now. I'll go to the gym for a couple hours, and feel all pumped and good about myself, then i'll give in and go to McDonalds, and kill it. I don't know why. No matter how hard I try I give in. I've been at this off and on for almost a year now. I start to diet/workout, then fall off and start eating junk again.

I'm not a big fan of taking pills, but i've even tried Hoodia recently, obviously didn't work. I've tried drinking tons of water when I get cravings.

I don't know what to do anymore.

Im no expert but I will give you my advice. There is an obvious problem since you dont want to eat the food and you do it anyway. It could be a mental problem, or as simple as you dont have the resources to get healthy food at the time. What you should do first is identify the cause of the problem and then move forward from there. Once you find that, don't look to diet. You should be making a lifestyle change if you want to lose weight and keep that weight off.

Im sure other people will say similar things so I will let them elaborate since they have a lot more information than me.

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"There's not a lot of difference between a fox whole and a grave, but knowing that you dug your ditch and climbed in anyway."

Why do you do it?

Don't say, "If I knew, I'd change."

Actually think about it: What makes you 'travel' toward the shit food that wreaks havoc on your true desires? What are you acutely thinking when you do it?

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Well, I can't speak for him, but I have the same problem and I'm thinking : It's cheap, it's fast, and that bacon cheese burger sure does taste good.

So far my problem has been getting bored with the healthy stuff. Especially when I'm tired, I work nights and by the time I get home in the morn I don't feel like preparing anything. I take boiled eggs, fruits, sandwhichs, cereal or cereal bars with me to work to have before I leave for home but it doesnt feel me up, any suggestions?

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This might come across as completely rude, so let me cushion it with the fact that it's not my intent.

But what you typed here can essentially be summed up to, "I'm too lazy to do what needs to be done."

Is that really the reason you choose to make these irrational decisions? Or is there something deeper? Keep asking yourself why until you can't answer the question anymore. That will usually get you closer to the real, underlying issues at hand.

It's also important to note that, although not the only required factor, one must hold his or her outcomes (goals) in higher (or more important) light than the acute behavior.

This is easier said than done, but until you let go of those feelings of acute satisfaction or ease of preparation/consumption, etc... until you minimize the pleasure you get from these things and, conversely, maximize the pain they provide you in relation to your ultimate goals... the longer you are going to struggle.

Maybe you're being too rigid in either your food selection or caloric intake. I can't tell from this post though, but rigidity will certainly lead to frustration in most cases.

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I knew the "lazy" thing would come up, but I'm not. I work 8hrs throughout the night, most of this time I spend on my feet, and then spend an hour in traffic. It's called being tired. But thanks for the advice, I'll keep it in mind.

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So do you think all those who have successfully lost weight had easy lives? I assure you they haven't. I've reached my physique goals and I continue to do so. I work more hours than most anyone I know. I have a very active social life. I have a wife and am in the midst of buying the house of my dreams. I will try to have kids sooner than later. This list goes on. Life isn't a walk in the park for most.

Making the decisions/choices that are going to translate into success in terms of your physique/health goals is on you. Life isn't going to get easier so if you ever want to realize these things, something has to give; namely your willingness to make the 'right' choices.

I don't care if you call it laziness, tiredness, business, being overwhelmed, etc, etc. The fact remains that you have a choice.

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I feel your pain. I'm also easily tempted by junk food. Personally, Hoodia has worked great for me (and my BF). Maybe it's the kind you used. There are so many different ones on the market, you really have to be careful. They don't all work.

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http://www.carinna.wordpress.com
**Comments are welcome**

In response to the increasing tension in this thread---

I think everybodys own sense of willpower, diet, exercise, and control are extremely different and thus varied.

In answer to the first post I know exactly what you are going through. And, although Im sure a portion of it is down to pure laziness and tiredness ( we are human ) I think another area of it maybe down to your mental health. As Ive said before on this board I have been currently in therapy for bulimia. (B/P free since 1/08) and food has always been my issue, I can work out until the cows come home but then blow it on bad food decisions that ultimately would lead to guilt. Ive tried most every diet pill imaginable and none of them really helped to curb my apeptite.

The only advice i can offer is will power--at the end of the day you are responsible for what you put in your body and what you get out of your body.

Try and regroup yourself before you end up sitting in line at the drive thru, ask yourself if its just habit that your going getting food thats bad for you? OR if theres something inside of you thats making you need and want it?

If its the second option--id advise maybe seeing your doctor or a therapist because there might be an underlying problem that can be treated. But if its the first option or even something else, try and distract yourself, drink lots of water, and if you must go to a fast food place try and balance your options out so if you get a cheeseburger dont get the full meal (fries and a coke) or get a smaller size of what you would normally have.

Sometimes a persons body just needs a small taste of what they are craving in order to kick their body back on track.

Personally, I dont think theres anything wrong with you, alot of people have some small issues with food, but bad habits die hard, and it wil be a challenge to change your way of thinking and your actions--

--I hope that helps

That's the case for a lot of people.

Being organised helps A LOT. I study full time at University, and I also work full time, and still have time to go out with my friends and see my boyfriend.

I just get up a little earlier to prepare breakfast/lunch. I cook foods on a sunday afternoon when I have time and freeze them for when I come home at 9pm at night from Uni. I carry healthy snacks like apples, bananas, nuts, muesli bars etc for when I need to eat on the run.

If you KNOW you are going to be tired when you get home, doesn't it make sense to make plans in advance?

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Starting Weight: 62kg - Current Weight: 57.4kg - Goal Weight: 52kg

Some people don't realize that bad food can be a VERY strong addiction.

We KNOW its bad for us.

We KNOW we will regret it later, yet we still do it. Why? I guess cause we find comfort in it. I don't think you can physcially get addicted to anything except caffeinne so its gotta be a mental addiction. It IS an addiction though.

Try an overeater's anonymous group and take it one step at a time. Or see a therapist that deals with Overeaters. I dont know if Overeater anonymous groups are like NA or AA where they force a belief in God into the program, which would not be beneficial to someone looking for help who doesn't believe in that.

Good luck, its tough. Its a struggle everyday, though I noticed the first couple days were the hardest on me, I then only get cravings usually when I'm stressed and I just need to focus on those times and I cna get through them.

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Can't get addicted to anything except caffeine?

We are addicted to things because of the biochemical/neurochemical reactions in the brain. Food (especially carbs) can provide the chemical reactions that establish an addiction.

I've worked with pretty many people and in my experience, which you can take for what it's worth.... most people who are 'struggling' aren't facing food addiction. They simply haven't spent enough time organizing their minds, goals, desires, etc. Seems stupidly simplistic but, again in my experience, said simplicity is what has kept people from realizing progress.

I'll note that I have actually come across a few clients who are battling food addiction and it's really an entirely different matter.

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I'm with Steve - that may be the excuse, but it's not the real reason. There's plenty of non-boring stuff that's lower-calorie and more nutritious than a bacon cheeseburger, and doesn't require a lot of prep work.

Veggies and dip, tuna-in-a-pouch with a little mayo or ranch dressing stirred in, rotisserie chicken, frozen cooked-and-peeled shrimp, Nature Valley nut bars (Roasted Nut Crunch Bars | Nature Valley | Walgreens), raw unsalted almonds, hummus, frozen fruit (I like mangoes, sweet cherries, and raspberries, all of which are better and cheaper frozen than I can usually get them fresh), etc.

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Simply don't eat that crap, it's not that hard of a concept. It's called self-control...

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