Discipline to eat healthy.
- Thread starter Gman10
- Start date
Make it as easy as possible so you don't have to rely on discipline and willpower.
Eat regularly and keep satiety high with water, protein, fiber.
Keep healthy food around and don't keep unhealthy food around.
If you're a snacker, redefine snacks to healthy food (hard boiled egg, bag of steamed veggies) and have all you want.
If you're not a snacker, focus on portions at meals and eating slowly.
What helps you stay disciplined with training? You probably think of yourself as someone who trains regularly. So, try to actively start thinking of yourself as someone who eats healthy and doesn't indulge to excess.
As for grabbing a drink with the guys... that's multifaceted, so you may have to think through that one a bit more. Social connection is important and powerful. Is there another way to stay connected?
Eat regularly and keep satiety high with water, protein, fiber.
Keep healthy food around and don't keep unhealthy food around.
If you're a snacker, redefine snacks to healthy food (hard boiled egg, bag of steamed veggies) and have all you want.
If you're not a snacker, focus on portions at meals and eating slowly.
What helps you stay disciplined with training? You probably think of yourself as someone who trains regularly. So, try to actively start thinking of yourself as someone who eats healthy and doesn't indulge to excess.
As for grabbing a drink with the guys... that's multifaceted, so you may have to think through that one a bit more. Social connection is important and powerful. Is there another way to stay connected?
Denys Carthusian
Level 6 Valued Member
A good set of cook books and standard recipes you can make so you aren't eating on the fly is probably the biggest hack you can do.
JamesH11
Level 1 Valued Member
This is a very powerful point that I agree with, you need to start thinking of yourself who doesn't eat processed foods the vast majority of the time. Planning meals (as much as you can) is a good one too, I try to make enough at my evening meal so that I have another portion for work the next day and this then takes away the temptation of having to call to a shop/cafe for mid day meal during the work week. There is usually what I call 'better option' when it comes to indulging too i.e. if you like chocolate opt for 80% plus dark chocolate (less sugar and people usually find it much less 'moreish' than milk chocolate) or some fresh fruit with a bit of cream rather than a sponge/cake dessert etc.
As for alcohol; I think the benefits of socialising/maintaining relationships with friends outweighs the downsides of alcohol consumption (i.e. if you were to not drink but also miss out on those social times) as long as the drinking is not multiple times per week or you are not hungogver the day after (on a regular basis).
Halfakneecap
Level 6 Valued Member
Meal prep
2kg beef mince
A few cans of veg or fresh
Spices you like
Cook it all
Put into rectangular plastic containers ( usually 250g each ). It’s about 8-9 and they go into the freezer at work. So at lunch, just reheat. On heavy workout days add rice, if not add a can of chickpeas etc
This works for me at work. I know that 5 lunches in the week are reasonably healthy and I roughly know calories etc. breakfast is easy and then all I need to worry about is dinner.
2kg beef mince
A few cans of veg or fresh
Spices you like
Cook it all
Put into rectangular plastic containers ( usually 250g each ). It’s about 8-9 and they go into the freezer at work. So at lunch, just reheat. On heavy workout days add rice, if not add a can of chickpeas etc
This works for me at work. I know that 5 lunches in the week are reasonably healthy and I roughly know calories etc. breakfast is easy and then all I need to worry about is dinner.
I would suggest looking into Josh Hillis's book:
Josh Hillis new book Lean & Strong
My biggest tip is to pick one small change to make, then make it. Then when that is just too easy to keep doing, make another small change. These small changes build on each to other to "easily" remake how and what you eat without ever really seeming that "difficult." At the "end" of the process you have a healthy diet that is sustainable forever. A small change to start is having a serving of protein at one meal, or a serving of vegetables at one meal, every day.
Start with changes that "add" to your diet before you start with changes that take away from your diet. Make sure you eat your "additions" first - for instance, if your change was to have a vegetable with every dinner, make sure you eat that first in your meal.
Another big thing for me is learning to work with my hunger cues. When am I hungry? When am I not? When am I full? When am I "full enough" ? Instead of a rigid "plan," learning to listen to these hunger cues can be very helpful.
Josh Hillis new book Lean & Strong
My biggest tip is to pick one small change to make, then make it. Then when that is just too easy to keep doing, make another small change. These small changes build on each to other to "easily" remake how and what you eat without ever really seeming that "difficult." At the "end" of the process you have a healthy diet that is sustainable forever. A small change to start is having a serving of protein at one meal, or a serving of vegetables at one meal, every day.
Start with changes that "add" to your diet before you start with changes that take away from your diet. Make sure you eat your "additions" first - for instance, if your change was to have a vegetable with every dinner, make sure you eat that first in your meal.
Another big thing for me is learning to work with my hunger cues. When am I hungry? When am I not? When am I full? When am I "full enough" ? Instead of a rigid "plan," learning to listen to these hunger cues can be very helpful.
A slightly different take on this, if you will.
Hunger for food and hunger for air are both things driven by a combination of real sensory input and habitual behavior. That makes both things tricky to change but awareness can be a good starting point. @John K mentions hunger cues - repeating myself, these can be both real and habitual, and often they are both, so reprogramming/changing can be difficult. The process involves recognizing what's going on combined with the knowledge that the habits sometimes bring on the sensations and, with perseverance, one can change the habit and the change in sensations will gradually follow.
-S-
Birddog
Level 5 Valued Member
The number one thing that helps me is meal prep. Figure out what you want to eat for a week, get a shopping list, cook it. Having healthy food ready to go in your fridge makes it a lot easier to stay on track. That said, I give myself days where I dont worry about what I am eating. Life is about balance. I'll healthy all week but I am still going to get donuts with my kids on the weekends or eat pizza etc. 90/10 works for me.
A 2nd tier suggestion is a good blender. You can cram in a lot of micronutrients into a smoothie than can really cover all your bases in one meal on the go.
A 2nd tier suggestion is a good blender. You can cram in a lot of micronutrients into a smoothie than can really cover all your bases in one meal on the go.
Ben Strong
Level 6 Valued Member
+1 for meal prep. It's best to remove decision making from the process. You just eat what you measured and prepared ahead of time. Makes a tremendous difference.
I would also recommend keeping a food log for a month or so. You don't even have to track calories (though I would recommend it). Simply seeing everything you are eating and drinking in written form can help you assess where you need to make changes.
I would also recommend keeping a food log for a month or so. You don't even have to track calories (though I would recommend it). Simply seeing everything you are eating and drinking in written form can help you assess where you need to make changes.
Bauer
Level 8 Valued Member
It has to taste good. Then it's not as much about discipline.
And having replacement strategies work quite well: When you feel the urge to snack, have apples, almonds, cucumber or whatever available.
Boris Bachmann
Level 8 Valued Member
Do you cook?
silveraw
Level 9 Valued Member
Another vote for the Lean and Strong approach.
When I started it I had really good luck with keeping a "log". Not a traditional food log, but a habit log.
I'd pick a couple skills and work on them for few weeks then add in more as I went.
For example, if I had at least 20g of protein in a meal, I'd get a check mark that day. I'd build up my average number of check marks as I got better at that skill.
Once I was feeling good about that, I'd have another tally box for plating half my plate veggies or fruits. Build up your "reps" until you are pretty damn consistent and then add another skill.
Putting the fork down between each bite was a big one for me, thats when I started seeing a lot of results.
OTP books has a sample that covers a ton to get you started: Josh Hillis new book Lean & Strong
Probably the most "life changing" book I've read when it comes to health and fitness. Its not the most fun read, but it has been the most impactful.
When I started it I had really good luck with keeping a "log". Not a traditional food log, but a habit log.
I'd pick a couple skills and work on them for few weeks then add in more as I went.
For example, if I had at least 20g of protein in a meal, I'd get a check mark that day. I'd build up my average number of check marks as I got better at that skill.
Once I was feeling good about that, I'd have another tally box for plating half my plate veggies or fruits. Build up your "reps" until you are pretty damn consistent and then add another skill.
Putting the fork down between each bite was a big one for me, thats when I started seeing a lot of results.
OTP books has a sample that covers a ton to get you started: Josh Hillis new book Lean & Strong
Probably the most "life changing" book I've read when it comes to health and fitness. Its not the most fun read, but it has been the most impactful.
Denys Carthusian
Level 6 Valued Member
(Joke about cannibals deleted).
genova24
First Post
I agree that meal prep is the best way to stay the path of better eating. Takes the guess work out of where your meals are coming from and in the long run saves you time through out the week.
Gman10
Level 4 Valued Member
I do. Pretty solid actually
Chris Mills
Level 6 Valued Member
No
Chris Mills
Level 6 Valued Member
I love this. I can’t count the number of times I have stood in a line at a sandwich shop wondering why i couldn’t bring myself to make a sandwich in the morning, for 1/10 of the time and 1/50 of the $$$….
BrianCF
Level 7 Valued Member
Plan and prepare your meals. Write it down in the morning. Writing it down shows commitment.
I know today, that after my workout this AM, I'll have a tablespoon of Metameucil, a 3-4 egg omelet with broccoli, peppers, onions, spinach and salsa.
For dinner chicken thighs, rice and a salad. Done.
Download MyFitness Pal and LOG YOUR FOOD and water. It will hold you accountable. and help you track your calories. Think of it this way, do you really want to log shoving a handful of potato chips in your mouth?
Finally, drinking. 2 things. First, is it getting in the way of achieving your goals? Obviously, yes if you're asking. Today is 5/1, just commit for 1 month, not to drink. Not forever, just 31 days. And see how your results are. More than likely you'll want to keep going and it gets easy after the 1st weekend.
Second, and this is key. Don't be a social hermit. Go out with your buddies and not drink. Do it as soon as possible. I don't care if you drink regular Coke. It's better than booze. Get the first social interaction over with. It will build success and momentum once you get through the first time.
I know today, that after my workout this AM, I'll have a tablespoon of Metameucil, a 3-4 egg omelet with broccoli, peppers, onions, spinach and salsa.
For dinner chicken thighs, rice and a salad. Done.
Download MyFitness Pal and LOG YOUR FOOD and water. It will hold you accountable. and help you track your calories. Think of it this way, do you really want to log shoving a handful of potato chips in your mouth?
Finally, drinking. 2 things. First, is it getting in the way of achieving your goals? Obviously, yes if you're asking. Today is 5/1, just commit for 1 month, not to drink. Not forever, just 31 days. And see how your results are. More than likely you'll want to keep going and it gets easy after the 1st weekend.
Second, and this is key. Don't be a social hermit. Go out with your buddies and not drink. Do it as soon as possible. I don't care if you drink regular Coke. It's better than booze. Get the first social interaction over with. It will build success and momentum once you get through the first time.