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Nutrition Cravings

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Shawn

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I really didn't know what to name this thread. But I could use help, advice or whatever you want to call it.

I would like to lose like 5-10 more pounds. I have some challenges with this because I sometimes have the urge to eat more than I should and the wrong things.

I have had challenges with food in the past. I would probably say this because of stress and the physical work I do. Even if I don't lose the last weight I want to I'm more worried about health wise. Has anyone here had these challenges? What kind of insights or advice would you give me?
 
You've been on the forum for a couple years or so, right? Part of me thinks that you might have seen most of the advice that people have. Everyone has their pet dietary tricks that have worked for them, and might work for you, but depending on how much you've already combed through the "Nutrition" threads, you might need more personalized advice.

Or not. But your question is very general. Maybe provide some more details. What do you eat right now? What have you tried in the past, and what did or didn't work? Why did it work or not? Are you thinking of trying something new, but not sure how to execute it? General questions will get general answers, which may not be what you need right now.

I'm not trying to be discouraging! I think the only thing standing between most people and their healthiest body is the right series of habits; you just have to figure out what habits let you be consistent.
 
You've been on the forum for a couple years or so, right? Part of me thinks that you might have seen most of the advice that people have. Everyone has their pet dietary tricks that have worked for them, and might work for you, but depending on how much you've already combed through the "Nutrition" threads, you might need more personalized advice.

Or not. But your question is very general. Maybe provide some more details. What do you eat right now? What have you tried in the past, and what did or didn't work? Why did it work or not? Are you thinking of trying something new, but not sure how to execute it? General questions will get general answers, which may not be what you need right now.

I'm not trying to be discouraging! I think the only thing standing between most people and their healthiest body is the right series of habits; you just have to figure out what habits let you be consistent.



Yes I have been on the forum for awhile. I haven't combed through the Nutrition threads a whole lot. I think alot of guys here like the paleo or low carb thing, could be wrong. I've tried this stuff in the past and my energy levels drop. I prefer more of Dr. Fuhram's "Eat To Live" or Clarence Bass approachs. Some of my challenges are that my house hold has 5 mouths to feed. And of course I'm the only one that's not picky except I try to cut out the meat a little more now since I'm 48 years old. In 2006 I went up to 225lbs. I lost it a year later and was down to 170 lbs. I keep all this weight off all the way until this winter.

Another thing is I feel hungry all the time no matter which way I eat. I have tried alot of diets.
 
Forum advice: drink more water. Keep busy. Fast more.


I tried fasting in the past. Didn't have great success with them especially energy wise. I did the 16/8 fast for months. Problem I had with it was by 11 am I had no energy. I have to swing a 16 lb sledge sometimes throughout the day. Then when I ate I felt like I wanted to go to sleep. I think I got the keep busy part down, work 6 days a week. I drink atleast 8 sixteen ounce bottles of water almost everyday.
 
@Shawn

I’ve struggled with this exact thing in the past. For me, once I switched to Keto, those cravings are few and far between. I’m not saying switch fully to Keto, but maybe having fat heavy snacks throughout the day would help regulate your ghrelin and leptin levels. My favorite snack are a few bacon wrapped little smokies and mozzarella cheese.
-WF
 
@Shawn

I’ve struggled with this exact thing in the past. For me, once I switched to Keto, those cravings are few and far between. I’m not saying switch fully to Keto, but maybe having fat heavy snacks throughout the day would help regulate your ghrelin and leptin levels. My favorite snack are a few bacon wrapped little smokies and mozzarella cheese.
-WF

Well atleast I know I'm not alone. I forgot to mention I have a diary food allergy.
 
Screenshot_20180720-204838_MyFitnessPal.jpg Here's a thought... get a baseline of your meals.

Get "MyFitnessPal" app. Start logging all your food items and you can get an idea of whats going on. Sometimes so called healthy foods are not that healthy.

Carl in Dover
 
Those last 5-10 lbs. can be tough, take it from a guy who competes in the 66 kilo weight class. :)

The best advice I can give you is to learn to know the difference between what you need and what you want. That's not bad advice for life in general, but for sure it's good for food and body composition goals.

My daily routine includes getting on the scale every morning. It makes some people crazy, and it doesn't at all take into account people who are adding muscle, but it's worked for me. If I weigh more than I think I should on a particular morning, I try to keep my food consumption down during that day and until my morning weight is back to where I think it should be.

The now-classic approach the Warrior Diet takes is what works for me. I don't fast, I just don't eat much during the day - a 200-calorie protein bar mid-morning or early afternoon, a small portion of food of about the same caloric content in the late afternoon if I'm hungry, and then I try to eat well and eat hearty for dinner.

Best of luck to you.

-S-
 
I do physical work too, in the morning 4-6 eggs, oatmeal with 2-3 TBSP coconut oil and blueberries, lunch a tub of hummus with mixed nuts, lots of coffee with half&half, sometimes a protein bar if I'm really moving, then more coffee. Go home and train, relax then eat a bunch of protein and a vegetable, carbs if I need it (gut feeling) e.g. brown rice, yam etc.. Snacks are cashews, popcorn, mixed nuts, dark chocolate.. Not eating a lot of fruit at the moment (instinctual, I'll eat it when I crave it)I keep at least a 4 pack year round and can cut more fat with high volume swings or snatches. Most days if I'm not doing much physical work I'll use IF for 16 to 20 hrs. Lots of what I do is instinctual eating. I would say I eat mostly the same things during the week and deviate on weekends staying reasonable. Once in awhile I'll eat all day long and everything in sight, not often though, and only if my body needs it. Works for me YMMV of course..

The tough thing is performing work and training in a negative calorie balance, not easy but more fats and less carbs works for me.
 
I would probably say this because of stress and the physical work I do.
I would recommend following the under-eating version of the Warrior Diet. During the day drink water/coffee/tea, eat greens, fruits and some light protein. At night after the day is done have a nice healthy home cooked meal and eat to your hearts content. The benefit of all of this is that it's flexible and stress reducing. With this eating style there's always something too look forward too and that's your evening meal. If you're feeling stressed during the day have extra fruit/greens and/or protein. Even drink a little extra coffee for the dopamine. Keep whatever eating style you choose sustainable and simple to follow.

The most important part of all of this is keeping stress in check.
 
Many recommendations here were about diet in general, but your topic is about cravings specifically. For those I think the best option are good old-fashined cheat days. Couple of rules:
  • You have to be strict with yourself the whole week leading up to the cheat day. You have to feel like that day is deserved.
  • It has to be a full day within waking hours. It starts when you wake up and ends when you go to bed. Don't start cheating at 8pm one day and end it by 8pm the next
  • Every time you get a craving for something during a regular day, focus on how much of that food type you will eat on the cheat day. Psycholifical games are important here. My thoughts were basically "An ice cream cone would be nice, but how much better will it be on Saturday, when I will gorge on a whole bucket of ice cream!".
A side benefit is that anticipation of the reward is genearally better than the reward and if you are eating better for 6 days, you don't actually want to eat that much during cheat day.
 
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