How do you stick to a diet?

Keith Jones76 said:Quincy:

I agree, but I think it works both ways. If you force the behavior first, those beliefs eventually shift once you realize how much better you feel—or in her case, when she sees the weight dropping.

It’s not quite that simple, though. You could easily get the exact opposite reaction. Or worse, someone could have a traumatic experience with a diet and end up with an entirely new set of problems.
Personally, I prefer it when people actually use their intellect and capacity for abstract thought as an advantage. I'm not a fan of methods that work just as effectively on animals. Humans are animals, sure, but we have enough specific complexities to make that distinction matter.

"It's not that simple because it could be different"? 😍 That doesn't mean I have to flip my entire lifestyle overnight like I did in my black-and-white world... which isn't even recommended anyway...

I did it because I've got the mental toughness to grind through that hell, but making slow changes at a behavioral level is what actually builds lasting habits.

Quincy:

I prefer when people actually use their brains and abstract reasoning as an advantage. I'm not a fan of methods that work just as well on animals. Humans are animals, sure, but we've got specific complexities, and that's how I see it.

Sometimes the end justifies the means. 🙂 It's like primal therapy... there are situations where it's the only thing that works, and you just deal with it. 😍

Look, I’m just saying it isn't my top pick. Especially since, based on her first post, she’s clearly struggling with discipline and is already dealing with some serious burnout—those "vicious cycles" are starting to set in, which is something I definitely factored in. Besides, if it absolutely has to be the last resort, it can always stay that way...

We seriously need a thread dedicated to psychotherapy!

What exactly is this "primal therapy" everyone's talking about? Someone actually asked me about it the other day, and honestly, I’m still drawing a blank.

Think of Google as your best friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Janov

My old man used to always yell at us, "You kids need to watch what you eat!"
So, what kind of diet are we talking about here? Honestly, most advice is just nonsense. If you actually want to drop 30 pounds in four months, here’s how you do it:
1. Cut out the booze entirely. I mean, not even a tiny sip once a month—just forget it exists. It’s not happening if you want results.
2. Get yourself a bike and ride it, or go out for a run, or hit the pool. Whatever you do, don't bother unless it's for at least 30 minutes—you have to burn through those sugars first before your body even touches the fat.
3. Drink two big glasses of water at least half an hour before you sit down to eat, and then don't touch any liquids for an hour after your meal. If you drink right after eating, you basically dilute your digestive enzymes, and you'll just end up gaining weight instead.
4. You should be drinking at least one liter of water for every 50 pounds of body weight. And don't just chug it all at once—there's no point in slamming water if you aren't thirsty; you'll just end up running to the bathroom and peeing it all out without any benefit. Same goes for everything else. Just have a glass when you wake up and another right before bed.
5. Say goodbye to bread, pasta, and rice. Just leave them alone. Especially the bread—and definitely stay away from the white bread.
6. Just keep moving.

There you go. As you can see, it isn't necessarily about eating less food. If you follow this and still don't see progress, well, then you might just be a lost cause and there's nothing left to try!🤣

Oh yeah, I knew I’d missed something!!

7. When those mid-day hunger pangs hit, stick to apples or other kinds of fruit—it helps keep things moving through your digestive system. Just watch out for bananas; they can actually be a bit deceptive when you're trying to stay on track.
8. You really need to ditch the junk food—I'm talking chips, salty snacks, and that habit of eating your feelings with cookies. Look, I'm not saying you can't have dessert, obviously, but let's try to keep the portions reasonable.
8. Once you're done eating, get up and move around a little. Don't just head straight for the couch or bed; maybe take a quick stroll through the local park or down to the beach or somewhere similar. Just keep the body moving.
9. Try to lean more toward cooked meals rather than fried stuff—honestly, if you can avoid frying things altogether, that's even better.
10. Eat plenty of vegetables and scale back on the meat consumption.

If any other bits of my old routine pop back into my head, I'll be sure to let you know. 😉

Keith Jones76 said:Look, I’m just saying it isn't my top pick. Especially since, based on her first post, she’s clearly struggling with discipline and is already dealing with some serious burnout—those "vicious cycles" are starting to set in, which is something I definitely factored in. Besides, if it absolutely has to be the last resort, it can always stay that way...

It's too early to say she has discipline issues. How is she supposed to fix them if she isn't actually building any discipline? Unless she's planning on being hypnotized, there's no magic way to get instant self-control. She can start working on it by changing her diet like I suggested. If she actually wants to lose weight, she'll have the motivation. And if she's motivated, she can finally break out of those cycles by fixing what she eats...

Betty Harris15 said:As for sports and staying active, that’s never been the issue. I've always been athletic; I played volleyball for eight years. The real problem is my temperament. The moment I get sad, I turn to food and I can't seem to stop... and then no amount of exercise helps. I can't even resist chocolate sitting on the table or force myself not to run to the convenience store for snacks. A total disaster, I know.

Just take a deep breath and really consider whether what you are consuming is actually necessary...

First of all, the concept of a "diet" shouldn't even exist—it should be a complete lifestyle shift instead. I am not sure how much weight you are carrying, but in my own experience, I carry an extra fifteen or twenty pounds simply because I indulged myself over the years. Once I adjusted my way of life, the results became visible and, more importantly, I began to feel significantly better... though, I still stumble occasionally, as I tend to seek solace in certain "indulgences" when I am dissatisfied.

The last time I was in this sort of shape and managed to lose about twenty-two pounds, I finally fit into standard clothing sizes again. However, that satisfaction proved entirely hollow when the guy I did it all for remarked, "You actually looked better before"...

It matters very little how you appear to others; what truly matters is how you view yourself. Even more vital is how comfortable you feel in your own skin...

Why are you feeling dissatisfied? What is causing this sadness? You should attempt to have a serious conversation with yourself, find those answers, and then move thoughtfully toward breaking those bad habits—if you are drowning your sorrows in soda and feeding them with sweets, try to phase them out slowly...

Personally, I am unhappy because I don't look toned, I feel heavy, and I struggle to find pants that aren't a size 14. But every day, I make some small adjustment—perhaps I swim a bit more, or go for a longer walk, or sometimes even a quick run, just to remind myself that the ice cream I enjoyed is not so easily burned off...

Betty Harris15 said:It’s always the same story... I start strong, then I fail. Sometimes I last longer, but eventually, I'm right back where I started. Honestly, I just don't feel good in my own skin, and I want to finally fix this by dropping the extra weight once and for all.
Look, I get that it's mostly mental and that I should just force myself to stay disciplined... but the second I feel a little down, I turn to food to cope. It's more like I'm using food to comfort myself, really.
And it’s just a cycle. I’m terrified that time is slipping away and I'll never break free from this, never actually feel relaxed or happy with myself.

Man, when I wanted to see if I could actually pull this off, I just switched to a diet heavy on stews—think chili, beans, leeks... stuff like that. I kept carrots in the fridge so I could just grab one for dinner. Combining that with some core workouts to tighten everything up gave me results crazy fast. Now I know if I don't keep my posture tight, those pounds will just creep right back on.

Oh, and I cut out the sodas and candy bars and swapped them for fruit. Don't even try telling me you can't do that... it sounds ridiculous. Just say, "No, I don't want to give up chocolate, lounging around, soda, or great food," and call it a day. Stop with the "I wish I could" nonsense.

redharbor9 said:It's too early to say she has discipline issues. How is she supposed to fix them if she isn't actually building any discipline? Unless she's planning on being hypnotized, there's no magic way to get instant self-control. She can start working on it by changing her diet like I suggested. If she actually wants to lose weight, she'll have the motivation. And if she's motivated, she can finally break out of those cycles by fixing what she eats...

"Building discipline"—now that's a phrase worth noting. Building things up is the exact opposite of trying to force a sudden, violent turnaround.

Aaron Howard27 said:My old man used to always yell at us, "You kids need to watch what you eat!"
So, what kind of diet are we talking about here? Honestly, most advice is just nonsense. If you actually want to drop 30 pounds in four months, here’s how you do it:
1. Cut out the booze entirely. I mean, not even a tiny sip once a month—just forget it exists. It’s not happening if you want results.
2. Get yourself a bike and ride it, or go out for a run, or hit the pool. Whatever you do, don't bother unless it's for at least 30 minutes—you have to burn through those sugars first before your body even touches the fat.
3. Drink two big glasses of water at least half an hour before you sit down to eat, and then don't touch any liquids for an hour after your meal. If you drink right after eating, you basically dilute your digestive enzymes, and you'll just end up gaining weight instead.
4. You should be drinking at least one liter of water for every 50 pounds of body weight. And don't just chug it all at once—there's no point in slamming water if you aren't thirsty; you'll just end up running to the bathroom and peeing it all out without any benefit. Same goes for everything else. Just have a glass when you wake up and another right before bed.
5. Say goodbye to bread, pasta, and rice. Just leave them alone. Especially the bread—and definitely stay away from the white bread.
6. Just keep moving.

There you go. As you can see, it isn't necessarily about eating less food. If you follow this and still don't see progress, well, then you might just be a lost cause and there's nothing left to try!🤣

This is easily the best post here. You actually made me laugh... pretty cool. 🤣

Benjamin Grant6 said:Just take a deep breath and really consider whether what you are consuming is actually necessary...

First of all, the concept of a "diet" shouldn't even exist—it should be a complete lifestyle shift instead. I am not sure how much weight you are carrying, but in my own experience, I carry an extra fifteen or twenty pounds simply because I indulged myself over the years. Once I adjusted my way of life, the results became visible and, more importantly, I began to feel significantly better... though, I still stumble occasionally, as I tend to seek solace in certain "indulgences" when I am dissatisfied.

The last time I was in this sort of shape and managed to lose about twenty-two pounds, I finally fit into standard clothing sizes again. However, that satisfaction proved entirely hollow when the guy I did it all for remarked, "You actually looked better before"...

It matters very little how you appear to others; what truly matters is how you view yourself. Even more vital is how comfortable you feel in your own skin...

Why are you feeling dissatisfied? What is causing this sadness? You should attempt to have a serious conversation with yourself, find those answers, and then move thoughtfully toward breaking those bad habits—if you are drowning your sorrows in soda and feeding them with sweets, try to phase them out slowly...

Personally, I am unhappy because I don't look toned, I feel heavy, and I struggle to find pants that aren't a size 14. But every day, I make some small adjustment—perhaps I swim a bit more, or go for a longer walk, or sometimes even a quick run, just to remind myself that the ice cream I enjoyed is not so easily burned off...

I wear a 14 too, sometimes a 12. I used to play sports, so I know how this works. If you eat junk, the fat settles in different spots for everyone, and the rest turns into muscle that's actually harder to lose later than pure fat. For example, I gain most of it in my stomach, but my legs stay muscular—and when I eat right and train, they just get stronger. That's just how it goes. You have to eat right and work out. Honestly, I'm too depressed for all that.

Dieting? Please. No. Look, I’m young enough to have an opinion on this, but I won't be recommending diets to anyone. Just stick to sports, get some steps in, stay active, and eat right. Don't starve yourself—that's just a recipe for disaster. Learn to actually like yourself instead of obsessing over calorie counts. 😁

Keith Jones76 said:"Building discipline"—now that's a phrase worth noting. Building things up is the exact opposite of trying to force a sudden, violent turnaround.

Translation?

Jerry Morales4 said:I’d suggest looking into Emotional Freedom Techniques everywhere
.
Maybe it could help you tackle those cravings for sweets or whatever else is causing weight gain. It might actually solve the issue.
Or perhaps it could address the sadness, since I was just reading about what you've been going through.

Look, the main thing is to stay away from those quick fixes. They might help temporarily, but they're just Band-Aids over the actual issue; they don't fix the root cause. You probably just want us to tell you how to get back to being your "old self," but that’s not how life works. Everything takes effort, period. You've gotta treat those bad habits like an enemy and stop letting them run your life. Honestly? It feels like you aren't ready to let go of anything that feels good right now because, hey, you only live once. But once you actually make that sacrifice, you'll find joy in totally different things, or you'll find a new kind of strength. You can totally do this.

vigilanty said:🙄

So? 🙄

Keith Jones76 said:Well, that's somewhat true, but it's more effective to shift your mindset first before jumping into behavioral tactics. That was my thought process.

Why would that matter? I mentioned it because of the raisins I'm constantly snacking on. Every time people see me eating them, their reactions always seem to stem from a fear of gaining weight since they're so calorie-dense...

I love them too—dried fruit and nuts in general. As I've mentioned before, I'm quite twiggy, with a BMI around 17...
I don't think it's solely due to that, certainly not, but it's true that they're high-quality, easy, and affordable foods. It's just one piece of the puzzle.

isn't that way too low
from a medical 🤷 perspective, considering your age
😉

Maybe it looks like undernourishment... but honestly, it’s probably just how her metabolism works. My sister is thin as a rail too, even though she’s constantly snacking on junk and greasy food. Sometimes you shouldn't take those indices so damn seriously.

Betty Harris15 said:I wear a 14 too, sometimes a 12. I used to play sports, so I know how this works. If you eat junk, the fat settles in different spots for everyone, and the rest turns into muscle that's actually harder to lose later than pure fat. For example, I gain most of it in my stomach, but my legs stay muscular—and when I eat right and train, they just get stronger. That's just how it goes. You have to eat right and work out. Honestly, I'm too depressed for all that.

I would also suggest adding hormone therapy to that list, as it acts as a significant saboteur to any attempts at progress...

Why exactly are you feeling so despondent? You are welcome to send me a private message if you wish. There is always some way to mitigate such unpleasant feelings...

analogdriver52 said:Man, when I wanted to see if I could actually pull this off, I just switched to a diet heavy on stews—think chili, beans, leeks... stuff like that. I kept carrots in the fridge so I could just grab one for dinner. Combining that with some core workouts to tighten everything up gave me results crazy fast. Now I know if I don't keep my posture tight, those pounds will just creep right back on.

Oh, and I cut out the sodas and candy bars and swapped them for fruit. Don't even try telling me you can't do that... it sounds ridiculous. Just say, "No, I don't want to give up chocolate, lounging around, soda, or great food," and call it a day. Stop with the "I wish I could" nonsense.

I'm really curious about that "pretty fast" part! How fast are we talking here?