I can't diet correctly because I crave tasty foods..

[HockyMan17]

I'm sure you've heard it time and time again but it really is the only hurdle holding me from attaining whatever weight and look I desire. I have the cardio down.. I have the weight lifting down.. I even have most of the supplements and water.. everything pretty much except diet.. I've got it down. But for the life of me.. I cannot keep my diet going for an extended period of time.

Every once in a while I'll keep my strict diet going for like a week or two and then I just fall apart gradually until I am completely doing it wrong. I just look at that same piece of chicken and am watching my friends chow down on tasty pizzas and chinese food, etc. I've even tried removing myself from these situations but then i'll go to great lengths to get bad food myself. It's like a disease.. I'm not fat but for the love of me I can't keep myself from eating the wrong foods.

So my question to you guys.. do you ever run into this problem? What are some methods that you use to prevent yourself from diving into tasty treats and all of that stuff?

If I could just conquer this one thing.. I believe that I could attain any goal that I desire in bodybuilding.

/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[MansonOzz]

To me, it's just a matter of whether I want it, or I don't. The more you keep going off track, the more you've got to realize maybe you don't want it as much as you think you do. Once you're done stuffing yourself with good foods, the cravings most often go away and you're not bothered by it anymore. It's all about will power and keeping your mind on your goal.

You got to keep asking yourself, "Is all my time in the gym worth doing for just mediocre results?" For me, I don't bust my butt in the gym just so I can gain 5lbs. in 3 months. With the pain, the time, and the discipline I put into my workouts, there's no way I'm accepting nothing but the best for my body. It's not worth tossing the diet out the window just to have comfort food to me, and to barely make progress with all the hard work that I do. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy.

There's a time and place for cheating, and after a while you'll find yourself less inclined to even care. I use to eat junk like that every day until I started bodybuilding. Overnight I changed my whole diet and lifestyle, and stayed clean for a month or two. After that, I could hardly even stand the junk I had been eating before. I'm sure you'd be the same way if you could stick it out a few more weeks in a row and readjust your palette.

[kwood34]

[ QUOTE ]
To me, it's just a matter of whether I want it, or I don't. The more you keep going off track, the more you've got to realize maybe you don't want it as much as you think you do. Once you're done stuffing yourself with good foods, the cravings most often go away and you're not bothered by it anymore. It's all about will power and keeping your mind on your goal.

You got to keep asking yourself, "Is all my time in the gym worth doing for just mediocre results?" For me, I don't bust my butt in the gym just so I can gain 5lbs. in 3 months. With the pain, the time, and the discipline I put into my workouts, there's no way I'm accepting nothing but the best for my body. It's not worth tossing the diet out the window just to have comfort food to me, and to barely make progress with all the hard work that I do. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy.

There's a time and place for cheating, and after a while you'll find yourself less inclined to even care. I use to eat junk like that every day until I started bodybuilding. Overnight I changed my whole diet and lifestyle, and stayed clean for a month or two. After that, I could hardly even stand the junk I had been eating before. I'm sure you'd be the same way if you could stick it out a few more weeks in a row and readjust your palette.

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Well said. Also, for me the pleasure of eating junk does not outweigh the guilt I have afterwards because I know I put more distance between myself and my goals. Throw in a cheat meal once a week so you won't feel totally deprived. After a while you may not even want your cheat meal.

[Coz]

What everyone else said...but I just want to add that eating well does not have to taste bad. You can be on a cut and still eat foods that taste good you just have to know how to properly prepare and flavour without compromising your health.

Check the recipe section for some ideas.

[Duke Juno]

One word bro: WILLPOWER

[gozo2u]

Last night I drank a turkey, oat, sweet potato, whey protein, and glutamine smoothie. /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif I found out I can eat or drink about anything.
I also found out that the foods I used to crave (about two years ago) I no longer crave. I've convinced myself that foods that are bad for me are going to make me feel bad. Not only have I convinced myself, but sugary, oily, etc. foods really do make me feel bad... Maybe I'm just being honest with myself. Don't get me wrong... it still taste good, but has bad after-effects.
I have totally changed my thinking. I no longer see pizza or "fast food" as food. I have done away with dessert. Instead of eating a piece of pie, I have another piece of chicken, etc. If I hunger for something sweet, I make a fruit smoothie... with whey protein.
Don't think it's because I in myself am a strong person. That's not the case at all, but, rather it's because I have bet everything I am, have and do on Jesus Christ... and when I am week, He is strong! 2 Corinthians 12:10
They say you only live once... so I say, why eat something that tastes good for a few seconds, but leaves you feeling groggy and energyless for hours...
Here's what the Bible says:
You may say, "I am allowed to do anything." But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

[EarlGrey]

I don't run into these problems, because this food disgusts me.

After eating healthy food for a long time your cravings will go away, and as soon as you realize what this junk food really is then you'll never want to eat it again.

Even on my cheat days, I rarely eat a junk food, I'd rather want to eat small pieces of chocolate as my cheat. I loveeee chocolate /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[maczuk]

I agree with everyone else's posts. You need to have a little more will power. When I first started working out, I decided that I wanted to change my lifestyle, including my diet. If I was going to spend all my money on supplements, I did not want to sabotage my efforts by eating crap. You can make turkey and chicken taste 1000 different ways. Vary what you serve it with and you shouldn't have a problem.

Good Luck,

[Yung Gun]

well, there is 100 things i would like to say rite now, but ill jus sum it up in a short polite manner, self discipline

[Venom]

Read this, An Investigation of the Satiety Mechanism: A Research Initiative (http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/investigation.php)

[dunno]

I think some people assume eating healthy should be easy. I got news for them that for many it is not.

Before I started eating healthy I virtually ate no veggies because I "hated" them. Fast forward 2 years and I eat broccoli, kale, spinach, peppers, mushrooms, etc on a daily basis. I eat more greens then most vegetarians :P

Bottom line it is all about how bad you want it. If you want to get healthy man up.

People often measure strength soley by how much weight is put on the bar. I feel, however, that you can see as much about someones strength by looking in their fridge.

[sodalite84]

WILLPOWER says it all. also, clean out your cupboards so you dont see any tasty foods laying around, and make a list when u go grocery shopping, and only get the things on the list, and dont look around the store wondering what else you could get. Good luck with your diet, and remember, your mind is the strongest part of your body, use it to its capacity and utilize its power!

[kcspread]

Ditto what the others are saying. I've found easing into the diet helps too. I kept a record of everything I ate (day & nutrional value). Once I knew where I was diet-wise, I started changing one thing at a time. Eliminate bad, add good. For example, I cut sugary cereal and added oatmeal. When I was comforable with that I moved on to another, like cutting potato chips and adding GLV. It could be that when you diet you're not ingesting enough on a daily basis. A good record will solve that. /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Gizzo]

As for sugary foods, once u eliminate sugar from your diet, u won't crave it anymore. In fact now I can't stand anything with loads of sugar in it, i.e. soda. Whenever I'm out with friends and they go out to eat, it's hard to stay on my diet. If ur stuck in a situation like this, at least pick something you know won't be too lethal.

[RichW]

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One word bro: WILLPOWER

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My thoughts exactly!
You have to make it part of your routine!
I have read that the body takes about 3 weeks to adjust to a new routine. AFter that it should start to get easier and when you eat junk you will feel bad as your body is no longer used to it.