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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Mar 19, 2019 17:09:10 GMT
So I'm "shedding for the wedding", my DDs wedding that is which is in Sept. I know wedding photos last 'forever' and I don't want to hate the way I look in them. Anyway, I weighed myself on Sunday and decided to write it on a post-it note and put it on a mirror in my closet so I could see it everyday. I also decided to think of it as my 'score to beat' instead of my current weight. It's been helping me this week (2 whole days! lol) to keep my determination to beat last weeks score (my weight). Of course the score is like a golf score in that I want it to go down not up.
I think part of it is separating the number from ME and making it just a score that I have to beat. Who knows why mental tricks work but this one seems to be keeping me motivated and determined for now.
I'll let you know how it goes next week.
What mental tricks have you used to change a mindset and/or help you lose weight?
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Mar 19, 2019 17:19:56 GMT
I had better luck when I started to fix the reasons why I wasn't shedding weight - the core of my human being - than trying to trick myself into losing. I could lose 10 pounds in a week, but then I'd gain it back and 2 more.
I suggest looking at it as a lifelong change you want to make, and you just happen to have a wedding to go to (I had 2 in my journey down that road). Make a big change, and work towards making it 30 days, now it's a habit. Now pick a new change, and go another 30 days. Before you know it, you're a completely different person. I'm proof.
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Post by ccookwood on Mar 19, 2019 17:20:44 GMT
I m doing Weight Watchers with my husband we are both down in weight since January 8th e 20 lbs him 30 lbs. we like to treat our points like cash saying "I wouldn't spend 8 points on that" and things along those lines it seems to work for us!
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paget
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,725
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
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Post by paget on Mar 19, 2019 17:37:55 GMT
This is the first time I’ve actually lost weight that I was trying to lose (11 pounds so far). What’s been working for me is changing some mindsets which lead to habit changes. For instance, it’s not a diet. This is the way I eat now (less food, healthier choices). And that I am an “active” person so I’m choosing things to do that involve less sitting and phone use, etc. I also weight myself every day and track my food.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Mar 19, 2019 17:45:10 GMT
ake a big change, and work towards making it 30 days, now it's a habit. Now pick a new change, and go another 30 days. I like this. Just do 30 days at a time, that's doable. And it is definitely a lifestyle change. I'm doing South Beach Diet which is basically eating healthy (slow) carbs and occasional sugars. That I can do. I've given up on "diets" that cut out all of one thing or another. I know now it has to be something that I'm willing to do lifelong. we like to treat our points like cash saying "I wouldn't spend 8 points on that" and things along those lines I do that too. I don't have added sugars so when I do I plan it and know that it will be worth the expense to have and enjoy it.
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Post by SweetieBugs on Mar 19, 2019 17:53:02 GMT
For me personally, it was buying a Fitbit Charge 3 and getting Spotify to listen to music while working out. Both really motivated me to work out harder and longer.
Get a food scale if you don't have one. This is very helpful as a reminder of what normal and smaller portions should look like.
Good luck and yes, you're right, wedding pictures do last a lifetime (at least you hope so!!).
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sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,573
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Mar 19, 2019 17:57:48 GMT
Control what's in my house (eliminate temptation).
Have easy to prepare or ready to eat healthy food around.
Recognize that I'll NEVER work out/exercise hard enough to lose weight. It has to be about the food for me.
Listen to healthy eating/lifestyle podcasts to keep me in that frame of mind.
Drink low cal beverages to satisfy snack urges.
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Post by Miss Lerins Momma on Mar 19, 2019 18:04:28 GMT
Instead of snacking after dinner, I’ve been drinking flavored hot teas. I don’t add any sweeteners to them. I buy different flavors and look forward to trying the different flavors. That’s one trick.
I’ve also been doing intermittent fasting. Typically 16:8. So I fast for 16 hours and eat for 8. That seems to help keep me focused and mentally on track.
I try to do a big glass of water as soon as I wake up. And as much water as I can before each meal. If I have breakfast, I’ll do a protein shake instead of a meal. Then for lunch it’s a big salad. With no dressing (bc I’m weird and don’t like any) and protein. Dinner is typically a meat/veggie. Snacks are string cheese & almonds. No calorie drinks. I’m down over 90lbs in the past year!
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Post by Miss Lerins Momma on Mar 19, 2019 18:05:25 GMT
Control what's in my house (eliminate temptation). Have easy to prepare or ready to eat healthy food around. Recognize that I'll NEVER work out/exercise hard enough to lose weight. It has to be about the food for me. Listen to healthy eating/lifestyle podcasts to keep me in that frame of mind. Drink low cal beverages to satisfy snack urges. My doctor told me that I’ll never be able to out exercise a bad diet... and that stuck with me!!!
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Post by bianca42 on Mar 19, 2019 18:34:06 GMT
I heard something on a podcast the other day that really resonated with me. (Unfortunately, I can't remember which podcast...the guest was a guy.)
We will put premium fuel in our car, but not in our body. Think of healthy eating as premium fuel.
My car does require premium fuel...and when I filled up this weekend I was really thinking about it. It's not a diet...it's eating premium fuel.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Mar 19, 2019 18:55:50 GMT
Recognize that I'll NEVER work out/exercise hard enough to lose weight. It has to be about the food for me. Me too! I’ve also been doing intermittent fasting. Typically 16:8. So I fast for 16 hours and eat for 8. That seems to help keep me focused and mentally on track. I also do intermittent fasting. I enjoy not needing to eat breakfast. I've been doing it for close to 2 years and while I haven't lost any weight from it I know that it's good for me to continue to do.
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Post by SweetieBugs on Mar 19, 2019 22:08:09 GMT
Recognize that I'll NEVER work out/exercise hard enough to lose weight. It has to be about the food for me. Me too! I’ve also been doing intermittent fasting. Typically 16:8. So I fast for 16 hours and eat for 8. That seems to help keep me focused and mentally on track. I also do intermittent fasting. I enjoy not needing to eat breakfast. I've been doing it for close to 2 years and while I haven't lost any weight from it I know that it's good for me to continue to do. I find it interesting that you have been intermittent fasting and haven't been losing weight. It may seem counter-intuitive but your body may perform better if you eat breakfast and it' s possible you aren't eating enough calories.
I find that every 2 weeks or so I plateau a bit and if I increase my calorie intake by 300 to 500 a day for 2 days I end up shedding pounds again. The human body sure is mysterious sometimes.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 19, 2019 22:34:40 GMT
I m doing Weight Watchers with my husband we are both down in weight since January 8th e 20 lbs him 30 lbs. we like to treat our points like cash saying "I wouldn't spend 8 points on that" and things along those lines it seems to work for us! I did the same thing with My Fitness Pal. When you only have so many calories for the day, you start to get really picky with what you choose to eat.
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,343
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Mar 19, 2019 23:19:58 GMT
So I do IF and low carb. I’ve recently started listening to Phit and Phat’s podcast because I like what she has to say about the mental aspect of losing weight. For me the key is not starting something I cannot do for my entire life. I’ve been living my lifestyle since June 2017 and have lost about 85 pounds. I have about 20-30 to go, so I’ve increased Exercise.
I do not want to count calories, carbs, etc for my entire life so I’ve focused on eating healthy and listening to my body. I only eat when hungry, so I go anywhere from 16-20 hours of fasting daily. When I do eat I make sure and eat to satisfied and not to stuffed.
The podcast I’ve been listening to was a lot about journaling and planning out your day each morning. Making a 24 hour plan to help you stay on track. I’ve found that it works to keep my on track because I’m not eating it if I didn’t write it down that morning.
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ellen
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,482
Jun 30, 2014 12:52:45 GMT
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Post by ellen on Mar 19, 2019 23:27:20 GMT
I often think about how far I'd have to run to burn off a food item. If I ate a Blizzard at the Dairy Queen, I would have to run all the way from the DQ to burn it off. I can't run that far, so there is no way I would ever eat it. If I'm really wanting ice cream, I know a cone from McDonalds is 200 calories. I'd have to run about 20 minutes to burn it off. That seems much more doable.
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Post by dewryce on Mar 20, 2019 3:23:25 GMT
We don’t keep snacks or bad food at our house, much less likely to leave the house and buy the crap we are in the mood for. I brush my teeth when I’m done eating, I love the feeling of a fresh mouth and don’t want to mess it up.
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Post by deafpea on Mar 20, 2019 3:53:37 GMT
Lots of good ideas here! Some I use: "I don't diet. I eat according to my goals." And my goals are to lose weight, eat more healthy food, improve my health and get stronger. Track everything I eat. Read labels. Weigh/measure everything. One thing I've learned is that what I thought was a serving size was actually 2-3 times the actual serving size on the package. Build treats into your meal plan. Knowing I can have a treat several times a week keeps me from binging. Drink lots of water! Develop the mindset that if you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, you're not hungry. Drink water instead! Also develop the mindset that food is fuel for performance. It's not a reward, motivation, or comfort. Work out. Not only does that help me get stronger, but I'm less likely to eat because I think, "I just spent an hour working my butt off--I'm not gonna mess it up by eating something I know I shouldn't!" Have an accountability partner. Since I started my wellness journey last April, my constant partner has been my husband. I also have my fitness coach who was also my nutrition coach for awhile. (I learned enough that I can do the menu planning and tracking on my own now). It has been SOOO helpful to have someone who can encourage me when I'm feeling discouraged, someone who can push me (and give me an occasional kick in the butt), someone to share ideas with, etc. The accountability partner can also celebrate with you! Celebrate the non-scale victories! Those keep me going in between the scale victories. My clothes are looser; when I've had to buy new things, I've gone down a size; I sleep better; I have more energy; I can slide my wedding ring on and off easily; etc. Identify the times you're most likely to not follow your meal plan. For me, it was between the time my kids went to bed and when I went to bed. The day was over, I was a little tired (but it's still too early to go to bed), I'm a little bit bored (but not enough energy to do anything besides read). That was when I was most tempted to eat whatever and when I needed my accountability partner the most. If you're on Pinterest, find fitness-related quotes that inspire you. (Ignore the pictures of perfect bodies or use them as additional motivation. ) Fist bumps to everyone who is on their wellness journey! Merilee
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Post by MichyM on Mar 20, 2019 4:23:18 GMT
Honestly? "I will not fail" works for me in situations like this. Just not giving myself an option for any other scenario does the trick.
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,718
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Mar 20, 2019 12:06:09 GMT
I wouldn't count calories -- the printed calorie counts on foods are notoriously wrong. They're allowed to say up to 20% lower than actual counts. Use them as a guide for what's a high cal food or not, but don't depend on them. The Economist has a good article on it this week.
You're better off learning your body's hunger signals and eating when you're hungry/stopping when you're not. Feed it fuel that will keep it healthy and running strongly. Drinking enough water and getting enough sleep are also key.
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Post by Florida Cindy on Mar 20, 2019 12:25:56 GMT
Green smoothies just Google the recipes. If you're not going to the bathroom like you should you may want to add ground flaxseed to your smoothies.
Use little dessert plates for your main course.
Use the little dessert balls for your vegetables and he is bigger bowls for salads.
Drink half your weight in water each day. Avoid any artificial sweeteners in drinks. Also avoid any sugar and drinks and items you eat.
For me I avoid dairy but that's really for medical health reasons. Exercise but do you not overdo it. You may need a day or two of rest in between your workouts. If you have a dog walk it everyday. If you don't have a dog, get a dog and find a friend who can watch the dog while you're at the wedding. Your dog needs you so walk walk walk.
I also go to acupuncture and that really works. It's amazing how much food we take in that our body doesn't process. Even the healthiest foods.
Reward yourself! And for those times when you need a sweet treat a little square of Ghirardelli chocolate does the trick.
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Post by mustlovecats on Mar 20, 2019 12:47:14 GMT
I’ve been working on things 10 pounds at a time. When I started I wanted to lose about 90 pounds so taking it in increments helped me break it up.
My biggest mental game is head hunger vs real hunger. Want to eat vs need to eat. On my current plan I eat when hungry and stop when physically satisfied. Fasting sends my glucose way up and I don’t need that, so I eat 3 or 4 meals most days. But sometimes I get to where I want a snack or have a craving and need to determine if it is true hunger which I will feed, or false hunger which I will move past. It is more often head hunger because I get a taste for something that’s not on my plan like a brownie (my sugar food of choice).
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Post by redshoes on Mar 20, 2019 13:33:50 GMT
So I do IF and low carb. I’ve recently started listening to Phit and Phat’s podcast because I like what she has to say about the mental aspect of losing weight. For me the key is not starting something I cannot do for my entire life. I’ve been living my lifestyle since June 2017 and have lost about 85 pounds. I have about 20-30 to go, so I’ve increased Exercise. I do not want to count calories, carbs, etc for my entire life so I’ve focused on eating healthy and listening to my body. I only eat when hungry, so I go anywhere from 16-20 hours of fasting daily. When I do eat I make sure and eat to satisfied and not to stuffed. The podcast I’ve been listening to was a lot about journaling and planning out your day each morning. Making a 24 hour plan to help you stay on track. I’ve found that it works to keep my on track because I’m not eating it if I didn’t write it down that morning. I love PNP!!!
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oh yvonne
Prolific Pea
Posts: 7,989
Jun 26, 2014 0:45:23 GMT
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Post by oh yvonne on Mar 20, 2019 15:05:28 GMT
I"m going to have to check out that podcast, sounds interesting!
I have lost all my weight between Weight Watchers and Intermittent Fasting. 16/8 every day and OMAD twice a week. Its how I lost it all, and how I maintain it now after about 9 months. I've always told myself I don't have a choice, because 'this is what I do'. What do I do? "I fast, I drink my coffee black, I walk at lunch, I watch the carbs..." Whatever healthy habit I have now, I 'do it". I don't eat donuts they bring into the office, because "what I do is walk past them and go get hot water for tea".
Self talk, all the time. I cut myself no slack, honest with myself all the time.
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Mar 20, 2019 15:31:08 GMT
Use little dessert plates for your main course. I do this one, too- I always use the smaller 'lunch' plates instead of the large dinner plates- I can fill up the plate, but it's less food. I've always told myself I don't have a choice, because 'this is what I do'. I'm almost at this point- finally. I always used to think "why can't I eat like 'normal' people do?" but I read something in a book that put it very bluntly: the tendency towards obesity is a chronic condition- it doesn't ever 'go away' or get 'cured.' It's something I will ALWAYS have to think about and pay attention to. I know I can go off the rails very easy if I don't think about it in these terms-- similar to an alcoholic, only my issues are with overeating processed food and carbs instead of alcohol. (from the book: "What does 'regular' food mean? Over 1/3 of Americans have obesity, and 1/3 of Americans are in the overweight range eating regular food. Therefore eating 'regularly' like everybody else will likely lead to either being overweight or having obesity." )
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Post by nnnsmom on Mar 20, 2019 15:43:31 GMT
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Montannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,486
Location: Big Sky Country
Jun 25, 2014 20:32:35 GMT
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Post by Montannie on Mar 20, 2019 15:50:06 GMT
I lose weight if I track my food and make good food choices. Having to write down ever bite keeps me from overeating.
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iamcaro
Full Member
Posts: 127
Mar 12, 2019 2:51:15 GMT
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Post by iamcaro on Mar 20, 2019 17:03:52 GMT
So I do IF and low carb. I’ve recently started listening to Phit and Phat’s podcast because I like what she has to say about the mental aspect of losing weight. For me the key is not starting something I cannot do for my entire life. I’ve been living my lifestyle since June 2017 and have lost about 85 pounds. I have about 20-30 to go, so I’ve increased Exercise. I do not want to count calories, carbs, etc for my entire life so I’ve focused on eating healthy and listening to my body. I only eat when hungry, so I go anywhere from 16-20 hours of fasting daily. When I do eat I make sure and eat to satisfied and not to stuffed. The podcast I’ve been listening to was a lot about journaling and planning out your day each morning. Making a 24 hour plan to help you stay on track. I’ve found that it works to keep my on track because I’m not eating it if I didn’t write it down that morning. I'm so glad that you posted this because I've heard her say this a million times and I have a question about it. If you live with other people, how does this work? Having dinner as a family is really important to us and it would be weird for me and them if I didn't have dinner at the same time. And I really don't think that it's something I'm willing to change, especially for the rest of my life. But, I like to eat lunch about 2 and/or sometimes get really hungry at about 4. (Dinner is usually at 6 or 6:30 and I'm not usually super hungry.) Have you found yourself in similar situations? What do you recommend or what did you do? Thanks!
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Post by mandolyn9909 on Mar 20, 2019 17:31:22 GMT
Love this thread and have read a few tips that I am going to incorporate in my daily as well..
Over the last 6 months I have lost 65 pounds. A few things I have done that have helped me...
I am eating mostly low carb but don't say I am doing Keto because I will still eat some fruit and still have potatoes or rice here and there, I try and do as little sugar as possible.
I work out 4 days a week at the gym lifting weights. I do this mostly to keep me on track, I find mentally the days I work out I don't want to do it for nothing so I will eat better and do better with everything else.
I try and get my water in every day.
I am a snacker in the evenings so to help curb this snacking I brush my teeth earlier in the evening and sometimes brush them again if I feel like snacking, it makes snacking less desirable for me as it isn't going to taste as good and the urge kind of passes. This may sound weird to some but I think a lot of weight loss is a mental mind game.
I started walking on my lunch hours at work to get it a bit more movement in my days.
Good luck on your journey!!
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,343
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Mar 20, 2019 23:14:24 GMT
So I do IF and low carb. I’ve recently started listening to Phit and Phat’s podcast because I like what she has to say about the mental aspect of losing weight. For me the key is not starting something I cannot do for my entire life. I’ve been living my lifestyle since June 2017 and have lost about 85 pounds. I have about 20-30 to go, so I’ve increased Exercise. I do not want to count calories, carbs, etc for my entire life so I’ve focused on eating healthy and listening to my body. I only eat when hungry, so I go anywhere from 16-20 hours of fasting daily. When I do eat I make sure and eat to satisfied and not to stuffed. The podcast I’ve been listening to was a lot about journaling and planning out your day each morning. Making a 24 hour plan to help you stay on track. I’ve found that it works to keep my on track because I’m not eating it if I didn’t write it down that morning. I'm so glad that you posted this because I've heard her say this a million times and I have a question about it. If you live with other people, how does this work? Having dinner as a family is really important to us and it would be weird for me and them if I didn't have dinner at the same time. And I really don't think that it's something I'm willing to change, especially for the rest of my life. But, I like to eat lunch about 2 and/or sometimes get really hungry at about 4. (Dinner is usually at 6 or 6:30 and I'm not usually super hungry.) Have you found yourself in similar situations? What do you recommend or what did you do? Thanks! Yes and that’s why I started doing mostly one meal a day (OMAD). I’m a teacher so I had to eat lunch at 11:15 each day. After doing IF 18:6 for awhile, I found I was only eating lunch because I was “supposed” to, so I started extending my fast. Now I mostly just eat dinner. There are still days where I’m hungry and eat a healthy salad for lunch. I usually know which days those will be because it’s usually following a lower calorie not a lot of good fats dinner, so I’m able to plan for it. In the summer and on weekends, I just try to focus on eating when hungry. Sometimes I eat lunch with my family and sometimes I do not. I’ve sat through many meals and watched my family eat because I just wasn’t hungry. I’m fine with that.
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iamcaro
Full Member
Posts: 127
Mar 12, 2019 2:51:15 GMT
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Post by iamcaro on Mar 21, 2019 0:36:14 GMT
I'm so glad that you posted this because I've heard her say this a million times and I have a question about it. If you live with other people, how does this work? Having dinner as a family is really important to us and it would be weird for me and them if I didn't have dinner at the same time. And I really don't think that it's something I'm willing to change, especially for the rest of my life. But, I like to eat lunch about 2 and/or sometimes get really hungry at about 4. (Dinner is usually at 6 or 6:30 and I'm not usually super hungry.) Have you found yourself in similar situations? What do you recommend or what did you do? Thanks! Yes and that’s why I started doing mostly one meal a day (OMAD). I’m a teacher so I had to eat lunch at 11:15 each day. After doing IF 18:6 for awhile, I found I was only eating lunch because I was “supposed” to, so I started extending my fast. Now I mostly just eat dinner. There are still days where I’m hungry and eat a healthy salad for lunch. I usually know which days those will be because it’s usually following a lower calorie not a lot of good fats dinner, so I’m able to plan for it. In the summer and on weekends, I just try to focus on eating when hungry. Sometimes I eat lunch with my family and sometimes I do not. I’ve sat through many meals and watched my family eat because I just wasn’t hungry. I’m fine with that. Thanks for responding to my question. Because of my job, I can't really eat lunch until about 2. It's just the way it works out for me. Maybe I will need to figure something else out for my work days and move to only eating when hungry on non-work days.
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