# Motivation for the weak willed snacker...



## Ridgeway (5 Nov 2020)

I made some great progress once LD1 kicked in (lock down one) and from March 1st to end May i managed to go from 85 - 75kgs. More time to ride, more time to prepare better foods etc, a simple eat less do more approach. Stayed at 75kgs (+/-) throughout the Summer but feel i'm on the edge of gaining some lard again due to:

Increased work load and less daylight hours = less riding
but mainly eating too much, especially snacks and bad stuff

My will power is shockingly low and no matter how much i convince myself to get back on the wagon as soon as i see a snack hanging around then i give in.....

Ideally i want to exit Winter at <75kgs and 70kgs would be perfect but i can see that not happening unless i conquer my weak willed snacking habits. The maths of eat less do more is fine by me but I'm struggling with the first part of the equation

Having said that LD2 could soon be here so perhaps that's my chance to have another go at it.

How have others strengthened their will power, what motivated you enough to "just say no" (any Zammo fans) and how do i go cold turkey on Wotsits and Penguins

All tips and tricks appreciated


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

Don’t have the bad stuff in the house, drink lots of water, if need to snack, carrots, celery etc

I have the same issues when stuck in house, bored, working. My recent gain is due to no cycling since injury and now no gym, just super boring turbo for short periods as battered joints allow)

I dream of only being 75kg 

You could take up smoking of course as an appetite suppressant/ hand occupier (just not weed cos of the munchies)


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## Ridgeway (5 Nov 2020)

Yes need to reduce the snacks but with 4 children in the house it's a bit delicate, having said that they seem to eat more sensibly than i do I can see the next 2 months being 100% WAH and there's good and bad in that.

PS: 75kgs i'm 3ft 9" (if only...)


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## alicat (5 Nov 2020)

Maybe just get them the snacks that you don't like. My only way to avoid stuff that doesn't help my weight loss is to not have it in the house.


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## Mo1959 (5 Nov 2020)

Don’t ask me.....I’ve just had 2 bags of crisps!


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## Archie_tect (5 Nov 2020)

I started because in January I tipped over 93kg after a very happy Christmas and knew I had to seriously lose weight. Mrs A_T has always kept to a sensible BMI of 22 but eats anything!
It started pretty slowly but during lockdown I promised myself to get out every day- I was determined to average 10000 steps a day which I've done so far- a mixture of regular rides and walking everywhere instead of getting in the car, I've finally got down to 79.5kg- the weight I was in my 20s which still gives me a real lift.

Keeping the regular exercise going [I've carried 140000 'surplus' steps forward from October so theoretically I can slob about til the 15th! ] means we have a varied mix of small/ sensible portions including fish and chips on Mondays, mini- Magnums through the week after tea and bramble crumble as a treat... I don't think we'll stop with the Saturday morning weekly Wii weigh-ins, it keeps us focused so we don't slip back up a bit too often!


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## fossyant (5 Nov 2020)

I've been good so far today.... getting stuck in meetings at the other end of the garden makes popping to the kitchen tricky.


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## annedonnelly (5 Nov 2020)

Do things that force you to move around the house. Going upstairs & forgetting what you've gone for until you get back down is handy.


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## Archie_tect (5 Nov 2020)

annedonnelly said:


> Do things that force you to move around the house. Going upstairs & forgetting what you've gone for until you get back down is handy.


Handy for what...


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

annedonnelly said:


> Do things that force you to move around the house. Going upstairs & forgetting what you've gone for until you get back down is handy.


I mostly go up and downstairs to make tea/coffee and get snacks


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## pclay (5 Nov 2020)

My tip:

Dont have bread in the house & try to ride 100miles per week.


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

pclay said:


> My tip:
> 
> Dont have bread in the house & try to ride 100miles per week.


And if you can’t cycle outdoors due to injury? There’s no earthly way of doing 100 miles on a turbo as you don’t go anywhere


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## Archie_tect (5 Nov 2020)

I haven't got a trainer, and have resorted to jogging on the spot in the house a couple of times while something cooked in the oven for 30 minutes! I put my favourite 70/80s music on Spotify and keep going through each track- it soon passes!


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

Archie_tect said:


> I haven't got a trainer, and have resorted to jogging on the spot in the house a couple of times while something cooked in the oven for 30 minutes! I put my favourite 70/80s music on Spotify and keep going through each track- it soon passes!


Unfortunately I can’t jog either! Or walk very far!


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## Archie_tect (5 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> Unfortunately I can’t jog either! Or walk very far!


Ah! Are you slowly recovering from your injuries or are you finding alternative ways of coping?


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

Archie_tect said:


> Ah! Are you slowly recovering from your injuries or are you finding alternative ways of coping?


Very slowly recovering...I have been swimming and using the gym (non weight bearing/resistance machines)...but no more for the next 4 weeks 
I'm bad at snacking in the evenings so the gym got me out the house (as did cycling in Lockdown 1.0)


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## Archie_tect (5 Nov 2020)

Mrs A_T is into yoga and finds the non-weight-bearing aspects of stretching and flexing really helps her joints and flexibility as she has hip joint / shoulder and [sometimes] lower back pain - any use?


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## Jody (5 Nov 2020)

These are the things that have worked for me this year. I'm down to 63kg and I haven't drastically altered anything in my life but lockdown has allowed me to reset a few areas. I'd describe my will power as non existent, so for me its been a big struggle to make small changes.

Go cold turkey on sugar and crisps for 1-2 weeks. It's only when you have something sweet again do you realise how quickly the cravings start. It was a real eye opened for me.

Don't feel guilty for having a treat. The more you avoid it, the more you feel guilty for having succumbed to temptation. 

Look at how much small changes can add up. It might only be 1 small chocolate biscuit bar a day but drop to every other day and that is around 1lb loss (or not gaining) every two months

Ask your partner to buy the stuff only he/she likes and keep that where they usually live. Then set yourself a snack tin somewhere for the stuff you like. It might just be me, but if I know I have x amount stashed away then I am not thinking about sharing something. It's also there when I want it, with no disappointment of the last one having been snaffled. If I look in the cupboard, there is nothing I like and that is a reminder why my stash is hidden away.

Change your wardrobe as your weight goes down. No point in staying in the same clothes as you have enough room to comfortably grow back into them.


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## Jody (5 Nov 2020)

Mo1959 said:


> Don’t ask me.....I’ve just had 2 bags of crisps!



You're doing it wrong. I cut down to only half a bag a day


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

Archie_tect said:


> Mrs A_T is into yoga and finds the non-weight-bearing aspects of stretching and flexing really helps her joints and flexibility as she has hip joint / shoulder and [sometimes] lower back pain - any use?


Not if it involves standing on one leg or kneeling unfortunately!!


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## Mo1959 (5 Nov 2020)

Jody said:


> You're doing it wrong. I cut down to only half a bag a day
> View attachment 556506


I can’t save half for later once I start on these!


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## Archie_tect (5 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> Not if it involves standing on one leg or kneeling unfortunately!!


She seems to spend a lot of time sitting or lying down... she's particularly good at the meditation section lying on her back on the mat concentrating on breathing exercises with her eyes closed. I must have a go.

Her Zoom class does collapse in hysterics [they are all ladies of a certain age] when pressure on abdomens is released inadvertently...


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## annedonnelly (5 Nov 2020)

Archie_tect said:


> Handy for what...


Dunno, I forgot...


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## sheddy (5 Nov 2020)

Snacks: prepared processed foods are (probably) deliberately formulated to keep you wanting more.


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## ColinJ (5 Nov 2020)

Ridgeway said:


> How have others strengthened their will power, what motivated you enough to "just say no" (any Zammo fans) and how do i go cold turkey on Wotsits and Penguins


3 weeks at home becoming desperately ill, 9 days in hospital, and a further 2 years of recovery did the trick for me! 

Booze was my original weakness but I haven't touched it since. I replaced that with a chocolate habit... It took me 6 months to replace the 125-150 g of choc a night habit with a 6 Bakewell tarts a night habit... That got replaced with a Brazil nuts/raisins plus 0.25 L of OJ with sparkling mineral water habit... Now my nightly treat is generally a mug of tea and/or a bottle of chilled tap water

After 8 years I _finally_... don't drink booze, don't buy chocolate**, don't buy cake**, don't buy nuts/raisins**, don't drink OJ**.

My weight is still slowly falling even though I have only done about 25% of my usual cycling distance this year.



** Generally speaking, that is - I do allow myself the odd treat now and then, maybe once or twice a week.


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## Once a Wheeler (5 Nov 2020)

Ridgeway said:


> How have others strengthened their will power, what motivated you enough to "just say no" (any Zammo fans) and how do i go cold turkey on Wotsits and Penguins. All tips and tricks appreciated


This really works for me:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-fast-diet/dr-michael-mosley/mimi-spencer/9781780722375
Read it right through before you try it in practice. Perhaps for me the strong point is that it does not feel like dieting. Good luck and good health.


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## Dayvo (5 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> Unfortunately I can’t jog either! Or walk very far!


Are you able to swim a few lengths in your bath? 😉

Sorry, I know you're limited due to injuries. 😟


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## vickster (5 Nov 2020)

Dayvo said:


> Are you able to swim a few lengths in your bath? 😉
> 
> Sorry, I know you're limited due to injuries. 😟


I’m longer than my bath


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## Dayvo (5 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> I’m longer than my bath


Then it'll be one continuous tumble turn. 🏊‍♀️


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## DCBassman (5 Nov 2020)

vickster said:


> Unfortunately I can’t jog either! Or walk very far!


I haven't been able to jog/run for years. Now I can't walk far either. But cycling still works. Phew!


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## Blue Hills (6 Nov 2020)

sheddy said:


> Snacks: prepared processed foods are (probably) deliberately formulated to keep you wanting more.


More than probably. The processed food industy sees us as lab rat consumers.


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## Ridgeway (6 Nov 2020)

Jody said:


> These are the things that have worked for me this year. I'm down to 63kg and I haven't drastically altered anything in my life but lockdown has allowed me to reset a few areas. I'd describe my will power as non existent, so for me its been a big struggle to make small changes.
> 
> Go cold turkey on sugar and crisps for 1-2 weeks. It's only when you have something sweet again do you realise how quickly the cravings start. It was a real eye opened for me.
> 
> ...



Some great tips


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## Ridgeway (6 Nov 2020)

Mrs Ridgeway came up with a sensible idea this morning, going to get a food dehydrator so that we can prepare dried fruits and veggies. The children love dried fruit but it's quite expensive so hopefully this will help save a few pennies and motivate us to switch from junk snacks to something slightly healthier.

It arrives tomorrow so off to get some fruit and i'll be ready for some serious drying


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## Archie_tect (6 Nov 2020)

Only issue to watch with dried fruit is it concentrates the sugar content so, as it weighs much less and is a much smaller amount to look at, you tend to eat more of it... a double whammy!


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## Ridgeway (6 Nov 2020)

Good point but it has to be better than Wotsits and Penguins i guess, but i take what you're saying.


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## ColinJ (6 Nov 2020)

Why not just eat an apple, pear, carrot, [insert fruit/vegetable of choice here]...?


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## Ridgeway (6 Nov 2020)

My thinking is that sliced up into smaller pieces and dried it will help me replace small snacky foods, ie eat a piece or two of a dried fruit instead of a whole one or better still instead of a bag/packet of XXX. I think it brings convenience rather than having to keep carving up fruit throughout the day and also having them start to go brown etc


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## ColinJ (6 Nov 2020)

You could buy small apples and eat one at a time? They travel well. 

I gave up carrying bananas when out because they always seem to end up a mess - yes, I know that there are special plastic banana holders, but I haven't got one! 

The trouble with dried fruit (as mentioned above) is that it is very concentrated, and also more-ish. I loved nuts and raisins but couldn't stop eating them.


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## Drago (7 Nov 2020)

Keep all the snacks in the same cupboard. Inside the door of that same cupboard attach a large picture of Bernard Manning. Now every time you open the cupboard you'll see what you'll end up looking like if you keep snacking. 

Motivation levels high, snack intake reduced, job done.

Im lucky, blessed with a cast iron willpower that makes even Schwarzenegger look weak willed.


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## Ridgeway (7 Nov 2020)

Drago this does mean that i'll have to explain to the children who Mr Manning was, suppose it had to come one day

_"Right kids there was this Embassy club in Manchester....."_


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## Drago (7 Nov 2020)

This should do it...






"Blimey, I really fancy a snack size Twix bar..."


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## Ridgeway (9 Nov 2020)

Look at the size of his phone


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