[C2015]

For over a year I have lived on nothing but junk food. I made some healthy chicken yesterday. I haven't eaten the chicken yet. How can I make myself eat it and get back to eating healthy meals instead of junk food?

[highnrg1]

I was very similar to that, for a big part of my life. I had dessert at every meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner! Snacked on junk in between. I still ate some healthy stuff, too, but mostly…not. I was having severe stomach issues at a certain point. My friends kept telling me it was sugar but I told them they were ridiculous. But finally, I saw something online about the effects of sugar on the brain and currently, manufacturers add sugar or non fructose corn syrup (now just referred to by the name 'fructose' to make it sounds better) and that high consumption of sugar has been linked to Altzheimer's Disease (sp?)
Anyway, The World Health Organization had set a recommended amour of sugar at 50g per day in the past, but now was recommending that people try to lower their consumption to 25g per day. So I studied my eating habits for a few days and I was eating between 360-480g of sugar a day at the time. That got my attention!!! I was eating more than TEN TIMES the amount of sugar recommended on every given day.
So, I started to look at the sugar that was in EVERYTHING and started to seek out natural sugar in the foods I eat. I cut out yogurt (huge), granola bars (also huge), juices (huge), cola (enormous) and I cut WAY down on the amount of candy I eat.
I still eat candy or a small dish of ice cream or a few cookies EVERY DAY, but now I don't eat them at every meal. By changing the type of bread I eat and planning my meals a little more carefully, most days I can eat much of what I like (some potato chips, many fruits and the treats mentioned above) and still remain in a range between 25 and 50g of sugar each day. Also, I was not trying to lose weight, but was just trying to help with my stomach problems) but I have lost weight doing this and feel much better!
I know it's hard, but try to find some healthy things you love that are sweet (my "go to" foods are watermelon, corn, bananas, grapes, cherries, apples, mandarin oranges, peaches and plums) and find some vegetables that you like. Get in the habit of eating a good breakfast (I usually have REGULAR Cheerios and a banana, but sometimes have a piece of toast with butter or peanut butter) and I drink my sweetened drink at this meal (usually tea).

For lunch, a sandwich and some chips and a piece of fruit and some veggies and water (or sometimes leftovers from dinner from the night before).

Snack or dessert at some point in the afternoon: cookies or ice cream or candy (just a few, like 2-3 pieces or as with ice cream only the amount contained in ONE SERVING on the label).

Dinner: Chicken and rice and vegetables or hamburgers and rosemary fries and a salad or my all time favorite spaghetti with meatballs (sauce and meatballs homemade) with a slice of garlic bread and a salad.

Snacking in the evening: I try to avoid this, but sometimes I just am craving something, so I don't beat myself up. Usually pretzels or a few crackers and small amount of peanut butter or cheese on them) or toast, but sometimes it is another sweet treat like candy, a brownie or cookie or a dish of ice cream. Water with the snack.

I try not to eat ANYTHING after 8:00 PM, mainly because EVERYTHING keeps me up once my ADHD meds have cleared my system and just makes me too alert to calm down and get to sleep.

Maybe try working toward a plan like this little by little. I am thinking you will start to feel better and better if you do. I know it's done wonders for me, and I might still have a shot at remembering my children's names when I'm 90 years old!!! ha ha!

i used to eat a lot of sugar.
i noticed that the more protein i ate, the less sugar i wanted.
also, the less sugar i ate, the better i felt, and then as a result wanted even less sugar.

[SoConfused623]

I gave up all processed Sugar on Jan 2nd, so no cookies, candy, cakes, ice cream, donuts, muffins etc since then. I've lost 12 lbs and feel great! I eat a lot of fruit and passing up on the sweets has been easy. I don't crave them and the thought of all that sugar really icks me. In addition, I went to the dentist yesterday and for the first time in my whole life had NO Cavities!