John, I highly recommend making extra portions when you cook a healthy meal so that you have lots of leftovers afterwards. Then, all you have to do is dish up enough for a meal and stick it in the microwave. It's quick, SUPER easy, and is typically WAY healthier.
YES! This is SO helpful when trying to eat better!! Another thing I've sound that's in the same vein, of sorts, is that if you find a Chicken or Salmon recipe you like; make extra while you make your meal. Not extra sides, just the meat. Then you can put it away and chop it up for salads or have it as a lunch with a steamed veggie later in the week. It really helps me, hopefully it can help someone else!
I think you gotta give yourself some credit here, John. You've changed so many things in your life in these 70 days, it's incredibly hard to change more than 1 or 2 habits at once, any more than that and things are bound to get more difficult. Especially something as closely related to/involved with mental & physical health. Plus food is an immense societal problem that brings tons of pressure and expectations. That said, setting a couple of rules for yourself sounds like a good resolve.
John, thank you so much for really expressing how a lot of us feel when it comes to eating, especially the ones among us who suffer from an eating disorder: "it's like something outside of my mind decides what I'm going to eat". that felt so true for myself for many years, and I have only recently managed to gain control back over my mind, after exiting my teenage years (which were an absolute hell in terms of eating patterns and self love). I think your project, these 100 days of a highly public attempt at health by two normal men is so useful to see by a lot of teens and young people who suffer on a daily basis in the confines of their own minds. thank you so, so much for doing this.
His honesty about the struggles with diet are so helpful, soooo many times I wondered what it´s wrong with me that I can´t follow a diet that I, myself, planned. It´s good to know that it happens to the best of people too ;)))
I felt really bad for John while watching this episode. I could tell he felt really disappointed with himself for not succeeding despite trying so hard. I hope it gets better for you, John!
I'm a morbidly obese person. I struggle with binge eating and a food addiction. I'm also 100lbs less obese than I used to be (70ish more to go). The frustration you feel with food, the lack of control and the understanding you should/could do better but don't/can't, well that's a daily battle for me. When I lose control I can shoot an entire week of good eating out the window in a matter of an hour. I'm winning more than I'm losing and it's encouraging but the struggle continues and it's going to be a life long one.
I just wanted to say I'm very proud of you, of the effort you put in feeling better! Sounds very tough to have that daily battle and I hope you can keep it up and reach your goal.
John, seeing you struggle with the food portion is honestly so helpful to me because I have the same struggle and it often ends in some sort of non helpful self-hate. I think a lot of people present the food part as easy or something that requires and demands perfection right away, and when I "fail" at that I often feel terrible about myself and -- like you said -- continue to make bad choices. It's "progress, not perfection," and knowing you're out there with similar goals to me, and having similar challenges but working through them, is sooo helpful. Thank you. DFTBA.
I started my own 100 days on January 2nd and am down 48 pounds (I know you guys don't track weight, but it helps me). Thank you both for showing me that being healthy is hard work for everyone and I'm not alone in this struggle.
Love that you're setting those rules for yourself. I've been doing the same for me. Of course, my rules are different-ish. One that's different is that I have a cutoff time where I stop eating by 8:00. I completely understand that the idea of eating close to bed getting in the way of weight loss is a "myth" and stuff. But for me, the later it gets, the 1) less likely I am to track my food and the 2) more likely I am to eat EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.
Good luck that sounds like a good idea! Where I live at the moment culturally people tend to have dinner at 9, which in my house often translates to 10pm, and I think its one of the reasons I've not been very good at meal-planning and making sure my dinners are nutritionally balanced lately! My decision making is definitely worse in the evenings.
Wait, how is that a myth? As far as I'm aware, you do burn calories while sleeping, and I imagine that trying to digest a lot of food from the beginning of the process while sleeping doesn't really help that.
Honestly, that's my understanding as well. I just have seen SO many people posting about how that's "not a real thing" that I thought it'd be best to just ignore that part of things. ;)
John, you and I are the same person when it comes to snacking. And I can truly appreciate your frustration with yourself. It's such a uniquely awful feeling to know that some of my actions and choices feel so entirely out of my control. Not drinking alcohol at home is a big help when it comes to controlling my bad snacking habits, so good thought there. I hope the last 30 days help you learn a few new things about how to help yourself through this, and I hope you continue to share them with us.
On behalf of the Nerdfighterias of Michigan may I formally welcome you to our home:-) Additionally, I CANNOT BELIEVE you jumped in Lake Michigan in March! Last Memorial Day Weekend I jumped into Lake Superior and I regretted it so much! Also, I can't believe it's already been 70 days into this journey, great job guys! Keep it up!!
I TA a nutrition counseling course and showed this video to the instructor. We are going to show your videos in class to help exemplify counseling skills that students have been learning. We talk about dealing with clients that enjoy rules/structure, how to info-share, sustainable change, change talk, and many more that your videos exemplify. Thanks for sharing!
I'm just so proud of John and Chris, and all of you, for making these commitments to improve yourselves. It's incredibly inspiring and reassuring. Thank you for sharing.
The best way I have found to manage junk food is to allow yourself a particular amount of lesser junk food. For example: protein bars are usually sweet or salty but have redeeming qualities. Designate the amount you are allowed per week and stick to you rules. It is the only way I have found to make a lasting change. Also, we all need to celebrate our victories more. We are all so darn hard on ourselves. The three things you did well each day idea is really really good. I'm going to need some work on that one.
John, it really, really helps to see someone else struggle with the diet side of things. I want so badly to change my diet, but you're right, it's hard, and it's so much easier to keep slipping when you've already made one "exception." I'm still working out what's going to work for me, but you being so honest and open about it is helpful and uplifting.
As a women who had been on the yo-yo diet train for years, I cannot recommend enough "When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies: Freeing Yourself from Food & Weight Obsession" by Hirschmann and Munter. This book literally changed everything about how I think about food, and it has helped me become a much happier and healthier person in all sorts of way, dietary and otherwise. So, if you're watching this video and thinking about starting /yet another diet/...maybe you should read that book too :)
I cut all processed sugars from my diet a couple weeks ago to 1) see if I could do it and 2) try and kick my sweet-tooth habit. After just a couple of weeks I had sugar again and it was too sweet for me. Cutting it is miserable and I definitely got headaches and was cranky for a couple of days, but after that it was so nice to not crave something sweet and to generally just have more energy. Keep going, John. Glad you're figuring out what's best for you.
I want to do this so badly because I think it will be helpful for me. I felt that "hangover" like feeling when I gave up coffee, and am not looking forward to the adjustment my body would be making by giving up processed sugar. Good for you! This is going on the April "to-do" list. Questions about your approach: Did you just give up things with sugar or also processed carbs? Also, what about fruit, did you still eat fruit? Thanks! - JM
I have a gluten allergy, so processed carbs are already mostly out of my diet (I still go for chips or fries for a comfort food, frozen fries are a great snack). And I definitely still eat fruit. The goal for me is to eat healthier. I eat almonds and apples a lot. And I found natural peanut butter doesn't have sugar in it, which makes a great apple dip. Potatoes are great.
John wonderfull to see that you are able to discuss this issue so enthousiastly. Meal planning and healthy eating takes a lot of time and commitment. So I am sure you are on the right track here...
I dread when this show end. I have been trying to improve my level of activity as well. It was not intentional, but I know that watching along with you both has help me maintain my small improvements. I watch the video's right when I get home from school (Im a teacher) and then go for a nice long walk. Thanks for the help guys, best of luck
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John, you're saying exactly what has gone through my head throughout a period of months. I am so happy I'm not the only one who feels like this and I am determined for it to change as well. Good luck!
John I love that you looked back at what worked and what didn't, and were able to apply that to yourself. I feel that's often where people have the hardest time - trying to apply someone else's method to their own, and then beating themselves up because it's not working for them. So well done :) Also, only 1 month left?! I'm certainly going to miss these
I enjoy these videos so much, not just because they are entertaining, but also because it's good to see someone I admire struggle with the same things in eating healthy as I do.
We're so proud of you for working on what's difficult, John. I'm struggling to stick to my diet plan (by which I mean I have fallen off the rails entirely) since breaking up with my boyfriend and moving home, but you're inspiring me to get back in control. You got this!!
I've been food tracking for about 30 days now. The thing I'm trying to conquer at the moment isn't so much what I eat, but how often I eat. It's been.. varying degrees of successful over the weeks in terms of meals, but I've been really strict at always tracking. Even if I have a day where I only eat chocolate chip cookies, I still write it down and that's been really helpful. Best of luck for your last 30 days John (and Chris!)
I highly suggest looking at your diet not by day but by week. I do this specifically with added sugar. It's extremely easy to go over your daily goal and then tell yourself you'll do better tomorrow so "I may as well eat 8 granola bars". However, if you're trying to average 25 grams of added sugar a day-- I can have a glass of pop here and there throughout the week and it's a treat, no guilt. Not something that you feel self loathing or the need to punish yourself over.
Carbs= sugar= dopamine. This is the hardest thing for me, especially when I'm having days where my ADD symptoms are bad or I'm anxious. Keep working on it and be kind to yourself after difficult days! 👍🏻
When I started training for a half marathon (I've never ran more than a 5k), I forced myself to go running every day. But after a while, I liked that time I got to spend alone, just listening to a podcast or audiobook, and enjoying seeing my neighborhood. I always saw these bunnies and I always looked forward to watching the sun set as I rounded the corner of the same street every day. Eventually it became relaxing and a sort of meditation for me.
Another great tip - keep healthy snacks readily available and easily visible in your pantry and the fridge. It also helps if you portion them out and prep them at the beginning of the week. If you don't have to dig around for them, and you don't have to do any extra prep work to them, it'll be a lot easier to reach for those versus processed snacks!
I'd like to thank you guys (everyone that works on this) for making 100 days and keeping it honest and real. Not making it seem like you're perfect and that there aren't struggles you're dealing with. It's very comforting to me to see you struggle with keeping track of your diet or how unattractive working out really looks. You have spurred me to make steps to make healthier choices in my own life. I've decided to try and go to the gym every day with a rest day on Sunday (for now at least. Hoping to get rid of that was I go to the gym more) and I'm trying to make better choices in my food. Food, for me, has always been very hard. I understand where John is coming from with it. I make poor choices constantly. I try to make better decisions, but I've found that my own brain tricks me. I used to say "Only 2 cans of soda a day." (Which was a far cry healthier then my usual 6-8 cans a day!), but my brain would trick me with "Well, if you only have 1 can today then you can have 3 tomorrow!" Allowing myself a set amount of something wasn't working. I'd do that 'saving up' for the next day and by the third day, I'm back to 6 cans and eating chocolate all day. I'm finding, with my mind, it's easier to set times. "No soda after 6 pm." has worked much better for me. I get 1 can in a day that way (sometimes not even a can of soda) and after I grown used to 6, I bumped it up to 5 pm no soda, but I'm really struggling with other aspects of my diet. I'm thinking I need to create some rules like John has to help me. I work much better with strict rules that are black and white. If anyone reads this and has any sort of tips or suggestions, I'd really love to hear them. I want to be better. I want to make lasting changes to my health.
I like these rules. I have a similar issue of going off the rails when I have sweets or other processed food, but mostly sweet things. Perhaps I need to set some boundaries for myself like I do with other things in my life. For instance, one day I made a rule about not drinking any longer because depression and alcohol are not a good mix. I am 2+ years strong on sticking to that rule. We can do this!
maybe you should find healthier option of unhealthy snacks you eat like i make avocado banana smoothie with coco powder when I crave chocolate ice cream.. or make kale chip when I crave potato chips
This. I have had to change a lot of my diet because of allergies and get creative. As I watched this video, I was eating black bean chips in salsa. I'm not only allergic to corn but also every other bean and lentil except black beans! I was so psyched to find these. All that to say... alternatives exist. :)
John, it means so much that you are being so real about your struggles with food. I feel the same way, because no matter how many times I make up my mind to eat something healthy, I can't do it most of the time. And I hate it so much. It was especially bad for me when I used to watch TH-camrs who would say just try healthy eating for a week or a month and your body will get used to it and you won't even crave the bad food anymore. That may be the case for some people, but not all, and it took watching this video for me to realize that. You have said in previous episodes that when your diet is bad, you find it difficult to exercise. It's the same for me, but still knowing that doesn't make me magically stop eating all the bad shit. Seriously thank you so much for being honest, not just about this, but about everything. I can't tell you how much it means to me. 💜
Thank you for this video, John. I have been having a really hard time with eater better and this made me feel not as guilty as I have been with how much I struggle
i feel like this is the first time i've felt a connection with john's food issues. because he's a different age, has a different lifestyle and, you know, is a dude, i've been loving 100 days but never felt like it spoke to me. until now. like, not being able to control eating urges is something that hits me pretty hard - between mental health issues and body image problems, i always fall into the "might as well eat eight granola bars" rabbit hole (except that i hate granola bars, but i digress). i'm not huge into processed foods ans almost never eat out, but when i'm having a bad day mentally or - and this is one of the reasons i wasn't feeling connected - i'm in pain due to my period, i just want to overeat things that are not that nutritionally good for me. and my brain goes to all-or-nothing mode. my best strategy, if anyone is reading this and feels the same way, is also food tracking. when i track it, i notice that my binge-eating wasn't that horrible (it rarely is) and it keeps me from the might-as-well-binge-again-tomorrow trap. also, yoga has been helping a lot.
It can be really uncomfortable to be a dude and talk about problems with compulsive eating. It's great that John is stepping forward and doing it. That's a lead I need to follow more often myself.
Same here! Somehow doing yoga has helped me to look at food specifically as nourishment and taking care of myself. Though I still have those depressive days where I just eat cereal out of a box- but at least I feel I'm working towards eating better? I haven't tried food tracking in a few years though so maybe that could be helpful now that I'm in a healthier mindset.
well, all i know is that it's helped me, maybe just give it a try for a few weeks and see how it goes? and yeah, i have terrible days as well, but at least nowadays i can sense more how food affects my well-being. if i just eat junk food i get tired faster, my stomach hurts, etc. better eating + yoga makes switches my mindset about food to noiurishment as well
I'm really connecting with this discussion about food. When I eat healthy, I see that I have more energy and I feel better about my choices. And when I can keep it going for a long period of time, I see my body change. But I can't keep it going! I just need those sweet sweet carbs! I can't imagine not having pizza ever again. But I just keep trying. Ugh.
Thanks for sharing your struggles with eating well. I have to follow a special diet and I have a hard time eating healthy within it's limitations. It made me feel better to hear someone else talk about similar issues.
I have a lot of the same struggles. for me, it's replacing my "trigger foods" with healthy ones: salted edamame for chips, peanut butter/honey on rice cake for sweet craving, an apple when I want both, and a cup of dandelion tea after those haven't shut down the cravings. Also, maybe ask your dietician about intermittent fasting? has helped balance my hormones a ton, which in turn has cut down that out of control eating you described. keep it up!
It may not be a super positive contribution, but you have my infinite respect for being able to do all of your exercise in your glasses. Whenever I try to work out or run with my glasses, they inevitably go flying, so super props to you for that:)
I think those 5 rules are fantastic! I've been trying to figure out ways to encourage myself to eat better over the last month and my one rule was "no refined sugar" which has really worked for me. It's forced me to cut out a bunch of processed food and only make desserts that are sweetened with fruit like smoothies, sorbet, oatmeal, and I've found other desserts sweetened with dates and maple syrup. I've found over the past month that my food cravings for sweet things have dropped dramatically and when I'm hungry I reach for a base meal of quinoa/brown rice, a protein like egg or grilled/baked chicken, and lots of greens on top. Maybe even a hearty tomato soup on the side. Its really helped me and given me hope that this can certainly be a sustainable diet. Thanks so much for the inspiration and great job sticking with it and encouraging everyone out there to get healthier!
John, I would recommend checking out a book by Sandra Aamodt, a neuroscientist who has explored the relationship between our brains, willpower, and food, called "Why Diets Make Us Fat." I found it really helpful in developing a healthy relationship with food and understanding how to set myself up to have less binge eating impulses. On another note, I'd recommend checking out barbell training in this series! Sports and exercise doesn't have to only be cardio, I was excited to discover. I started powerlifting a while back, and my brain and body are both much happier for it.
I'm not someone who moderates effectively is the story of my life. Even good things like reading are done in sudden bursts and all-nighters with no regard for real responsibilities. Eating, real world work, cleaning, social interactions... I have trouble moderating all of them. I, like you John, have social and generalized anxiety issues with serious depression that creeps in every two or three years. Those of us with mood disorders sometimes reach a point that I call "high-functioning mood disorder" but that doesn't mean that the underlying conditions go away. I know for me, my relationship with food and exercise and productivity and life tasks can swing radically from mandated absolute control to self-loathing abandonment. I hope that the rules you've set for yourself are helpful to you. If you too experience swings like mine, and if these rules end up being a part of that swing, I hope the fall is soft. I hope we all get to a point beyond simply figuring out how to live day to day with mood disorders to a point of overall health.
Tracking my food, good and bad, every thing, helps keep my accountable. And like you said, one bad meal does not ruin the rest of the day. Don't sweat it! Just try to keep it at one. What really helps me from making bad snack choices are to simply not have them in the house. I realize this is likely much more difficult for you as you have two children, but perhaps you can have a part of the pantry and fridge that is the John zone, where you keep your snacks that follow your rules. I'm glad you're being so honest about the dietary struggle of 100 days. I think this is going to help a lot of people, and maybe open up some eyes to people who don't realize how people can be overweight because they have the 'well just don't eat bad food' mentality. Keep it up John and Chris!
I started running cross country last summer and I noticed that I also became increasingly less able to have the willpower to deny myself snack foods and foods high in carbs as I continued to run; so maybe the increase in exercise for you John could be making it more difficult than it would have been anyway to eat healthier. It's worth noting that I could be totally off track with that one, but I just wanted to say that I have empathy for you and I'm rooting for you John!
John's all-or-nothing thinking is intense here and it's something my heart goes out to him on as it's one of the *prime thinking patterns in OCD*...and man is it such a huge driving force behind his specific diet struggles right now. I know this is something you can try to combat with food-specific rules, being a rule-oriented guy, but there's a little bit of me that worries you'll still get snagged in the very all-or-nothing, black-or-white thoughts surrounding those very rules, too. I think it could be helpful to reeeeally focus on the thought pattern driving some of these areas of struggle more than what to do about the food itself. I know you mentioned doing that as well, but instead of just _generally_ trying 'not to think that way things', trying to find some really specific challenges to that mindset from a very mental health vantage point could yield a lot more success. (Somewhat more of a personalized, CBT-esque approach, though I know you aren't always a fan of CBT.) But I really think that you could benefit from tackling this from all the angles that can remind you that one bad food choice doesn't mean everything after that has to be a bad food choice, that the whole DAY isn't bad now just because one meal was bad, and just bc you didn't track or plan out your food at the start of the day doesn't mean you can't start in the middle, etc, etc. There's also a teeny part of me that both loves and worries about this showing up in the relationship to exercise - not so much bc of anything you said here in this video but with the NerdCon panel on mental health as well where you mentioned that "exercise to the point of absolutely exhaustion" is what's helpful for you. Having OCD myself and similar all-or-nothing thought patterns, it's very easy to not know when to stop with the exercise -- ESPECIALLY when you know it's _helping_ your mental health. A bit of "Well if I started, i'm gonna go ALL out until I can't anymore", "I only get the MOST benefit when I completely tire myself out; anything less isn't 'as good'" or "If I didn't get out today, I'm gonna sit and granola bar it up today." kinds of stuff. I know you're finding wayyyyy more balance than you ever used to. But my heart just pours out to you for all these little places OCD-based thoughts like to sneak themselves in and sabotage -- esp when you said you felt controlled by your food decisions. ....like someone or something else is forcing you to do them. And some of that really can come from that powerfulllllll OCD place in the mind that not every has - that places that drives you, COMPELLS you to make do things you don't feel like you want to be doing. I really really really love all of the transparency you've shared here and really really hope you can see and revel in your progress and not have the 'downs' weigh too much. ...the kinds of small hiccups that still manage to feel so all-consuming and catastrophic. From one all-or-nothing, black-or-white, catastrophizing OCD nerdfighter to another, I really hope some of this could be helpful.
I can totally understand your eating issues. I have a similar problem. Part of mine is surroundings. I work in a restaurant with less than stellar choices.
it's only by reflecting on times where you had no control that you figure out why you felt that way. your imaginings of what might come up are not as accurate as the reality you experienced. it's an application of the scientific method to your life and observing each experiment. by thinking of it this way you can reduce guilt/shame and interact with the behavior as information necessary to change your plan. this is how we fail towards success. you are doing really well!
After pounds lost, food is a second by second fight. Some days are easier and there are more successes than poor choices, but mostly, it's an ongoing battle (sorry). One friend of mine, who is also in the fight, has given up one thing a month. I applaud her decision and think it is something I might have to incorporate in my life too. Keep it up the hard work. It's encouraging to see you getting stronger.
A tip I use is the baby steps approach. It's useful for people transitioning into a healthy lifestyle, or have poor self control. Every time you make something, change one thing to make it healthier. If you're craving fries, try have wedges. Instead of just mince for spaghetti, use half as much mince, with some vegetables and beans added. Food swaps are great, because you can adapt them to you. You can do small swaps at the beginning to get the ball rolling, then slowly make bigger changes. Such as cutting down portions or removing something entirely. Hope this helps 😄
Sometimes the only thing that works for my family to control unhealthy snacking is just not keeping it in the house. My boyfriend and I are trying to cut back on soda, so the rule is we only order it when we go out to eat, we don't keep it stocked at home anymore. Also making healthy snacks as convenient to grab as possible, like keeping a bowl of fruit salad in the fridge. I've really been enjoying this series. Thanks for keeping it honest.
If I may make a suggestion for the all-or-nothing dieting: as a perfectionist myself I've found it's important to grade myself on a curve. Like sure, my kitchen is messy, but I did two loads of dishes today! B+! Or yeah, I'm having a cupcake I shouldn't, but if I get back on track after I'll still have an A- day! Stuff like that. Just seeing success as a spectrum and not a light switch and cutting yourself some slack.
Maybe this will help John (or maybe someone else having issues with the diet part). I prep some snacks for the week. For example, I make a giant fruit salad on Sunday and portion it out into tupperware containers and store them in the frige or freezer. That way when I'm bored and want something to munch on I'm more inclined to grab the already prepped fruit. It's small but it really helps me with my snacking.
I really appreciate your honesty and completely sympathize with your feelings about processed foods and snacking. I really like the new rules you have given yourself and I want to take those and implement them in my own life. I personally don't have a problem with alcohol as I rarely drink more than one time a week. However, processed foods (especially chips) are my achilles heel and something I struggle with and find myself craving when I haven't had them for a day or two. One of my friends suggested replacing processed chips with kale chips that I can make at home (with olive oil and a little seasoning) as these are much healthier than store bought chips but will still satisfy my snack/crunch craving,
Since yesterday (lmao) i made a plan to stop eating dessert related foods for a month with maybe one cheat day so you're not alone John! I'm also trying to stay off processed carbs so we will go through this together!
John, I don't know if this is an option for you considering you have a family, however, it is incredibly easy to have a strong will for an hour or two at the store, only buying healthy food than it is to continually make good food choices throughout the week.I believe just eliminating the ability for you to easily access these processed carb foods will dramatically increase your ability to stay healthy. Keep up the amazing work!
I know what you mean about messing up when it comes to food and then just completely throwing in the towel -- when I did a popular diet program, I'd be doing fine, and then I'd have one thing that was too many points, and then I'd just eat whatever because I already screwed up. And I agree everyone has to find a way that works for them. Still trying... Good luck!
John! I can't help but eating cooking and chips when they're available, so I just make sure to never have them in the house! Eat a good meal before shopping, then it becomes easy to not buy processed carbs in the first place!
I feel your pain on the processed carbs, John. I have narcolepsy, and since my body is always sleep deprived, it only ever wants me to eat processed carbs. Eating any other kind of food makes me feel like I'm eating dust or cardboard. I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling powerless in that area.
John, it seems that you came to the same conclusion that I came to when trying to eat better to lose weight. I found that if I tried to diet too perfectly, or in the way I was told I should, I may be able to get off the ground, but I could never sustain flight so to speak. Since I switched over to figuring out my goals fitness wise, then finding food I liked that fit my goals, and that fit my life style (I don't like long food prep/cooking regularly), I have been able to be much more consistent and actually get the closest I've ever been to accomplishing my goals. Cutting out all alcohol, as it didn't fit into my goals, has helped immensely as well.
Seeing you happily running makes me feel jealous and sad. I mean, I see a lot of people running and I feel that way every time I see them. I have these recurring Achilles tendon pains and I overdid a few weeks ago and I've stopped running to heal up. I thought I was OK and ran a 5k over the weekend, and now I'm in pain again, so I'm going to take a solid month off and see how I heal up. I've gotten to really enjoy running, like you have, and when I have to stop I get really sad. And I thought I had completely healed and I had had months and months of pain free running before this.
John, I would suggest you read up on the ketogenic diet (very low carb, high fat). For some people it's a bit too "extreme" of a diet, but for me it worked really well. I used to be hopelessly addicted to sugar and felt no control over my eating. The first couple of weeks were tough, but after that my sugar cravings were completely gone. For me, it's a sustainable way of eating but it's not for everyone. The keto sub-Reddit is great.
Those were pretty much the rules that I started using last year to take control of my eating. I've now lost 70lb and have embedded a much healthier way of eating and relationship with food. Had exactly the same sensation of not being able to take charge of what I ate. Now I do. I do have cheat days - Valentine's Day, and next weekend, family birthday celebration. There will be cake, wine and bread, but that's just going to be one day, not every day. Be kind to yourself too, it's not easy particularly to give up the carbs and processed sugars. There are also some totally delicious no sugar products, e.g. Hazelnut and cacao bars.
I can really relate to the carbs thing and having little to no control especially when you start on carbs. But I am also glad to hear you are enjoying exercising, it gives me hope that I can reach that stage too. Also, you are looking amazing and I'm looking forward to your final video where I hope you will compare your starting and finishing metrics
Hello John ! I'm a rule person in my diet as well and I recommend holding yourself accountable to them by adding punishment for every breaking of rules.That allows for some breaking because the punishment is not that bad but also for the steps outsides the rules to be just one time events. I know people that do " if I break the rule I donate 75 dollars to charity" which is good for charity but also 75 is a lot of money to drop every week for an individual. Mine though is adding an extra 5 km of running for this week. Then I know it's doable if I break the rules once but do I really want to run 10km this week ? Usually the potato chips aren't worth it. Cause I'm lazy. Good job you guys ! hearts from France !
Hey John, I've personally found the low carb high fat (LCHF) diet pretty life-changing in terms of stabilizing my mood and energy levels, and dramatically decreasing carb cravings. If you're sensitive to carbs, you may also find it helpful.
I'm not sure what your office situation is but I work part-time at home and part-time at a school, and when I stay in the staff room to do lesson prep instead of doing it at home, I don't snack! When I am near my kitchen I will snack all the time so forcing myself to spend more time out of the house helps a lot. That said, I believe we each have a limited amount of willpower / am super convinced by those articles about decision fatigue (www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html) and I KNOW that motivating myself to eat well comes way down the list, after motivating myself to do necessary work for my job(s), work on my pet projects, and do exercise. And when I view my eating habits in this way, I struggle to care about the days that I snack on tons of bread and cereal because I'm not perfect, and at least I made a lesson plan, went to my kickboxing lesson, and started writing a new blog entry, you know?
I feel exactly the same as you with the processed carbs. I can even prepare a healthy lunch and snacks but then I get to the office and someone has brought in home made cookies and it's all downhill from there - despite the readily available healthy food. Very frustrating. Thankfully I've come to enjoy exercise almost as much as you seem to so it's a pretty good consolation prize.
John, it sounds like you are describing the symptoms of addiction when you talk about eating being out of control. Maybe talking to an addiction specialist about being addicted to processed carbs could help?
I think tracking what you eat, no matter what it is, is a big step in understanding how and why you eat what you eat. I started doing that this past month. It's really helped me understand my eating patterns and where I can improve. For example, I realized just how much meat/poultry I was eating vs. veggies and fruits. So now I'm working towards having more meatless days. I rarely eat veggies for breakfast, so now I'm trying to incorporate more veggies into my morning meals. It's a work in progress. But I completely understand why John is struggling. Tracking what you eat can be hard when you feel guilty about your food choices. It makes you feel accountable for your decisions (whether or not you felt in control making them) instead of being able to brush it off. But I've learned that hard way that that information is vital in understanding why you make those choices. For me, I tend to eat worse when I don't plan my meals, eat out with friends, am feeling depressed, or at a conference where food is always available. But knowing those things helps me plan to make better choices. Keep up the hard work John! You continue to inspire us to work towards our own health goals, despite the struggles we are going through.
Judging by most of John's food photos, it seems like it could be that he's just not eating enough. I know the bingeing doesn't have to do with being satiated, that it's a comfort/mental thing, but it could be contributing to it. For someone doing his level of activity on a regular basis he's got to be really upping his calories to make up for it, especially if the goal isn't weight loss but overall better health. The consistent lack of energy from calories might be what drives him to the instant gratification foods in the first place.
Lentil and bean pastas are a great replacement for wheat pastas when you're avoiding processed carbs/grains, they ofter the same texture and consistency as regular pasta but they are full of protein and will keep you fuller longer and won't give you the same uncontrollable cravings that can come from wheat pasta
Hey John. I am sorry to hear the diet has been hard on you and I wanted to encourage you, I know you have been checking in with Kim in regards to diet but I encourage you to check in with Erica as well. As someone who majorly struggles with diet I have found Erica's advice to be a core foundation for my current success with 100 days. Also I am finding that rather than having a designated cheat day, that as a self proclaimed foodie I hold myself to the standard that when I cheat it will #1 be planned #2 have social implications, like a culinary event or gathering with friends and family where I know not cheating will be near impossible, or at the very least socially perceived as being rude. I use those events to motivate myself to work out additionally during any week where I am planning a cheat day. It helps me to feel like I am "earning" a reward rather than "cheating" and that helps me mentally avoid "going off the rails" and completely over eating surprisingly well. I wanted to tell you guys that while weight isn't as much a priority for you guys in this, as an obese person it is the #1 factor for improving my personal health and I am down 25 pounds since the start of 100 days. Best of luck guys and keep up the good work.
I COMPLETELY relate to the feeling of not being able to control what I eat. In fact, since the holiday season last year I've basically just been eating whatever, whenever I want. And it makes me feel terrible, physically and emotionally. Something that I've started doing to try to combat this is to slowly train myself to have fewer and fewer "cheat days" every week. So last week, I could cheat every other day (instead of eating junk everyday). This week, I'm going every two days. This will continue until, hopefully, it's normal for me to only cheat once a week. And so far I've been successful! I think that I just had to lower my expectations of what sustainable change looks like in the beginning. It's unreasonable to think I could go from not taking care of myself at all, to exercising and eating salad every day. But I can make small changes RIGHT NOW.
John I relate so much to your food issues. I workout hard 6 days a week, even working full time and sleeping enough, but I had to admit to myself (this morning, actually) that I'm addicted to sugar. Working in an office, there are so many cakes. I decided to not just track my foods (I track macros to make sure I'm eating enough to grow muscle while keeping fat low) but also to plan my foods ahead of time. So I bring a week or two's worth of snacks to work ahead of time and schedule them in every two hours so I don't get overly hungry and give in to the cake. I also made a huge pot of amazing steel cut proats (protein oats) that i can just heat up in the morning for breakfast, and that lasts all week. I hope your issues with food work out. I hope mine do too. :)
I want to start off by saying you're doing really well and shouldn't put yourself down when you're just trying to figure stuff out right now. Things that really helped me start eating well was to research what is in processed food and what it does to your body. That knowledge made those kind of foods really unappetizing to me for the most part. Then I made the rule that we just don't buy processed food. That way I couldn't snack on it in the house and if I really really wanted it I had to make a special trip out to do so. And then I made the rule of not spending extra money on food. If we didn't buy it during our grocery day then that's it. This really helped with buying fast food. Good luck with your rules! You're doing great!
Try a Veggie and fruit smoothie in the AM. I usually get 3 servings of spinach or kale and 2 serving of fruit. When I do it, it really sets me up for succes for the rest of the day. Also, the poops are amazing! :)
Processed carbs I swear feel VERY addictive! I will have a wonderful, veggie filled lunch and STILL want chips! It's not about having a weak will, though! These foods are all around us, and we grew up eating a lot of comforting snack foods. I think that the five guidelines may work for you.
John's reaction makes me think that was not the first time Chris has made that joke. Lol
John, I highly recommend making extra portions when you cook a healthy meal so that you have lots of leftovers afterwards. Then, all you have to do is dish up enough for a meal and stick it in the microwave. It's quick, SUPER easy, and is typically WAY healthier.
yes this works for me!! i love the option to be lazy and healthy at the same time, haha
YES! This is SO helpful when trying to eat better!! Another thing I've sound that's in the same vein, of sorts, is that if you find a Chicken or Salmon recipe you like; make extra while you make your meal. Not extra sides, just the meat. Then you can put it away and chop it up for salads or have it as a lunch with a steamed veggie later in the week. It really helps me, hopefully it can help someone else!
Also, if you're only looking for a snack, just use a smaller bowl/plate.
Kimberly M +
Jonah Bodnovits +
I really truly think that a 100 days shirt should be made that says "We can't clear those rights"
Krista Noland +
I think you gotta give yourself some credit here, John. You've changed so many things in your life in these 70 days, it's incredibly hard to change more than 1 or 2 habits at once, any more than that and things are bound to get more difficult. Especially something as closely related to/involved with mental & physical health. Plus food is an immense societal problem that brings tons of pressure and expectations. That said, setting a couple of rules for yourself sounds like a good resolve.
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John, thank you so much for really expressing how a lot of us feel when it comes to eating, especially the ones among us who suffer from an eating disorder: "it's like something outside of my mind decides what I'm going to eat". that felt so true for myself for many years, and I have only recently managed to gain control back over my mind, after exiting my teenage years (which were an absolute hell in terms of eating patterns and self love). I think your project, these 100 days of a highly public attempt at health by two normal men is so useful to see by a lot of teens and young people who suffer on a daily basis in the confines of their own minds. thank you so, so much for doing this.
Ana V agree so much i just got out of the Hospitsl for my ed and theses videos help so much
His honesty about the struggles with diet are so helpful, soooo many times I wondered what it´s wrong with me that I can´t follow a diet that I, myself, planned. It´s good to know that it happens to the best of people too ;)))
Ana V +
110% agree. Reason he's an excellent role model. Thank you, John.
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I felt really bad for John while watching this episode. I could tell he felt really disappointed with himself for not succeeding despite trying so hard. I hope it gets better for you, John!
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I'm a morbidly obese person. I struggle with binge eating and a food addiction. I'm also 100lbs less obese than I used to be (70ish more to go). The frustration you feel with food, the lack of control and the understanding you should/could do better but don't/can't, well that's a daily battle for me. When I lose control I can shoot an entire week of good eating out the window in a matter of an hour. I'm winning more than I'm losing and it's encouraging but the struggle continues and it's going to be a life long one.
I just wanted to say I'm very proud of you, of the effort you put in feeling better! Sounds very tough to have that daily battle and I hope you can keep it up and reach your goal.
It sounds like you've made great progress so far, well done!
John, seeing you struggle with the food portion is honestly so helpful to me because I have the same struggle and it often ends in some sort of non helpful self-hate. I think a lot of people present the food part as easy or something that requires and demands perfection right away, and when I "fail" at that I often feel terrible about myself and -- like you said -- continue to make bad choices. It's "progress, not perfection," and knowing you're out there with similar goals to me, and having similar challenges but working through them, is sooo helpful. Thank you. DFTBA.
Alyssa Chrisman YES. This. Exactly.
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Thank you for introducing us to Chris. He seems like a great friend.
I started my own 100 days on January 2nd and am down 48 pounds (I know you guys don't track weight, but it helps me). Thank you both for showing me that being healthy is hard work for everyone and I'm not alone in this struggle.
ACubed Great job working at being healthy! Keep up the battle!
That's so impressive well done!
"Wait, you write books?"
Love that you're setting those rules for yourself. I've been doing the same for me. Of course, my rules are different-ish. One that's different is that I have a cutoff time where I stop eating by 8:00. I completely understand that the idea of eating close to bed getting in the way of weight loss is a "myth" and stuff. But for me, the later it gets, the 1) less likely I am to track my food and the 2) more likely I am to eat EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.
Good luck that sounds like a good idea! Where I live at the moment culturally people tend to have dinner at 9, which in my house often translates to 10pm, and I think its one of the reasons I've not been very good at meal-planning and making sure my dinners are nutritionally balanced lately! My decision making is definitely worse in the evenings.
Wait, how is that a myth? As far as I'm aware, you do burn calories while sleeping, and I imagine that trying to digest a lot of food from the beginning of the process while sleeping doesn't really help that.
Honestly, that's my understanding as well. I just have seen SO many people posting about how that's "not a real thing" that I thought it'd be best to just ignore that part of things. ;)
"Alcohol weakens my resolve against processed carbs" -John Green speaking the most relatable statement of all time.
John, you and I are the same person when it comes to snacking. And I can truly appreciate your frustration with yourself. It's such a uniquely awful feeling to know that some of my actions and choices feel so entirely out of my control. Not drinking alcohol at home is a big help when it comes to controlling my bad snacking habits, so good thought there. I hope the last 30 days help you learn a few new things about how to help yourself through this, and I hope you continue to share them with us.
On behalf of the Nerdfighterias of Michigan may I formally welcome you to our home:-)
Additionally, I CANNOT BELIEVE you jumped in Lake Michigan in March! Last Memorial Day Weekend I jumped into Lake Superior and I regretted it so much!
Also, I can't believe it's already been 70 days into this journey, great job guys! Keep it up!!
'Point for me!' Such a good metaphor for 100 days; it's a battle against yourself and you're the only one who wins. You go John.
ALMOST THERE!!!!! Keep going strong!
I TA a nutrition counseling course and showed this video to the instructor. We are going to show your videos in class to help exemplify counseling skills that students have been learning. We talk about dealing with clients that enjoy rules/structure, how to info-share, sustainable change, change talk, and many more that your videos exemplify. Thanks for sharing!
I'm just so proud of John and Chris, and all of you, for making these commitments to improve yourselves. It's incredibly inspiring and reassuring. Thank you for sharing.
The best way I have found to manage junk food is to allow yourself a particular amount of lesser junk food. For example: protein bars are usually sweet or salty but have redeeming qualities. Designate the amount you are allowed per week and stick to you rules. It is the only way I have found to make a lasting change. Also, we all need to celebrate our victories more. We are all so darn hard on ourselves. The three things you did well each day idea is really really good. I'm going to need some work on that one.
John, it really, really helps to see someone else struggle with the diet side of things. I want so badly to change my diet, but you're right, it's hard, and it's so much easier to keep slipping when you've already made one "exception." I'm still working out what's going to work for me, but you being so honest and open about it is helpful and uplifting.
As a women who had been on the yo-yo diet train for years, I cannot recommend enough "When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies: Freeing Yourself from Food & Weight Obsession" by Hirschmann and Munter. This book literally changed everything about how I think about food, and it has helped me become a much happier and healthier person in all sorts of way, dietary and otherwise.
So, if you're watching this video and thinking about starting /yet another diet/...maybe you should read that book too :)
The way you feel about eating... I'm so happy that someone can put my feelings into words. Thank you.
I cut all processed sugars from my diet a couple weeks ago to 1) see if I could do it and 2) try and kick my sweet-tooth habit. After just a couple of weeks I had sugar again and it was too sweet for me. Cutting it is miserable and I definitely got headaches and was cranky for a couple of days, but after that it was so nice to not crave something sweet and to generally just have more energy.
Keep going, John. Glad you're figuring out what's best for you.
I want to do this so badly because I think it will be helpful for me. I felt that "hangover" like feeling when I gave up coffee, and am not looking forward to the adjustment my body would be making by giving up processed sugar. Good for you! This is going on the April "to-do" list.
Questions about your approach: Did you just give up things with sugar or also processed carbs? Also, what about fruit, did you still eat fruit? Thanks! - JM
I have a gluten allergy, so processed carbs are already mostly out of my diet (I still go for chips or fries for a comfort food, frozen fries are a great snack). And I definitely still eat fruit. The goal for me is to eat healthier. I eat almonds and apples a lot. And I found natural peanut butter doesn't have sugar in it, which makes a great apple dip. Potatoes are great.
John wonderfull to see that you are able to discuss this issue so enthousiastly. Meal planning and healthy eating takes a lot of time and commitment. So I am sure you are on the right track here...
good luck John! I very much appreciate how hard you are trying to improve your life. Thank you for sharing 100 days with us
I dread when this show end. I have been trying to improve my level of activity as well. It was not intentional, but I know that watching along with you both has help me maintain my small improvements. I watch the video's right when I get home from school (Im a teacher) and then go for a nice long walk.
Thanks for the help guys, best of luck
John, you're saying exactly what has gone through my head throughout a period of months. I am so happy I'm not the only one who feels like this and I am determined for it to change as well. Good luck!
so nice to hear others struggling with diet even when they want to! I love food and it's so hard to say no!
John I love that you looked back at what worked and what didn't, and were able to apply that to yourself. I feel that's often where people have the hardest time - trying to apply someone else's method to their own, and then beating themselves up because it's not working for them. So well done :) Also, only 1 month left?! I'm certainly going to miss these
I enjoy these videos so much, not just because they are entertaining, but also because it's good to see someone I admire struggle with the same things in eating healthy as I do.
We're so proud of you for working on what's difficult, John. I'm struggling to stick to my diet plan (by which I mean I have fallen off the rails entirely) since breaking up with my boyfriend and moving home, but you're inspiring me to get back in control.
You got this!!
I've been food tracking for about 30 days now. The thing I'm trying to conquer at the moment isn't so much what I eat, but how often I eat. It's been.. varying degrees of successful over the weeks in terms of meals, but I've been really strict at always tracking. Even if I have a day where I only eat chocolate chip cookies, I still write it down and that's been really helpful. Best of luck for your last 30 days John (and Chris!)
I highly suggest looking at your diet not by day but by week. I do this specifically with added sugar. It's extremely easy to go over your daily goal and then tell yourself you'll do better tomorrow so "I may as well eat 8 granola bars". However, if you're trying to average 25 grams of added sugar a day-- I can have a glass of pop here and there throughout the week and it's a treat, no guilt. Not something that you feel self loathing or the need to punish yourself over.
Carbs= sugar= dopamine. This is the hardest thing for me, especially when I'm having days where my ADD symptoms are bad or I'm anxious. Keep working on it and be kind to yourself after difficult days! 👍🏻
When I started training for a half marathon (I've never ran more than a 5k), I forced myself to go running every day. But after a while, I liked that time I got to spend alone, just listening to a podcast or audiobook, and enjoying seeing my neighborhood. I always saw these bunnies and I always looked forward to watching the sun set as I rounded the corner of the same street every day. Eventually it became relaxing and a sort of meditation for me.
Another great tip - keep healthy snacks readily available and easily visible in your pantry and the fridge. It also helps if you portion them out and prep them at the beginning of the week. If you don't have to dig around for them, and you don't have to do any extra prep work to them, it'll be a lot easier to reach for those versus processed snacks!
the i had a granola bar i might as well have eight granola bars thinking speaks to me on a spiritual level
Wow, were at Day 70?! I'm so proud of you guys!
You're amazing and you're doing such an awesome job! You got this!
I'd like to thank you guys (everyone that works on this) for making 100 days and keeping it honest and real. Not making it seem like you're perfect and that there aren't struggles you're dealing with. It's very comforting to me to see you struggle with keeping track of your diet or how unattractive working out really looks. You have spurred me to make steps to make healthier choices in my own life.
I've decided to try and go to the gym every day with a rest day on Sunday (for now at least. Hoping to get rid of that was I go to the gym more) and I'm trying to make better choices in my food. Food, for me, has always been very hard. I understand where John is coming from with it. I make poor choices constantly. I try to make better decisions, but I've found that my own brain tricks me. I used to say "Only 2 cans of soda a day." (Which was a far cry healthier then my usual 6-8 cans a day!), but my brain would trick me with "Well, if you only have 1 can today then you can have 3 tomorrow!" Allowing myself a set amount of something wasn't working. I'd do that 'saving up' for the next day and by the third day, I'm back to 6 cans and eating chocolate all day.
I'm finding, with my mind, it's easier to set times. "No soda after 6 pm." has worked much better for me. I get 1 can in a day that way (sometimes not even a can of soda) and after I grown used to 6, I bumped it up to 5 pm no soda, but I'm really struggling with other aspects of my diet. I'm thinking I need to create some rules like John has to help me. I work much better with strict rules that are black and white. If anyone reads this and has any sort of tips or suggestions, I'd really love to hear them. I want to be better. I want to make lasting changes to my health.
I like these rules. I have a similar issue of going off the rails when I have sweets or other processed food, but mostly sweet things. Perhaps I need to set some boundaries for myself like I do with other things in my life. For instance, one day I made a rule about not drinking any longer because depression and alcohol are not a good mix. I am 2+ years strong on sticking to that rule. We can do this!
maybe you should find healthier option of unhealthy snacks you eat like i make avocado banana smoothie with coco powder when I crave chocolate ice cream.. or make kale chip when I crave potato chips
This is a good idea! Also trying to make sure that you have a healthy snack ready, and don't keep unhealthy snacks in the house. :)
Kale chips are goooooood.
This. I have had to change a lot of my diet because of allergies and get creative. As I watched this video, I was eating black bean chips in salsa. I'm not only allergic to corn but also every other bean and lentil except black beans! I was so psyched to find these. All that to say... alternatives exist. :)
High five, fellow corn person! (I mean, you know...condolences. Corn is a hard one. But it's nice to meet someone with the same challenge.) :)
John, it means so much that you are being so real about your struggles with food. I feel the same way, because no matter how many times I make up my mind to eat something healthy, I can't do it most of the time. And I hate it so much. It was especially bad for me when I used to watch TH-camrs who would say just try healthy eating for a week or a month and your body will get used to it and you won't even crave the bad food anymore. That may be the case for some people, but not all, and it took watching this video for me to realize that. You have said in previous episodes that when your diet is bad, you find it difficult to exercise. It's the same for me, but still knowing that doesn't make me magically stop eating all the bad shit.
Seriously thank you so much for being honest, not just about this, but about everything. I can't tell you how much it means to me.
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Hell Yeah for your Portland Timbers shirt.👍
Thank you for this video, John. I have been having a really hard time with eater better and this made me feel not as guilty as I have been with how much I struggle
i feel like this is the first time i've felt a connection with john's food issues. because he's a different age, has a different lifestyle and, you know, is a dude, i've been loving 100 days but never felt like it spoke to me. until now. like, not being able to control eating urges is something that hits me pretty hard - between mental health issues and body image problems, i always fall into the "might as well eat eight granola bars" rabbit hole (except that i hate granola bars, but i digress). i'm not huge into processed foods ans almost never eat out, but when i'm having a bad day mentally or - and this is one of the reasons i wasn't feeling connected - i'm in pain due to my period, i just want to overeat things that are not that nutritionally good for me. and my brain goes to all-or-nothing mode. my best strategy, if anyone is reading this and feels the same way, is also food tracking. when i track it, i notice that my binge-eating wasn't that horrible (it rarely is) and it keeps me from the might-as-well-binge-again-tomorrow trap. also, yoga has been helping a lot.
It can be really uncomfortable to be a dude and talk about problems with compulsive eating. It's great that John is stepping forward and doing it. That's a lead I need to follow more often myself.
Same here!
Somehow doing yoga has helped me to look at food specifically as nourishment and taking care of myself. Though I still have those depressive days where I just eat cereal out of a box- but at least I feel I'm working towards eating better? I haven't tried food tracking in a few years though so maybe that could be helpful now that I'm in a healthier mindset.
well, all i know is that it's helped me, maybe just give it a try for a few weeks and see how it goes? and yeah, i have terrible days as well, but at least nowadays i can sense more how food affects my well-being. if i just eat junk food i get tired faster, my stomach hurts, etc. better eating + yoga makes switches my mindset about food to noiurishment as well
I'm really connecting with this discussion about food. When I eat healthy, I see that I have more energy and I feel better about my choices. And when I can keep it going for a long period of time, I see my body change. But I can't keep it going! I just need those sweet sweet carbs! I can't imagine not having pizza ever again. But I just keep trying. Ugh.
Thanks for sharing your struggles with eating well. I have to follow a special diet and I have a hard time eating healthy within it's limitations. It made me feel better to hear someone else talk about similar issues.
I have a lot of the same struggles. for me, it's replacing my "trigger foods" with healthy ones: salted edamame for chips, peanut butter/honey on rice cake for sweet craving, an apple when I want both, and a cup of dandelion tea after those haven't shut down the cravings. Also, maybe ask your dietician about intermittent fasting? has helped balance my hormones a ton, which in turn has cut down that out of control eating you described. keep it up!
It may not be a super positive contribution, but you have my infinite respect for being able to do all of your exercise in your glasses. Whenever I try to work out or run with my glasses, they inevitably go flying, so super props to you for that:)
I think those 5 rules are fantastic! I've been trying to figure out ways to encourage myself to eat better over the last month and my one rule was "no refined sugar" which has really worked for me. It's forced me to cut out a bunch of processed food and only make desserts that are sweetened with fruit like smoothies, sorbet, oatmeal, and I've found other desserts sweetened with dates and maple syrup. I've found over the past month that my food cravings for sweet things have dropped dramatically and when I'm hungry I reach for a base meal of quinoa/brown rice, a protein like egg or grilled/baked chicken, and lots of greens on top. Maybe even a hearty tomato soup on the side. Its really helped me and given me hope that this can certainly be a sustainable diet.
Thanks so much for the inspiration and great job sticking with it and encouraging everyone out there to get healthier!
John, I would recommend checking out a book by Sandra Aamodt, a neuroscientist who has explored the relationship between our brains, willpower, and food, called "Why Diets Make Us Fat." I found it really helpful in developing a healthy relationship with food and understanding how to set myself up to have less binge eating impulses. On another note, I'd recommend checking out barbell training in this series! Sports and exercise doesn't have to only be cardio, I was excited to discover. I started powerlifting a while back, and my brain and body are both much happier for it.
love this video!! I can relate to the feelings and I appreciate addressing them
I'm not someone who moderates effectively is the story of my life. Even good things like reading are done in sudden bursts and all-nighters with no regard for real responsibilities. Eating, real world work, cleaning, social interactions... I have trouble moderating all of them. I, like you John, have social and generalized anxiety issues with serious depression that creeps in every two or three years. Those of us with mood disorders sometimes reach a point that I call "high-functioning mood disorder" but that doesn't mean that the underlying conditions go away. I know for me, my relationship with food and exercise and productivity and life tasks can swing radically from mandated absolute control to self-loathing abandonment. I hope that the rules you've set for yourself are helpful to you. If you too experience swings like mine, and if these rules end up being a part of that swing, I hope the fall is soft. I hope we all get to a point beyond simply figuring out how to live day to day with mood disorders to a point of overall health.
Tracking my food, good and bad, every thing, helps keep my accountable. And like you said, one bad meal does not ruin the rest of the day. Don't sweat it! Just try to keep it at one. What really helps me from making bad snack choices are to simply not have them in the house. I realize this is likely much more difficult for you as you have two children, but perhaps you can have a part of the pantry and fridge that is the John zone, where you keep your snacks that follow your rules. I'm glad you're being so honest about the dietary struggle of 100 days. I think this is going to help a lot of people, and maybe open up some eyes to people who don't realize how people can be overweight because they have the 'well just don't eat bad food' mentality. Keep it up John and Chris!
I started running cross country last summer and I noticed that I also became increasingly less able to have the willpower to deny myself snack foods and foods high in carbs as I continued to run; so maybe the increase in exercise for you John could be making it more difficult than it would have been anyway to eat healthier. It's worth noting that I could be totally off track with that one, but I just wanted to say that I have empathy for you and I'm rooting for you John!
As a fellow lover of processed carbs, my biggest tip would be to cut off access to them. If it's not in the house you cant eat it.
John's all-or-nothing thinking is intense here and it's something my heart goes out to him on as it's one of the *prime thinking patterns in OCD*...and man is it such a huge driving force behind his specific diet struggles right now.
I know this is something you can try to combat with food-specific rules, being a rule-oriented guy, but there's a little bit of me that worries you'll still get snagged in the very all-or-nothing, black-or-white thoughts surrounding those very rules, too. I think it could be helpful to reeeeally focus on the thought pattern driving some of these areas of struggle more than what to do about the food itself. I know you mentioned doing that as well, but instead of just _generally_ trying 'not to think that way things', trying to find some really specific challenges to that mindset from a very mental health vantage point could yield a lot more success. (Somewhat more of a personalized, CBT-esque approach, though I know you aren't always a fan of CBT.) But I really think that you could benefit from tackling this from all the angles that can remind you that one bad food choice doesn't mean everything after that has to be a bad food choice, that the whole DAY isn't bad now just because one meal was bad, and just bc you didn't track or plan out your food at the start of the day doesn't mean you can't start in the middle, etc, etc. There's also a teeny part of me that both loves and worries about this showing up in the relationship to exercise - not so much bc of anything you said here in this video but with the NerdCon panel on mental health as well where you mentioned that "exercise to the point of absolutely exhaustion" is what's helpful for you. Having OCD myself and similar all-or-nothing thought patterns, it's very easy to not know when to stop with the exercise -- ESPECIALLY when you know it's _helping_ your mental health. A bit of "Well if I started, i'm gonna go ALL out until I can't anymore", "I only get the MOST benefit when I completely tire myself out; anything less isn't 'as good'" or "If I didn't get out today, I'm gonna sit and granola bar it up today." kinds of stuff. I know you're finding wayyyyy more balance than you ever used to. But my heart just pours out to you for all these little places OCD-based thoughts like to sneak themselves in and sabotage -- esp when you said you felt controlled by your food decisions. ....like someone or something else is forcing you to do them. And some of that really can come from that powerfulllllll OCD place in the mind that not every has - that places that drives you, COMPELLS you to make do things you don't feel like you want to be doing.
I really really really love all of the transparency you've shared here and really really hope you can see and revel in your progress and not have the 'downs' weigh too much. ...the kinds of small hiccups that still manage to feel so all-consuming and catastrophic. From one all-or-nothing, black-or-white, catastrophizing OCD nerdfighter to another, I really hope some of this could be helpful.
I can totally understand your eating issues. I have a similar problem. Part of mine is surroundings. I work in a restaurant with less than stellar choices.
Yay a new video!
it's only by reflecting on times where you had no control that you figure out why you felt that way. your imaginings of what might come up are not as accurate as the reality you experienced. it's an application of the scientific method to your life and observing each experiment. by thinking of it this way you can reduce guilt/shame and interact with the behavior as information necessary to change your plan. this is how we fail towards success. you are doing really well!
After pounds lost, food is a second by second fight. Some days are easier and there are more successes than poor choices, but mostly, it's an ongoing battle (sorry). One friend of mine, who is also in the fight, has given up one thing a month. I applaud her decision and think it is something I might have to incorporate in my life too. Keep it up the hard work. It's encouraging to see you getting stronger.
A tip I use is the baby steps approach. It's useful for people transitioning into a healthy lifestyle, or have poor self control. Every time you make something, change one thing to make it healthier. If you're craving fries, try have wedges. Instead of just mince for spaghetti, use half as much mince, with some vegetables and beans added. Food swaps are great, because you can adapt them to you. You can do small swaps at the beginning to get the ball rolling, then slowly make bigger changes. Such as cutting down portions or removing something entirely.
Hope this helps 😄
Sometimes the only thing that works for my family to control unhealthy snacking is just not keeping it in the house. My boyfriend and I are trying to cut back on soda, so the rule is we only order it when we go out to eat, we don't keep it stocked at home anymore. Also making healthy snacks as convenient to grab as possible, like keeping a bowl of fruit salad in the fridge. I've really been enjoying this series. Thanks for keeping it honest.
If I may make a suggestion for the all-or-nothing dieting: as a perfectionist myself I've found it's important to grade myself on a curve. Like sure, my kitchen is messy, but I did two loads of dishes today! B+! Or yeah, I'm having a cupcake I shouldn't, but if I get back on track after I'll still have an A- day! Stuff like that. Just seeing success as a spectrum and not a light switch and cutting yourself some slack.
yay!
Maybe this will help John (or maybe someone else having issues with the diet part). I prep some snacks for the week. For example, I make a giant fruit salad on Sunday and portion it out into tupperware containers and store them in the frige or freezer. That way when I'm bored and want something to munch on I'm more inclined to grab the already prepped fruit. It's small but it really helps me with my snacking.
I really appreciate your honesty and completely sympathize with your feelings about processed foods and snacking. I really like the new rules you have given yourself and I want to take those and implement them in my own life. I personally don't have a problem with alcohol as I rarely drink more than one time a week. However, processed foods (especially chips) are my achilles heel and something I struggle with and find myself craving when I haven't had them for a day or two. One of my friends suggested replacing processed chips with kale chips that I can make at home (with olive oil and a little seasoning) as these are much healthier than store bought chips but will still satisfy my snack/crunch craving,
Since yesterday (lmao) i made a plan to stop eating dessert related foods for a month with maybe one cheat day so you're not alone John! I'm also trying to stay off processed carbs so we will go through this together!
John, I don't know if this is an option for you considering you have a family, however, it is incredibly easy to have a strong will for an hour or two at the store, only buying healthy food than it is to continually make good food choices throughout the week.I believe just eliminating the ability for you to easily access these processed carb foods will dramatically increase your ability to stay healthy. Keep up the amazing work!
I know what you mean about messing up when it comes to food and then just completely throwing in the towel -- when I did a popular diet program, I'd be doing fine, and then I'd have one thing that was too many points, and then I'd just eat whatever because I already screwed up. And I agree everyone has to find a way that works for them. Still trying... Good luck!
random thought: next vlogbrothers reunion vid, if hank and john arm wrestle again, i think hank is going down :P
+
I don't know; last time, Hank won with his wit!
John! I can't help but eating cooking and chips when they're available, so I just make sure to never have them in the house! Eat a good meal before shopping, then it becomes easy to not buy processed carbs in the first place!
I feel your pain on the processed carbs, John. I have narcolepsy, and since my body is always sleep deprived, it only ever wants me to eat processed carbs. Eating any other kind of food makes me feel like I'm eating dust or cardboard. I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling powerless in that area.
John, it seems that you came to the same conclusion that I came to when trying to eat better to lose weight. I found that if I tried to diet too perfectly, or in the way I was told I should, I may be able to get off the ground, but I could never sustain flight so to speak. Since I switched over to figuring out my goals fitness wise, then finding food I liked that fit my goals, and that fit my life style (I don't like long food prep/cooking regularly), I have been able to be much more consistent and actually get the closest I've ever been to accomplishing my goals. Cutting out all alcohol, as it didn't fit into my goals, has helped immensely as well.
Seeing you happily running makes me feel jealous and sad. I mean, I see a lot of people running and I feel that way every time I see them. I have these recurring Achilles tendon pains and I overdid a few weeks ago and I've stopped running to heal up. I thought I was OK and ran a 5k over the weekend, and now I'm in pain again, so I'm going to take a solid month off and see how I heal up. I've gotten to really enjoy running, like you have, and when I have to stop I get really sad. And I thought I had completely healed and I had had months and months of pain free running before this.
John, I would suggest you read up on the ketogenic diet (very low carb, high fat). For some people it's a bit too "extreme" of a diet, but for me it worked really well. I used to be hopelessly addicted to sugar and felt no control over my eating. The first couple of weeks were tough, but after that my sugar cravings were completely gone. For me, it's a sustainable way of eating but it's not for everyone. The keto sub-Reddit is great.
Those were pretty much the rules that I started using last year to take control of my eating. I've now lost 70lb and have embedded a much healthier way of eating and relationship with food. Had exactly the same sensation of not being able to take charge of what I ate. Now I do. I do have cheat days - Valentine's Day, and next weekend, family birthday celebration. There will be cake, wine and bread, but that's just going to be one day, not every day. Be kind to yourself too, it's not easy particularly to give up the carbs and processed sugars. There are also some totally delicious no sugar products, e.g. Hazelnut and cacao bars.
I can really relate to the carbs thing and having little to no control especially when you start on carbs. But I am also glad to hear you are enjoying exercising, it gives me hope that I can reach that stage too. Also, you are looking amazing and I'm looking forward to your final video where I hope you will compare your starting and finishing metrics
Hello John ! I'm a rule person in my diet as well and I recommend holding yourself accountable to them by adding punishment for every breaking of rules.That allows for some breaking because the punishment is not that bad but also for the steps outsides the rules to be just one time events. I know people that do " if I break the rule I donate 75 dollars to charity" which is good for charity but also 75 is a lot of money to drop every week for an individual. Mine though is adding an extra 5 km of running for this week. Then I know it's doable if I break the rules once but do I really want to run 10km this week ? Usually the potato chips aren't worth it. Cause I'm lazy. Good job you guys ! hearts from France !
Hey John, I've personally found the low carb high fat (LCHF) diet pretty life-changing in terms of stabilizing my mood and energy levels, and dramatically decreasing carb cravings. If you're sensitive to carbs, you may also find it helpful.
I'm not sure what your office situation is but I work part-time at home and part-time at a school, and when I stay in the staff room to do lesson prep instead of doing it at home, I don't snack! When I am near my kitchen I will snack all the time so forcing myself to spend more time out of the house helps a lot.
That said, I believe we each have a limited amount of willpower / am super convinced by those articles about decision fatigue (www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/magazine/do-you-suffer-from-decision-fatigue.html) and I KNOW that motivating myself to eat well comes way down the list, after motivating myself to do necessary work for my job(s), work on my pet projects, and do exercise. And when I view my eating habits in this way, I struggle to care about the days that I snack on tons of bread and cereal because I'm not perfect, and at least I made a lesson plan, went to my kickboxing lesson, and started writing a new blog entry, you know?
I feel exactly the same as you with the processed carbs. I can even prepare a healthy lunch and snacks but then I get to the office and someone has brought in home made cookies and it's all downhill from there - despite the readily available healthy food. Very frustrating.
Thankfully I've come to enjoy exercise almost as much as you seem to so it's a pretty good consolation prize.
John, it sounds like you are describing the symptoms of addiction when you talk about eating being out of control. Maybe talking to an addiction specialist about being addicted to processed carbs could help?
I think tracking what you eat, no matter what it is, is a big step in understanding how and why you eat what you eat. I started doing that this past month. It's really helped me understand my eating patterns and where I can improve. For example, I realized just how much meat/poultry I was eating vs. veggies and fruits. So now I'm working towards having more meatless days. I rarely eat veggies for breakfast, so now I'm trying to incorporate more veggies into my morning meals. It's a work in progress.
But I completely understand why John is struggling. Tracking what you eat can be hard when you feel guilty about your food choices. It makes you feel accountable for your decisions (whether or not you felt in control making them) instead of being able to brush it off. But I've learned that hard way that that information is vital in understanding why you make those choices. For me, I tend to eat worse when I don't plan my meals, eat out with friends, am feeling depressed, or at a conference where food is always available. But knowing those things helps me plan to make better choices.
Keep up the hard work John! You continue to inspire us to work towards our own health goals, despite the struggles we are going through.
Judging by most of John's food photos, it seems like it could be that he's just not eating enough. I know the bingeing doesn't have to do with being satiated, that it's a comfort/mental thing, but it could be contributing to it. For someone doing his level of activity on a regular basis he's got to be really upping his calories to make up for it, especially if the goal isn't weight loss but overall better health. The consistent lack of energy from calories might be what drives him to the instant gratification foods in the first place.
Chris cracks me up in all these videos 😂
Lentil and bean pastas are a great replacement for wheat pastas when you're avoiding processed carbs/grains, they ofter the same texture and consistency as regular pasta but they are full of protein and will keep you fuller longer and won't give you the same uncontrollable cravings that can come from wheat pasta
Hey John. I am sorry to hear the diet has been hard on you and I wanted to encourage you, I know you have been checking in with Kim in regards to diet but I encourage you to check in with Erica as well. As someone who majorly struggles with diet I have found Erica's advice to be a core foundation for my current success with 100 days. Also I am finding that rather than having a designated cheat day, that as a self proclaimed foodie I hold myself to the standard that when I cheat it will #1 be planned #2 have social implications, like a culinary event or gathering with friends and family where I know not cheating will be near impossible, or at the very least socially perceived as being rude. I use those events to motivate myself to work out additionally during any week where I am planning a cheat day. It helps me to feel like I am "earning" a reward rather than "cheating" and that helps me mentally avoid "going off the rails" and completely over eating surprisingly well. I wanted to tell you guys that while weight isn't as much a priority for you guys in this, as an obese person it is the #1 factor for improving my personal health and I am down 25 pounds since the start of 100 days. Best of luck guys and keep up the good work.
I COMPLETELY relate to the feeling of not being able to control what I eat. In fact, since the holiday season last year I've basically just been eating whatever, whenever I want. And it makes me feel terrible, physically and emotionally. Something that I've started doing to try to combat this is to slowly train myself to have fewer and fewer "cheat days" every week. So last week, I could cheat every other day (instead of eating junk everyday). This week, I'm going every two days. This will continue until, hopefully, it's normal for me to only cheat once a week. And so far I've been successful! I think that I just had to lower my expectations of what sustainable change looks like in the beginning. It's unreasonable to think I could go from not taking care of myself at all, to exercising and eating salad every day. But I can make small changes RIGHT NOW.
John I relate so much to your food issues. I workout hard 6 days a week, even working full time and sleeping enough, but I had to admit to myself (this morning, actually) that I'm addicted to sugar. Working in an office, there are so many cakes. I decided to not just track my foods (I track macros to make sure I'm eating enough to grow muscle while keeping fat low) but also to plan my foods ahead of time. So I bring a week or two's worth of snacks to work ahead of time and schedule them in every two hours so I don't get overly hungry and give in to the cake. I also made a huge pot of amazing steel cut proats (protein oats) that i can just heat up in the morning for breakfast, and that lasts all week. I hope your issues with food work out. I hope mine do too. :)
I want to start off by saying you're doing really well and shouldn't put yourself down when you're just trying to figure stuff out right now.
Things that really helped me start eating well was to research what is in processed food and what it does to your body. That knowledge made those kind of foods really unappetizing to me for the most part. Then I made the rule that we just don't buy processed food. That way I couldn't snack on it in the house and if I really really wanted it I had to make a special trip out to do so. And then I made the rule of not spending extra money on food. If we didn't buy it during our grocery day then that's it. This really helped with buying fast food.
Good luck with your rules! You're doing great!
Try a Veggie and fruit smoothie in the AM. I usually get 3 servings of spinach or kale and 2 serving of fruit. When I do it, it really sets me up for succes for the rest of the day. Also, the poops are amazing! :)
your videos motivate me. thank you.
Have you read "Gut: The inside story of our body's most underrated organ"? It does give insight on why some people overeat...
So, I LOVE YOUR SHIRT (obviously I'm an Oregonian)
I feel you on the food. I've been having the same issue and it's really sucky
in the automated captions "health puzzle" became "hell puzzle" and, honestly, that's relatable
you can do it John!
Processed carbs I swear feel VERY addictive! I will have a wonderful, veggie filled lunch and STILL want chips! It's not about having a weak will, though! These foods are all around us, and we grew up eating a lot of comforting snack foods. I think that the five guidelines may work for you.