sorry I'm so long winded!
In regards to snacking on junk food...typically we choose junk foods because they are quick and easy to grab and in our pantry or close at hand in the vending machine. In reality, it takes preparation to eat healthy. You have to be willing to prepare healthy snacks ahead of time and take them with you for the day or keep them close by you throughout the day so you are less likely to grab the junk. That means buying fresh veggies and cutting them up ahead of time and having hummus or salsa to dip them in; buying bulk chicken breasts and turkey breasts and grilling a big batch at once and putting each serving in a tupperware to take with; dividing healthy handfuls of nuts and whole grain crackers into single serving baggies; basically it means portioning out healthy foods ahead of time so that are just as easy to grab as that bag of potato chips.
Also you need make sure that you are meeting the exact calorie needs that your body needs so that you are not famished and reaching for unhealthy options. You must understand your caloric needs and meet those needs:
The best way to figure your calories is through the Harris Benedict Equation which is an equation that factors in your age, height, weight and activity level, which are all components of determining how many calories you need. Since no two bodies are alike, we all have different calorie needs and different nutrient needs... You should always eat more when you are more active and less when you are less active. That way you keep the fire burning - or your metabolism that is. And its good to zigzag your calories and eat more on one day and less on the other, so that your body does not get used to the same ol' same ol'. Never go below 1200 calories no matter who you are, or you are at risk of putting your body into starvation mode.
Here's a formula to help you calculate your caloric needs:
ages 18-30: (14.7 x weight in kg) + 496 then you take that and multiply it by your activity level: 1.3 for sedentery, 1.5 for Light, 1.6 for moderately active, 1.9 for Heavy (such as several hours of continuous exercise) or 2.2 for exceptionally active (such as athletes and anyone exercising or training for extended hours or for competition)
ages 30-60: (8.7 x weight in kg) +829 then again multiply that times your activity level. That number tells you how many calories you need to me eating to meet your needs. A little below that number will help you lose weight.
*To calculate your weight in kg just take your body weight in lbs, and divide by 2.2
Hope that helps! That's what works for me and my clients. It's a little time consuming to figure it all out, but it works!
Fyi...
Weight loss is 70% behavior modification, 20% nutrition, and 10% exercise. First you have to make healthy habits such as sleeping well, treating your body with respect by taking time for yourself, preparing healthy meals and snacks for when your on the go, making a conscious effort to plan out your day and never go more than 4 hours without food, etc. Second then you decide what healthy foods you like and that make your body feel good and have the energy it needs, and feed it that. Stay away from cleaning your sons plate (if you do that) and late night eating, and focus on more vegetables and whole foods rather than processed foods. Finally, keep your workouts up, but vary the intensity, so that you are definately leaving the comfort zone far behind you for minutes at a time. All these things go hand in hand because if you don't eat enough calories, you won't have the energy to push harder in your workouts, and if you don't make the behavior modification of preparing healthy snacks ahead of time, then you'll be left with poor choices. A couple of tips to remember:
Water, water water and green tea!
Never more than 4 hours without food.
Never eat 2 and half hours before going to bed.
Eat right after your hard workouts to recover faster from your workouts and keep your insulin in check so you don't store fat.
Figure up your calorie ratios and stick as closely to them as you can.
Have at least one day of rest each week to avoid overtraining and slowing your metabolism.
