Chocolate cravings = plateau?

searl89

I've been on my journey for a little over a year. I had my daughter about a year and a half ago and ended up gaining 20 lbs from pregnancy. I was already big when I ended up getting pregnant. It seems like even after I had her, I would just keep gaining weight until I reached my breaking point. I was closing in on 300lbs and one day had a huge break down and decided to do something about it. I lost close to 30 lbs on my own, just watching what I eat and very limited exercise, but eventually figured out I could not do it alone. A friend introduced me to MFP and told me to go talk to my doctor, so I did. My doc prescribed me Phentermine to help with curbing appetite, help with energy levels, and boost my metabolism. I took those for a few months with amazing success. I haven't been on them now for close to 5 months and I am hitting a plateau. I'm stuck idling in the 225-235 range. I am more active now with going to the gym, working out to Zumba and I'm more busy at my new job. I feel like my downfall is food...especially chocolate. We have a snack drawer at work with m&ms and other yummy treats that I find I dip my hand in probably a dozen times a day. I tell myself just a few then I will be good for the day, but it feels as if I'm a chocolate addict. It's like my name is being called ever so enticingly from that dang drawer. I mean its not even at work. I feel like I can't get away from the cravings. HELP! I need advice. How do I begin losing weight again. My goal is to lose another 70 lbs this year like I managed to do last, however, I don't have that extra boost of the Phentermine this time....any suggestions or anyone who can relate?

AmyRhubarb

Hard to say what's causing it - peeked in your diary for the past week or so and it's mostly empty.

The chocolate specifically isn't causing a stall, but over eating due to lack of logging and knowing your cals could be the problem. It's very easy to go over (especially if there's a snack drawer!) if you're not tracking everything you eat.

As far as chocolate cravings - to avoid the snack drawer, trying bringing your own snacks to work. Get yourself some good quality dark chocolate, something with a high cacao percentage. Portion it out with a handful of raw almonds in a little zip loc to take to work.

Another chocolate fix for me is to mix a tablespoon of Nutella into a 1/3-1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt. It's delicious, even better with sliced strawberries on top. Or slice an apple and dip the slices into a tablespoon each of peanut butter and Nutella - super tasty.

But most importantly, start logging all your food again. You are probably consuming more than you think.

MarKayDee

Recently as a treat for myself I went to New Seasons (it's a local health food market, the type where they serve hot pizza with goat cheese on it and probiotics that you have to keep in the fridge) and bought myself a fancy organic chocolate bar with toffee bits. I wanted it and I didn't care how many calories were in it, until I got it home and scanned it into my diary. Two hundred and fifty, in one third of the bar. I had one third for dessert and was going to have another third for breakfast before work the next day, except I finished it off in the morning. So ashamedly I plugged the full amount into my diary, did my workout and left for work where I wasn't allowed to have my tall skinny latte because I was already over for the morning and I knew I'd need a real lunch.
My point is this: we are all weak, and we all have trigger foods. You just have to start holding yourself accountable for those foods in your daily food log and eventually you'll realize that you can have one fun sized m&ms at work, or even two and stop because your personal health and goals are more important.
If you continue to have uncontrollable food cravings I would consider seeing a counselor or therapist for a bit, to get to the root of your binging behavior. Being stressed or overwhelmed can show itself in a lot of unexpected ways and as a recent (my son's a bit older than your daughter, about six months) mom, full time employee, and "dutiful" wife I can say without a doubt it is very possible you are dealing with a little more than you can handle especially after making such a big life change (congrats on that by the way!).

Don't let the chocolate get you down, and don't forget to take care of your mind as well as your body and you'll be fine.