I'm not the best at dieting.

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DistortedButterfly
DistortedButterfly Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can't resist cravings, Looking for motivating friends, Lost 3 lbs & really don't want to gain it back. WORKED HARD all week, lost 2 -3 lbs, and yesterday ate 1000cals in one sitting, and Today ate 700 or so in one sitting due to cravings / being bored. Anyone have distractions?

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  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
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    Um...go outside and roll in the snow/dirt/grass/cow manure? Get off your butt and go *do* something. I know that's what helps me avoid food the best. Sitting around and thinking about avoiding it is only going to make you want it more. Trust me, I know from experience.
  • laineylynnfit
    laineylynnfit Posts: 369 Member
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    Can't resist cravings, Looking for motivating friends, Lost 3 lbs & really don't want to gain it back. WORKED HARD all week, lost 2 -3 lbs, and yesterday ate 1000cals in one sitting, and Today ate 700 or so in one sitting due to cravings / being bored. Anyone have distractions?

    If you say you can't then you won't. It's that simple. Unless you make yourself do it, it's never going to happen and absolutely no one can give any advice that will somehow have magical powers and help you lose weight.
    That's the cold hard truth that I had to figure out and when I figured it out, started taking responsibility for my health, learning how to tell myself no and yes to the right things, then it fell into place. 20 something lbs later, I'm still motivated. You have to be your own motivator. It's not that you can't do it, it's that you don't want and until you tell yourself "I can/I will/I am" ... well you know the result :):)

    Believe in yourself!
  • ItsVJ
    ItsVJ Posts: 107 Member
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    Hi! Feel free to add me! I struggle too, but have found ENORMOUS encouragement from my friends here on MFP. I've lost 23 pounds since Jan. 3, but still struggle DAILY with cravings, temptations, etc.

    Just take it one day at a time, and lean on the community here on MFP. It really does make a difference!
  • ItsVJ
    ItsVJ Posts: 107 Member
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    Can't resist cravings, Looking for motivating friends, Lost 3 lbs & really don't want to gain it back. WORKED HARD all week, lost 2 -3 lbs, and yesterday ate 1000cals in one sitting, and Today ate 700 or so in one sitting due to cravings / being bored. Anyone have distractions?

    If you say you can't then you won't. It's that simple. Unless you make yourself do it, it's never going to happen and absolutely no one can give any advice that will somehow have magical powers and help you lose weight.
    That's the cold hard truth that I had to figure out and when I figured it out, started taking responsibility for my health, learning how to tell myself no and yes to the right things, then it fell into place. 20 something lbs later, I'm still motivated. You have to be your own motivator. It's not that you can't do it, it's that you don't want and until you tell yourself "I can/I will/I am" ... well you know the result :):)

    Believe in yourself!


    This pretty much wraps it all up. Sounds a bit scarey, but you have to learn that you're stronger than you think you are. You can do it!!!
  • cjhamh
    cjhamh Posts: 31 Member
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    When I start feeling hungry, but I know I don't need to eat I do something. I have two little kids and its cold right now so I usually go to the mall or a store and walk around. If it is nice outside, I would go for a walk to a park or around the block. If that isn't an option; chew gum or workout. Drink LOTS of water so it fills you up too.
  • bossmodehan
    bossmodehan Posts: 210 Member
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    eurgh I know what boredom eating is about, it's the worst :frown: and it doesn't even make you feel better, just worse:angry:
    try and find yourself something exciting to do, have a workout, just find some way to keep your hands busy.
    I also find that making a hot drink that I can sip on goes some way to fill that hand-mouth void that you think needs satisfying.
    Take a moment to think about how great you felt when you stepped on that scale and it was 3lbs lighter than before!
    Most importantly though, if you are hungry, you must eat!
  • kgchisholm
    kgchisholm Posts: 134 Member
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    Can't resist cravings, Looking for motivating friends, Lost 3 lbs & really don't want to gain it back. WORKED HARD all week, lost 2 -3 lbs, and yesterday ate 1000cals in one sitting, and Today ate 700 or so in one sitting due to cravings / being bored. Anyone have distractions?

    When I have a craving I KNOW is from boredom and not because I am legitimately hungry (I've started to know the difference), I have flavored tea with a bit of truvia! My fave is apple cinnamon. Satisfies my need to "taste" something, but really you're just drinking hot water.
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
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    If your diary is accurate (it's hard to say with just doing "quick add calories"), then you're not eating nearly enough. Try actually meeting your calorie goals for a month and see if the cravings are reduced. You should still lose weight because the calorie deficit is built in. Any weight you gain or lose in the short term is probably not body fat. So I'm sorry to say that 2-3 pounds you lost in a week mostly your digestive system being emptier and water weight. By eating so little, you're setting yourself up to binge later.
  • tialynn1
    tialynn1 Posts: 886 Member
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    I have the same problem! I have gotten good at avoiding snacking, but my food choices for meals aren't always the best. It is a daily struggle for me. For snacking, I get up and start doing some kind of exercise to get my mind off of things.
  • 11Jayme11
    11Jayme11 Posts: 194 Member
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    For starters.. none of us are PRO'S at this.. you need to change your attitude about it.. YOU CAN DO THIS... you need to tell yourself that first before you can fully commit to a life change, second.. its not dieting.. its a change! You need to find things to do after you eat... when you go out to eat, ask for a box right when you get you meal, and take some and box it up. At dinner or meal time.. only give youeself a portion, according to the postion size and only that. Chew gum when you feel the need to munch.. sometimes when you THINK your hungry, your really not, you just need the sensation of something in your mouth(sounds bad :blushing: ) I chew gum when I get that feeling and a cold glass of water! Its all in your mind.. its mind over matter. YOU CAN DO THIS! If I can... and all the others out there.. so can you! Feel free to add me if you want more support.. always looking for more supporters to help, and to help me as well!! :heart:
  • Aerohead21
    Aerohead21 Posts: 333 Member
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    I have always said I am an expert at being fat. And it's true. I know how to do that. But healthy? That took some education, and I spend every day learning something new. I agree with others' suggestions of trading bored or craving driven eating with activity. I also want to add that I have been much more successful this time around by planning my meals in the very least the morning of so I know what my intake will be for the day. It also makes it easier to know where you can add or if you should deny if something should come up and things change. I also eat low calorie natural foods throughout the day to give myself more food to stave off hunger. It takes a lot of veggies and fruits to add up to the same as prepackaged foods.
  • aiyana1228
    aiyana1228 Posts: 100 Member
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    Its kind of hard to give any advice until you log the food you are eating. Here are some general thoughts...
    Dink more water. Sometimes when we think we are hungry we are really just thirsty.
    Go for a walk.
    Avoid eating the following things for at least a month: White flour, White bread and crackers, pasta, anything with refined sugar, corn syrup etc. These things have an adictive quality and when you eat them you will crave them. There are lots of hidden sugars in processed foods so be careful and real lables.
    Look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are eating what your body needs not what your brain thinks it wants. If you think in terms of a diet it will fail. If you think in terms of doing what is healthy it is easier to maintain.
    Eat fresh fruit, veggies and whole grains.
    Pay attention to bulk vs calories. 100 calories can get me a whole large apple or it can get me a few chips. Its calories in vs calories out but a body that is getting healthy foods also works more efficiently. If you are hungry its easier to loose control with what ever is handy.
    Get the foods you are craving out of your house.
    When you crave something make yourself wait a half hour and then decide if its worth it.
    Never leave the kitchen with a whole container of anything-measure, measure, measure.
    I agree with someone else that if your quick calorie loggs were all you had for those days that is probably not enough to sustain what your body needs. There are no quick fixes for anything. Anything worth having is worth working hard for...
    Good luck!
  • sherrirb
    sherrirb Posts: 1,714 Member
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    NONE of us are the best at dieting. Thats how we all ended up here!

    When you start having cravings the first thing you need to do is down about 16oz of water. Then pop in an exercise video, turn on the Wii, play a video game, go do a load of laundry, wash the dishes... ANYTHING to take your mind off FOOD.

    To THINK about it means to do it, eventually... So stop letting your mind think about it!!
  • Justkf
    Justkf Posts: 208 Member
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    Try adding movement to the craving. if you "have to have it", eat it while walking. Put it far away so you have to go and get each bite. eventually it won't be worth it and meanwhile you are "moving" to get to it.
  • cindy4mica
    cindy4mica Posts: 777 Member
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    I'm a "craver", too. But it's mostly when my mind is at rest. When I'm at work and we're busy, I forget about eating. But when we're slow or I'm bored, all I can think about is food. Just keep busy.
  • TurtleTape
    TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
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    I know most people aren't like me, and if they have something they crave in the house they'll binge on it, but here's what works for me. I know what my weaknesses are and I plan for them. I always have chocolate in the apartment, I plan for something greasy/fatty/fried for a cheat day. Knowing that I have it all planned out and that I can have it without it killing my progress keeps me from binging on it. Is that something you could try rather than stopping cold turkey?
  • violetsue
    violetsue Posts: 54 Member
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    It's so hard to beat the cravings, but planning works. I use to do this a lot and still sometimes do. The more I follow my 3 meals and 3 snack regime, the less often I get cravings. Make sure to enter your food frequently throughout the day.
    Strong sugar free breath mints, flavored teas and water help. Also always have high volume but low cal crunchy snacks on hand- celery, carrots, 100 cal popcorn bags, ect. They make great emergency snacks without going way over your calorie budget and making you feel bad about yourself.
  • jbakerak
    jbakerak Posts: 76
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    If you eat healthy most of the cravings should disappear in a couple of weeks. Also, play around with healthy foods, you can make healthy food taste really good. Then you probably won't indulge too much, or feel bad if you eat a little extra. Only eat until you're not hungry anymore, but if you're hungry...eat. It's about the choices you make.

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