Struggling:(

25sherry

I struggle with the same problems. I love, love, love sweets and salts and there were times I would plow threw an entire bag of chips or jelly beans! What works for me is drinking a lot of liquids, I drink a lot of hot tea. That warm feeling in my belly makes it feel fuller. Also one that really fills me up and suppresses my cravings is a nice huge taco salad which I make with lots and lots of lettuces, tomatoes, onions, fat free sour cream, fat free refriend beans with taco seasoning in them. Crisp up a low fat tortilla and crush that over the top with some salsa----awesome. Keeps me full and only has about 350 calories, 4 grams of fat! Hang in there girl!

SARgirl

Suggestion: log what you're ABOUT to eat...see if it's "worth" it. Pre-logging has been a lifesaver for me. Try it!

edit to add: ^haha...beat me to it!

This works for me too, especially if I know that I don't have a lot of calories left for the day. It amazed me in the beginning how much i was actually eating! (i.e. i was shocked that one Blow Pop sucker was 60 calories!) If you have a smart phone with the app then its makes it easier. If you are over a day here and there it's no biggie, just start fresh the next day!

harleygirlT

If you are serious then may I suggest what is working for me; I only allow the right foods in my house...I buy veggies, chicken, whole wheat breads and grains, low fat and fat free dairy. For snacks and sweets, I buy 100 calories popcorn, sugar free jello and pudding, skinny cow ice cream, etc.......Drink tons of water! Keep the temptation away from you and soon it will just become habit to eat heathly. If you really want something have it once in awhile, you still have to be able to live and find a way to change your lifestyle......this isn't a short term fix, it is a lifestyle change. I eat 2 eggs whites and whole wheat toast in the morning, the protein keeps you from being hungry. I snack on cucumbers, celery, red and yellow peppers, etc. I started my lunch and dinners with smart ones because they are portion control but now I make my own dinners and stay under calorie very well without all the soduim. Just keep the temptations away from you and you will get there!

luckegirl

I'm new at this as well, but after exercising regularly and not weighing myself I decided that I'd take a look. I was amazed at how much I still weighed and then decided the calories had to be counted as well. This site is great for this little trick! Now, I guess what I try to do is find the most dense food (filling) with littlest calories and eat in my range. I also exercise every day or at least 6 days a week so I can stay 400-500 calories under and have a snack in the evening! (My husband has that incredible metabolism that lets him eat all day long whatever he wants!!) So not fair. I have always weighed "just right" but constantly watching, until I had my last baby at age 38. The extra 15lbs just didn't go away. Keep 100 calorie snacks available that you like and stick to them! If you fall off the horse one day, get right back on!! And don't forget the water, hot tea etc between meals it really does help! (Think to yourself, Ugh! I don't want all those calories... I'll have to exercise more & who wants to do that?)

dypab

Mantra for my transformation - "A moment on the lips and forever on the hips" . I repeat that to myself every time I see something delectable and the craving usually passes. IF it doesn't, I eat a spoonful or so and trash the rest before I can dig through the entire portion.

maf66

This is what has and is working for me. I'm not saying that this is what you need to do, but I do have a few suggestions.

The first of the year I focused on changing my diet. I eliminated all processed foods, all white sugar/flour/rice/potatoes/pasta's and only consume WHOLE grains. Wheat bread is not at all the same as Whole Wheat bread. I do not consume soy or corn, due to gmo's. The exception to this is organic pop corn kernels. That first month was a bit trying at times, but I eliminated my cravings and felt GREAT. Didn't lose a single pound, wasn't trying to either.

Then February came and I tried to start dieting. I tried to log my foods in a journal which I kept out all the time. I was still improving my diet and added a few supplements. I became obsessed and I wasn't losing weight and spent forever journaling and trying to figure out what was wrong. It was so depressing as I knew I was putting the right kinds of food in my body.

Then March came and I found this site. Thats when I got down to business! I have started to build a great support network of people from this site who are dedicated to themselves and honest. I keep my food diary open and when I ask for advice about what I'm eating or what to eat, my new friends are there to offer their suggestions. I also browse others food diary's for menu ideas etc. I have personalized my settings to reflect my own goals, not the recommended MFP ones. Since doing this, I have lost 4 #'s and I feel so much happier. I am holding myself accountable.

So my suggestion to you is, build a network of support and open up your diary. It's difficult to offer advice on food changes etc. otherwise.

Feel free to add me if you'd like! :flowerforyou:

~~Marci~~

lsapphire

It takes some self-control to log in what you are eating for whoever to see. Have you tried just getting rid of the food that is the biggest problem? Try getting rid of one trouble food at a time, little steps will add up with time, hang in there. I talked about doing something for 5 years b4 I even tried.

borgie86

Thanks everyone for the help!! I really like the pre-logging idea! I haven't thought about doing that, hopefully this way it'll help me realize what I'm about to eat! Thanks everyone so much!!!

megsmom2

Just don't bring those foods in the house,
I know it's dam hard but it's got to be done,
make a menu and stick to it so when shopping you only buy what you need. no temptation in the house.
it's very hard at first and the cravings will drive you mad but if you can get through a few weeks it will get easier as you go along.

This! Set yourself up.to make good choices. You cant eat a bag of doritos that isn't there. Make sure something you can enjoy guilt free is there instead.

Arrica

All these are good suggestions, particularly the logging your food before you eat it. I do that all the time. I also have a bottle of lemon water with me all the time as well. That helps me feel full and satisfied with the little bit of sweetness/sourness it adds to the water. One thing I have found is that if i exercise in the morning while the kids are eating breakfast I do MUCH better through out the day. Even if it's just my quick little jog on the treadmill. I don't know if its a mind thing or what but I always think do I want to ruin all that exercise with junk? Usually the answer is no but if I get the occasional urge for something I just eat it and don't beat myself up for it. Like the other posters said when you are truly ready you will change your mindset and just do it. I sit in a house full of junk food and processed stuff that the kids and the hubby like and I just don't eat it because I am ready to make a change. This coming from a girl who would eat two king sized candy bars on the way to work and ice cream every night and all kinds of junk in between, so it can be done. Good Luck. Feel free to add me as a friend for moral support. :-)

Startraveller

Sounds like we are all struggling. I gain then lose then gain again. Water helps as does keeping busy to get your mind off eating. As for snacking, hummus and veggies filll you up and are good calories. I personally have also found thatlooking at whateveryone on this site has lost is motivating me.

tinaruby

I frustrate myself!!! I know I need to lose weight, and every night I tell myself I'm ready to feel good and I'm ready to watch what I eat, but then the next day it's like food will be right in front of me and I don't even think about not eating it or what it is! UGH!!! Then I come on here to log what I eat and I get so frustrated with myself! The good thing is that I'm being honest with myself with what I eat so I am logging what I'm actually eating, but I just wish I had more self control! Anyone know of any tricks to help recognize what I'm about to eat so I stop myself from eating it or so I start making better choices?

Don't eat the food until it is logged (use your cell phone). Usually by the time I get done logging something I know I shouldn't have, I feel guilty enough to remove it and choose something better. :-)

Sorry for the repost, didn't see it earlier...

Also don't let yourself get hungry, you will have more control if you snack on something low in sugar and high in protein or fiber. If your not starving, it is way easier to choose whats good for you instead of what is quickest or easiest.

tinaruby

If you are serious then may I suggest what is working for me; I only allow the right foods in my house...I buy veggies, chicken, whole wheat breads and grains, low fat and fat free dairy. For snacks and sweets, I buy 100 calories popcorn, sugar free jello and pudding, skinny cow ice cream, etc.......Drink tons of water! Keep the temptation away from you and soon it will just become habit to eat heathly. If you really want something have it once in awhile, you still have to be able to live and find a way to change your lifestyle......this isn't a short term fix, it is a lifestyle change. I eat 2 eggs whites and whole wheat toast in the morning, the protein keeps you from being hungry. I snack on cucumbers, celery, red and yellow peppers, etc. I started my lunch and dinners with smart ones because they are portion control but now I make my own dinners and stay under calorie very well without all the soduim. Just keep the temptations away from you and you will get there!

LOL, I shipped all the white breads and pastas to my neighbors. Along with a bunch of other high sugar stuff. He couldn't understand why I wanted to give it away. Now he can see how much weight my husband and I have lost and NOW he understands. Luckily for my neighbor, he's not over weight. LOL

melissageist

It's hard trust me. I still have my cravings myself. I really love the website myplate.gov it will guide you and help you stay on track.

Brian_VA

Instead of focusing on the food, focus on getting some exercise. For example, start riding an exercise bike, elliptical, or other exercise equipment. Maybe initially you are only doing 10 minutes at low intensity. But every day if you do the exercise, you will be able to do more and burn more calories. (It's fun and rewarding to see your fitness increase by tracking something like calories burned on the machine.) It won't take long before you look at that big piece of chocolate cake differently, knowing that it has more calories than all the calories you have burned exercising for the past week. Before long you don't want to eat as much, and you'll be riding for 45 minutes and burning 400 calories a day. From here it is much easier to manage your diet IMO.

reharvrun

Drinking water with lemon has a lot of advantages. One of them is that it boosts your metabolism. fyi

janeite1990

Suggestion: log what you're ABOUT to eat...see if it's "worth" it. Pre-logging has been a lifesaver for me. Try it!

edit to add: ^haha...beat me to it!

Great idea!

delilah47

I was like you. The whole thing seemed so overwhelming when I got up on the first day, I just couldn't do it. What I had to do: I got rid of EVERYTHING not healthy and planned a few days ahead on my menus. That way at least you have a direction and all you have to do it take it. Not easy, but better than not having a plan. Good luck!

Edit: After the fist week it gets a lot easier. Then later it just seems natural after you learn the basic good foods and get some recipes you like. MFP isn't your typical starve-yourself diet. You shouldn't be all that hungry if you use your "calorie bank" wisely.

delilah47

I usually TRY to do my food diary in advance, and I stick to it! Not sure if it would help you but does me. I make the weeks menu and then I have my totals for the week/or if I can't do the whole week, then maybe just the next day, if something comes up and I have to change it becomes a liitle harder but I'm working on that. I just find that if I decide what I am going to eat beforehand, it easier for me to stay under my cals. it also lets me know what kind of snacks and how much of them I can have, so I don't go overboard.

Hope this helps.

Yep, this ^^

thelassiemickyjames

I was struggling too until I stopped eating foods for flavor and starting eating foods for function. The foods I eat might be bland, but they serve their purpose, and I don't crave them in excess. If you start eating purely for function, as if your body is a machine, you will have success, but like everyone else says, you have to really want it, and commit to it. It must become your religion. Eat to live, don't live to eat.