This is gonna be hard

What is your calorie goal? How are you on protein and fat intake - meeting those goals?

It's so hard to get used to a new routine. They say if you can make it just 21 days (I'd say 30 for women to help with that "craving" time of month) then you can take back control of your eating. That month can be the longest of your life, but it's also a goal to strive toward that will be over in no time.

I eat a smoothie (spinach, blueberries, almond milk or water) in the mornings to bulk up my food. It's about 120 calories, really nutritious, and keeps off the cravings. Experiment with finding something like that for yourself? Best of luck on your journey!

I try to keep my salt intake low during the day so that if I feel peckish at the end of the day I can snack on some dill pickles and a bit of sharp cheddar. It doesn't take much of the strong flavors to leave me feeling like I've really enjoyed something. Takes those cravings away.

What is your calorie goal? How are you on protein and fat intake - meeting those goals?

This!

1200 and usually

Have you figured out your TDEE? I could never survive on only 1200 per day. I usually eat over 2000 daily and am losing at a rate of .5-1 pounds per week. Maybe your daily calories are a bit low?

Sounds like you need to eat more.

Not going to go into any discussion on calories you should be at etc.

But, for the initial question, when I have hit my goal and its still early, I brush, floss, and rinse. Something about putting all that dental effort helps me to not want to mess it up lol.

dont fight it.

fit it.

Exactly. Trying to restrict yourself will never work for you long term. If you want to eat something, make room for it, or do an extra work out or something like that.

That's what she said!

So I did good with the food today. Just had dinner. Stayed under my calories FINALLY. But it is only 5:36 pm & now I'm craving snacks, sweets, and junk just like everyday. I even got these mega t chews that r supposed to fight hunger but nooooooo, not for me. How can I fight this? Why does my body do this?

Everyone else gave good suggestions, including noting that 1200 cals is probably too low, but I wanted to add one more possibility if you up your intake and still run into this.

Is it your body doing it, or your mind? The easiest way to get me to crave something sweet is to look at my diary for the day and realize I don't have enough calories left for it. Totally a mental thing. If I fit it in (like skullshank said) ahead of time, then it magically doesn't happen.

dont fight it.

fit it.

This. If I'm absolutely feeling "must eat now" I'll do a workout to fit it in, or I'll knock it out of tomorrow calories, or whatever. This can lead to some fairly mindful eating, same as with budgeting "is buying this worth ___ hours of work, because that's what I earn in my paycheck" is the same as "is that candy bar worth a 60 minute workout?"

This doesn't necessarily build a healthy relationship with eating, but I've found as I move along in my fitness journey, the cravings dwindle and having to look at food in this manner goes away as well (in my experience, this may be different for everyone).

1200 to low :P eating 6 small meals a day every 2-3 hours and drinking plenty on water. Also keeping busy so you get your mind off food lol Calculate how much you should really be eating and if you exercise you should eat those calories back too, that would also make you more hungry

I sort of just try to plan things out for the times I am hungry and or need the food. I eat before I go biking in the morning and then again when I come back. I try to have a few "meal" options in the 250-400 calorie range so when I do sneak in an extra something its real food that has some filling quality for me vs. a soda, chips, cookies or whatever.

Understanding the difference between hunger and craving can be a bit hard for me but by limiting myself to actual food rather than random snacks I'm starting to separate the two sensations.

In general, if I am really hungry it's not something I want to or likely can ignore.

So I did good with the food today. Just had dinner. Stayed under my calories FINALLY. But it is only 5:36 pm & now I'm craving snacks, sweets, and junk just like everyday. I even got these mega t chews that r supposed to fight hunger but nooooooo, not for me. How can I fight this? Why does my body do this?

I think its more of a habit to eat a lot later in the day. At the beginning, once I ate my calories for the day, I had to sit upstairs after my last pm snack. I tired saving the bulk of my calories for the evening time which helped, but I still had to sit in my room to avoid snacking.
It took about a month before I was able to sit downstairs without stuffing my face and thank goodness, since the stairs are no longer an obstacle for me anymore. lol

So I did good with the food today. Just had dinner. Stayed under my calories FINALLY. But it is only 5:36 pm & now I'm craving snacks, sweets, and junk just like everyday. I even got these mega t chews that r supposed to fight hunger but nooooooo, not for me. How can I fight this? Why does my body do this?

I think its more of a habit to eat a lot later in the day. At the beginning, once I ate my calories for the day, I had to sit upstairs after my last pm snack. I tired saving the bulk of my calories for the evening time which helped, but I still had to sit in my room to avoid snacking.
It took about a month before I was able to sit downstairs without stuffing my face and thank goodness, since the stairs are no longer an obstacle for me anymore. lol

yup, I have my dinner late and eat light during the day.