What can I do to curb my persistent food cravings??

I'm finding it extremely difficult to stick to healthy eating habits and staying active and I've found it difficult to do so for the past couple of years. I've gained a bit of weight in the past couple of years, and I'm not particularly happy about it. I find that thinking about it causes me to eat more and would say and admit that I turn to food for comfort. I joined My Fitness Pal because I think it will help me lose the extra weight, but I am finding it extremely difficult to not turn to food for comfort. Does anybody have any suggestions on what I can do? What can I do if I feel the urge to eat something? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!!

I don't know if this is the best advice, but sometimes when I want to eat I will have something carbonated, like diet soda, or something. It makes me feel less hungry, and the flavor makes me feel like I'm taking in something significant. It's a start, and then I can fill in the gaps with water, &/or vegetables.

As a comfort eater I try to work out when I feel the urge to emotionally eat. Then if I still feel that hunger pang I'll seek out the healthiest food choice. Sometimes I can't do that because I have that crunchy salty urge or something, so I will portion out 1/2 a serving to a full serving but no more and take it out of the kitchen to eat. Then if I still feel that way I drink a glass of water and make myself wait 20 or so minutes.

For staying active I become more motivated with each pound I lose. 50lbs ago I was convinced that I just couldn't do it. i couldn't eat healthier or work out because it would do nothing. Now that I've lost 50lbs I'm very motivated. To help keep that motivation in check I have an workout buddy. My sister. We'll work out together, but most of the time we both are on MSN and start up our wii-fits and tell each other which activity we'll do together, come back and report, then choose another. It has really helped with that loneliness.

Another thing that I always try to remind myself is that if I can spend hours surfing the internet or watching TV I can get off my *kitten* and work out for 30 minutes. Hell with the Free-Step and Free-Run I can even watch TV or play a video game while doing so.

I know exactly how you feel. I start off doing great and then I start feeling real hungry at times and I start to crave food, any food! It can be real hard to resist the urge to eat most days, over eat that is. I find that when I want to eat, I come to this site and read, read, read. I try and get myself motivated and think about how I will feel when I reach my goal and it doesn't come easy. You have to find it in yourself to havesome control. Many nights I go to bed so hungry I feel so frustrated but I know it will be worth it to be healthy again. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself like a child and say...No! If you still have the urge to eat, try and stick with fruits and veggies and healthy popcorn, things like that, I'm sure if your watching what you are eating now, it has to be better than the way you were eating. I know I have made big improvements in my diet in the last 7 weeks. We all struggle with over eating and that is why we are here. Just keep signing in everyday and getting the support you need, everyone is very helpful. You also have to ask yourself, how bad do you really want it?! Try distracting yourself, exercise, reading a book or magazine, writting in a journal or talking to a friend. You can do this and we are all here to help each other, although it's not easy it will be wroth how you feel about yourself when you know you have done yourself right in eating right and taking care of yourself. Just keep coming back. You got this. Good luck.
Denise

I have been having the same problem lately and I had been finding it realllllly hard to deny myself something when I'm hungry but know I have had enough for the day. This usually happens late at night for me. I have been keeping a protein bar on me when I leave and usually a couple bites of that will curb my appetite because it takes so long to chew. If I'm at home I keep meal supplement shakes handy and I will drink half of one which is only 85 calories and it helps to.... good luck!