I'd Like A Few Friends That Are Motivated.

Great job! You can add me for support!

Good luck! You can add me.

You're off to a great start - keep it going! Add me. I too have food cravings and need to learn how to get beyond that.

MyChocolateDiet wrote: »

I overcome food cravings by having a little bit of the food I am desiring. An amount that fits into my cal goals. Even if it means robbing peter to pay paul by "stealing" cals from other meals to have what I want.

I notice if I don't have what I'm craving, I can go on to crave it for days and even weeks. Not only is this sad to go through, sometimes I overeat a little of other things in an effort to get something close to the same taste. Example: want a carl's junior famous star. eat a jr. jack to try to get somethign close but smaller. end up having that a couple times that week and the following week end up having the famous star. when I could have just had the famous star and been done with it and eaten something more in line with my goals instead of repeated jr. jacks.

I do that!!!! "I really want X, but I'll have Y and see if that fixes it" then "OK, Y didn't fix it, so I'll try Z". Then "Z wasn't quite there, I'll cave and have X" and by that time, I've made room for two other items I didn't quite want, that didn't scratch the itch and now I have to make room for X too.

Well done on losing 7lbs. That's a solid start.
I really like most food and Italian is definitely one of my favourite cuisines. So, I can certainly relate to the struggle.
As for the cravings situation I have a similar approach to MyChocolateDiet. Have a little bit of what you're craving. If it doesn't fit your calories for the day, do an extra workout or make a bigger effort to exercise for the rest of the week (depending on the situation). You might also find that you lose the cravings for some foods after a few weeks of changing your eating habits. Alternatively, go for a smaller serving of the food you crave (i.e. entrée size) so that you get the taste but, not the full force of a large serving. If desserts are the challenge share them with a friend or, ask for half of the serving to be packed away and take it home.
A couple of strategies I regularly employ are: the two course rule: Limiting myself to two courses when I go out. I read the whole menu and decide on whether I'll have an entrée/starter (the terms are fairly interchangeable in Australia) & main OR main and dessert but, I don't have all three unless it's a special occasion (wedding or other catered event)
The 'Go for Gold' rule: Whatever you're craving, go for the best quality you can afford. This is far more likely to satisfy the craving without disappointing you and it won't take as much to get the kick you're looking for.
Hope those tips help you on the journey.
Feel free to add me as a friend too.

You can add me too. You are off to a great start!

On my second round on MFP and this time I added friends who motivate. It's made a big difference and I've also enjoyed motivating others. Feel free to add me (all y'all)!