I hate thinking about food! It just seems like I have an obssession with it these days. Because I have decided to limit myself, I find that I'm always looking forward to eating and in the afternoon I'm continously thinking about food. It's such a battle. I'm watching the clock dying to just be able to go to bed and put the thoughts of food behind me.
I definitely understand what you mean. I am trying to quit smoking at the same time - I did really well for a while and have recently fell off of the wagon and am trying to get back on the wagon. But, I think the concept is the same.......
A person is used to eating a certain way, it becomes a habit and now that you are changing everything it has become your sole focus. I do the same thing with cigarettes and when I am not smoking it is food. Even if I am thinking about something healthy - the thought is still there.... either food, food, food or smoke, smoke, smoke.
When I think like that - I try to do something active - something that requires me to think.... Sometimes it works.
sometimes this happens to me too. What I do is plan out all of my meals and snacks for the day at breakfast time. This way I don't have too much to obsess over. I already know what I'm going to eat. There is no more planning and thinking about it all day.... give it a try!
I know every Monday and every Tuesday I'm going to be eating lunch and dinner outside the home. The place I eat at always serves pretty healthy stuff (but they always have banana breads, lemon cake, and other sweets). It is a small school and centre for pregnant/parenting teens. They have rigorous health requirements to meet, but I still manage to get a little crazy on things like bread rolls or like today I had too many spring rolls. I gues when I go there it just boils down to portion control.
At meetings, bring your own snacks. You have to make the decision, to simply not eat that stuff that tempts you. I see nothing wring with having a spring roll, I LOVE the things, if it's true spring rolls. I budget for it with my calorie dollars though. If I know I'm having one, I eat a bit smaller meal before and after it, and try to do an extra 10-15 minutes of walking. I also thing of my calories as money, which SO helps, since I'm so freaking cheap with my cash! If I only have x amount of $<calories> to spend, by heck I want the most for my $.
I have the same problem. Even when I plan out a meal I swear I look forward to eating it. Some days it feels like I am just living for the next thing I get to enjoy eating. It has gotten a lot better. I can remember crying while stuffing a sandwich in my mouth because I knew I wasn't hungry and I felt like I couldn't control myself. I could eat and eat and never feel full. I think it is hard for everyone because it requires a change of mindset. Food has played a big role in my life.. socially, emotionally, and so on. To try to think of it just as a means of health and survival is hard to do.
It does get better with time. My urge for all things "bad" is pretty much gone. Me, a former chocoholic, sat in a meeting today directly in front of some Belgian chocolate (with nuts!!!) and did not even flinch. It's all in the mind, and I know you ladies can do it. I believe that your body does crave certain foods, but that only lasts a certain period of time... then it's mental. Get your mind around the idea that you know what these foods do to you, and you won't want them anymore. Good luck!