I've been fighting and giving in to cravings all week I can't seem to get myself to stay on program. I start off each day with good intentions-whole wheat toast. lowfat cottage cheese , skim milk and fruit. Low fat lunch. Then I get to a midafternoon slump and CHEAT. I know there aren't supposed to be good and bad foods, but there are some things I know I need to stay away from altogether because they trigger overeating.
Any suggestions on what to do when those sugar cravings hit mid-afternoon?
It's extra hard now cause I'm job hunting and feeling depressed (company I worked for was bought out in Dec) I've been sending resumes and not getting responses. So I've been turning to food and it's making me feel even WORSE.
I just feel out of control, and like if I don't get under control soon I'm going to keep gaining and not stop.
Dear Sherry,
Maybe you can give this a whirl-instead of having toast and cottage cheese, why not have a couple of pancakes with some strawberry syrup for breakfast? See the thing is you don't have to give up enjoying food, you just change the foods you enjoy. Eating to comfort yourself only lasts for the moment and the feelings that come afterward make us tend to feel even worse. Now I know this is going to sound absolutely CRAZY, but one of the best things for depression is excercise. It releases hormones in the brain that help alleviate feelings of depression. I tell you this from experience, I suffer from manic depression. Now usually the winter months are horrible for me, but this season I've been excersing three times a week (at least) and have had the best winter of my life!! I know it's hard but its worth it and it works. I was sorry to hear of the difficulty in your professional life but remember, that is only part of who you are. You are so much more than just your job. You are Sherry, who is wonderful and fabulous, intelligent, and kind. You are a fighter, you are a warrior, you are a winner.
I have been exactly where you were. And it wasn't so long ago. I would start out every day good, but by afternoon, it was shot and then I didn't care so the whole day was blew. I too felt like I couldn't get through even 1 day OP. It was like this week after week. I knew that I needed to do something to get on track. I had to find some accountability. Do you think that would help? For me what it took was challenging a friend to compete with me. Not losing pounds, but every day doing what I knew I was supposed to do. Follow my food plan, drink my water, and exercise. We have points and rewards, it's fun. And for me it's working.
I know it is going to be hard to focus because you mind is on finding a new job and all. I also think what sweetcakes said is really true. When I am low and I workout, I always feel better.
Hang in there, keep posting and we'll get you through this.
Sherry, I don't know what your low-fat lunch consists of but you may be getting too many carbs which will elevate your insulin level and cause cravings. A lot of low fat foods have added sugar to improve the taste. You may want to add some more protein at lunch. Don't give up. I may loose my job at any time because of downsizing. I know it's tough but hang in there. All of us pulling together makes each of us strong.
Carol
Last edited by Mrs. Big Dawg; 03-15-2002 at 05:39 PM.
Thank you all for your kind and helpful responses. I thought I was the only one who started "healthy eating" over again EVERY DAY.
Thanks for your suggestions. I know I need to exercise more. I've just started this week riding my exercise bike. I've only been able to do ten minutes a day, but hope to gradually work up to forty minutes. I've never been in shape, even when I was thin, so I don't know how it even feels.
As far as breakfast, oddly enough I actually like toast and cottage cheese! I do treat myself on the weekend to toast with peanut butter one day, and blueberry pancakes or eggs with vegetarian sausages/toast the other.
Lunch is usually either a vegetarian burger, tuna, turkey or chicken sandwich with mustard/tomato and low fat cheese. (on whole wheat bread) I add carrot sticks and fruit to that as well. Or sometimes a baked potato with broccoli or kidney beans, topped with salsa, lowfat cheese and lowfat sour cream.
Dinner isn't usually a problem.
I've always had a problem with mid afternoon and after dinner sugar/fat cravings. I don't know if I'm not eating enough protein, or if I'm psychologically dissatsifed with breakfast and lunch, and want a "treat" to compensate for the breakfast and lunch I'm eating.
I suffer from post partum depression and hypothyroidism and anemia as well. Those three things don't help with weight loss at all! I just started cutting down on my antidepressants under my doctor's care, since I'm doing better and my son will be three in July. I know the Serzone for the depression indirectly also contributes to weight gain. My doctor explains that it doesn't increase your appetite, but the medication interferes with your body's ability to recognize that you are full and to stop eating. So you don't get satisfied with the amount of food because you don't feel full-then you eat more and gain weight.
I'm sorry to be so long winded.
thank you so much for everyone for the support. I feel so badly that I haven't been able to be of help to anyone else yet. I've just been so down about this for so long....
I forgot to add that I hope your job works out. Waiting to hear about downsizing is so nervewracking.
I was lucky that the company I worked for gave us two months notice for the downsizing.....I knew in advance to not spend a lot of money on Xmas gifts this past year, and to save what I could.
Luckily we're not in any debt, so we're okay so far. I just hate being out of work....and not getting calls for interviews does not help my self esteem, and I end up eating.
have you ever tried doing your exercise bike in 10min segments. That really worked for me. I did 10 min in the day, 10 min in the afternoon and 10 min in the evening. It got a half hour workout in the day and my doc said it was just as good as doing them together. At least it was 30min. You do burn more when you do the 30-40 min at one time but splitting them up your still burning the calories.
Good luck and i wish you all the best in your new job hunting. Just stick with it, it is always the first week or so that is the hardest.
Dig in, Sherry... remember all the reasons why you're doing this, and why you won't be happy unless you get to where you want to be. It soon puts food into its proper place in life - which is to take a back seat, with you and your happiness up front.
I'm having a tough time at the moment also, simply because I've been stuck at the same weight for around 2 months. I wouldn't mind, but I want to lose at least another 20lbs.
If I can bring out the old cliche though, it's not an achievement if it's easy to do. This is tough for all of us, but not as tough as being overweight for the rest of our lives.
I have the same problem, so I asked my diabetic nutritionist using your typical (and mine) lunch. Here is her advice. More fiber will keep you feeling full and slow the absorption of glucose that can lead to the craving later when glucose suddenly drops by lunch. And if you have a craving plan ahead
Breakfast:
Whole-wheat toast-good if dense bread and high fiber (1slice 120 cal, 1.5 fat, 3 gr. fiber)
Low fat cottage cheese-change to non-fat
Skim milk-good, measure it (is it 1 cup or a whole glass?)
Fruit-be sure it's with skin or pulp, not peaches from a can or juice
Snack:
You need one about half way between to take the edge off.
I love Health Valley granola bars with 3 grams of fiber (favorite is 130 cal. Date Almond)
Shop the health food aisle for snacks like this with no fat that satisfies the sweet tooth.
Your lunch is loaded with fat and not much bulk so no wonder you are craving!
Vegetarian burger- Gardenberger (12 protein, 90 cal, 1 fat, 6 fiber)
Tuna -1/3 can- with celery&1T.MiracleWhip Light (13 gr protein, 95 cal. 3.5 fat, 0 fiber)
Turkey or chicken 2 reg.slices Healthy Choice (~10gr protein, 70 cal., 2 fat, 0 fiber)
mustard/tomato (add romaine lettuce for crunch and vitamins)
Low fat cheese - ditch the cheese (even 1 oz. slice of Alpine Lace American is 6 protein, 80 cal., 6 fat, 0 fiber) -- have a Raspberry Peach Melba fat-free Yoplait (sweet indulgence!) between lunch and dinner instead (5 protein, 100 cal., 0 fat, 0 fiber)
Whole wheat bread - dense, not spongy that feels like white with eyes closed (2slice 240 cal, 3 fat, 6 gr. fiber)
Carrot sticks (fat-free dressing or straight?)
Fruit
Break down your Potato and see if making the sour cream or cheese fat free gives you more calories to play with when you need them later.
Mid afternoon snack:
Have that Yoplait now- you can afford it now that you ditched the cheese
She suggested I always keep a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table and when I crave, eat from it. It's not the quantity, but quality of food that matters.
Dinner - ok, just remember that you need to weigh the protein and starches and not rely on sight cause ours can't be trusted. Keep your carbohydrates to 3 servings or below here so you can have a late snack.
Now here is the hard part:
After dinner, I tie a big huge bow on the frig and the pantry door-a humorous ritual and reminder that only the fruit bowl and water is available from now on. If you have little kids, they love to do it for you! If it seems silly, find another new ritual like going upstairs after dinner and not coming down or locking the kitchen door-something that makes you take time to think about what you're doing so you can make wise choices.
I peel a huge orange, which takes a long time to eat and gives me something to do with my hands if I watch tv. Find things to do with your hands and carry a glass of water around all the time. Read storybooks to your kids over and over, learn needlepoint, crochet, or knitting, and turn off the tv. If my cravings seem to be for spicy things, WOW Dorrito or Sour Cream and Cheddar chips that I have already separated into individual ziplock bags keeps me from eating the whole bag. My hubby raids the pantry for them for me so I'm not tempted.
I hope there are some things here that will help.
Remember we are experiencing the same challenges and are only a keyboard away.
I had the same problem, so my friend gave me this advice and its really worked.
If you can save 2 points for the afternoon, have 4 hersheys kisses (1/2 point each!!) But don't gobble them, suck on them.. let them melt in your mouth... really enjoy them.
It works, it kills the sugar fix, the choclate fix, and gets me through till dinner!!!
I just wanted to share something I learned in a seminar last week. Carbs, protein, and fat are all metabolised in the body at a different rate, and therefore turned into sugar in the bloodstream at a different rate.
Carbs get turned into blood sugar really fast--they make your bood sugar peak in about 2 hours, but then it drops and you're STARVING, regardless of how many calories of carbs you actually had. (What you don't burn is converted to fat--it doesn't stay in your blood and give you energy for the rest of your day.) Proteins keep sugar in your bloodstream for about 6 hours, fats for 8-9 hours.
The point is, especially at breakfast, you need a little protein and (just a little) fat--I guess that's what your body's programmed to run on.
ready to give up
I can't seem to get myself to stay on program. I start off each day with good intentions-whole wheat toast. lowfat cottage cheese , skim milk and fruit. Low fat lunch. Then I get to a midafternoon slump and CHEAT. I know there aren't supposed to be good and bad foods, but there are some things I know I need to stay away from altogether because they trigger overeating.
Hang in there!
