[CrazedLedZepFan]

I'm trying to lose my post-pregnancy rate and then some. I started a diet,... many times. I can't seem to make it even a day without screwing my diet up. I usually do pretty good up until the afternoon, get hungry and overeat. The worse part is that I'm a stay-at-home mom and it's hard to keep my mind of hunger without much to do all day. The excercise part is going great. I make myself workout even if my eating isn't going well. Any ideas to stay on track?

[KrisR]

It can be so hard to stay on track when the mind is constantly thinking of food and hunger. I really feel for you.

The other day I had 'mouth hunger' (I really wasn't hungry, I just wanted to eat) and what I tried was to go do some yoga and then I had a cuppa tea. When I get in those situations, the best thing that seems to work for me is to physically just remove myself from the situation or make myself do something else. Go for a walk, read a book, knit, rock the baby.....just force yourself not to eat.

I know that sounds so much easier than it is because trust me, I wouldn't be in the place I am if I could take my own advice every time. Quite frankly, most of the time over the last 30 some years, I just give in to the voices....but lately, for whatever reason, I haven't been giving in. Hang in there and know that each time you successfully DON'T eat, it should get easier and before you know it, you'll be in the zone.

[JayEll]

Hey! It helps to plan, plan, plan... that means, if you know you're going to be wanting to eat in the afternoon, plan a healthy, low-cal snack for that time of day that won't put you over on your calories. Also, it helps to get the unhealthy, fattening snacks out of the house, so you don't face temptation.

By the way, what is your plan?

Jay

[Hat Trick]

You sound like me -- exercise is fine but the eating -- aaaggghhh! I've been up and down this road several times and I know for me that the beginning is usually the hardest. The first few days to a week or so are just so bloody hard to overcome that mindless nibbling that seems to occur. Another 3FC chickie gave me great words to think about -- eating mindfully. Yep, that's it alright. You HAVE to start paying attention to what you are putting in your mouth and just saying 'NO' 'put that down now! to the stuff you shouldn't be eating. Will you be successful everytime? Nope. But start out aiming for 50% of the time being OP and work your way up to 90%.

If you're eating out of true hunger, revamp what you're eating. Add more protein and good carbs. If you're eating out of boredom, you need to be aware of that and get out of that rut. I'm also trying (um, for the 3rd time ) to lose the post-pregnancy wt from my last kid. She just turned 11.


Too much pluribus, not enough unum.

[Heather]

I'm all on board with the planning!! You don't have to starve yourself, but it does help to know what you'll be eating during the day -- be sure to provide yourself foods you like, too!

[peachcake]

I agree... the beginning is the hardest! I've been at it for over a month and I'm just getting comfortable with how I feel. I am still hungry before meal/snack time but I now know the difference between HUNGER and munchies.

[Glory87]

In some ways, being at home is awesome - you have a frig, you have a stove, a lot of people have to lug food around and don't have a frig or a microwave and they are really constrained in their lunch/snack choices - YOU are LUCKY!

In some ways, being at home is not good. You are surrounded by all your food in your frig, freezer and cupboards. Most of us at work, eat what we brought and then we're out of food for the rest of the day, you can forage all day. That is bad! I agree with one of the previous posters, enlist your family's help to completely de-junk your house (if you haven't already). Explain it doesn't have to be permanent, but you definitely need all the help you can get to GET STARTED.

I hear what you said all the time - day starts off great, you get too hungry, go offplan and never recover. Spend some time honestly analyzing why this happens to you.

Are you eating enough during the day? A hungry body WILL eat.

Are you eating whole, satisfying foods that provide lots of good nutrition? A nutrient-starved body will restlessly seek it (a breakfast of slimfast and a lunch of lean cuisine would put me idly rummaging through cabinets all afternoon looking looking looking for SOMETHING - now I know it was needed nutrition).

Are you eating a lot of carbs/sugar? I'm a carb lover and definitely ate them during weight loss and still eat to maintain, but what I've found that a breakfast of JUST carbs sets me up to be hungry all day. Processed sugar also sets me off into a spiral of junk junk junk. Complex carbs (oatmeal, whole grain toast, etc) lessen the effect.

Are you planning your healthy meals? If you don't plan a healthy lunch or snack, it's not going to magically appear in the kitchen. If you get hungry, you won't want to wait to prepare something really good for you, you'll go for convenience which is rarely "on plan." By Sunday afternoon, I know what I'm having all week for every meal/snack and the lunches/snacks are already packed and ready.

I'm an afternoon snacker myself, so I just plan for it. A lot of people want to eat after dinner (when I'm rarely hungry/snacky). Me, I want to eat eat eat all afternoon. So, I plan a no sugar added cocoa (or a Starbucks non fat latte if I'm out and about) at 1:00, a piece of fruit at 3:00 and a baggie of cut up veggies at 5:00. I also drink tons and tons of herbal tea (for the mental satisfaction of hand moving to mouth). I realized that afternoon snacking is hardwired into me for some reason and now I plan FOR it and budget the calories into my daily limit.

Good luck - you CAN do it, but it takes a lot of hard work and planning. Healthy eating doesn't have to make you hungry and it doesn't happen by accident. Plan to eat!

Oh, and GREAT WORK on the exercise!!! I handle the eating really well, but I'm an exercise slacker.