I agree with what everyone has said so far =)
1. Stay focused. This was the biggest hurdle for me because I have a very bad habit of going to the grocery store, or out to eat, when I'm really really hungry, so all those really bad things look even more tasty. Now, before I go out to eat, or if I go to the store, or if I go anywhere really, I eat a banana, or yogurt, or granola bar...something so that my stomach isn't rumbling at me the entire time, and it makes it easier to say "no, I don't need to get these chips today".
2. Diet/portion control. I personally use weight watchers to help me stay on track, and it works very well for me! There are so many other methods, too, so definitely take a little time to research some of the different types. The biggest thing is to find something that fits your lifestyle, because this isn't so much about a diet as it is a lifestyle change. If you try and make too many changes at once, there's stronger chances of binging and rebelling. It's not a fun cycle =(
3. Like Lin43 says, have a list of activities that you can do that do not involve food! I love reading, writing, coming here to the forums, I play online MMO gaming, etc. Also, as long as it's nice out, I have two dogs who love walkies, so if I feel the need to snack when I know I really don't need to, I try to do one of those activities as well as drink lots of water. Sometimes it's just thirst, and sometimes the activity just gets my mind off of whatever snack I was thinking about. If I get home from my walk, or stop what I'm doing, and I find my tummy rumbling even louder, I know it might be time for something more substantial, and I try to eat a piece of fruit or veggies to hold me over.
I saw this quote in another thread (sorry, I don't know which thread
), and I found it to be motivational and inspiring "if you stumble while climbing up a mountain, are you going to just throw yourself off? No, you're going to straighten out and keep climbing." I love it so much that I wrote it on the inside cover of my food journal, and look at it every time I need a kick in the pants.
We all have moments of weakness, we are human after all, but don't let that stop you! You can do this! Don't give up for the day if you make one mistake, just straighten yourself out, and eat better the rest of the day. Every little bit helps