So I have to new jobs right now. One as a waitress and the other as a paraeducator and my life over the past few weeks has revolved around food. I work 35 hours a week as a para and 25 as a waitress... Help... How can I get my focus away from food. I walk plenty, but seem to have to snack every hour, plus while waitressing, I always have to try the new specials... how do I get my focus off food?

Try not focusing on taking our focus off of food.

Just try to fight one craving at a time. Make it through one day without trying the new special. Make through one day without eating between meals. Make it onw day totally on plan. Make it through 2 days. Make it through a week.

Keep building successes and they will build confidence that you can do this!

Good luck!

Planning is going to be crucial for you. You need easy, portable foods. As a server - you only need to try the specials, right? Just a bite? That wouldn't be too bad, especially since that job requires a lot of walking.

When you say you have to snack every hour, what does that mean? Is that just when you happen to have time to eat your food, or do you just tend to nibble?

Maybe we can come up with some good portable items. Premaking breakfast sandwiches can be great to grab and go in the morning. Protein bars (good ones like Zone) are also easy to keep in your bag or even your apron pocket.

I can so relate to your problem. I work in a bakery doing cakes and it is so hard not to scarf the cake when it comes out of the oven. I do feel compelled to make sure things taste ok, so I just have a pinch, no more. It seems to be okay since I've been successful at losing weight even through busy wedding season. I agree with Lori about planning being crucial. I stock the freezer at work with frozen weight watchers and lean cuisine's. I try to keep low cal bars like fiber one or kashi bars there too. I grab a small serving of walnuts and raisins sometimes or low cal micro popcorn. I was really scared of wedding season this year since it gets so stressful and I work long hours, but all the planning has payed off. Don't let yourself get too hungry.

I wish my snacking was contained to just a nibble, but I tend to grab a few handfuls in-between every class and also normally eat a good sized lunch as well. I just signed up for weight watchers online and plan on attending meetings every Wednesday, and have even alerted work that I can no longer work on those nights. Won't work if I can't get my snacking under control... Good snack ideas?

Snacking was a huge issue for me too. I had to focus on whether I was really hungry or just had the munchies. I do have snacks, but I'm strict about portion control. I count out 16 reduced fat wheat thins and have one laughing cow wedge with them. Or I have plain non-fat yogurt with blueberries and strawberries and a splenda to sweeten it. Sometimes when I'm really hungry and have used my calories up I'll have a big bowl of veggies. When I'm missing sweets too much I'll have a skinny cow ice cream sandwich. You have to find what works for you though.

I couldn't have said it better myself.