[Step]

OK ... I did manage to lose a pound this week, but it was a major struggle and I slipped up a few times. I don't know what's going on w/ me ... but I can't stop thinking about food ... bad food. Just this morning I was dreaming of home made potato salad ... this is not even on my list of favorites and it's probably been 10 years since I last made it and about 3 or 4 YEARS since I last ate it. Why potato salad?

If it weren't for my kids ... last night would have been a feeding frenzy. I was
dreaming of a late-night pasta feast ... I never did any late night cooking and eating when I wasn't paying attention to my intake ... of course I always had a lotof junk in my house that's not there now. I don't have a quick fix to late night muchies such as chips or cookies in the house. I also came very close to going down to the kitchen and making pancakes at 10:30pm But my son wasn't feeling 100% and I had promised him I would NOT go to the first floor and leave him alone upstairs ... I was afraid he'd wake up and find "missing".

Any ideas why this is happening to me? It's too early for PMS ... and my PMS
cravings are usually salty things. I don't want to "fall off the wagon" so to
speak ... but I'm really struggling and I don't know why.

Any and all suggestions are welcome. Remember ... at night I cannot leave my house cuz I have young kids and my husband works in another state ... so please don't suggest a walk or something, it's impossible.

Also, I know lots of Atkins and Carbohydrate Addicts Diet success stories and people report decreased cravings ... but these plans are not for me. I tried it and quit when I started gagging at the sight of my breakfast. I'm on a self-devised plan that includes some carbs in the form of breakfast cereal and fruit and on rare occassions brown rice or wheat pasta ... but for the most part I limit "starch" as opposed to all carbs. And I've had some success ...

Thanks in advance for your help. Everybody here is wonderful!!

[Meadow]

Could it be spring fever and you are plotting picnic basket filler? Load the fridge with crunchies... celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower. Cups of tea herbal or not can really stave off cravings. The liquids fill you up. You likely are having some stress moments if you have kids, do you have headphones? can you escape into music? Just some thoughts, good luck on your journey forward

[Monkeybabies]

Geeze Steph, I really don't know what to tell ya. Are you eating because you are really hungry? Or just because you are say bored or lonely...and has it become habit?

Now dreaming about food....I have done that...and I have actually smelled and tasted food in my dreams....can you? Man, obviously you have food on the brain....even in your subconscience. Sorry I was not more help!!!!!

[Step]

I have done a bit of stress eating ... but I've actually been in control for the last couple of days ... when I say "dreaming of food" ... I don't mean in my sleep dreams ... I mean I'm sitting at my desk at 9am, working and thinking "gee, I'd love some homemade potato salad" ... but I don't actually eat it ... does any of this make sense ... well, no it doesn't make sense, I guess I should say "do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

[SuchAPrettyFace]

Yes, of course I understand. I have daydreams of big gooey dishes of lasagna w/the meeeeeeeeeat & cheeeeeese & nooooooodles & sauce, yummmmmmmmmmm.

But I don't eat it. I can't justify ordering from Rosati's, b/c the minimum delivery is $10 & then I'd have to order like 3 more things. And it would take them an hour to deliver it. By then I will be craving something else. And so on.

I know where you're coming from, though. For me, I just have another glass of water & a dang apple. I say 'dang' apple, b/c DANG! An apple's not what I wanted! But I know that I can have lasagna, in moderation. Just not that day, or I will eat 3-4 portions of it.

[dowsx4]

I still get those days and last night was one of them. Although it is TOM here for me i did not give in i drank some coffee and had a sugar free popsicle. I dont know how to stop the thoughts i have just learned a few tricks to manage them that work for me.

[jiffypop]

steph.. i have no answers. but what i'm seeing here is a very stressed, lonely woman with huge responsibilities. being alone with the kids and your husband out of state has to be extremely hard. and it sounds like you're looking for comfort.. who could blame you???? and you've often turned to food to get that comfort [as have we all!!! and we still struggle with it!!!]

my only thought is that you give some thought to what you're missing.. focus on the feelings. yes. it's hard.. and keep the tissue box handy!!!!! bound to be some tears coming up. but in order to break the food-comfort connection, ya gotta KNOW what the connection is.

and then you can mend it. transfer it. deal with it differently.

we're with you. and i'm so proud of you for resisting it to begin with, and for posting here... and for working so darn hard on all of this!!!!

[Sheila53]

That's really thoughtful advice, Jif. I know that I ate (and sometimes still do) to prevent feeling anything, especially painful feelings, and learning to live with those feelings and even focus on them is so tough, but so necessary.

You are a wise woman.

[jiffypop]

thanks for the kind words, sheila. and i'm not sure i'm wise, but definitely EXPERIENCED. and i had a day along the lines of what steph describes.. wanting the food that i haven't thought about in quite awhile [chocolate cake!!!! and as much as i like chocolate, i prefer cookies over cake!!!!), and working sooo hard not to cave into it because i realized IT WASN'T ABOUT THE FOOD!!!! and i'm STILL not sure what was going on yesterday. it might have been stress. or sadness. or or or or. i'm just not sure yet.

so steph, your post really hit home with me as well...