Hello all!

My name is Halee. Full time student in grad school for teaching.

I've yoyoed with my weight for a while now. I'm really hoping this'll be the last time I'm working on this and that I can stick with it.

Trying calorie counting, keeping up with my steps on Fitbit, and working out on occasion... But dang it do I really love food. Makes it hard.

Any advice on cravings? What's worked best for you guys?

Hey Halee, welcome! I joined in April so I am still a newbie trying to figure it out as well. I read the book Brain over binge which was interesting. You might want to post regularly in one of the active threads for support. I post on the June accountability thread. You might want to trying to include working out a little more since you mentioned occasionally. Just a thought. I have yo yoed for a while as well and plan to do it this time. Good luck to you.

Hi there Halee! Welcome! I can honestly say the only thing that worked for me was eating healthy and committing to a work out plan that suited my lifestyle. It's a combination of both that prevents the yo-yo dieting and 'so called' relapse. I myself haven't found that balance lately so I'm in my 'yo-yo' stage as well! Good luck! You're going to love it here! If you're having trouble with binging I highly recommend the Beck Forum!

My approach is "Eat To Live"- Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries and other Fruit, Seeds, like flax seeds, and chia seeds, and Nuts, like Walnuts make up my diet but I also eat some whole grains like buckwheat, and brown rice.

Cravings may be a sign you are really hungry. If that is the case then you should eat. Cravings could be an indication your body may be crying out for nutrients, too..But cravings may be a way for you to comfort yourself if the cravings aren't related to being really truly physically hungry. Some foods with white sugar, and white flour in them can spike the blood sugar, but also cause dopamine stimulation in the brain. This in itself can cause strong cravings.

Focus on what you CAN eat, not on what you can't. Eat high volume low carb vegetables, fruit like berries, and high fiber resistant starches like beans. Try a whole foods approach. By crowding out the "bad" foods and eating only whole foods when you are physically hungry the cravings should disappear in time. If I eat a 1/2 cup to a cup serving of beans per day they are very filling and I don't get hungry. You can put them in salads, soups, or even substitute them for meat in tacos.
Good luck