Please.

I've always allowed myself to have dessert after dinner. But lately I want chocolate ALL THE TIME. I want it at *noon*. Chocolate, cookies, candy bars...this is out of control.

I'm not PMS-ing, either. I know the cause. I'm sleep deprived. I have really severe insomnia. Have had it for years, but it's mostly been under control lately. However, in the past few days it's been awful. (I'm being treated by yet another doctor, so we'll see...) And I know that when I'm tired, I crave sweets.

So in the mean time, before I get my sleep under control, have any good tips on staying distracted from cravings and staying DETERMINED?

When I crave chocolate, I have a sugar free Jello pudding, single serving cup. I keep these in my fridge ALL the time. 60 calories. Well worth it!

Oh, sweetie, that's so rough! I'm the same way ... tired = craving sweets (for the energy boost?) I really hope your new doctor can help.

In the meantime, I agree with Heather's suggestion of finding something to satisfy your chocolate craving that won't set you back too far on calories. SF chocolate pudding is great, like she suggested, or I get a chocolate fix from SF Swiss Miss hot cocoa for 25 calories. I know that a lot of people say that a little bit of dark chocolate (the darker the better) satisfies chocolate cravings better than milk chocolate. I think Dove and some other brands make mini's?

I'm sure others will have suggestions ... in the meantime, hang in there! One of our members has a signature that reads: "If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the solution" and I tell that to myself when I'm tired and want to binge.

Good luck!

That is a good idea for tonight, modkittn. I love hot cocoa in the winter -- so comforting.

Thank you, Meg!

I am definitely going to indulge my craving! Ohhhhh, yeah. Just not right now. Trying to distract myself and delay, delay, delay.

Your quote about hunger is a good reminder so I'm gonna stay strong. I try to remind myself, it's just DISCOMFORT. Not the end of the world. But god do I want to binge right now..

Nineteen!
I just recently joined 3FC. I just wanted to congratulate you on your incredible weightloss! We are the same height and you currently are at my goal weight. You must be really proud of yourself and look amazing! Hope you'll find a healthy way to satisfy your craving (low fat chocolate pudding, low cal hot chocolate or those 100 cal choc bars). I am also faced with chocolate cravings today, it's TOM for me and those cravings are hard to control. Hang in there

Thank you so much, Natalia.

TOM is the worst, I know. Arghh. Hang in there.

I hope you like 3FC. It's really been an amazingly helpful tool for me. Lots of great people here.

Good luck and hope to see you around.

Eat a dill pickle. Just crosswire that craving!

Oh gosh, I feel for you. Good luck working the sleep thing out.

If I'm looking for something sweet and chocolatey, I sometimes measure out 1/4 cup of Fiber One cereal and put about 5 semi-sweet chocolate chips in there. It's really good and satisfying.

Hot cocoa tends to work well for me. On top of this, since I make it with non-sweetened dark cocoa water instead of milk (I just can't digest that much milk very well...), it's really not high in calories at all. Strong chocolate taste all the way!

as a fellow insomniac, I am going to give alternate advice.

Normally I am a "if you have a serious craving find a safe way to satisfy it" type gal EXCEPT when it is insomnia induced cravings

When I am over tired I too could eat every piece of sugar and chocolate the world has to offer me. I find that at these times I am VERY suceptible to binging and these are the times I really really have to avoid sugar-free chocolate stuff. (I have eaten a bowl of sf pudding..er make that 2 bowls...er a box...er.. and found myself hours later eating frozen waffles straight out of the freezer--who needs a toaster?)

The only way I can get through a super fatigue day without binging is to go hard core low GI stuff. No sweets, no flour, no refined carbs, very very limited fruit and whole grains. Pretty much just protein and veggies.

I tend to sleep better too then.

Its like when I dont sleep my insulin response is completely whacked out and I have to control intake.

Interesting, ennay. I think going the low GI route is definitely a good idea. That's how I tend to eat for the most part, anyways, but I should take it up a notch and see how it goes.

Yesterday went...okay. I did end up eating:

a kit kat bar (regular size) and half a chocolate covered banana.

(No, I do not normally eat KIT KAT bars)

Not great, but could have been a whole **** of a lot worse. Today is going to be really rough again, but I'll get through it. I have to. I didn't lose 70 lbs. to gain it all back.

(I felt the need to add some emphasis )

Amen, sister! You keep telling yourself that!!! And keep posting here -- we'll do everything we can to help you through this rough patch.