Seriously! Why do the hours and days feel longer when you are on a diet?
I am currently on the atkins weight loss plan and I have been doing fine. No cheating, I even managed to turn down one of my favourite foods which I was offered. It is still early days but I feel like the days couldn't get any longer.
I am not spending endless hours planning meals. When I am hungry I go to the fridge and pick something I would like to eat that is within the plans limits.
I just thought I'd send this rant into cyberspace to see who may feel the same or how they cope.

Plan you day before you go to bed. Your lifestyle change has to go along with how you plan your day. If you're working 8hrs a day, plan your eating schedule around that. I wish you all the best.

I know what you mean!!! I keep looking at the clock, only to find out just a few minutes have passed and it's still far from bed time. In part, this is because my boyfriend left for the holidays to be with his family, and so I'm lonely... but even if he were here, I'd still wish for time to speed up a bit.

To be honest, I cannot plan meals because then all I'm doing is thinking about food and eating. Days feel the longest when I know I'm expecting food at a certain time. But, even without planning, they feel long right now. Especially since school is mostly over for the semester. I should take advantage of all this free time I have now... But I don't know how! Hopefully we can both find something to distract us, so that time can tick by faster.

I eat dinner early on Sunday nights, so when I was done with dinner it was about 5:30. I don't have a TV and I didn't feel like starting the dishes so I put on my shoes, my reflective vest, my hat and gloves, grabbed a flashlight and went for an hour and 20 minute walk. It was heavenly - chilly, and trying to snow. Why not go for a nice long walk?

Do you have any hobbies? You could use your time to learn to knit or sew, write a story, read a book, volunteer your time to others, do a yoga DVD or take a class, call a friend, clean your house from top to bottom, clear out your closets.

But really, a nice long walk with the right clothing is my favorite thing to do.

I had this problem for what seemed like forever! I'd say my life was totally consumed with "diet" for the first five months, at least! In face, I can't say I stopped obsessing until about 11 months in.

Given time, the obsessing will stop. This truly will become just life. Right now you're thinking about it nonstop and that makes the days really long.

Hang in there.

Thank you all for the lovely posts. It is comforting to see that its not just me who struggles with dieting. It is also nice to see constructive advice to help me through.

Thank you again, and I wish everyone health and happiness.
I hope you have a wondeful (binge free) Christmas x

If you think you are on a diet you are setting yourself up for failure. Weight loss requires permanent lifestyle changes in food, exercise, and behaviors. Can you do Atkins for the rest of your life? Eating on the fly like that means you are probably not getting adequate nutrition each day. I plan my meals at least one day and usually a week in advance and make sure they are healthy and varied. I schedle exercise like it is an appointment. I feel great, my weight is going down, and my days are not long enough to do all I want to.