Hey guys goodnight,

So I sitting here at home tonight on day 3 of eating healthy and all I can do is think about food.. I feel like im starving I have ate 6 times today all healthy snacks/choices but for some reason all I can do is wanna eat and eat bad.. I am not horribly upset but man I hate this feeling being a food addict is just as bad as quitting smoking its uncomfortable and painful. There is so many triggers..so many reasons to give in .. pheww I am going to go grab a water and crystal light and see if that helps ughh .. mabey a handful of nuts .. I know I am a food addict and this sucks .

Hi Monique! The first few weeks of my new way of eating were the same way. The more I tried to think about not eating and then when I did, I had to eat healthy, I almost went out of my mind!

One of the most helpful things I did was hang up a mini-goal shirt on the front of my closet door. Any time I was tempted to go off plan, I thought about this summer top I wanted to fit in for this coming summer. Long story short, the top went into the donation bin yesterday with tags STILL ON! It's too big and I never got to wear it out, I lost too much weight!

I had to make little goals like that to keep me in the right place. There was no bag of chips or piece of pizza that was more important than this shirt I wanted to strut around in this summer. I was a tight 3x when I started, this top was a 1x that I couldn't get further than my shoulders. Now I could wear it as a dress...

I had to make a mental change to help me with the physical change, if that makes any sense.

You can do this, I know it!!

Monique, That first week is so hard. Hang in there! If you feel like you have to eat, go for something low calorie. You don't have to be perfect, just better. Eating 100 or 200 extra calories is much better than giving up.

You can do this!

When I want to eat I try asking myself if I am hungry bores sad mad happy depressed whatever. I try to think before eating. I also try ro plan everything out.

When I first started my original journey, on my emotional eating foods, I had markers/post its saying, "Is this worth it?" and "STOP. Think. Are you craving or are you truly hungry?" Usually this would stop me. Goals also help. Even if you can't get to the gym, when you feel upset, try to channel your energy into something other than food. Take a walk, play with the kids/significant other/pets/etc, learn a new hobby, do some jumping jacks. You may realize that feels a lot better than eating. When I do emotional eat/boredom eat, I usually take notice how it's affecting my body. Is it making my tummy upset? I try to re-envision making better choices and how THAT would affect my body. After time, your emotional eating WILL get better. It takes time. But you have to put in the time and the think thinking for it to work. I am so much more aware of my emotional/binging/boredom eating versus 5 years ago.

I know what hunger feels like but man I honestly feel hungry its like a burning feeling in my chest mouth tastes bad despite drinking water headaches what's all this about. all you ladies are so inspirational I can only wish to achieve what u all have achieved.. I have never lost more than 20 pound NEVER .. and it was hard to that I feel like a whinney wimp today... as I sit here I can feel my neck rolls yuck lol look at me getting negative... what are some good ow cal snacks other than fruit

I'm an addict too, so I can really relate to how you're feeling. I suggest you brush your teeth, chew gum, paint your nails, organize your closet, dance to some music, drink some hot herbal tea, anything to distract yourself. Even though the urges can become incredibly strong, it is possible to let them pass. You can also visualize how proud you'll feel tomorrow morning for not giving into your cravings. I really hope you feel better soon.

I don't know what calorie level you are eating at, but are you eating enough? Feel better.

I know exactly how you are feeling and these early days maybe it's not just emotional eating, it may be your body being in a state of shock from suddenly eating way fewer calories.

I just restarted a little more than 3 weeks ago. In 2009-2010 I lost 110 lbs and kept it off until the middle of 2012 meaning that I was eating healthy pretty much every day for close to 3 years (before I lost it, which is a different story) but my point is that when I restarted three weeks ago, the first 5 days or so were living ****. I literally felt like I was starving, lightheaded, cranky, etc. etc. etc.

I kept telling myself that I had managed to eat healthy for 3 straight years... could I really not manage to eat healthy for a few days???? It made no sense.

I also kept reminding myself that the first time around it got WAY EASIER. The big losers you see here on the boards are not struggling every single day like you do in the beginning. After a while, staying on plan is mostly routine and only a day now and then is hard.

What totally helped me, was one of the posters on this board, Time2Lose, who told me she just had to "white knuckle it through" the first few weeks.
Whenever I felt like going off plan, I kept reminding myself that this was the hard part and it was going to get easier if I could just "white knuckle it through."

For me, the intense, awful craving hunger only lasted less than a week, then I started to adjust. I'm definitely not over-confident. I still worry that I might get distracted and fall off the plan, and I'm still trying to use all of the strategies mentioned up thread by others, such as mini-goals and distraction, but already, it's a little easier.

You seem really committed to doing this, and so I feel really sure that you can do it!!!

I had horrible caffeine headaches and I felt sick almost everyday from the radical change in diet....it takes time but it won't last forever. I'm only five weeks in and it's already getting easier to say "no" to all the food I love but doesn't love me in return.

Elvis has a great idea about having something motivational to keep you going. Personally, mine isn't clothes, my goals are more emotional: I want to first weigh less than my husband, then I want to get to the weight I was when I went back to college, then I want to be at the weight I was when I met my now best friend, then I want to get where I was when I was married...these are what is keeping me motivated.

It sounds like from what you have written that your kids are very important to you...hopefully they will provide some of the motivation you need to get through this first very difficult week.

monique are you working with a diet plan?? How are you tracking/determining what you eat? You may want to mess with your planning a bit, you could be cheating yourself!!

When I have these moments and I know it's not real hunger. I use bullion "stock" cubes. Very little to no calories, its really satisfying and able to help with those want to eat out of boredom times. Plus it's a yummy way to get in water. Just becareful if your avoiding excess sodium some brands have alot but they make a reduced sodium. I like chicken myself but they come in beef, seafood and vegetable. I also like the quaker quakes rice cake snakes lots of yummy flavors even chocolate and only 100 calories a bag and Special K makes a air pooped chip their so yummy and lots of flavors " I like sea salt “ and it's only 110 calories for 30 chips.

smashlers yah I am doing a 1500 a day calorie intake I started to use my fitness pal as some ladies on here suggested.. keeping track of what I eat I love that sight ... My dietary goals generally are keeping my breaky very healthy high in nutrients fiber and what have you to start my day.. I AM CANADIAN lol so I love my timmies coffee.. I haven't givin it up yet all 260 cals per 1 coffee .. that's almost a small friggin meal .. I don't even think about it when I am drinking about it I love it so much ... I am trying to keep my lunches as a salad and I am doing different kinds to keep it interesting. adding lean meats as well or beans or chick peas for a filler... I do honestly know how eat well I have done this so many times I cant count now...do you have any point you can give me as far as your post was concerned how I may be cheating myself...

Thinforme thanks ill look into some of those num nums!!

punkrocksong omg headaches yah I got them at least daily 1 to 2 a day yah it sucks but I think of my kids and their weight and I want to fix what ive done comfort food isn't worth it to me this time it really isn't ... I spent my life out of control in my young years I couldn't control my parent they were who they were I couldn't control what people treated me like so I resorted to food I could control that.. I recently found out that I am co dependant I was seeing a councellor for it ...I never went back because the lady was not accomadating to me she was very direct and mean so I felt... so food has been my control .. now I am turning the switch off cant do this no more.. I hope with all my might I make it I wanna I really do but sometimes life is hard and stress sneaks up and next thing yah know your gaining again...with god as my anchor I can and I will ...

ubergirl thanks yah I feel committed to it I just hate the failures ive had but I am trying to let go of it and move on past is past and all we have is today RIGHT... fingers crossed this time I am working on it I promise...

annemarie77 thanks I am feeling better day 5 I am consuming 1500 cals a day my body is craving salts and fats I know that it has become easier lol just a lil

luckymommy good tips thanks I will take ur advice and thanks for relating I appreciate it ..I feels much better to know I aint alone in this quest for freedom...

Monique What I meant by "cheating your self" is something you seem to already know and ladies on here talk about it all the time, not all cals are created equal. Other foods that are high in protein are going to keep you fuller longer. I am doing Weight Watchers and they REALLLY stress that. I know you might love your coffee, but the sugar might be whats is causing your hunger. I am by no means a professional, I just know that you can be content and sustained while counting cals.
When I first started I was totally against fat free cheeses and stuff, and now I can't live without them because they keep me full and help me feel like I am not on a diet. lol.... Fat free greek yogurt... Fat free shredded mozzarella, light string cheeses, I could go on and on.

Best of luck Monique. Another tip **Don't ever stop coming to 3FC!!! LOL**

smashlers yah on the coffee I just don't know if I could manage giving it up right now ...I do know however living healthy life giving up caffeine would be in my best interest ... I wont give up this place I am in love with forums and obviously this place is right up my alley.. I haven't been on a forum in 3 years so I need this
..okay well that's some good info thanks