I find that if I'm thinking about food ALL the time, then my calories are too low. It's the first stage of how my body tells me I'm hungry even if I don't have rumble-tummy. Then comes irritable/Grumpy-Mom mode. THEN comes rumble-tummy.

It's normal for me to start fantasizing about dinner on my way home from work... I'm hungry and I should be hungry. But if I'm thinking about food two hours after breakfast, then chances are I didn't eat enough at breakfast in the first place.

What works for me is eating a relatively large breakfast and lunch (about 500 cals each) as well as a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, so I'm not hungry throughout the day. I spend most of my day at my computer, battling deadlines, so I have all the distraction I need. Come evening I can look forward to my glass of wine, and I'm fine eating a fairly small dinner. If I feel hungry later in the evening I drink coffee or tea.

All that being said, I could easily eat twice as much as I currently do. It's a lifelong battle, to be sure.

F.

Don't eat low fat! To me eating a combination of small meals and low fat had me obsessing over food all day.

Now I eat 3 fulfilling meals and 2 snacks. Don't even think about it till I am hungry. I try to stay away from grains (in all forms) and sweets. I eat plenty of good fat and protein. It keeps me happy

I hear you! I try and keep busy as much as possible. I also don't allow 'tempting' crap foods in the house because if they're there I know I will cave and eat them!!

If something is really bothering me, I tell myself I can have it tomorrow or on the weekend, usually that gets me through. Some stuff doesn't get to come into the house, like ice cream, it's only a treat when I'm out because if it's here I'll eat it 'til it's gone.
Best to you, keep at it!

I think about food ALL THE TIME...whether i'm busy or bored...hungry or full....tired or anything...i'm always thinking about my next meal and if food is in front of me, I struggle SO MUCH not to eat it....ive tried staying off sugar and wheat and that helps a little....ive tried supplements that reduce cravings and that helps a little bit....but I haven't found a good solution

Yes this is exactly what I mean, I've had this obsession as well. I mentioned it before but I'm stating it again because I was shocked to discover that IF actually worked for this.

My theory is that most diets are designed to make you feel full. We constantly need to feel fullness and distract ourselves with food. We have approved snacks, emergency snacks in our purses, as per recommended to "tie us over." I think I was focusing in so much on not being hungry that I was continuously snacking on almonds, hummus, fruit, etc. But all that did was mildly satisfy my need to EAT but not satisfy my need to be full. When you start spacing your meals far apart you can eat more during your meal and then you put food out of your mind for the rest of the day. There is no option of snacking, there is no running around thinking "what am I going to eat now?" You make a decision to eat at a certain time and then all of a sudden the thought of food doesn't need to be there anymore. I'm probably not explaining it right, but it's working for me. I do get hungry, but I'm able to tolerate it really well where as before I thought I shouldn't tolerate it so I would snack.

I think about food ALL THE TIME! I'm always visiting food blogs and looking at pictures of food on Instagram. Fortunately, this food obsession hasn't sabotaged my diet so far. My best advice is, keep your eye on the prize. I find staying focused on getting to goal weight helps me stay on track.

Well, you know what, I think about food all the time, too. Except, instead of starting to salivate over that delicious cheese pizza, I start thinking about the delicious salad I'm going to make myself when I get home. Mmmm, the spring greens mix, awww yes and the little bit of cheese on top, ohh and the balsamic. Soon my mouth is watering for the stuff I SHOULD be eating. For me, it's incredibly satisfying to shove in my mouth what I've already "prepared" my brain and taste buds for, regardless of what that is. So I keep daydreaming, only I daydream about the stuff I can eat without feeling guilty

If it is distraction you seek, I have one word: Netflix. Start watching a new show.

I've struggled with food all my life, and obviously been obese for a long time. I only started my journey on July 1st of this year, but already I am noticing a change in my eating habits, thoughts about food, and cravings.

Last night, I ate one of my favorite frozen pizzas. I could barely finish it, and when I did I got very sick, almost like I had just ingested poison. I can say that I will never be buying or eating one of those again.

I have made small changes, like eating turkey and chicken instead of pork and ham. I have been eating much more vegetables and fruit when I can. It's the small changes that last.

They say that a habit takes 21 days to break or something like that, so try to change your relationship with food for just 21 days and see what happens. I did this by telling myself that I am eating to clean my body of the diseases and illnesses I have, not for comfort or emotional purposes. It's working. Now, I only miss some of my favorite foods, but I don't really crave them because even though they help my wallet and my mood, they don't help my body. That's obvious with that pizza I had last night, lol.

I'm just like this. If I take all of that food obsession and use it to my advantage, I end up making lists, browsing grocery stores, and batch cooking to freeze meals for times when I'm not in the mood to cook. I think my love of food has been a blessing!

This used to be a big problem for me a couple years ago. I started to try to lose weight, and started counting every calorie and planning every meal. This led to an obsession for me and led to binge-eating and the eventual development of an eating disorder.

For me what helped is to not be so strict. I no longer count calories and no longer plan meals. I eat what I feel like eating. I try to eat healthily though, but I'm not so obsessive about every little thing that I eat, like I used to be.

I find that not putting that pressure on myself with every calorie and every meal makes things a lot easier.

I know a lot of people count calories and plan meals, and don't fall into the same issues, but for me others like me, it can lead to a bad path. So it's finding what works for you..