Princess Mola's Journal, 07 Feb 15

Aversion therapy, whenever you think about food, let it prompt you to study something you find interesting like mathematics, philosophy, art or electronics. Alternatively practice something like drawing, sculpting, juggling?  

Sorry not Aversion therapy, its called something else. CBT I think. 

I agree, keeping busy, especially with something you enjoy will help greatly. Also planning out a set menu with something to eat & something hot (tea, decaff coffee, etc) to drink every 2 - 3 hours should help immensely too. I have to do that around "that time of the month", because I develop "bottomless pit" syndrome, where I never feel full & can easily eat myself out of house & home if have nothing structured in place at those times lol 

I find if I put music on or pick up a good book. If my mind isn't occupied, that's when it turns to thoughts of food, boredom perhaps. Getting out for a walk if you can helps as well. We seem to base so much of our lives around the three set meals a day mantra that actually we don't give our minds much of a chance to think of anything else! 

If it's been less than 4 hours since you ate, you are likely just craving food. A good cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategy is to: 1) LABEL IT - it's just a craving 2) STAND FIRM- you are not going to eat it.  3) DON'T GIVE YOURSELF A CHOICE in eating what ever you are thinking of. Do something else. 4) IMAGINE AFTERMATH OF GIVING IN - you won't be happy after you give in, you've been there before.  5) Think about the reasons why you want to lose weight...ask yourself if eating that food get you closer to your goal? The strategies described by others above are good distractions to try as well...maybe brushing your teeth and using mouth wash could also help... Good luck!! 

Thanks all.  

Great answer Rick - i have bee asking exactly the same question Princess Mola - was obsessed with food ALL day yesterday and just couldnt cope and gave in to the cravings over and over - felt SO SO shit by the end of today. Even when i woke up this morning. I wrote feelings and a food plan this morning and been texting a friend who is the same at intervals throughout the day to check in and for support to do it together. Drink alot more water too as often cravings can be thirst xx  

Going back to the "Aversion Therapy" think which I said originally as a think typo. Perhaps one could try eating something they really dislike when they have a craving. For example if you have a craving for something sweet, eat a bag of bitter mixed leaf salad. I didn't used to like the bitter taste of salad but now I love it. If you have a craving for something salty eat something really sour like a wedge of lime, peel and all. Its kind of like painting your nails with bitter varnish to stop you biting them ;) 

Hi Princess Mola, if you're craving food it could be because you actually hungry and it really depends on what you have previously eaten. If you have loaded up on carbs, a spike in your insulin will cause your blood sugar level to drop / crash, which means you will feel hungry or crave. Try to consume low glycemic foods. i.e. leafy vegetables, avocados, lettuce, spinach and cut the sugars and starchy vegetables. More importantly consume the right fats, such as coconut oil, olive oil as these that will cut your cravings and make you feel fuller for longer. Believe me the weight will fall off. Though I have lost a lot of weight, I still think about food most of the time, however, because I consume things that keep me full, I don't crave. Too much lol  

@Mckenzie, when you describe Coconut oil, and Avacodes as the "right fats", thats fine for someone like Princess Mola, and yourself on a ketogenic high saturated fat diet. But don't muddy the water, you also need MUFA's PUFA's and Omega Essential Fatty Acids. These are what people typically call the "right" fats. Your saturates are just to make up your calories and give you the energy you need on a keto diet. (IMHO) 

As I said, fats that make you feel fuller for longer. 

@McKenzie Well I don't know.. I feel very full after a 200g bowl of salad leaves 200g of smoked salmon, some tomatoes etc. I guess it could be the protein in the salmon, the oil in the salmon, or the fibre in the veg. For me thats a big filling meal and only ~300kcals. 

Coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acids which are rare in our modern diets. Most mornings my breakfast is coffee with coconut oil and double cream. Keeps me going until lunchtime. A meal that I feel satiated on is a boiled egg, stilton cheese, a slice of ham and a few cherry tomatoes. A bit odd by conventional standards but a mixture of protein and fat with minimal carbs.  

I think about food all the time and never feel really full or really hungry so I don't find it too hard to just avoid the food, but I know what you mean! sometimes I find reading about food actually helps to not eat (crazy huh?) so I look on Pinterest for recipes or stuff. Otherwise maybe try distraction techniques, brushing your teeth is supposed to be good! Or reading a good book? otherwise cave in and eat something that is OK, chopped fruit, popcorn, cherry tomatoes? Oh and make you you drink plenty of water too. 

@Glennith medium-chain fatty acids are biosynthesized in the human body by the fatty acid synthase enzyme (FASI). You do not need them in your diet. Part of the apparent appeal of MCT's, is that they digest more quickly than other saturated fats such as Long-chain fatty acids. I don't know what your comment about keeping you going to lunchtime was in reference to, the cream? @Princess Mola - sorry for hijacking your post. 

@GilesBathgate like anything, it's always best to include something of everything in your diet, apart from the bad stuff of course, but I have read that medium chain triglycerides do help with satiety. Is it the coconut oil or the cream which keeps me going or the synergy of both - I don't know but it works. And yes, sorry Princess Mola! 

Glad to read the discussions.. don't apologies. This is such a common problem experienced by many people.