lutami's Journal, 29 Sep 15

Don't feel awful. it's not easy! Some suggestions (feel free to ignore) Find some foods that you like that are healthy and /or low calorie. Stock up for home and out and about! Buy extra veg and try carrying carrot or cucumber of something similar for when you get the munchies. Have a few recipes you can make at home and try not to leave eating until you are really starving, if you need to then eat little and often but just healthier things, check labels of prepackaged stuff as they hide crap in them, and make you own food and snacks where you can. What is you favourite thing to eat? could you tweak the recipe to make it lower calorie and healthier? 

This is good advice from Tatmummy. Also, when you go shopping write a list and stick to it. When you're not grocery shopping be like the Queen - try not to carry money or bank cards with you unless absolutely necessary. I'm sure you can come up with other ways to avoid temptation. Good luck 

This is good advice from Tatmummy. Also, when you go shopping write a list and stick to it. When you're not grocery shopping be like the Queen - try not to carry money or bank cards with you unless absolutely necessary. I'm sure you can come up with other ways to avoid temptation. Good luck 

This worked for me. Please also feel free to ignore. Stop thinking of unhealthy food as banned. Banning foods makes them more desirable. Instead think do I really want this? Really really want to eat this? If the answer is yes, go ahead, enjoy and don't feel guilty. Stop eating as soon as you no longer desire it. I have been known to have a couple of mouthfuls then leave the rest because my craving has been satisfied, or it is not as good as I had anticipated. If after asking yourself if you really want it the answer is no, don't eat it and do something else to take your mind off it. Other coping methods are have a glass of water first, come back 10 minutes later if still hungry, or chewing gum: can't eat and chew gum at the same time!  

the thing with food is that everything is allowed, you shouldn't deprive yourself of anything (unless you have a strong level of will power) but there again you shouldn't gorge on anything either. By depriving yourself you are setting yourself up crave certain things and when you give in you will give in , in a big way. if you have a little of what you like it keeps the craving away also use it as a motivator "I have been good I can have a treat". Its not necessary what you eat, its the amount you eat  

I understand and I feel a similar way. Sometimes the good food is too good to resist. One way to help this is to keep unhealthy food in a hard to reach place (i.e. the back of the cupboard/a high shelf) and the healthy food in an easily accessible place. 

Try the keto diet. I've lost 3 kg in 4 days. 

Try using If it fits your macros life style  

i dont think of food as banned its the portion control im struggling with i cant just have a little bit once i start i feel i cant stop myself i do well at first but couple of weeks in i start slipping i have tried every fad diet going and yo-yo'd up and down for yrs i want to find a way of changing my eating habits for life im just struggling to find something that fits me and will keep me at it  

yes, I know what you mean, that's why I think finding stuff you do like but isn't junk or heavy on calories and then ensuring it's to hand is a good start! I've found that ProperCorn popcorn does some fab flavours for example and is only 93calories in a big bag, good for snacking! It's having stuff there when you need it so that you don't reach for (or buy if out) junk food when you get the munchies. Good luck 

The key to helping you, is to write everything down that you eat. You cannot lie to yourself, well you can but there is no point. Once you get into that habit, it aides you in a number of ways. Firstly, you can see what you are eating and when. Don't be depressed about it, just make sure you write it all down. Once you get into the habit of writing it down, this makes you food aware. You reach for something, then hold your hand for a count of 5 without touching whatever it is. Many people eat food without realising they are eating, its a symptom of our society. How many times have you sat in front of the TV and devoured whatever is in front of you, without a thought to spare. Sir Allen Sugar would take a child's fork with him everywhere, to slow the eating process down. With the fork being less than half the size of normal forks, it takes longer. You could do this with other things, use a teaspoon instead of a desert spoon. It won't matter what portion you put on your plate, it will still take longer to eat and as he said, he found he felt full sooner, and where he would have polished off everything on the plate in the past, he will actually leave food. 

Maybe the 5:2 would be a good diet for you? easier to eat next to nothing 2 days, and not worry on others? 

Fad diets come and go and there's a reason for that. There is so much conflicting information regarding what constitutes a healthy diet. Making sensible choices when grocery shopping, portion size, weighing and recording everything, methods of cooking, making time for exercise, setting yourself short-term goals for exercise and weight loss etc. All the advice from everyone above should help you choose wisely and make you more aware of your portions, but ultimately you have to want to do this, you need to be ready for it because at the beginning it's hard work. Start listening to your body, you'll find that after a period of time your hunger pangs will decrease, that you'll feel fuller more quickly. Good luck!