When I feel a binge coming on, I just (fill in the blank)

[reeanna]

Ok you diet experts, reading this board has gotten me really motivated to start living a more healthy lifestyle, but I could use some more of your ideas and expertise. I've been following WW plan for several weeks now and was very motivated at first. However, now I'm starting to slip a little, and I need some fresh ideas for those times when my resolve starts to weaken. When that bag of cookies in the pantry starts calling my name, what should I do??!!

[TigerCheer2009]

I learned this from a book.

A craving only lasts about 15 minutes. Keep your mind busy for those 15 minutes and drink a HUGE HUGE HUGE glass of ice water. If you still feel the craving, however, indulge it with a SMALL portion of the craved food.

I hope that helps! Best of luck :)

[bubba73]

I totally agree with drinking the water. Most of the time, you will have a craving when you are bored or not active. In reality, what is happening is your body is telling you it is somewhat dehydrated. So if you drink the water you will get hydrated and will loose the craving.

But I would also add that indulging every once in awhile is not a bad thing. Set goals for yourself. For example, "When I loose 10 pounds, I will allow myself a small piece of cake or ice cream." You have to let yourself cheat every once in a while or else your body will become stagnate. When all you do is diet, then your body gets used to it and your diet will not allow you to loose any weight. I have read from several professionals that have recommended that you increase your caloric intake at least once a week to throw your body off balance so when you go back to your diet, there will be that deficit so you can still loose weight.


Hope that helps!!!

[kaf7878]

Well I start by not keeping tempting foods in the house. This is a biggie for me! Its a lot easier to eat healthy when you don't have much temptation.

But I do have a DH and kids so we still have some stuff that is not good for me. If I start gettign the binge urges, I drink a t least 20 ounces of water, take a shower, hop on the computer, go for a walk, call someone, clean the bathroom, fold some laundry, etc. Normally one of these will get my mind off of it.

[DVCkidsMOM]

Well on Thursday, I just gave in and it felt fabulous while I was eating my bowl of sweetened chocolate cereal with pirate shaped marshmallows. 20 minutes later, however, I had a headache from the huge dose of sugar and later in the afternoon I was digestively miserable. I learned that it's just not worth it.
So my new strategy is to plan into my meals occasional variations of the things I typically crave. I'll still need to work on not caving in but will also not be a diet martyr who must forever be "dead" to all of my favorites. Good luck to you. :)

[twotoohappy]

I grab a bottle of crystal light ice tea and get out of the house!
Water doesn't cure it for me, but the sweetness in crystal light does :thumbsup2

[aka-mad4themouse]

When I feel a binge coming on, I just think about how much time I would have to spend on the elliptical trainer to burn those extra calories off. I hate that machine, so it works as a great deterent to binging.

[princessesrule4]

I grab a bottle of crystal light ice tea and get out of the house!
Water doesn't cure it for me, but the sweetness in crystal light does :thumbsup2

I do too! I like the Crystal Light on the Go packets. That bit of sweet in it keeps me from going for the oreos!

[Cruise04]

I don't have many binges and when I do I just fulfill them - a little bit at a time. If I want chocolate, I have a bite sized 3 Musketeers or Almond Joy that I keep in the freezer. If I keep it in the freezer then it takes longer to eat. I also don't keep tempting foods in my house even with a dh and dd. Another idea if you want cookies is when you get home divey them up into serving sizes or have someone hide them for you. That way you aren't tempted at eating more than you should. My downfall with this is nuts. I don't always stick with the serving size and then I pay for it later. So the next time I buy them, I'm going to put them in serving sizes in individual sandwich/snack bags and either put them in my freezer or in my frig.

[tommygirl79]

In my WW meetings I went to a few years ago, there was one lady in there who had lost like 150lbs. She was asked the same question and she said that everytime she got a craving she brushed her teeth! She said that if she used the minty toothpaste 1) the craving she wanted usually wouldn't taste good with the toothpaste aftertaste and 2) she wouldn't want to eat something super sugary/salty after just cleaning her teeth. Amazing, but it does work. I try to do the same thing and it really does work...gets you through that craving nicely! :woohoo:

Good luck! Just picture how much better you'll feel when you DON'T give in! I know - MUCH easier said than done! :love:

[keenercam]

Whenever I feel a binge coming on I (if at work or out and about) drink a glass of water and a diet soda and chew sugarless gum, and if I am at home, when I feel a binge coming on, I go to bed or at least lie on my bed with a book or magazine. I find if I remove myself from proximity to the food, I can talk myself out of binging.