I need encouragement ending the 4th day from the cupboards

[Wadestreet]

I finding very hard as the week is going on. My cravings are getting stronger. I put a chocolate bar in my hand and almost to the cashier and thought what is the heck am I doing. Turned around and put it back. Today I stayed home. Where do I go from here. Can use your guys help and supporting words.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

The longer you go without, Wadestreet, the easier it will get, but you have to get through the withdrawal first!

You're doing brilliantly and to get to the checkout with a bar of chocolate, then turn around and put it back, is absolutely fantastic and proves that you have the strength to get through this!

Do things to take your mind off it, because the cravings come in waves. You only have to fight them for a short while, before they recede again, so get yourself an exercise DVD and when you feel the pull of the junk food, start exercising like a demon!

Keep going! You can do this and we can help!

[lucigret]

You have more willpower that you're giving your self credit for Wadestreet , you put the chocolate back and walked away. What sort of eating plan are you following. Can you make sure you have some good snack in your cupboard like almonds, rice cakes or some cut up fruit in the fridge you can pick at. Do you like hot chocolate? You could have a mug of Options hot chocolate for just 40 calories. You can do this, you've lost half a stone already, moreless has suggested an exercise DVD. Itsbab introduced me to Leslie Sansons 1 mile happy walk, to do at home, it's on youtube, take a look, it's really good. One lady on here put the money she would have spent on chocolate in a pot to spend on a non food reward, you could try that. Keep going, remind yourself why your here. good luck😊

[JiminyCricket 7lbs]

I am so impressed - you had it in your hand and you didn't buy it. Well done!!!! That's really really good. Make sure you give yourself credit for your achievements when you are going through a tough time like this. I'm sure things will gradually get easier for you. The weather forecast looks better for tomorrow (at least where I live it is!), so maybe you can get out for a walk/ Good luck.

[EllaMidlands]

You should be celebrating - you didn't buy it, you didn't eat it! You will find these cravings get weaker the longer you carry on. You can do this!! Well done for not eating it and for posting to say you need our wise words - you know we are right because you would say the same to us.

[Grannynise 6lbs]

Hooray for you! You put it back - what will power.

When I started avoiding chocolate I just arranged my trip around the supermarket so that I never went down the chocolate aisle. That was easier than seeing the temptation and still saying no.

And I took just enough money into the petrol station to pay for the petrol, not enough to buy a chocolate bar too.

Sometimes it's all about tricking your brain.

[Ceals]

Yesss! That is a success Wadestreet - you realised what you were doing and overcame it. You have to keep reliving that moment in your mind to show what a truly strong person you are and that you can do this.

Have a look at the Happiness challenge - it is really about positive thinking and having done it for a couple of weeks (even on holiday) it really is remarkable for how it changes your thinking. Have a watch of the TED talk it recommends and browse through what folks write on a daily basis.

However, you might need to sort out some snacks that you find fulfilling. Some of my favourites: frozen grapes (like mini sorbets), frozen banana slices (the best ice-cream, be careful they will freeze into a lump), spicy chickpeas (spray a tray with fry-light, roll drained chick peas in and sprinkle with spices of your choice then oven bake until dry/crispy), freeze little pots of yogurt (again it is like eating ice-ream and takes much longer than eating non-frozen yogurt.

There is a super book by Ruth Watson who is a chef called Fat Girl Slim (recipes mainly too way/fiddly out for me), but she talks a lot of sense about making your "diet" fit your lifestyle. One of her strategies was to make a conscious decision that she would be having a chocolate bar - BUT she also knew that she would be breaking it in half and throwing the other half away.

Whatever you do you need to remember how much you want to change your lifestyle, you need that mantra going round in your head - a bit like when you can't get a song out of your head.

Good luck and keep shouting for support from the forum.

Take care, love Ceals x

[lucigret in reply to Ceals]

some great ideas there Ceals , i,m off to freeze grapes and bananas and yoghurt. Thank you for that.😊

[Ceals in reply to lucigret]

My pleasure lucigret .