Staying strong!

[100kgtarget]

Hi everyone. Anyone got any tips on resisting temptation? I have had my food for the day, am not hungry and have been doing well recently. Yet despite all of these things and really wanting to stay strong I also REALLY want something tasty from the fridge!!! What tactics do you all use to get past these cravings?! I’m using writing this to help!!!

[Lytham 3 stone]

My "Kitchen Closed" sign goes up after dinner, you can borrow it if you like? lol x

[Hidden]

I feel for you! They say cleaning your teeth helps...you never fancy eating when your mouth is minty fresh. Then distract yourself with something ...watch something on iplayer, go for a walk? Good luck!

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 16kg]

I leave the kitchen and flop in the living room! Much more comfortable. I can read, play candy crush, do adult coloring and watch telly!

[Hidden in reply to TheTabbyCat]

Sounds great!

[Officiallyarunner]

I’ve found myself verbalising my thoughts to my partner, literally saying ‘I can feel myself being tempted to raid the fridge or have something bad but I’m not going to because of X, Y and Z’ it keeps me accountable and reminds me of all the reasons I really don’t want to do it. This works for me to quieten the thoughts of the goodies in the fridge etc.

[100kgtarget in reply to Officiallyarunner]

Thanks, I like this idea. For too long I’ve kept all the thoughts inside. I think by expressing them out loud that almost helps give me the satisfaction - almost like I’ve eaten the food - hard to explain but it is like scratching the itch. I will do this more. As you say it also helps keep me accountable. I’ve also explained to my children that I’m trying to lose weight to get healthier so I am hoping that helps to focus me!

[IndigoBlue61]

Ask yourself which do you want most? To be slimmer and healthy or the momentary pleasure from the food? This doesn’t always work but it is helpful, 👍

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

If it's a one-off, you've had some good suggestions.

If it's regular, it's either a) habit (in which case you need some distraction techniques until you break the habit) or b) you're not eating enough, or not enough fats and protein.

Why not join the Daily Diary? Tomorrow's is open and if you post your meal plans, you'll get some helpful advice. You might also pick up some new tips and recipes, and see how others avoid the fridge-raiding

[Sayitagainsam]

I sort of have a mantra for whenever I'm tempted. "That behaviour is now in the past". I'm sure you'll find something that works and you'll break those habit patterns.

[Missdoubleyou]

Could you prepare a healthy snack for the evening? Cherry tomatoes, a few almonds, sugar snap peas? Replace the habit of having something unhealthy with something healthy?

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Missdoubleyou]

Hello and welcome, Missdoubleyou

I can see you've been replying to others for a few eeeks but you don'tn seem to have had an official welcome and introduction to the forum. I'm very sorry about that, and here goes ...

You'll find all the information you need about the forum in our Pinned Posts

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... including a Welcome message, the Daily Diary and today's weigh in: a good place to start is by joining a weekly weigh in on the day of your choice, and using the Daily Diary, where members share their meal plans.

Take your time exploring. This gives you a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true and, along with Pinned Posts, will show you how things work.

I hope you'll become an active member and we'll see you joining in around the forum

[Missdoubleyou in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thank you. I’ve been lurking but have only just started taking my own health regime seriously. Day 2 of low carb and loving it.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Missdoubleyou]

Good for you. You'll find plenty of low carbers on the Daily Diary, and do check out the LCHF forum, for expert knowledge 😊

[Pips04]

I snack on raw carrots they fill the gap x

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Pips04]

Hello, Pips04. Thanks for dropping in to offer a suggestion. Are you wanting to lose weight and join the forum? If so, I'll let you have the links you need to find your way around, but otherwise you are very welcome here as a visitor

[RedReindeer]

I find that no matter how healthy you are eating you will still want that’treat’. I love chocolate but try to restrict it to one small KitKat per day. I take a finger for afternoon tea and always have one after tea. I don’t find that restriction and giving up everything very helpful, you’ll only put weight back on after losing it. Restricting the amount I eat is the best way for me - before I would have eaten a whole KitKat without thinking about it. Also, look in the mirror and remind yourself ‘why you are changing your eating habits’

[Holly28]

I am trying out an approach where I eat less carbs but allow myself the treat. I'm also taking apple cider vinegar before meals, not sure if that is helping but I've been able to have soup for lunch every day without feeling deprived. It's so hard to find the right balance to keep urges in check! Good Luck.

[Subtle_badger]

A mental trick that worked for me is to fast overnight. Not eating at all allows your stomach to rest, your blood sugar to stabilise and your insulin to drop. This has real benefits, especially if you fast for 12 hours or more. This isn't radical, your grandparents probably did it. So when I finish eating at night, I start a mental clock. I won't eat anything for 12 hours. Thus if I finish dinner at 8, I can have breakfast anytime after 8 in the morning, but if I put anything in my mouth (except water and black tea and coffee) then the clock is reset, and my 12 hours starts again, even if it's just a carrot stick. So a piece of chocolate just before I go to bed means I don't get breakfast. The chocolate never seems worth it, somehow.

This is a version of "kitchen's closed".

(i actually fast for much longer these days, but baby steps!)

[amykp Visitor in reply to Subtle_badger]

What Badger said!

Except sometimes I sneak a diet soda after dinner, or put stevia in my tea, when I absolutely can't get past the nighttime craving for sweet. I try to sip it slowly. I believe that makes it worse for some. It seems to help me.