ranchwoman's Journal, 30 August 2011

I also had that craving for sweets and salty snacks. I got them out of the house. Once they were gone, the cravings were too. It was like when they were there, they were calling my name from the cupboards and pantry. Once they were gone, I could not hear them any more. I replaced them with sugar free jello topped with a little Cool Whip Lite or Cool Whip Free. Just a little dollop will do. Then eat slowly. Also, if you get away from the house, go for a walk, or go water your yard, you will find the cravings will pass. The less you eat of those foods you will find that you want them less and less. And then when you do eat them, your body will feel awful. Don't be discouraged by just a quarter of a lb weight loss. Get a stick of butter or margarine and put it under your chin. That quarter lb is a HUGE difference. Don't think of this as a diet but as a Live-it. You are changing your lifestyle so you can live long and healthy for your self and your family. Record everything in your food diary and your feelings in your journal. Once you see the choices you are making and why, it will help you make better choices down the way. Be sure to eat your meals no more than 4 hours apart. Your blood sugar will go wild and make you want to eat, especially those quick-fix snacks. It is better to eat small meals every 2-3 hours than to let yourself go more than 4 hours without eating. If you are a grazer like I was, then have your 3 meals and reserve something for a snack 2 hours later. Pick something high fiber and with protein if you can. Light string cheese is a great snack because you are eating more protein than carbs and it will not make your blood sugar swing. The less carbs you eat, the less you will want over time. But remember, carbs are also an important part of a meal plan. So pick a healthy number, like 120-160 carbs a day and stick to that. Read labels and see what the portion size really is. When I prepare a meal for myself, I know exactly what I will be eating. Sometimes I record what I plan to eat in my food journal to check how it fits in with my other meals I have had. If I need to adjust, then I can see I am having too many carbs, or not enough protein and so change up my meal. Once you start thinking you are giving yourself the gift of great health and good choices, it becomes a pleasure to choose healthy foods over those foods that just paste themselves to our hips and butt. My goal is to eat healthy and be healthy, not look like a supermodel. Please, they need to eat a hamburger! Eventually your body will reflect the good food choices you are making and that is the bonus. Make it a good choice day!