Are you constantly craving food and grazing???

If you are then you're a slave to processed foods.

I went through it for over a year.  Here's what I did to finally get on to the losing side of the scale. 

 I'm a sweets addict as well.  Here's how I stopped cold turkey and started losing weight again.  It WAS NOT EASY, but I needed to do it and you can too when you're ready.

1.  Thew out all of the **** food in the house.  This included things I don't even like, but who knew if I would grab them if I got deserate...all sweets, pastas, rice, flours, fake sugars, cereals...you name it it went buh bye (gave most to my parents).

2.  Filled the fridge with low fat cottage cheese, unsweetened almond milk (for protein shakes), lean protein meats, lunch meats for the first week, green veggies for salads, low sugar ketchup from heintz, no car/fat salad dressings from walden farms.

3.  Bought a few bags of my favorite protein shake, bariatric advantage chocolate and a PB2 for my shakes

4.  The first week I ate whenever I wanted...mentally speaking I was grazing.  It was on proteins.  I ate a ton the first few days.  when I craved sweets I made an awesome protein shake with USWeet almond milk, protein powder and PB2.  It cut the craving down instantly.

5.  I drank more water than my pool holds each day LOL

6.  I went to sleep early and tried to sleep as much as possible.

around the day 5 mark I felt more in control.  I WAS NOT CRAVING FOOD and I forgot to eat a few times!  I'm on prednisone so losing is just slower for me, but after a year of going up and down with the same 10 pounds I managed to lose 27 pounds in 3 months.  I even went on a cruise during that time and yes, I had a dessert a night, but when I came home I went on my decarb routine again.  The first month I didn't diversify my food options.  I just had the same thing over and over.  The minute I started to change things up I noticed I wasn't as strict. 

I hope this helps.  You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Great post Gwoman!!

Great advise and congratulations on your loss!

 THe carbs are so addicting, innocent crackers are the enemy. I'm with you, protein, protein, protein, until the cravings pass. Works every time. 

I love the PB2 shakes. I do mine with Lean Dessert whipped vanilla and the unsweetened almond milk as well. I shake it in the blender bottle, put it in the freezer for about 45 mins. then take it out and shake it again. That way it's more of a milkshake consistancy. Yum! I do at least one shake a day.

Now here's a suggestion: Smaller plates and bowls. You know well all tend to fill up a plate. And if we use a regular size plate and just to "portion size" the plate looks a little empty. So I use salad plates and smaller bowls.

Hey girl, I'm always happy to see your posts!!
Hello, I am a carb addict, my hand is raised!! Just got back from our 3rd vaca this year, and I always fall of the wagon on vaca.  But today I am recommitted, have a new grocery list and menus for the week, a food journal, journaling all my food. 
You are doing great and I'm proud of you!!

Thanks for the talks... I just need to stay away from the sugar.... love the ice cream

 ice cream is my crack.  I'm NOT kidding.  It's hard. Once in a great while I'll indulge, but then the carb detox is hard the next few days.  The shake really helps me.  You can make the shake and throw it in the ice cream maker :)  I've done that and it's yummy

Thank you so much for this post Guernica!  It was
just the reminder/advise I needed! 

I've been a grazin like crazy

Great advice, thank you!

I got rid of most of the processed sugar in my house over a year ago. My family (husband and 2 kids) weren't too happy about it, but we've all benefitted. My kids now ask for fruit when they want a sweet snack. My poor hub has to resort to breakfast cereal with sugar sprinkled on top when he wants dessert. He still has a long way to go. LOL Edited to add: I do keep brown sugar around for cooking and baking. It doesn't bother me to have that in the house.

It's amazing what you go to when you don't have your crack (which in my case is baked sweets). Pre-surgery, even after getting rid of the sugary stuff, I found myself eating way too much bread. Then I read the label -- sugar! I had a piece of bread once post-surgery and I got the hiccups for an hour. They were painful. I don't eat bread at all anymore. Now when I'm jonesin' for something "bad" I tend to go for raw almonds. It must be the fat. Luckily I can only eat a handful of them before I feel full and start getting stomach pains.

Per your advice, I need to drink more water and get more sleep.

Thanks again.