|
|
Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 13, 2021 0:16:46 GMT
Day 13 –Overcoming Cravings
This is a big one for most of us and is a good example of the resistance muscle versus the giving-in muscle.
Beck says you can always resist cravings and they will go away on their own. She wants you to keep a “Cravings Rating Chart” to monitor your cravings as an aid to learning to resist them.
She also lists Anti-Craving Strategies:
Mindset Techniques
Label it.
Stand firm.
Don’t give yourself a choice. (This is where "NO Choice" comes in.)
Imagine the aftermath of giving in.
Remind yourself why you want to learn to withstand cravings.
Behavioral Techniques
Distance yourself from the food you crave.
Drink a no- or low-calorie beverage.
Relax.
Distract yourself.
She includes a “Distraction Activities Chart” for you to monitor the distractions you try and how well they work for you.
How are you doing with cravings? Share some of your experiences with cravings, good or bad.
|
|
|
|
Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 13, 2021 0:26:34 GMT
Currently I haven't been having cravings but have had them in the past. I have triggered at times and become obsessed with a particular item. I've handled these cravings in a variety of ways, first thing I do is keep the item out of the house, and I usually don't go out to get a particular item to eat. At times I've caved and just gone ahead and had the item, other times I've done the Seven Question Technique to work through the craving, another time I planned for the item and went out and bought a single serving size, while eating it I was worried I would trigger and still crave it but the craving went away. Someone suggested I should have sweets on a regular basis and maybe that would stop the cravings. I did that with a box of hostess cupcakes. Kept them in the freezer and had one a week and saved points for them. Didn't care for that, like staying away from sweets. Sometimes I just gut out the cravings and know I will have the thoughts for a while but then they will go away.
|
|
|
|
Post by mac on Nov 13, 2021 3:39:05 GMT
How are you doing with cravings?
* I'm doing so much better with cravings, see below experiences.
Share some of your experiences with cravings, good or bad.
* I don't bring sugar food into my house.
* I eat mostly a whole food, hypoglycemia diet which includes 3 meals a day and three snacks. I find this diet cuts out the cravings, not sure why.
* If I crave sugar I eat one serving outside my house.
* Maybe we need to satisfy the sugar craving every so often but I don't like how I feel after eating sugar.
* I find when my DD does my shopping I don't crave sugar as much as she only gets what's on the list, no sugar foods on the list. People that have groceries delivered say it's easier to keep the trigger foods out of the house, don't put them on the list.
I know it's easier to say "no choice" once at the grocery store then many times at home!
|
|
ladymajky
Transcendent Member
220/169/150
Posts: 871 
|
Post by ladymajky on Nov 13, 2021 15:53:19 GMT
I skipped lunch yesterday to experience the hunger toleration exercise. I have done this before, but it's been a while and I felt like I needed a refresher.
For breakfast at 8:00 am I had two eggs scrambled with veggies, 2 slices of turkey bacon and an English muffin. The total breakfast was 3 points and 270 calories. I thought the protein in the eggs and bacon would satisfy me longer than some other choices.
At my normal lunch time, about 12:30 pm, I left the house and went to Costco. I knew that the craziness of Costco on a Friday would distract me from any hunger. I successfully avoided the food samples. (They weren't offering anything that appealed to me.)
By about 3:30 pm, my thoughts kept turning to the kitchen. "No," I kept telling myself. "You are trying to see how long you can last without eating anything." I had a bottle of water and listened to an audio book, then watched the news. (ugh!)
I was able to tough it out until about 5:00 pm. Normally I eat supper at 6:00 pm. But I went ahead and had an early dinner.
Bottom line: I used the tools of distraction, no-choice, standing firm, labeling, and water-drinking to stay out of the kitchen.
|
|
lizlor
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,159
|
Post by lizlor on Nov 13, 2021 17:25:23 GMT
ladymajky , that’s terrific you employed all those techniques to stay firm. I’m not sure I could survive Costco hungry, so kudos there! re cravings: heading into the holiday season is always challenging. I hope to preplan and not fall prey to cravings and mindless eating. Will try all the strategies but I have never tried the cravings ratings chart and think I will.
|
|
|
|
Post by bbbearsmom on Nov 13, 2021 17:28:18 GMT
mac, Good job on the cravings. ladymajky, Good job on the hunger exercise. The two times I did it I made sure I had a lot of housework, paperwork, and busy work plan so I wouldn't just sit and think of food.
|
|
