Day Ninetyone -- A Challenge I've Never Encountered Before...

[JLC]

So...we've had a few pretty cold days so far this fall...but today was our first REAAALLY cold day. The high was 29 and the wind was blowing 40mph. And I had errands to run today, of course. I haven't been completely warm all day today, even when in the house and bundled up and drinking coffee.

And the consequence of all this cold? I want to eat. All I've wanted to do all day today is eat eat eat. In the many weeks that I've been on this journey, this is the first time that I've had such a struggle that has lasted the whole day. I've certainly felt hungry along this journey, and I have gotten to where it doesn't really bother me at all. I will eat when I'm able to. The thing is, when I eat a healthy meal, I'm satisfied and will stay that way until its time for another meal...sometimes well past what someone would consider a normal meal schedule. But today.....was constant hunger....constant craving. I just finished eating a really big salad, and I'm still starving.

At the grocery store today, it was particularly painful walking past all the bakery goodies, which I have to go past to get to the whole wheat bread. I succeeded in running the grocery-store gauntlet, but it wasn't easy or pleasant. The craving for sweets and chocolate was intense. So I bought myself some pre-cut watermelon and took it home and that was my "sweet" for the day. It was a successful maneuver and I'm proud of myself for that. But this has been the most unpleasant day of my journey so far...even worse than the first couple days of "detox."

I know the body needs calories to stay warm...so hopefully I'm burning extra calories today by being so chilled all day. But what can I do to help alleviate this near-painful sensation of hunger that won't go away? This cold day is only the beginning of a long winter.

Any suggestions that anyone can offer that do not involve processed or junk foods is greatly welcomed.

But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
- Matthew 4:4

Thanks for letting me whine....
-- Judy

[dsirkle]

The best suggestion that I could give you would be to develop gall bladder problems. I've gone from 256 lbs to 221 lbs without trying.
Not very helpful, I know.

[JLC]

The best suggestion that I could give you would be to develop gall bladder problems. I've gone from 256 lbs to 221 lbs without trying.
Not very helpful, I know.

Awwww Dale! I do hope you're on the mend! You're always in my prayers!

[Big Gunns]

Hey Judy, BG has to ask. Exactly what kind of diet/program are you on?

We both know you spend a lot of time on this forum. There are many ways to burn calories while doing it. BG does little things all the time. He'll spin the chair away(if at desk) and do some leg raises to train the 6 pack. You could do some deep knee bends between posts. There are many little things you can do while on the computer to help burn calories and it's not that hard.

Big Gunns knows exactly how you feel about walking through the grocery store. It can be torture if you're dieting. Japan was great for BG's diet though. They had junk food, but not like the US. Plus BG was walking a million steps a day to take all those videos.

[JLC]

Hey Judy, BG has to ask. Exactly what kind of diet/program are you on?

We both know you spend a lot of time on this forum. There are many ways to burn calories while doing it. BG does little things all the time. He'll spin the chair away(if at desk) and do some leg raises to train the 6 pack. You could do some deep knee bends between posts. There are many little things you can do while on the computer to help burn calories and it's not that hard.

Big Gunns knows exactly how you feel about walking through the grocery store. It can be torture if you're dieting. Japan was great for BG's diet though. They had junk food, but not like the US. Plus BG was walking a million steps a day to take all those videos.

Thanks Neil! Excellent suggestions on being more active even while I'm sitting at the computer!

The "diet" (for lack of a better word) is based on a book called Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. In a nutshell, it's a focus on nutrient dense whole foods. I've cut out ALL the junk food and fast food and processed foods and am eating whole veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts and legumes...with the occasional small serving of lean meat.

MOST of the time, it's a very satisfying way to eat...even if I do get tired of salads. (Really, I just need to be more creative with them) It was just that yesterday caught me off guard and I discovered that being constantly cold is a real drain on caloric energy, I guess, and makes you crave more calories. Hopefully today won't be so chilly!

[ladywhipple02]

I think it's a psychological thing, too, about cold weather---our primitive brain is saying to pack in as many calories as possible while you can, because cold weather is here and there might not be any food around for the next few months.

Here's my suggestion (as someone who is going through the same journey!)---eat lighter on warmer days. What I mean is, eat fewer calories than what you are alotting yourself. Then on colder days, you can eat a few more calories if needed to make yourself feel full.

I don't know if you're doing it or not, but keeping a caloric journal really helps with this. Track how many calories you ate for each meal, and how many you burn when you work out. This way, you can keep a tally of how many calories you "save" during the week... and can use on particularly cold days when you get a little hungrier.

[JLC]

I think it's a psychological thing, too, about cold weather---our primitive brain is saying to pack in as many calories as possible while you can, because cold weather is here and there might not be any food around for the next few months.

Here's my suggestion (as someone who is going through the same journey!)---eat lighter on warmer days. What I mean is, eat fewer calories than what you are alotting yourself. Then on colder days, you can eat a few more calories if needed to make yourself feel full.

I don't know if you're doing it or not, but keeping a caloric journal really helps with this. Track how many calories you ate for each meal, and how many you burn when you work out. This way, you can keep a tally of how many calories you "save" during the week... and can use on particularly cold days when you get a little hungrier.

Good thoughts! I've never been good at long-term consistent counting or record keeping...which is one of the reasons this particular plan is working out so well for me. If you stick with the plan, it's about impossible to take in too many calories...or at least it feels that way on most days.

I could, however, make an effort to focus a lot more on extra salads and veggies on the warmer days (the more vegetables consumed means the more full I feel on the fewest calories)...then not feel like I'm going "off the wagon" when I indulge in more of the warm "comfort foods" during the really cold days. (And by "comfort foods" I don't mean my old version of junk and fast foods...I just mean rich, hearty bean soups and the like)

[smd58]

I went through that about 10 days ago, I wanted to eat everything in sight, and everything i could smell. For me it felt like the first days in august when I started this diet. I have to admint I did eat a few Reasy cups they were my fav. Anything to do with peanet butter i love. So Any way I eat 4 or 5 at least. And after all that time doing with out they didnt taste like I remember. So all I did was feel bad and mad at myself for the break down. I dont really have a point here other then those cravings happen to all of us working to change our lifestiles.

[ed4281]

Is the basis of this diet small frequent meals? If so what I would do is make some snack packs of a handfull of nuts with a tsp of mini dark chocolate chips. It's very nutrient rich, full of omega fatty acids and antioxidents. The higher the cocoa content the better that way you are not taking in to much sugar which turns to fat. This helps get through the hunger peaks.

[JLC]

I went through that about 10 days ago, I wanted to eat everything in sight, and everything i could smell. For me it felt like the first days in august when I started this diet. I have to admint I did eat a few Reasy cups they were my fav. Anything to do with peanet butter i love. So Any way I eat 4 or 5 at least. And after all that time doing with out they didnt taste like I remember. So all I did was feel bad and mad at myself for the break down. I dont really have a point here other then those cravings happen to all of us working to change our lifestiles.

Aahhh...peanut butter cups are a major downfall for me, too! Yikes, those are addicting little demonic candies! Don't beat yourself up too much over the slippage. Take comfort in the memory that they're really not THAT good and so you don't have to be tempted by them again.

Is the basis of this diet small frequent meals? If so what I would do is make some snack packs of a handfull of nuts with a tsp of mini dark chocolate chips. It's very nutrient rich, full of omega fatty acids and antioxidents. The higher the cocoa content the better that way you are not taking in to much sugar which turns to fat. This helps get through the hunger peaks.

Dr. Fuhrman actually recommends a three-meal a day plan...and snacks only if you really need them to get through the day. I do occasionally snack on nuts, but I try to find raw, as the roasting process that most nuts go through strips them of most of their nutritional goodness. Don't always have the raw ones on hand. I hadn't thought to try the chips...that sounds pretty yummy...maybe a little toooo yummy. LOL At this point I'm still avoiding a lot of "trigger foods" and chocolate of any nature is definitely a trigger....but I do trust in the benefits of real dark chocolate....I may have to test that sometime and see if that little bit of chocolate would be safe enough to indulge in once in a while.