Can't stop thinking about REAL food!

I'm enjoying my diet and for the first time I really do feel like I'm doing something good for myself; However, I can't stop thinking about REAL food... you know, pizza, burgers, brownies, etc. (the list is way too long).  I used to drink 3-4 cans of Coca-Cola every day, and now I'm down to 64 oz of water.  I like the new me, but I liked the old foods too. 

Does anyone else out there daydream of food too???

My advice is eat SOME. It's not going to kill you to eat something like that once a week. It gives you something to look forward to. If you hate whate you eat all the time, you won't stick with the diet. Make Friday night your reward night and go for a pizza or burgers. Just make sure you get back on track after that meal. As for the coke, get used to diet...yeah, it will take a while.

I still have massive cravings at times ... but just remember .. you've got a set amount of calories you're going by a day. You can still have these foods, just in moderation ... and probably modified for lower-calorie (maybe minus the bun and the cheese, stuff like that).

I've found that I really like boca burgers on whole grain toast, and they're fairly low in calories, compared to a "real" burger. Lean cuisine or Smart Ones have frozen pizzas for kinda low cal. They've got coke zero which tastes "kinda" like the real coke, for no calories ... just watch the sodium and artificial sweeteners, and don't have 3-4 a day lol. If it's chips you're "needing," get an individual fun-sized bag, that way you can ONLY eat one portion and not accidentally eat more than the calories you're alloting for.

I know what you mean......that is why I include some of these foods in my calorie count.....Just remember "moderation".    If I eat very light for B'fast and lunch.....I can have what I crave for at supper time.

Or if I eat something I crave for doing the day hours....I will surely eat light the rest of the day.

However, it is best to not do this like every day.....maybe once or twice a week is alright.

I have an idea for pizza for you, but you have to be open to it. 

The other night I made stuffed mushrooms and my daughter thought it was a great pizza stand in.

Shitake Stuffed  Mushroom

Two Shitake Mushroom Caps

One Can Crab Meat

2 med scallion stalks (chopped)

1/4 cup bread crumbs

chicken (or veggie) broth

Low fat cheese (your favorite)

In a bowl mix the scallion, bread crumbs, crab meat and cheese.  Moisten with chicken broth until it all sticks together.  Place filling into hulled out mushroom cap.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese melts on top and mushroom is cooked (about 15 mintues, but varys depending on size of caps).

I promise this is awesome!  I am work so I don't have the calorie breakdown but it varys depending on your cheese use. 

I've tried to find ways to make old favourites better for me. there are subsitutions and ingredient changes you can make to adapt them to your new lifestyle. :)

i don't dream about 'real food' because i've decided i wouldn't be happy if i cut everything out. this is me, these are the things i like to eat. now i just try to watch my portion sizes, one brownie instead of three, 1/2 a gourmet burger instead of a whole one, and i'm getting better at leaving something on my plate.

A lot of people have to go boxes brought with their meal when they go to a restaurant and immediately put half their order inside for another day. An excellent way to enjoy food you love without so many calories. Don't totally cut them out of your diet if you are craving them because you'll either quit your diet or you'll end up binging on what you've classified as "forbidden foods". Remember, all things in moderation. :)

And as someone mentioned in another post I read, bank some extra calories for your splurge days by doing an extra workout that day.

Hunny I LOVE the idea of putting half the food in a doggie bag to go BEOFRE you eat. I usually eat till Im stuffed then theres not enough to save..lOL..this will ensure guilt free dining out. THANKIES!

I wish I could remember who had originally suggested the take home box idea. I'm thinking it was slappy but I'm not sure.

Anyway, i've adopted it and it does work great for me. So my thankies goes out to whomever came up with the idea in the first place. lol

It might help to stop thinking of the burgers and pizza as "real" food (which makes fruits and veggies "fake", I guess?).  If you see yourself as being deprived of "real" food, you're more likely to fall off the wagon.  All food is real, just some is healthier than others.

lol *raises hand*

I'm the doggy bag bandit. ^_^

first thing I do when I order is get the go box with my meal. I also ask for all sauces on the side and ask them to prepare it low fat(less oil).

must be working-I've lost 47lbs since december!

Last night I was BEGGING my boyfriend to go out to eat at like 12pm he was like babe what is wrong with you? lol I was dying for onion rings and ice cream. Not together of course lol   I just drank water and kept thinking of apples or something. It's hard but just think skinny

Is it better to put half of your "bad foods" away when you sit down at a restaurant- because then you eat them the next day as well!
I always think- eat what you want now- get it out of your system, and back on track right away.
Whats the popular opinion? Splurge with half the calories two days in a row- or just splurge in one sitting???

I'm laughing so hard!  I've always considered burgers, fries and pizza artificial, fake food, made fast to be eaten fast and barely tasted.  I mean it! 

Real food to me means beautifully prepared continental dishes with lots of butter and cream.  I want linger for hours over vegetables drowned in creamy sauce, fish or chicken sauted in butter, fillet mignon with bacon wrapped around it, a lobster with drawn butter, amazing chocolate mousse, puff pastry filled with crabmeat, croissants slathered with butter, crispy potatoes Anna, asparagus sauteed in olive oil and garlic, pasta with rich Alfredo sauce, those incredible French and Viennese pastries - That's what I dream about.

Anyway, I'll never eat that way again, so all I can do is dream about it.
Claire

cekurs- You should write for a food mag. You have my mouth watering.

I dream about Tiger Prawn linguine from Kincaids Steak house. Full of cream and butter and a ton of garlic. Yumm Yumm.. But so not worth the 2000 caloires.

I agree with Doug917, eat some. If you deprive yourself constantly you will inevitably fail. Trust me I know. There are valid physiological and psychological reasons to allow yourself a cheat meal (not day) a week. I don't deny myself anything, I just work it in to my calorie and meal plan. Good luck.

I dont miss the food but i do miss the pepsi. But i know if i have just 1 i will be done. maybe in a year or so i might be able to controll the pepsi issue but not now

Tat2ed4ever, If you feel like you'd lose control then by all means don't go near it. Good luck.

Ya, I had that problem with white rice (I'm Filipina, it's a must with every meal)...

Anyway, I stayed away for a little over a week, then one day I decided hey, it won't hurt to have some. Well guess what... that "once" turned into two weeks of having rice every dinner... I since stayed away from it for the past week... I have to learn to control the quantity or else I end up having it at every meal again. GRRR. :)

I agree with the idea of treating yourself every once in a while.  A good Idea is to make those types of things yourself.  Grill your own burges with ground chicken or turkey.  Use fat free or low fat cheese and mayo if thats the stuff you like.  Baked fries.  Homemade veggie or chicken and veggie pizza.  This way when you treat yourself you know exactly what goes into it and it taste dilicious and a lot less fat.