Emotion l eating is a serious issue. When I get that urge to eat for no reason other than being upset I ask myself " Are you hungry enough to eat a full meal?" Most off the time the answer is no. I live alone so I don't have to worry about other peoples food habits/desires. I just don't keep my food triggers in the house: chocolate, candy, ice cream (though not my favorite), cracker (my favorite), low fat chips, low fat rice cakes, crunchies off any kind, bread (Oh how I love buttered toast!). I go to restaurants with friends. I either look for a healthier option or ask to substitute a low fat veggie instead of mashed potato or french fries. I also eat VERY CONSERVATIVELY the day of the restaurant visit and VERY CONSERVATIVELY the day AFTER to balance out my calorie budget.

Treat those restaurant visits as a treat and not something you do everyday or even once a week. I try to think of my food consumption as a calorie budget. If you have a lot of calories one meal modify other meals to ensure you aren't consuming too many calories.

I also eat VERY CONSERVATIVELY the day of the restaurant visit and VERY CONSERVATIVELY the day AFTER to balance out my calorie budget.

Treat those restaurant visits as a treat and not something you do everyday or even once a week. I try to think of my food consumption as a calorie budget. If you have a lot of calories one meal modify other meals to ensure you aren't consuming too many calories.

i cudnt have said this better.. i recently went to a bbq and knowing that i wanted to eat.. and treat myself.. i did liquids the day of and the day after.. to balance myself and to eat without remorse or guilt. awesome advice

the other thing i will say is that everything that u cud have eaten before u can find low calorie fat free diet sugar free soemthing... there is a substitute for everything. while i still try to consume and little substitutes as possible.. i still treat myself every once in a while.. i have low cal no sugar ice cream bars every once in a while ( but i have quarter of a bar..) not enuff to kill my calorie count, but enuff to satisfy the craving. i have a spoons ful of mashed potatoes if i want.. not loaded with butter and cheese though.. its all abt control

the other thing i will say is that u have to give into the cravings,... u have to treat urself ... not always but soemtimes.. the one reason why alot of diets fail is because ppl feel to restrictied.. to deprived of things they want know and love.. whats life worth if u feel deprieved all the time? yes we want to loose weight but at the same time we want to b happy.. dont deprive urself.. dont restrict urself so much that all u do is think abt .. cookies.. once some one told me.. have a piece of chocolate. have a nice expensive piece, not the cheap grocery store kind.. and ud see that it fulfills that craving better.. with a smaller piece and less calories and junk.... .. try it.

With the band I can eat a small portion of real food and only have enough "room" for a small amount of dessert. I agree with previous poster I don't waste my calories on cheap dessert/candy. If I'm spending my calories I want bang for my buck!

While a lot of my ethnic Greek food is super healthy some of it is NOT. If I'm going to a family party and my aunt is making pasticho (Greek mac and cheese) or my mother baklava or spanokopita (spinach pie); I eat with no guilt because I know it's something I do 1-2 a year.

thank for these tips. Can't tell how excited I am to embark on what will certainly be one of the most exciting times of my life thus far, after marrying and living with my husband = )

BTW honk, love Greek food = P