Does it get easier?

Ajax

Finally...Life begins
Evening, All,

Ok, its not that hard, I am not hungry, and love the taste of the foodpacks. Tonight, I made a muffin with the strawberry shake and it was lovely.

But I crave soooo much. Does it get easier, I seem to get worse as each day passes, but it is only day 5.

I just dread the day my willpower is at an all time low!

How long is it before you stop craving so much? or is it always there?!
 
Hi Ajax
I can only speak for myself but I found that after the first week, it DID get easier. Of course, ketosis helps with the physical hunger but it takes a little longer for the mind to stop playing games and put those cravings at the front of your thoughts.

I know by day five I was climbing the walls: I just wanted to eat and eat and eat! This advice and encouragement given to me on this site helped and I was able to overcome the cravings: I'm now at day 135 of total sole sourcing.

Don't get me wrong, it's not all 'plain sailing' ... there are still the occasional times when a craving suddenly washes over me but I'm prepared for it now and never let myself get complacent. I never think 'oh, I've cracked it' because the day I do that and take my eye off the ball could be the day I succumb to that packet of crisps or rogue biscuit (or both!)

You're doing great though and everything you're feeling is normal and has been experienced by most of us so hang on in there: you'll be fine! :)

Debbie x
 
HI Angela, what I have found is that as time has gone on and you get into the swing of things then things do get easier.

Don't get me wrong, I think this is because I have taken every weak moment to think about why I feel low and what I can do to counter it. Because of the hard work I have done in my head I have more coping strategies that don't involve food and know what times,places, foods to avoid as much as posible.

I know that I will still get the urge to turn to food for the rest of my life and that this is a life long effort but for the majority of time I will cope just fine and that's good enough for me.

As far as the diet goes, I find it helps to get a bit of time behind me because I know that the bad days aren't everyday so that all I need to do is get through that day and a better one will be here tomorrow and that is sooooo comforting ;)
 
Hi Angela,

While the physical hunger goes away when you reach ketosis, it can take longer for the emotional hunger...

It took me about twenty one days to detox and get over the withdrawal from carbs...everyone is different...but I can tell you it does become easier.

I did get a mad craving for nuts when I was sole sourcing for about four or five months and it has come and gone ever since...funny thing that it was not for chocolate which I adore.

What helped me at times was to do something nice for myself like have a long hot soak in the bath or buy a magazine or some little non food treat.

When you have your first weigh in and you see how well you have done, this really does inspire and motivate you for the following week.

It is good to do what you have just done and talk about it...I know I have often stood in front of the cupboards just looking and not knowing what I wanted, just looking...old habits die hard and we have to retrain ourselves and learn new ways of coping.

Last night I had such a craving for the chocolate in the fridge and felt so tempted, but one wee square would not be enough...I went back to that fridge about ten times and said NO each time...this morning I felt so proud of myself and now I can ignore that giant bar of fruit and nut.

It is at times like this I do feel I am making progress and I find that encouraging...

I hope this has helped in some small way, but being five stone down on this time last year just has made such a difference in my life.

Love Mini xxx
 
Angela, for me it got easier, I still do want food sometimes but it very quickly passes, Plus the scales tell me not to, I cant give up all this hard work!!!
I dont think this diet is "easy" but dont forget the longer you do something, the easier it is, if you are anything like me you love food, but this is retraining me to look at the way I eat and also the way I look at food, Think about something else, do something, I post on here like mad when I get the urge! My house is the cleanest ever too!
The hardest thing for me was realising that the craving was in my head!
I'm off to clean the oven now!!!!!!
V
x
 
Thank you :)

It does help to know its "normal" what I am feeling.

I definately don't feel hungry, struggling with the water slightly today, but could eat anything, even stuff I didnt really like before, so I know its emotional.

Day 6 tomorrow, but slight p'ed off as I weighed myself this morning and its gone up 2 pounds. (still showing a good loss) but just goes to show me I shouldnt weigh myself!!!!!!!!!!
 
Angela,
If you drank water before you got weighed then it would show! 1 Pint is approx 1 and a half lbs!
As soon as you can, stop weighing everyday, it took me nearly 2 weeks to stop but as soon as I did I was thrilled, because then I got a weight loss when I did weigh myself, I now only weigh on Wednesday and Sunday first thing, in the nuddy at exactly the same time after a wee! In time I hope to get that to once a week.
You can do it hun, and you are normal, and you should be very proud that you have taken this step to do this diet:)
Vx
 
Hi Angela
I know some people weigh themselves every day but for me, it was one of the most negative things I did and was almost the cause of me chucking in the diet altogether.

I was in week three and up til then had weighed myself every day ... at first just once a day but by the end of week 2 it was every time I walked into the bathroom. Sometimes it seemed that the scales weren't moving - and sometimes I even gained. I was tearing my hair out with frustration!

I went onto the DH forum and had a mini hissy fit saying that I could 'get the same results on WW so why was I depriving myself'. One very wise poster advised me to stop weighing myself at home ... after all, the only weigh-in that actually counts is the official one at your CDCs house. As it was, according to my scales I'd only lost 1lb in week three but when I got on my CDCs scales, I'd actually lost 4lb so all my stressing was over nothing.

Of course, it's entirely up to you. If you can accept that your own scales may differ from the CDCs and if you can take adverse readings in your stride then carry on. But for me, it was way too stressful and I was becoming obsessed. It's been bliss since I loaned my scales to my sister so they're not even in the house now.

I'll ask for them back once I start maintaining! :)

Debbie x
 
I'm with Debbie on this. We don't actually have any scales so I have to go to my mum's if I want to weigh myself but what's the point?

It's not an incentive to me like it is for many posters on here because I can't do anymore than I am already doing which is not cheating, glugging water consistently and being more active and toning. No point in me weighing myself, I just get obsessed with the amount of time I have been dieting for instead :rolleyes:

I'm not happy unless I have something to obsess about!
 
Thanks for the replies last night ladies, I did read them but was feeling pants so didn't want to reply with a load of whinging! So went to bed and watched tv in bed! Fell asleep thinking about food! Argh!

Woke up this morning feeling a little bit better and decided I wouldn't weigh myself anymore. There is no way I can cheat on this diet, so as I am sticking to it 100% I should see a weight loss everyweek. When I did WW i was always happy to see 1.5 pounds loss a week, obviously I must be expecting more, because this morning my scales showed 18st 2, when I was weighed in at CDC I was 19st 0.5, I know my scales may be a couple of pounds out, I will know for sure tomorrow night.

So it must be the emotions (totm etc) coz I should be estatic at that loss!! Instead I feel really down. I have really proved to myself over the last week, just how comforting food is to me! How bad is that. I never realised and never would have admitted it either!

Anyway, I do look at it as an improvement, I am going to get thru this, espeically with the support from you lot.

Thanks again, and sorry for moaning, I promise that from tomorrow my posts shall be happy ones!
 
Hi Angela
Never feel that you always have to post 'upbeat' messages all the time because it's not realistic to expect that we'll always feel 'fantastic' on these diets (even if we're doing well)

There's a major period of adjustment going on - we're having to look at things in a different light, assessing the relationship we used to have with food. And often, that's not a pleasant thing to face.

We're having to let go of old habits, form new associations and learn new coping mechanisms. We can't possibly expect to do all that with a constant smile on our faces and a spring in our steps.

There are times we will feel like screaming and punching someone in the kisser ... we'll feel resentful at times
'why me?? - why can't I just be 'normal'??'

But after all is said and done, we'll ultimately benefit from this journey and our lives will never be the same again. And along the way, there WILL be rewards that will put a big smile on our faces and make all the frustrations worthwhile. And we have each other: just knowing that I'm not alone and there are people just like me who know how I'm feeling makes it a whole lot easier to carry on.

So if you want to moan, then feel free: we will be here to listen. And if you want to shout about your triumphs feel free: we'll be here to celebrate them with you. The main point is, you're with people who understand completely because we are making the same journey alongside you.

Debbie x
 
I've posted some really depressing posts on the mind and body thread this morning 'cause I'm having a crap day.

I feel much better for doing so ;)
 
Hey Angela, just in support of what everyone else has said.. feel FREE to moan!! I moan all the time..lol! and everyone else has their moany days. If we couldn't moan, I don't think we'll be able to get through the diet. For me, it is one of the only ways I can relieve the stress of not eating/thinking of food. Afer a good moan, I usually feel better, maybe not much but that little bit helps. You've done really well, by the loooks of things you've lost nearly a stone already!! So keep going and moan all you want!!:D :D
 
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