Cravings can go on for a very long time and the best way to deal with them is not to feed them. If you feed them with artificial sweetener or bread substitutes, you will start craving these things. What you're doing is retraining yourself.

Meditating, praying if you have a Higher Power, breathing excercises, yoga and general excercise all help to relieve stress. You'll find yourself wanting to eat over certain things and instead of taking that first compulsive bite, examine your thoughts and feelings.

I went through a horrible time when I realized that there was nothing anymore to stand in between my feelings and the rest of the world. That thing that soothed was always food. I would take a breather whenever this happened and just let myself feel angry, or sad or whatever the feeling was. Then, it would pass.

When all is said and done, you will have accomplished a very wonderful thing, and be a better and slimmer person for it.

Karen