we all have times of temptation. It could be something emotional triggers it or maybe we ate something that contained an ingredient that triggered cravings. The point being that all of us have THOSE times where we are tempted to go off this WOE. It could be at the beginning when you are first starting out cold turkey and the cravings are still mind blowing or it could be a relapse. We have all had those moments though. Sometimes we make it through to the other side and then it goes away and we're fine. Other times we give in and end up making things worse.

I'm trying to figure out what I can do during THOSE times to get through the fire onto the other side.....I think if we could figure that one thing out we would be way ahead of the game. I'm trying to analyze what is that I do right sometimes that gets me through it and what behavior I sometimes do that doesn't help and makes me give in.

So what do you do that works for you?

Here are some of the things I have found that work for me (sometimes)

1. First off IDENTIFY what triggered it if possible
2. Drink lots and lots of coffee/diet pepsi/water/crystal light (ok coffee and diet pepsi would trigger some people but for me it works...filling up on so much liquid that eating would make me sick almost)
3. CHICKEN PATTIES>...a jolt of protein I have heard will kill a craving and it usually works for me

In desperate times

4.Prayer......seriously this has worked for me sometimes...
5. Reading "Inspirational" self help literature (Joyce Meyer is a good one if you are christian and even if your'e not) Norman Vincent Peale's a good one, Tony Robbins I've heard is good...

What works for you??

For me I have something Lc, sometimes that works and sometimes I just end up overeating on Lc things.

Keeping busy is the biggest help. I'll clean, do homework, take a bath and so on. If I can I'll try to get out of the house and away from temptations and food.

I like to have a spoonful of cream cheese. or a few swigs of soy slender chocolate milk. 5 total net carbs per box. that's what i've been doing today while looking at the yule log my step son brought home.

what gets me thru "those" times is knowing i never want to weigh 213 pounds ever again.....i have pics of myself and when i look at them there was a very unhappy lady there...that pretty much does it for me

For me, to get through "those" times, I just stay focused on exactly that.... it's a time, and it will go. "This too, shall pass" is one of my favourite sayings. I just feel like I'm blindly clinging to whatever I can get my hands on, but I know that the darkness will fade, and I will be so much happier at the end of the day. I read on a thread somewhere, a woman said she would just tell herself "not right now" until the cravings passed... so I say to myself "I'm not going to have that right now", instead of "never". I also focus on the fact that when I was eating whatever, I would fixate on something starchy, want it SO badly, then eat it and be so disappointed and feel disgusting after.

I agree with Ladybell....I tend to clean...take a nice relaxing bath....I walk everynight...and I tend to wait til I have these..im bored and want something to eat feeling....then I go out for a walk...when I get back...Im fine..It seems to work for me....

and also seeing my before pic's....I NEVER want to look like that again...I too have them on my fridge to remind me of how far I have come...

Good luck

When I am craving something like donuts, I go to the health store and get a bag of chocolate walnut cookies or I make low carb cheesecake. What is nice about the cheesecake is that my family doesn't seem to like it so I get the whole thing to myself. I bought some lc ice cream bars, today and some Atkins fudge brownie mix for New Year's dessert.

It is important that I make sure not to make a pig outta myself, even with low carb goodies.

Over the past while I've had a taste of this or that--things like a french fry, a snack cracker, so on and so forth. The one thing I've found is that now they're practically tasteless. So in addition to a lot of the sage advice already given (like remembering what I'm after), I tell myself, 'You know, that isn't going to even taste good to you'.

One thing I still have trouble with is nibbling while watching a movie or reading a book. I'm working on that, too. If I'm reading and the urge gets persistent, I'll have a couple of tablespoons of sunflower seeds, one or two seeds at a time, or maybe a handful of pork skins. I don't usually eat if I'm not hungry, but once in a while do find myself nibbling in the evening.

For those just-can't-help-yourself moments, I keep legal goodies. Chocolate Carb Countdown with a little half-and-half is sooo wonderful (hot or cold) and is filling and comforting at the same time. I also like to keep a lot of nuts in the house, and some SF chocolates.

Another thing I do is come to this forum and start reading and typing. If my fingers are busy typing, they're not sticking food into my mouth.

Peanut butter really seems to help with sugar cravings. Just a spoonful of that and I can usually hold out for a while. I also found this great lo-carb cheesecake online. I had ordered it for a friend but she was kind enough to save me a piece. U can re-freeze cheesecake several times so it's super easy to take a piece out and put the rest away so u don't over eat. www.cheesecakesingles.com

Has anyone used stevia as a sugar subs.?

Whatare the odds one or two of you "cleaners" could come stay with me for a few days???

I tend to come to this site for a bit when cravings hit, or find something else to do, like tickle wars with my son! (I almost ALWAYS win... )

Beating myself over the head with my Dr Phil "Ultimate Weight Solution" book is a help....

Weirdly enough, I don't have times when I'm suspectible to cheating. First diet I've ever been on that I didn't want to cheat. I might over eat on LC stuff, but I don't ever feel tempted to eat something high carb.

Same here! A spoonful of cream cheese!

I'm having one of those times RIGHT NOW! Stupid PMS.

This is my most suceptible time. Though my tempations to go right off plan are rare, I do feel like hoovering my way through the entire contents of my fridge and cupboards.

I combat this by eating a bit more than normal, and giving in to my cravings for salty stuff by having pepperoni, etc. I also try to ensure my fat stays up as much as possible. For instance, today I had duck and salad with olive oil for lunch, and macadamia nuts as a snack. If sugar cravings really get to me (these are getting better with time), I will give in to the diet root beer chilling in the fridge. I'll mix it with a couple ounces of heavy cream and enjoy a faux float.

I try very hard not to pacify my cravings with LC sweets, because to me that's still giving in to emotional/hormonal eating, and replacing one form of junkfood with another. I'm usually successful, but not always (hence the faux float, even though I know the aspartame will give me an almost instant headache.)

I also use the "not right now" strategy - maybe I'm the person you were referring to, Jade. I tell myself not right now, or "I'll have it tomorrow." Delaying tactics work when "never" seems too long!

One day -- and sometimes one minute or hour -- at a time!

How about hitting the low carb baking recipe section and trying out some of those fabulous Walnut Maple Sandies cookies that Karen posted. Lovely sweet little things. I can eat about 2 of them before I feel like I'm going to pop.

fix a low carb treat....I love the s/f jello w/ cream cheese and whipping cream recipe.
Or Brush your teeth.