Well I am sure you won't care for my advice but its something that I had to do also. Don't bring it into the house. Don't let anyone else bring it into the house. We are known a carb-alcoholics or junk food junkies. One chip leads to a whole bag. One candy bar leads to the whole bag.

I would devour a bag of chips in two days flat sometimes in a day. There is hope and you can do this. The answer is moderation and if you are tempted you can't bring into the house. It takes 21 days to break a habit and create a new habit.

The are new snacks out there that are good - Soy Crisps is one and allows you to have about 20 chips and are made with soy for extra protein- they taste pretty good. Pretzels just count your carbs.

You can do this!

I agree with Myjoy. There isn't a darn thing in my house that tempts me. It's not good for anyone in the family.

Throw it all away.

Step 2, I recommend finding substitutions and measuring out portion sizes. Sun chips or popcorn instead of potato chips. No sugar added frozen fruit bars instead of ice cream. Then MEASURE a portion and don't go back for more. Sitting in front of the TV with the entire bag of chips is big trouble.

It's so difficult not to give in to the cravings, but take it step by step and in the longrun you'll be much better off.

I too am a junk food junkie! Since I was diagnosed in Feb with type 2 diabetes I have lost 39 pounds! It is hard but if I can do it --anyone can. As a few people already mentioned, get the bad stuff out of the house. I find it is so very important to have some healthy munchies always on hand. If you have to go to the store when your craving - your licked before you start. I always keep at least three kinds of fresh fruit (buy just a few of each at the local fruit and veggie stand)I also keep a little no sugar no trans fat "junk food" like pork rinds or sun chips. I have now changed my habits enough to be able to keep some no sugar added ice cream in the house. The other thing I can echo is that portions are SO important. I know you can do it!!

Steubenville. You familiar with Lake Cumberland? I work at the dam and am also a junkaholic. What gets me is that no matter where you go, gas stations, supermarkets ev en clothing stores. They all seem to have one thing in common. Candy at the cash register. For most of us it's like living in a horror movie. I'm 55 and diabetes is in my family. Got a picture of me around 8-9 yrs old sleeping with a box of "Whoppers" malted milk balls. My wife has her ice cream and there is all sorts of junk for her grandkids. I have just gotten into walking with my son-in-law. My daughter is an LPN and keeps reminding me to watch it. I believe it's an actual addiction. But, there is hope! You have found this website and all of us here. I goess I've been here for about a week and have found some wonderful people and new found friends. Looks like I got another one. So hang in there. I can't help my self either, but we can help each other. I am a Christian and I find help and strength in prayer and faith. Keep this going and we will overcome. God bless, electro52 (173)

Junk food is my downfalll as well. Keeping it out of the house is good but there's a 7-11 right down the street full of good stuff. I've gone 7 days now without any junk food, and am hopeful I can keep it up. I'm just reminding myself that I don't want to die just yet. I pray and think of my two young kids who need a healthy dad.
Mike

I only eat junl when I have a low , food was never my addiction just other things were

When I get a craving I find I need to find a way to indulge it a bit. If I don't I will binge. If I crave chips I buy one of the little snack size bags for 35 cents. If I want chocolate I buy a small bar and share it with my husband. One bite will satisfy a craving, but I don't dare buy a whole bag or I can't stop! I have lots of fresh fruit available and I try to plan my snacks so I have something to look forward to.

I saw an author on Oprah who wrote a book called "French Women Don't Get Fat" - I did not read the book, but something the author explained during the interview has stuck with me. It goes along with Alaska Girl's idea. She called it her "3 bite rule" Whenever we indulge in junk food or sweets, we really only enjoy the first 3 bites. That is the time that we use so many senses, sight, smell, taste, and the first few bites are heaven. After that, we're just sort of clearing our plate or emptying the bag with much less enjoyment then those first bites. I try to remember that I only need a few bites of what I'm craving and then walk away from it.

SHEILASDAD - Good job! Keep it up!

There are a couple of things to try -- there is a great book called "Breaking The Food Seduction" that is all about breaking food addictions. I read in Bill Dufty (he wrote "Sugar Blues") that red meat makes you crave sugar; I tried it and it's true. In my own case, I appear to be infested with Candida albicans (the fungus that causes yeast infections); taking an over-the-counter yeast remedy I found at Meijer's did wonders for my cravings. It may or may not be true in your case but it's worth a shot -- the theory is that as you become one with the yeast, its cravings for cheese and sugar make you crave it too. Hoodia and Gymnema (appetite-killing herbs, quite safe to take) can be really helpful.

If it's carbohydrate you crave, fill up with a couple of slices of whole-wheat bread; that should do the trick.

It astounds me that MDs everywhere tell their patients to stay away from bad foods, but they never seem to know HOW.

I totally sympathize, I was also in the same position. After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, I was put on some meds. The labels said NO ALCOHOL. I used to enjoy a beer every now and then, but stopped dead in my tracks. What replaced the soothing effect of a nice cold one? JUNK FOOD. We know, don't we? that such garbage serves as a "balm" when we feel stressed/bad/nervous. A blood test, a year ago, revealed that ALL MY NUMBERS (cholesterol/triglycerides/SUGAR) were "off the charts." I was told by two doctors that "it was just a matter of time" until I dropped! The sad part was that I felt pretty good. I took THAT seriously (NOT the diagnosis of being DIABETIC ... it was just A WORD, meant nothing to me ... I felt excellent). I was also put on BYETTA, and THAT had an IMMEDIATE effect on me. One shot and I CAN'T eat anything except VERY LITTLE amounts of food. It tightens my stomach and, if I attempt to eat more than the LITTLE it allows, then I feel quite sick. It, plus EXERCISE, has enabled a 35 pound drop in weight to date, and I intend to bring it down even further. ALL my numbers are BETTER THAN NORMAL.

I saw a few entries along the way of folks wanting ... or thinking ... of "GIVING UP." NEVER ... NEVER ... allow yourself to get into that position. THIS IS FOR LIFE, but you CAN prevail. If you hit the wall, GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ... I will be only too happy to give you a pep talk and move you back in the right direction! :-)

Musashi

I am in the same boat. Only thing is....I am a bachelor who lives with a room mate. I don't really cook, so I'm in a situation where I eat out much of the time and tend to eat things I shouldn't. There is no support around me to encourage and remind me...it's just me. If you have support and the luxury of only having food in your house that's good for u, consider yourself lucky. Not everyone has it so good.

Hi Jeff: Yeah, unfortunately, one size does not fit all. Your situation is a pretty tough one. I DO have a loving wife who "bird-dogs" me if I try to waiver, and she prepares stuff which greatly aids the effort (AND: I emphasize BYETTA one more time ... it does NOT allow me to eat much ... restaurant or no).

I wish you the very best,

Musashi

Well this isn't advice, but I'm new and it's the only button. I feel like JeffroDoe. I live alone, but like many of you try to keep the 'bad' food out of the house. Sometimes I give in. I wouldn't say it's junk food, but it's pie and cookies...stuff like that. I think I would call it self sabotaging. I dislike being diabetic and eating pie and what not is a way of saying to all and sundry....I WILL eat what I want when I want to. Then I feel awful and guilty after.

do you sweet cravers get lows ? I do thats when I eat the sweets

I'm like shmoozie1,bingeing on candy & cake-then hating myself afterwards.After dinner it's like my "eat" button is turned on & won't go off.Today I took some advice from here & got Soy Chips & Rice Cakes.Also got Cinnamon capsules.
Bought some Hooda diet too.If all this doesn't kill me,I hope to lose some weight & bring down the glucose.Bad back so walking's really tough.