Do you have any hobbies or interests?

What specific emotions are you talking about? Stress? Sadness? Boredom?

Don't have junk food in the house, if the food available is healthy then you won't be doing yourself as much harm by eating it.

I think the band sounds a bad idea as it makes you associate hunger or food with punishment and pain in your mind. Eating is normal and you should try and avoid these negative associations in my opinion.

Why are you craving food? Are you eating enough, or eating the right foods that keep you full and keep your blood sugar stable? If you are eating too many white carbs (white bread/pasta) or lots of sugar for example this will cause a crash and could cause cravings.

How about a reward system? 'Save' the money you would have spent on food, either make a note or physically transfer to an account or moneybox and save for something you want. Or get some of those stars kids have at school and every day you avoid temptation put one in your diary. Then think up a reward, say 5 stars means you can go to the cinema or whatever.

But don't blame yourself if you struggle. That just makes you feel worse and eat more. Try to be gentle and forgiving and move on when you slip up.

Thanks Lizzie.

I have bipolar disorder and emotions pretty much run my life. It can be any emotion to trigger my cravings. I actually don't eat half as much as I used to, but I do eat a few times a day. A lot of my weight comes from the medications I have to take for bipolar.

I haven't been very active though and I'd like to try to get more active. I'll use my activity as a distraction, I suppose (b/c who wants to binge after exercising?). I guess my worst problem is going out to eat. It's becoming a habit, and the dollar menu at McDonald's is the worst....that, and soda.

I don't look at food or eating as a bad thing, I just feel intensely guilty when I eat anything that is unhealthy (which is practically everything). I, unfortunately, live with my Mom and she doesn't seem to care much whether I want crap in the house or not. I buy my own food, but she buys whatever is on sale (junk food or not).

I'll be living with my Mom for another year (approximately), so I have to deal with the temptation of whatever she buys. I'm just trying my best to think of distractions from the temptations of all the crap she buys, and going out to eat.

I read a lot as a hobby, but I'd like to change that to being more active instead of laying down and reading.

u buy n have your own food,right. get out of your Mother pocket book by leaving her food alone.It's not yours.

As far as McD. it's simply. just don't go there. and don't have your Mother to buy n bring you grease loaded food from McD.
when your Mother car pulls out of driveway. it doesn't mean that you half to go w her. She a grown woman.Who more than likely has friends her own age.
Buy your Mother a piggy bank. w money that she will save by not buying extrys ( food ) for you. she can use savings on herself.

Buy powder protein ( not soy protein ) & original fiber one cereal & flax.
vegs n fresh fruit. Optional: reg. soy milk ( box soy milk ).
I suggest that u keep a veggy party tray in refg..
In addition to fresh fruit u might also opt to buy frozen bag of fruits ( for smoothy )

Protein, fiber keeps me feeling full for hrs.

Protein w flax drink made w water or soy milk. I let mine cool in refg for 30 to 40 minutes.
or Protein w flax w fruit &/or veg -s made w water or soy milk maded into a smoothy. u might opt to add sliver ice to make smoothy.however more slivered ice used,little less water, it will be liken ice cream.
sometimes I use very little water n let protein drink stand. it will make a pudden.Less water the thicker it is. Occassionally,I will chop up 5 walnuts n put in smoothy or in pudden.

This is just an example. U go out to eat. have - oh lets say, grilled skinless chicken breast n vegs w/o butter n white flour bread n white flour pasta.
u might opt to skip having protein drink or only having 1/2 glass of protein drink.

Treat yourself at least every other wk w - oh lets say - serving size bag of chips. Wal mart has lrg bag that has lunch size bags of diffrent favor chips in it. Wal mart also has bite size candy/cookies n bag. In cereal isl is flax.

Oh ya the fiber, candy like, bars are fating n unhealthy.
Flavor fiber cereal is mostly white/brown suger.

Inaddition to veggy party tray, u might opt to have storage type containors w lids, of diffrent types of vegs.( portatble w/o dirty-ing a dish).

I go to Wal mart to walk the outter but inner walls of the whole store w/o shopping.

Don't give up. Don't give in.
keep a food log. side notes: times u eat. what u eat. & why. if u should have relaspe. just re start.Don't beat yourself up.

Is your bipolar under control? I don't know much about that but could any of your meds be causing cravings?

When do you go to McDonalds? Is it on your way somewhere, or do you make a specific journey there? Maybe save up the dollars you would have spent at McDonalds. Put them in a glass jar and you will soon see them mount up.

Hi Hanna
On DS, there is a bipolar support group.

Certain medications can cause weight gain. so can stress & thyroid disorder.

I take med for thyroid disorder. Mg's have been adjusted twice.

@ Admiral1cu: I know how to eat right, I do buy my own food and eat it as healthy options. Usually high in protein (albacore tuna or white chicken on crackers for a snack) and as low in carbs as I can get. I don't ask my Mom to buy me and my children food, but unfortunately, she's a hoarder and a shopaholic. Whether or not I tell her to stop buying certain foods, she won't listen to me. I really appreciate the advice though. Thank you.

@Lizzie: My bipolar is about as under control as it has been in years. I had to stop that last medication that caused me to gain 30lbs in 10 weeks, so we'll have to wait and see if I'm doing well enough without that med or if they'll have to add another.

I know there is a bipolar support group, I've been a member of that group for about 7 years. Thank you though for telling me.

I just really need to find ways to distract myself, in the moment, that I may be having a craving.

I'm a facebook junkie and so i'm on it all the time and usually talking to my other fitness minded friends on there. I'm also a big tv watcher and i love the History and Discovery channels and learning new things. I'm also getting back into reading.

I also have a love affair with food, but for a long time now we have been keeping only healthy foods in the house. So, when we get the urge to eat, we go ahead and indulge...but with fruits, raw veggies or healthier snacks rather than the saltier, fattier, deep fried variety.

We have a big double recliner unit with a median between us and cup holders. Now we keep a big bowl of grapes there for when we get a little craving. My gallon jug of water or flavored tea is on the other side of me :)

Many times, you just have to change your entire lifestyle in order to accomplish your goals. For ME, i figured i would much rather take the effort to change my lifestyle to get healthy again rather than die.

Had uncontrolled bipolar between 2005 and 2007, two suicide attempts, four hospitalizations. Was tried on many medications in my life for depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and bipolar. Worst ones for me were Xanax and Depakote. Everyone is different, but finally I got my life back by taking Zyprexa, 10 mg. and Cymbalta, 60 mg. Some people gain weight on Zyprexa, but in my case the Cymbalta helped to curb my appetite. It has done wonders for my anxiety, depression, and panic episodes. As for Zyprexa, I feel like myself again. What a blessing!

Something when we are dehydrated out bodies send out the same signals as hunger. Try and avoid the diet drinks, as they actually make you crave real sugar. I sometimes drink 3 glasses of water. Fill the stomach right up and sort of makes you feel a little sick for a few minutes. But it does distract and it stops you from eating when you aren't really hungry. AND there is no negative side effect. If you are dehydrated, you hydrate, if you are hungry (really hungry not just craving), you will realize that. If you are just feeling peckish, it helps make that feeling go away.
Plus. Water improves your skin, helps your digestion, keeps you hydrated and flushes out toxins.

Date of Post being:7/19/12
Today Date being:7/26/12

How r u doing ?