Is it Hunger or Craving?

Herein lies the crux of the matter. Are you really hungry? Today I am not, I am craving. I went to a catered function on Saturday night and ate hors' deouvres and various sweet cocktails as well as dessert. The next day is like stopping a runaway train. I am able to do it because I know what is going on. Here it is Tuesday and I had vegetable soup with chicken sausage from Trader Joe's. That is usually enough to satisfy me for a few hours. An hour later I drank my entire fruit smoothie and one hour after that I had a big piece of steak. This is almost a days worth of food in one morning! Not because I am truly hungry but craving.

How do you tell the difference. Hunger is hunger. It is a feeling that you need to eat. For me I can put hunger off for a good hour if I don't have access to food. It is safisfied with a good healthy meal. For example a salmon salad will taste delicious when you are hungry.

When you are craving it takes over your thought process. Craving causes you to prowl the pantry looking for something good. Craving will cause you to stop at 7-11, zip into Starbucks and get chocolate covered graham crackers and a slice of lemon pound cake. Hunger will send you into Starbucks for a coffee to hold you over until you can get home for lunch. Hunger is Liberation. Craving is Incarceration.

Once you get off the foods that will make you crave, for me sugar and white flour you will eat less, be in control of your food and feel better. You will feel free! Sounds corny but its true.

Why I Failed on Weight Watchers

I tried Weight Watchers after I had my third child. Granted, I was still nursing but I felt like I was starving. The problem: I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted, I just needed to stay within my point system. This diet didn't take into account that I have a sugar issue (not sure what the name of it is, if there is one). I have not problem eating the right amounts of healthy food because they don't trigger cravings. They just satisfy me.

So far, I've experimented with short grain brown rice. I have been able to eat that without developing cravings. I am able to eat the La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious 12g of fiber tortilla. I have done a little experimenting with Bob's Red Mill Organic Whole Grain High Fiber Hot Cereal. It has 10g of fiber per serving. Not sure if I am having problems with this. And I love it. With nonfat milk, stevia and cinnamon its like having a warm oatmeal cookie! Whenever I eat the other carbs I always have protein and a veggie with it. I am going to try eating it later in the day, and have a cheese stick or some nuts with it.

When eating the healthy food, you notice that you can really eat less and as you lose weight you will try to eat less.