We are all on a wiggly path heading in the right direction. Do what ever works for you - if you have had a wobble - or lived your life! - accept that and don’t let it drag you down for a day, week, month - it’s all emotional.
Giving up the wine totally has taken out the biggest risk for me personally - it’s not just the calories - it’s that it’s basically liquid sugar which spikes your insulin and makes you hungrier and craving - so two glasses of wine 300 cals - would set my hunger off, my will power is removed my the alcoholic effect and the blue touch paper is lit to trough through crisps, choc, etc so can easily lead - for me to 1000 cal in an evening. Then metabolism is slowed, feel grumpy and dulled the next morning and need more sugar/food/calories to drag me out of the fug.....so even more calories as I would be craving carbs - loads of white buttered toast......which although comforting in the moment again spikes my insulin so carving carbs and can’t last until lunchtime - so biscuits with coffee and 11....still ravenous by lunch - standard meal deal sandwich, crisps, fizzy drink ...... guess what ..... carbs kick off my insulin again .... so am trotting off to the vending machine at work for choc and coffee at 4.....hunger kicks in again after 6 - may or may not be able to resist another choc bar on the drive home......rush in to make dinner .....still in my coat.....need toast and butter whilst prepping dinner.....then crash with the wine and the 24hr cycle begins again. Always hungry, always craving carbs, never satisfied for more than a couple of hours and the hunger doesn’t come in slowly so that you can manage it - it is a physiological crash so that you are ravenous.
So I have pulled the plug.
Started with the wine - took 2 weeks to adjust - huge sugar cravings.
Then cut out all of the sweets/crisps/cakes that again took 2 weeks.
This last week I have cut out bread, pasta, rice, potatoes.
The carb cravings subside and then you can listen to real hunger.....and most importantly feed it ahead with substantial real natural food before it takes over (non carb craving hunger isn’t like that anyway).
Have lost a stone in 4 weeks. Feel brilliant - I am walking around in jeans thinking I look like a size 8 - but I don’t care. Chuffed with myself as these are my new habits for a lifetime.....still another 3 to go. But in no rush - I feel good giving myself nutritious foods.
For me it has been all in the carbs.....I didn’t plan it this way but taking 2 weeks to phase out each set (wine, snacks, refined carbs) has made it sustainable - it’s also all in the head - need to be positive and kind to your body - and it’s all in the planning - look at danger times - replace the carbs with veg, protein and fat.