marie- write this on a piece of paper and tape it to the fridge: "IF HUNGER IS NOT THE PROBLEM, FOOD IS NOT THE SOLUTION". if you're anxious, sit down and FEEL those feelings- you will discover that it's ok, and those feelings won't kill you. this is your opportunity to learn that food is for fuel- nothing else.

i know its easy for me to say it, but you really do have to commit to the program and not let cheating be an option. i would guess that you're giving yourself permission to eat long before you get to the kitchen. stop the thoughts as soon as they start- do not give them a chance to take root. if you have to, leave the house and go take a walk. if it helps, start out committing to a shorter block of time- tell yourself you're not going to cheat for one week, and then re-evaluate. then commit to the 2nd week.

if you're single, you need to clean up your environment. if that "illegal" food is not in the house, it makes it much harder to cheat. at 10pm it's unlikely that you'd want to cheat bad enough to drive somewhere to get something, but if all you have to do is reach into a drawer, you're in trouble. so take EVERYTHING that is not on protocol and get it out of the house. take cheese, juice, etc. and put it in the freezer. for other stuff you don't want to give or throw away, like cereal, ask a friend to keep it in their house for now.

you CAN do this- but it starts with a choice.

Marie, if you make the decision that cheating is not an option it will get easier for you every day because every day you will wake up, get on the scale, then go over to your journal or chart and mark down today's loss. Seeing those loses is very motivating and exciting! It makes my day when I have a good loss. Even through the occasional and necessary stall or slow down you will know that the pounds will soon be coming off again. You will feel sooooo good about your self and about the success you're having.

Then you will move into P3 with your body cleared out from all that junk food, a bunch of motivation, and a new commitment to yourself. During that time you will learn to make better choices and you will continue to lose inches. After that you will be strong enough to move into P4 where you will be able to control the intake of sugars and starches.

After that you will do the whole thing again and by the time you're finished you'll be thin and in control.

You can do this and you can choose to decide that cheating is not an option. Choose to do as Margie has suggested and get all that food out of the house. Give it to a family you know that needs food. This is a choice and you have it in you to make that choice.

So Go For It!!! :~)