What's the first step to overcoming food cravings?

Te first thing to recognize is that food is not the problem.  When a food craving comes to your awareness it is simply an indication that something is off within your body, emotions, mind or spirit.  The next step is to go deeper and ask yourself the four questions:

1.  What happened today?
2.  What emotion did it make me feel?
3.  What does that emotion feel like within?
4.  And what do I really want?

For example:  lets say you want potato chips.  First, ask yourself "the four questions".  1) my teacher looked at me today with a negative expression on her face. 2) Her expression made me feel stupid. 3) Stupidity feels like worthlessness and disempowerment. 4)  I really want to feel smart and worthy.  In this example, what do potato chips have to do with feeling smart and worthy?  Nothing.  The goal then is to give yourself what you are truly looking for.   Next find things that you cannot BLT (bit, lick or taste) that make you feel smart and worthy and then practice giving those things to yourself.

Finding Your Weight Loss Rhythm

Losing weight can be difficult.  It can be a tedious journey, which is why it is so important to find your rhythm.  A good depiction of the weight loss rhythm is like floating in the ocean, finding a wave, and riding it into shore.  The ocean would be your life, the wave would be your weight loss and the riding the wave in would be your rhythm.

Lets say a person needs 1200 calories to be in "weight loss mode" and they consume 1250, they will not lose weight that day.  The will not gain either, but may not see a loss.  Then the frustration sets in, but remember the weight loss journey is tedious and sensitive.

Now lets say that same person has 2400 calories in a day, they may still not gain weight.  The point is this.  The weight loss journey is so sensitive and different for everyone.  It does not take many calories to take you out of the weight loss mode.  And it is important to know how much food it takes to really help you lose weight and dip into your bodies resources to begin to burn fat.  This intake may feel like less than your body is comfortable with, but is where the weight loss will happen.

The whole idea of weight loss rhythm is to find what works for you.  Once you have found your rhythm and you are burning fat and weight, stick with it and ride the wave to the shore.  Try not to diverge from that path, because once you break that flow it could take you three to seven days to redevelop it.  If you must break the flow, it is OK!  The great news is you can find it again.

Weight loss is like compound interest.  Once you begin a savings plan (weight loss plan) and get into the mode of savings, (executing the plan) your savings will grow (weight loss happens!)