sarahkay wrote:I get to a point during that day where I only want to eat what I want, when I want, and as much as I want.
When you get to that point, what happens?
Have you tried making it harder to get food at that point? Don't hang out in the kitchen, except at meal times. Don't keep food with you, or change for the vending machine if that's the problem. Don't hang out at coffee shops. Go to the library, or another place that doesn't sell food, instead. Just a little bit of extra time required to get food might give you time to ask yourself, "do I really want to eat this?".
Try drinking some water or another non-caloric beverage, such as tea or coffee without milk or sugar, when that urge to eat strikes. Thirst sometimes masquerades as hunger. So does boredom. Getting up and getting something to drink is just as good for boredom as getting something to eat.
Does that urge always strike around the same time every day? You may have gotten used to snacking then. Try arranging your schedule so you're not in easy reach of food at that time. Maybe study or do homework in the library then, maybe take a walk. It will take a while to get used to not having your usual snack then, but the day will come when that time will come and go without your being hungry.
One technique I like is taken from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). When a food craving hits, say to yourself, "I notice that my mind is having the craving for X again". Notice that the craving is there, but mentally step back from it. You don't need to do anything to make it go away. It will go away on its own eventually, as all mental states do. A key idea here is that it's your
mind that is craving whatever, not your body. Cravings don't always come because your body needs some nutrient, the way some people think it works (or want to think it works). People wouldn't crave junk food, if that were the way it worked. You
want whatever it is you're craving, you don't
need it.
You might try telling yourself, when that urge to eat strikes, that the next meal will be in just a few hours. You won't starve to death, if you don't eat RIGHT NOW. That helped me, when I was starting No S.