Yet Another Bad Habit Realized

So it has become incredibly apparent that I want to eat all the time.  When I'm bored all I want to do is eat.  When I'm at work and doing something that doesn't take a lot of concentration, I just want to eat.  When I'm at home with the kids, I want to eat.  When I'm sitting here typing, I want to eat.  When I'm driving, I want to eat.  When I'm cooking, I want to eat.  Get the picture?  The sad thing is that I'm not hungry!  It's just something I want to do.  It's almost like an addiction.  I don't need to eat anything, I just want to!  I'm not hungry.  What I've been eating daily keeps me full and satisfied.  It's just that I want food in my mouth.  It's weird.  So to curb my 'addiction', I have been chewing gum.  You would not believe how much gum I chewed yesterday!  At first I thought I found a solution to my problem, but in doing so another problem has come about.

Chewing all that gum that is full of aspartame or other sweeteners has really triggered my sugar cravings.  I have always had a big sweet tooth.  I've been doing pretty good in regards to avoiding sugar this whole time.  When I did eat something that has sugar in it (before I started Atkins), I could only eat a little bit of it because there's just too much sugar!  Well, I chewed at least 6 pieces yesterday (ugh!) and goodness did I want to eat a candy bar or something.  My cravings didn't win, but I was fighting them all day.  It shows that I still have strength to avoid danger.  I said no to all the cravings.  However, these mind games are exhausting!

I need to ditch the gum.  I haven't given into temptation yet but this gum is not making it any easier.  So now I will continue the mind games with myself without the "help" of gum.  I've been winning a lot of the mind games, I will win this one.  I need to fight the urge to eat whenever and wherever.  I'm not hungry so why do I need or even want food?  I have no answer to that, it's just what I do.  After years and years of eating whatever, whenever it's hard to kick that habit.  Maybe I should pick up smoking... JUST KIDDING!