Cravings Cure: “How Parenting My ‘Inner Toddler’ Helped Me Lose 359 Ibs at Age 55”

At one point in her lifelong struggle with overeating, LaNette Whiteside ’s doctors had her weighed at a cattle barn. “No other scales were big enough,” explains the Arkansas grandmother, who suffered with diabetes, fibromyalgia, blood clots and much more as her weight climbed to 488 pounds. By age 50, “I couldn’t walk to the next room without resting. Taking a shower was so exhausting, it was all I could do for the day.”

LaNette also developed chronic respiratory infections. “I slept in a hospital bed on oxygen. I was declining so rapidly, it was terrifying. But it also motivated me.” As soon as she felt a bit better, she went back to WeightWatchers . Getting from the car to her first meeting required help from her teen daughter, plus a heavy-duty walker and frequent stops to catch her rest and catch her breath. “I took baby steps from the beginning,” she reminisces. “One small change, one meal, even one bite at a time. Now I’m 359 pounds lighter!” Read on to learn about the little strategies she says transformed her body and her life—including an incredibly powerful cravings cure she discovered on the Internet.

Overcoming lifelong cravings — and a lifetime of failed diets

Raised on deep-fried Southern food, LaNette always seemed to want more-more-more. She was first taken to a diet doctor in elementary school and weighed 300 pounds by high school. “WeightWatchers, keto, paleo, anything I heard about—I started plans hundreds of times,” she says. She could never sustain them, but she did learn a crucial lesson. As she began the WeightWatchers plan yet again, “I knew I needed to make changes I’d stick with.” LaNette says it’s why she decided not to push too hard.

Related: Brilliant Tricks to Stop Food Cravings in Their Tracks

4 baby steps that cured Lanette’s cravings and changed her life

As LaNette looks back on her journey, a few key strategies stand out…

1. Ask this question before meals

LaNette says the more foods she made off-limits, the greater her urge to overeat. And on WeightWatchers, or WW, “all foods are allowed.” Every food is assigned a point value, and each member gets a daily point allotment. So instead of going for traditional diet fare, “I’d ask myself, ‘If I could eat anything in the world right now, what would it be?’ Whatever came to mind, I made a healthier version.” A great example: When she wanted biscuits and gravy, she made low-point dough with Greek yogurt and found low-point gravy mix. From BLTs to spaghetti and ice cream, she ate what she wanted—and it worked like a charm. Her first month, LaNette shed 27.6 pounds.

Related: 6 Science-Backed Tips to Lose Weight Faster on Weight Watchers — Or Any Diet

2. Get used to one little change at a time

Despite excitement over her early success, LaNette’s stamina was still low. So instead of trying to make over her lifestyle all at once, she focused on mastering one new habit at a time. “I’d work on getting more water one week, more vegetables the next,” she says. “My first ‘exercise’ was making my bed every day. Next, I tried walking in my house without my walker.” In under six months, LaNette had shed 100 pounds.

Scientific proof little changes add up: Adopting one new healthy behavior each week helped women slim down 300% faster than a restrictive traditional diet, per an East Carolina University study. The effect is so impressive to nutrition expert Keri Gans, M.S., RDN , “I wrote The Small Change Die t ,” she shares. “I’ve seen so many clients achieve big goals using small steps. Each little success builds so much momentum.”

3. Enjoy the magic combo that tames appetite

As you might expect, LaNette found choosing natural foods over processed options took the edge off her appetite. So did loading meals with fruit and veggies. Protein was also key, “but I found a blend of protein and healthy carbs is what stuck with me the best ,” she reveals. She had no idea that fancy scientific studies back her up, but she followed her instincts. “I incorporated protein and some healthy carbs into all my meals—I’d have protein muffins or potatoes with my chicken and veggies. For me, that’s how I got the full, satisfied feeling.” Over two and half years, LaNette shed 200 pounds.

Related: Protein Brownies: Women Over 50 Are Eating Them for Breakfast and Losing 100+ Lbs — The Science Behind the Success

4. The ultimate cure for cravings: Pause, pray, plan

Like many of us, LaNette’s biggest challenges were those strong cravings that hit even when we’re physically full. The technique that helps her most: “Pause, pray and plan,” she says. “I learned it from TheHolyMess.com .” The blog was created by 100-pounds-slimmer Sara Borgstede , a pastor’s wife who used the method during years of therapy for her own emotional eating. (Click through to see Sara’s inspiring before-and-after photos )

The gist, according to Sara: As a survival mechanism, part of our brains—called the basal ganglia—act like toddlers, persistently demanding the highest-calorie food available . Meanwhile, another part of the brain called the frontal lobe handles logic and decides if you should really be eating . “I call it your ‘adult brain,’” Sara explains. “Trouble comes when the adult brain always gives in to the toddler’s tantrums.” As with an overindulged child, tantrums and cravings get out of control.

“Your toddler brain will always demand food. That’s its job. But its all-out tantrums will weaken each time your adult brain refuses to give in,” she continues. So when a craving hits, Sara suggests you pause, acknowledge what’s happening and try to distract yourself, as you would an overstimulated kid. “Often the craving will pass,” says Sara. If it doesn’t, pray for guidance and try to soothe yourself without food—maybe take a walk, a nap or a bath. Then plan a way to incorporate the food you want into your next day’s menu plan. “You can still enjoy what you want,” says Sara, who created the approach with Becky Brown of FaithfulFinishlines.com . You’re teaching yourself better coping skills, not depriving yourself.

Yes, it does take willpower for a couple of days. “But after 30 days, you’ll be shocked at how much cravings diminish.”

LaNette still can’t get over the “ pause, pray, plan ” effect. “Even now, I’ll have a bad day and want to buy a donuts. I pause, pray and plan. It has broken the chain emotional eating had on me!”

Cures for cravings success: LaNette’s new life and new purpose

It took LaNette, 55, four years to shed 359 pounds. She got rid of eight pills and two daily injections for diabetes. Her blood sugar is perfect. Her energy is off the hook. She was even able to have excess skin removed.

“I often wonder why I didn’t do this sooner,” she admits. “A favorite Bible verse of mine is, ‘Perhaps I was created for a time such as this.’ God’s got the pen and he’s not done writing my story. Maybe I’m here to show people with extreme obesity that you can reverse chronic health conditions and make life better,” says LaNette. “You just take it one baby step at a time.”

Enjoy your favorite foods the slimming way!

Want to slim down like LaNette did? At each meal, she aimed to create a healthy version of exactly what she wanted. An easy way to do that yourself: In your browser’s search bar, type any food plus the word “healthy.” From pizza to funnel cake, dozens of ideas will pop up! To keep overall nutrition on track, use a program like WeightWatchers or a free app like MyFitnessPal . We’ve got fun ideas to get you started…

Sample cures for cravings breakfast

Quickly upgrade a typical breakfast by serving eggs (any style) over diced potatoes and veggies (like zucchini, tomato, pepper, onion) sautéed in cooking spray.

Sample cures for cravings lunch

To amp up turkey and cheese on lite whole-grain bread, add giardiniera (Italian pickled veggies) or, alternatively, a layer of fresh fruit and Dijon mustard.

Sample cures for cravings dinner

For no-fuss Mexican, toss shrimp and sliced peppers with fajita seasoning; sauté or grill. Enjoy with low-carb tortillas and plain Greek yogurt.

Bonus cures for cravings recipe: Protein muffins

These delish protein muffins from MarieBostwick.com have just 130 calories and 1 WW “point” apiece.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Kodiak blueberry protein muffin mix
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Instructions:

• Mix banana, eggs and muffin mix. Fold in berries.
• Spoon into lined muffin pan.
• Bake at 350ºF until set and golden, 22–25 minutes.

Serves 12

Click through for more ways to kill hunger and cravings as you lose weight:

Weight Loss Success: “I Lost 217 lbs Using This Everyday Snack to Turn Off Cravings”

Women Over 50 Are Losing 100+ lbs With This “Super Fiber” — Without Feeling Deprived

Top MD: These Strategies “Work Like Gastric Bypass for Your Brain” to Help Boost Weight Loss

Additional reporting by Diane Herbst and Kate Arcell