how do YOU avoid cheats?

[Mothercooter]

I know the best way to avoid cheats is to not put yourself into the situation (when you can help it) to be around foods you have a hard time resisting. But sometimes it sneeks up on you as I discovered Friday.

I completely almost lost it over a stinking chocolate chip chewly granola bar. Granola is one of my weaknesses. However those marketed granola bars are packed with more sugar than nutrients.

Anyway. I just said no and thankfully by the grace of God was able to walk away. (I was at my brothers house).

What do you do when faced with the opportunity to cheat and for some reason you are weaker than usual and feel like you could slip up?

I am usually pretty strong but when TOM starts creeping up I find it harder to say no. I havent cheated yet and dont plan to but could use some of your ideas.

• Do you distract yourself by immediately doing something else?
• Do you make a trade off such as having a legal snack?
• Do you drink a gallon of water? (lol)

Me, I have such an all or nothing personality I know if I were to slip up once, I would most likely just go all out and binge like crazy, thus envoking my bulemic tendencies and starting a vicious cycle I may not be able to stop.

That insanity is enough to keep me from it for now but in reality, since this is a long term way of life. I am willing to bet between now and the time I die, I will slip up once or twice. I have to retrain my brain to realize that just because I slip up doesnt mean ok, binge like crazy now because you have ruined your diet. Just get right back on.

I also need other methods of keeping myself from caving. Right now my motivation is the weight that keeps falling off. I am not willing give that up it feels awesome.

But what happens during a stall when I dont have that motivation and I am weaker? What about when I reach goal?

So, let me know how you guys avoid caving when faced with something hard to pass up on the occasions when you are weaker than usual like TOM or just those days when you crave stuff you usually dont.

[mimom48183]

I hurry up and grab my water. I do however take a giant smell of it. (I know kinda weird, but it works)

[mimom48183]

Thats take a smell of the temptation..

[SugarFreeSheila]

I have monthly "Fun Days" to look forward to (where there are no rules), and these keep me staunchly and unwaveringly on track both in the meantime and afterward.

Ultimately, when it comes to making food choices, I just keep thinking about tomorrow and the body-conscious outfit I want to feel confident wearing. What you eat in private shows up in public!

[chunk!]

To be honest, I no longer get cravings or am tempted to eat food that is really, really not good to eat. I can go to the store and look at something (like a cake, or a pie, or muffins, or pasta, or bagels, or whatever) and not even crave it. I live in an apartment complex that is by two different bakeries that cook hot, fresh bread all the time. The air is constantly filled with the delicious odor of baking bread... the smell is wonderful, but I still really don't crave it. I find that the longer I go without something, the less I crave it. I don't even crave nuts anymore, and they are my all-time favorite snack.

What keeps me from eating bad food, however, under the pressuring eyes of my co-workers who think I'm being finicky or annoying when I don't want to eat something they do ... I don't know. It gets tough. Sometimes I feel like eating a little of something to shut them up, but I don't. I have worked too hard and for too long to let peer pressure get to me.

[dreamof145]

The thing that helped me to stay cheat-free was looking at the pictures of me before I started. It scares me to think I could go back to the way I looked before ~~ but I've read so many posts from others who had one cheat and went tumbling backwards. I write a lot about how I felt then and now. I read and re-read my thoughts over and over again. I must always be aware of what I'm doing and what I'm eating.

I also take legal-snacks with me where-ever I go. If I'm going far from home, I take a cooler. If I'm going out to dinner or invited....I usually call ahead and find out what is going to be offered...then I have time to choose what I'll do. (either eat before, take something or know what I can order). Yeah, its a bother sometimes...but I'm worth it. Its not as much bother as disappointing myself, wearing bigger sizes or busting out of the small sizes I try to stuff an oversized body into.

[Mothercooter]

Originally Posted by mimom48183

I hurry up and grab my water. I do however take a giant smell of it. (I know kinda weird, but it works)

LOL! I totally (and purposely) left that part out of my post but I do too, ha ha. Now i dont feel like such a weirdo...or maybe we both are, lol

[Mothercooter]

Originally Posted by SugarFreeSheila

I have monthly "Fun Days" to look forward to (where there are no rules), and these keep me staunchly and unwaveringly on track both in the meantime and afterward.

Ultimately, when it comes to making food choices, I just keep thinking about tomorrow and the body-conscious outfit I want to feel confident wearing. What you eat in private shows up in public!

what kind of fun days? You mean no FOOD rules?

What you eat in private shows up in public--what an awesome quote. Definately something to remember.

[Mothercooter]

Originally Posted by chunk!

To be honest, I no longer get cravings or am tempted to eat food that is really, really not good to eat. I can go to the store and look at something (like a cake, or a pie, or muffins, or pasta, or bagels, or whatever) and not even crave it. I live in an apartment complex that is by two different bakeries that cook hot, fresh bread all the time. The air is constantly filled with the delicious odor of baking bread... the smell is wonderful, but I still really don't crave it. I find that the longer I go without something, the less I crave it. I don't even crave nuts anymore, and they are my all-time favorite snack.

What keeps me from eating bad food, however, under the pressuring eyes of my co-workers who think I'm being finicky or annoying when I don't want to eat something they do ... I don't know. It gets tough. Sometimes I feel like eating a little of something to shut them up, but I don't. I have worked too hard and for too long to let peer pressure get to me.

My last time around on atkins before my pregnacy I had no probs with cravings either. Nothing phased me, however, this time Im like that most of the time except have a few days here and there especially around that female trouble week. Must be hormonal.

[Mothercooter]

Originally Posted by dreamof145

The thing that helped me to stay cheat-free was looking at the pictures of me before I started. It scares me to think I could go back to the way I looked before ~~ but I've read so many posts from others who had one cheat and went tumbling backwards. I write a lot about how I felt then and now. I read and re-read my thoughts over and over again. I must always be aware of what I'm doing and what I'm eating.

I also take legal-snacks with me where-ever I go. If I'm going far from home, I take a cooler. If I'm going out to dinner or invited....I usually call ahead and find out what is going to be offered...then I have time to choose what I'll do. (either eat before, take something or know what I can order). Yeah, its a bother sometimes...but I'm worth it. Its not as much bother as disappointing myself, wearing bigger sizes or busting out of the small sizes I try to stuff an oversized body into.

I have faced this a few times already, we get invited to dinner and a friends and I have hubby ask whats on the menu so I can plan. Thats when I just take a legal dish to share so not only am I trying to be thoughtful but looking out for myself so there is at least one thing I can eat there.

I have said that once I get to goal (or even sooner) I am putting my fat pic in my wallet. Ill take it out when I feel tempted and it would be an awesome testimony for those who would comment on my atkins choices!