Obsessed with the marshmallow?

[Georgiana]

A pretty cool (and long!) article in The New Yorker: Dept. of Science: Don’t!: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
I think some of the things there could be successfully applied to Atkins, when one is tempted to eat candy/cake/pasta/potato/etc.

An excerpt from the article:

At the time, psychologists assumed that children’s ability to wait depended on how badly they wanted the marshmallow. But it soon became obvious that every child craved the extra treat. What, then, determined self-control? Mischel’s conclusion, based on hundreds of hours of observation, was that the crucial skill was the “strategic allocation of attention.” Instead of getting obsessed with the marshmallow—the “hot stimulus”—the patient children distracted themselves by covering their eyes, pretending to play hide-and-seek underneath the desk, or singing songs from “Sesame Street.” Their desire wasn’t defeated—it was merely forgotten. “If you’re thinking about the marshmallow and how delicious it is, then you’re going to eat it,” Mischel says. “The key is to avoid thinking about it in the first place.”

For me singing is out of question as I don't want to force everybody to evacuate the building, but I have two office mates... maybe they want to play hide-and-seek with me.

[Alexa]

I might start singing the next time cakes are brought out in a meeting! Lol

Thanks for sharing - a good reminder of the importance of distraction.

[sham]

Its all about an individuals willpower.

[MsUnderstood0000]

It is about willpower, however the fact that this WOE totally satisfies your hunger can almost take willpower out of the equation. I work in a department that is inundated with candy, muffins, vendors food, gifts from patients on a daily basis. I have no desire to eat it. I joked with the guy who brought HUGE muffins every day, on his last day i said, well i avoided all the muffins can you bring me a porterhouse LOL. He didn't of course but still, the mindset is that I'd rather eat real food.

[JohnSantos]

I make the Pillsbury Doughboy giggle when my marshmellow belly is pushed.

[Sarina D]

Originally Posted by Georgiana

A pretty cool (and long!) article in The New Yorker: Dept. of Science: Don’t!: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
I think some of the things there could be successfully applied to Atkins, when one is tempted to eat candy/cake/pasta/potato/etc.

An excerpt from the article:
For me singing is out of question as I don't want to force everybody to evacuate the building, but I have two office mates... maybe they want to play hide-and-seek with me.

Georgiana,

You crack me up!!!! Sign me up for a round of hide and seek....these days, I'm needing it!!! I've been craving like crazy. Perhaps I'll just go find a corner some where, crouch down, cover my eyes and start rocking back and forth....ya think it will work?!?!??!

Cheers!
Sarina
----------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[Eama]

It's true.

I work at home and it's AMAZING how much more work I'm getting done now when I'm not obsessing about (or eating!) the next snack or meal. I'm getting a lot better at re-directing my thoughts away from food and back on the job at hand.

[Georgiana]

Originally Posted by Eama

I work at home and it's AMAZING how much more work I'm getting done now when I'm not obsessing about (or eating!) the next snack or meal. I'm getting a lot better at re-directing my thoughts away from food and back on the job at hand.

Personally....... It's AMAZING how little work I'm getting done now when I am obsessing about ADBB. I'm getting a lot worse at re-directing my thoughts away from the Board and back on the job at hand.

Originally Posted by Sarina D

You crack me up!!!! Sign me up for a round of hide and seek....these days, I'm needing it!!! I've been craving like crazy. Perhaps I'll just go find a corner some where, crouch down, cover my eyes and start rocking back and forth....ya think it will work?!?!??!

If you push against the wall, you will have some resistance training there. If you increase the "rocking angle" you will be basically doing abs exercises. And if you rock back and forth fast enough, you'll have some cardio in there as well. Yeah......... I think this might actually work! Maybe we should have a monthly "rocking challenge(d)"... for all us poor souls at ADBB.

[ShannonK]

In the past, I have always, always, always been thinking about my next meal before I even finished the current one. When traveling with my family, I was always watching the clock thinking about where we would be at the next meal and what I would eat. My thoughts could be consumed with food. It is a hard habit to break.
Hide and Seek, huh?

[Sarina D]

If you push against the wall, you will have some resistance training there. If you increase the "rocking angle" you will be basically doing abs exercises. And if you rock back and forth fast enough, you'll have some cardio in there as well. Yeah......... I think this might actually work! Maybe we should have a monthly "rocking challenge(d)"... for all us poor souls at ADBB.

Georgiana, thanks for breaking it down like that....I now see this is very do-able!

Looks like we have a new exercise to add to the exerercise challenge section each month!

Sarina
----------------------
Heaviest weight - 403 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs. (This is when I initially started to lose weight…but was not on Atkins at this point)
Atkins start weight – 347 lbs. (July 19, 2008 – began Atkins)
1st major goal met -----100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day – From April 1-08 when I initially begin to lose weight.
2nd major goal met - 151 lbs. lost as of Jan 13, 2009 - Hit 249 lbs. on this day.
3rd major goal met - Wed, May 13-09 - Reached losing 200 lbs. in just over a year and a couple of months.
4th major goal met – Reached “Onederland” June 6-09 – 198 lbs.
Current weight – 191 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160