Ways to Prevent Cheating

[Demonica]

I also have to stay away from stuff that I am unable to limit myself on (Atkins bars, Carb Smart ice cream, certain low carb goodies I make myself.) I have tested myself with these things time and time again thinking "THIS time I will moderate myself" and I always fail. So I just gave up trying to buy them and limit myself. Why put myself thru that torture if I don't have to. Maybe someday I will be able to limit myself on those, but not at this time.

[Rhubarb]

Originally Posted by JMacB

This is going to sound strange, but bear with me.

I don't eat seafood, never have. Growing up going to the beach and New Orleans all my life, not eating seafood meant that there was always a bit of menu-study involved with every meal. But I always managed to find something to eat. Always.

Now, I don't eat carbs and sugar. I have to study the menus, but I can always find something to eat. I don't stress over it, just like I've never stressed over not eating seafood.

I bet there is something you just don't eat. You never think of it - you just don't eat it. That's the way low carb eating can become. When that happens, life becomes wonderful.

I think this is a good way to train your mind to think about this. I watch people I know do it all the time without any stress at all and I'm trying to become more like them. They just don't eat certain things and they have no trouble getting along in this world. I, on the other hand, always assume that people will think less of me if I'm high maintenance and require any special treatment at all.

I was trained to do this as a kid, in a family that didn't allow picky eating and emphasized that it was ill-mannered to make demands on other people. Combine that with some other self-esteem issues and you end up being afraid to assert your own likes and dislikes and, in my case at least, feeling obligated to eat all foods that are available, particularly in social situations.

This is one of the great challenges for me in this way of eating, but I'm working hard on it. Interestingly, I can always find something to eat that I like and substituting the starch on the plate for more veggies or a salad has not presented a problem so far. In fact, most people don't seem to notice --- or care if they do. But after years of strict "portion control" dieting in which I ordered what everyone else ordered and then picked at it (in some agony of self-control) this is still new and I'm just getting used to it.

[A&F]

I recently discovered that I can't do diet coke (or any other diet drink I'm assuming). One splenda in the morning with coffee hasn't affected me so far, but one small diet coke and I'm insatiable. Luckily I stayed strong and didn't go off plan, but I did eat considerably more than I should have.

[crazyj414]

I love sweets. Gum is saving me right now