[penpal]

I don't know about you, but I've been soooo hungry since daylight savings time ended. Of course, I'm ready for lunch and dinner an hour earlier because of the time change so I start looking for things to munch on I guess this is also the time of year our ancestors stored fat for the famine months

Well, there's no famine in sight. Today is Halloween , so you know what that means candy, candy and more candy just when we're getting hungry, hungry, hungry for delicious empty carbs . We get a short breather and it's on to Thanksgiving, followed by Thanksgiving leftovers month.

Then comes Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. - not to mention the extra stress-related eating these holidays bring - oh joy! Then it's pretty much eggnog and fruit cake till the final big bash on New Year's when we get to eat and drink as much as possible before we make our New Year's Resolutions (see last year's resolutions) . Yes, the famine is getting pretty close now.

I think the months of October, November and December are the most difficult time of the year to lose (or keep off) weight. Now is the time to be on your guard for all these eating triggers!

I've got a challenge for you - tell me something you DIDN'T eat today even though you were very, very tempted!

Ok, I'll go first - I didn't buy any of my favorite type of Halloween candy and I'll toss any that's left over. I'll make a nice fruit salad with a small scoop of lf vanilla ice cream instead

How are you managing to resist temptation?

[LovesBassets]

Well, it's 7:40 pm and I've only had 2 trick-or-treaters, which means -- of course -- that I'm alone in the house with a basket full of snack-size Jelly Bellys and M&Ms.

Not good.

What I haven't eaten today is any of those M&Ms or Jelly Bellys. But the night is still young . I highly suspect I'll be eating some M&Ms in the next few hours....

The whole basket is going in the outside trash bin at 9pm sharp.

(PS: what I did eat today is a normal-size pack of Twizzlers....totally unrelated to Halloween, and NOT a good thing to do .)

[penpal]

Hi Kate,

That reminds me - I'll have to put some stinky stuff on top of the left over candy in the trash as I'm ashamed to say I have been known to fish it out!

So M&Ms are your favorites? I used to get mini Mounds and Kit-Kats when our son was little (I used to say to myself "they are HIS favorites") yeah right!

Watch out for those tricky treats!

[Heather]

One of my colleagues offered me a beautiful, homemade halloween cookie with homemade frosting as a prelude to a favor. I wanted to say yes for a number of reasons (just to avoid the whole conversation for one), but I held firm.

[Valerie Joy]

The time change has messed me up also. I was so hungry for dinner tonight I almost cheated.

I didn't eat any candy today even though I was VERY tempted!

[AnnieFannie]

The time change has really played tricks with me. I totally feel hungry. I was tempted to have a big bowl of ice cream, but I opted to have 2 little Junior Mints. 170 calories for 16 pieces. So that was like 22 calories. Not to bad and I was pretty satisfied. Though the ice cream would have been divine(Ben & Jerry's Everything But The....) Yummy...

I resist by telling myself do I really need that. And remind myself where it will end up. Plus I try to grab a yogurt or a piece of fruit. But it can be really hard some days.

[penpal]

wyllen - it must have been hard to say 'no' to that cookie, but I bet you're glad you did. I know the feeling as to how it sometimes seems easier to accept a food you don't really want rather than get into all the whys and wherefores!

Valerie Joy - Good for you for avoiding the candy gremlins!

AnnieFannie - Isn't it amazing the difference 1 hour can make? . I heard they are thinking of extending daylight savings next year - I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing .

I've been eating a lot more fruit lately (mostly grapes, berries (from frozen) and pears). I know it's got lots of carbs, but it's still better for you than candy and I'm hoping the extra vitamins in it will keep the colds & flu away this winter.

If I do have a "cheat" food, I still make sure to log how much I'm eating - this seems to help me be more 'conscious' of what I'm eating too. Somehow, knowing I'm going to be logging the food, I tend to eat a smaller portion than I would have done otherwise.

Oh, I just remembered something else that makes me hungry this time of the year. My allergies seem to get worse when the weather is damp (mold, etc.) which leads to a stuffy nose, which leads to not sleeping very well thus being tired all day and needing a sugar boost to keep going .

Keep on track everyone - we won't let the winter 'blahs' get the better of us!

[stacylambert]

I purposely bought my favorite candy (Reeses cups) to test myself and didn't have a single one! What I did have was some Halloween Dirt I made with sugar free pudding, cool whip free, and reduced fat oreos. Not the best, but is is a holiday right?

[2frustrated]

Oh I didn't have french fries! I wanted them soooooo bad! I sometimes think to myself (on a good day, if I remember) "skinny or chips..." skinny usually wins! So I went home and made myself oven wedges cut from a jacket potato! They taste loads better anyway!

[LovesBassets]

Originally Posted by penpal

Hi Kate,

That reminds me - I'll have to put some stinky stuff on top of the left over candy in the trash as I'm ashamed to say I have been known to fish it out!

So M&Ms are your favorites? I used to get mini Mounds and Kit-Kats when our son was little (I used to say to myself "they are HIS favorites") yeah right!

Penpal, I threw them all out in the outside trash can where the doggie doo and used cat litter goes -- because I (like George Castanza of "Seinfeld" fame) have also been known to go digging through the waste basket to retrieve goodies. Lovely .

Actually PEANUT M&Ms are my favorite....and my total downfall (other than pizza).

I also ate a donut today!!! Grrrr...what is WRONG with me???

[Mazarin]

I really hate going to the supermarket right now, because they have all those wonderful goodies in for the festive season! I just want to eat all the time, it's not good! I've laxed on this diet for a weeks, and although I am back on track I am not being really good with Christmas around the corner!

[LovesBassets]

This is a bit random, but like Mazarin said, it's getting really tough with the next few holidays looming. The good news is (a) I have no family within 1,000 miles so I won't be pigging out at Thanksgiving dinner, and (b) I'm working all day Thanksgiving ANYWAY -- lab rat rotation (charming). The BAD news is, I'll be spending Christmas week in the UK with a chocoholic beanpole (plus hitting the pubs every night)!

I need a Christmas plan...

[phantastica]

Three times today, I have walked past the reception-desk candy jar (now overflowing with GOOD chocolate candy instead of polite hard candies that nobody takes).

I got caught with my pants down again ... figuratively speaking, ! It's my last week at my current job, and a coworker called to say he wouldn't be able to make it to my farewell happy hour, and asked to take me to lunch. Usually, I'll research my meal choice ahead of time, but this time I didn't have that opportunity. I *thought* vegetable moussaka with a side salad would be a wise decision, but I found out later that it's quite fat-laden. That's fine - as an added precaution, I took home exactly half of everything on my plate.

I'm not sure how I am going to survive the holiday months, either. I'm hoping that my weight loss this past few months will be enough to propel me through!

I agree - "famine months" has become quite a bit of hogwash, hasn't it!? Maybe that's why people have vamped up the fall/early winter holidays. I've also thought that the fall/winter holidays were more celebrated to compensate for the winter blues associated with shorter days.

[penpal]

stacylambert - That was very strong willed of you to resist the Reeses Pieces! . The "dirt" you made sounds yummy and not too bad in calories.

2frustrated - Good idea to substitute the potato wedges instead of fries - I bet they tasted even better than fries (I love the taste of potato skins ).

Kate - Maybe you can make yourself a sign that says "DoNot eat DoNuts". It's going to be a challenge going to the pubs in the UK with a chocoholic beanpole . I have no willpower over food when I've had a few drinks . I have some friends like that who can eat what they want and never gain an ounce grrrrrrrr! Maybe you can have a little healthy snack before you go out and that will take the edge off your appetite a bit.

Mazarin - I know what you mean. We were just at Trader Joe's the other day and they already have the imported goodies in. We were very good and didn't buy ANYTHING bad. . Once I start eating that stuff I can't stop!

phantastica - Good idea to take home half of the portion of the moussaka. I do that a lot. That way you don't feel deprived plus you get another meal out of it. If I can't resist something , I try to take a tiny portion so at least I've had a taste. I always log everything, even the "cheats" so I'm more 'aware' of what I'm eating.

Stay strong and defeat those (junk) food urges!

[lizzbabe]

I was very tempted by the snacks in the office today namely the open box of Cheez-Its on the table and the chocolate chip cookies at the front desk. BUT I am going to start off November right and I resisted both!