[Pint Sized Terror]

Ok, so I work at a convenience store. We sell all your normal convenience store stuff, pop, candy, small cakes/snacks... but we also do pizzas, hot subs and wings.

That is my biggest obstacle right now. I literally have this food right in front of me ALL. DAY. LONG. We get tips, so I have the ability to purchase this food ALL. DAY. LONG. Should I? NO, and for more reasons than just because it's fattening. I tell myself before work that I will NOT buy anything, but almost always do. Thankfully, mercifully, I haven't gained weight, but I haven't lost any either.

For Christmas this year, the boyfriend is taking me to Las Vegas. We are supposed to leave December 26th. I want to wear my cute clothes and feel comfortable in them, not all sausaged up, which is how I feel now.

Today, over the course of the day, I ate 3 slices of cheese pizza, 5 deep fried wings in honey mustard sauce and a hot sub with grilled chicken, honey mustard sauce and cheese on it. Oh, and I drank almost 400 calories worth of sweet tea. Calories aside, that is NOT a healthy day's eating!! I can feel my arteries clogging! UGH!

I have tried bringing healthier alternatives, but I look at my healthy food, then look at the junk food, and yeah, guess who ends up losing out?

Anyone got any advice?

[xangelicox]

i know what you mean. i work at a restaurant and its very hard not to nab a fry here or keep getting a coke...what i do is drink water! i know its hard... but i try to drink water the whole shift and if your just starting this have one soda so you dont have a relapse. Also i chew gum when im getting the munchies..

[amless326]

I try and do the same thing as xangel. Chewing gum has helped me from snacking more than I should. I have also been upping my water intake. Have you tried unsweetened tea with like splenda or truvia? My bf absolutely hates unsweetened tea but he has been slowly adding less and less splenda each week. I think he also adds lemon. I gained most of this weight being a waitress, so I know how much it sucks being around food all day

[Pint Sized Terror]

I love chewing gum, but eventually my jaw aches and pops after chewing more than a couple of pieces.

I will try the water trick. I've been drinking diet pop, which I actually hate, but it's better calorie-wise than the regular pop.

[MrsTryingAgain]

Yes, but diet soda can be loaded with sodium, which is also unhealthy. To break my soda habit I drink sparkling flavored water...no sodium, great flavor & the carbonation I desire. You're doing well taking healthy treats to work. I have to ask if you eat a meal before work...not sure when you shift is. Having regular healthy meals helps you curb appetite.
Lastly, decide whether that junk food is worth NOT fitting into your outfits. I love junk food & sweets probably more than the average person I know if I don't say "NO" to them, this weight will stay & probably only go higher. Believe me, you are tougher than that junk food & the more you try the easier it gets. Good luck!!!

[heartinoregon]

I am sorry to hear about all of your temptations; I can just imagine how you feel! I know that wouldn't be easy for me.
I agree with the other posters with trying to drink more water through your whole shift. It helps me sometimes to put my water in a cup with ice and drink it through a straw (I don't know why, but it helps me). You could also try bringing in pizza you made yourself for lunch. I know it's not the same, but it would be more exciting than a salad or something. I usually make my own little pizza on a whole-weat tortilla (La torilla factory makes some really good ones), with tomato sauce, cheese, and lots of veggies to help fill me up. You could try something like this maybe.
Another idea would be for you to bring your dress that you want to wear in Vegas with you to work. This might sound silly, I know. But you could keep it in your car, and on your breaks go to your car and eat your lunch and just look at the dress as a motivational visual kind of thing. Stuff like this has helped me in the past. I know it probably sounds silly! (:
Good luck and keep us posted!

[xRiotGirl]

Ughhh I know this exactly! I work at a 'general' store (Dollar General) and I would always bring a whole lunch with me and bring water and everything and say 'I'm not going to buy a pop' 'I'm not going to buy a chocolate bar' and then break time would come around and I'd be like...'well, maybe just one pop..' I could never understand it! Honestly I think I had to just flip the switch in my mind. I had to just be like, nope, I said I wouldn't yesterday and the day before and I still did and if I do AGAIN today, then when will I ever NOT? This last time when I finally just stopped, I just stopped, cold turkey. Started drinking a TON of water. I was the same as you, only drinking diet pop, no more regular. But diet pop tricks your mind and makes you crave things..When I stopped drinking it all at once, about a week in it made me crave regular pop constantly. That lasted a couple of days and I bought myself a Snapple (may as well have just been pop, it was just as bad for me). I drank it, logged it and all that, and from then on just didnt drink it anymore. No more sugary drinks. Just like that, switched all water.

When I'm craving anything, I also have a sparkling water. I drink La Croix brand, to me it is just a crisper taste than other seltzer waters, but my sister will argue until the day she dies that it's exactly the same as anything else..Anyway, not sure if you like seltzer water or not, I personally hate it which is why drinking this worked so well for me. I spent all of my mental energy on just drinking the damn can of it that I forgot about my cravings and sweet tooth and by the time I finished didn't want anything anymore.

I know this is kind of long but I totally get it! These are the things I did, but every person is different. Best of luck to you!

[Spiritix]

You could consider finding recipes for food that is tastes just as good as the junk food, only healthy, kinda backing up what heartinoregon said about pizza, but it doesn't have to be pizza. It could be like a toasted sandwich with whole wheat bread, or something.
Try not looking at it, or thinking about it. I don't know how much down time you have, but you could try keeping yourself busy with something and not allowing yourself to consider the foods, like cleaning up a bit, or maybe bring an activity you can do when you do have down time.
Indeed though, you'll have to exercise more power over your cravings. It will get easier if you can just say no more and more. Remind yourself constantly of your goal. Don't submit so easily. Put up a fight.

[bargoo]

I don't work in a convenience store but I have my own kitchen and pantry , full of food and temptation. I also purchase all the food for my home which means I go to the supermarket , full of temptation that I can buy. I have to remember what will happen if I give in, do I want to be fat again ? NO WAY ! Maybe you can post some pictures of cute clothes that you would like to wear, post them on your refrigerator or keep a copy in your car or purse as a reminder. Good Luck !!

[luckymommy]

What if you promised yourself one treat at the end of each week? I don't think that would work for everyone but maybe it's worth a try. Also, you might want to wear something as a reminder to stick to your program. Some people like to wear their workout clothes and that might motivate them, or even a cute pair of undies. You probably have some magazines in your store right? Try to look at them before you buy. I know that sounds very weird and shallow but maybe they will actually motivate you....especially a magazine like Shape or Women's Fitness or Health. Maybe you could workout before work every day. Sometimes that's enough to keep me honest. Do you have someone working with you that could give you some support? How about sucking on a breath mint, since gum is hard on your jaw. I read somewhere that mint flavor can help curb cravings. I know that's a lot of what about's but I thought I'd just brain storm a bit. I hope you figure out and either way, have a great time in Vegas!

[seagirl]

Why do you have all this time to eat? Could you work on keeping the store clean instead? Dust shelves, straighten things, clean up under the register? Or if you are standing around waiting for customers, can you knit instead so that your hands are busy? Or bring a book to read?

[moonkissed]

My mom works at a convenience store too and it was really difficult for her. I think seagirl made a good point, atleast for my mom there was alot of periods where it would be really busy and other times where it would just be so dead with nothing really for her to do. So maybe it is boredom causing you just to eat and eat?

My mom started bringing her kindle to read and it helped her alot.

Also I know for myself when i try to avoid bad food I would pack extra healthy stuff but it would also be stuff that i didn't really love so that it was much easier to choose the bad stuff over it. I think alot of people gave great advice on how to pack stuff that was similar but healthier. Or find food you really love that is healthy.

I think mostly it just comes down to willpower. Easier said then done But know you are in charge, and you can say no. maybe set a specific time to eat and don't let yourself eat except for then and when you start eying the food just make some affirmations to repeat to yourself over and over.

Its hard for me too. Willpower has to be the hardest issue of them all.

[Teresa66]

I so feel your pain and frustration. I worked in a convenience store for almost two years and Starbucks for another two years. It's really hard to avoid the temptation, especially when you are bored or overworked.

I now have a job in a furniture store and my first thought was that this was going to be easy because I could bring my own food and avoid temptation. Wrong!! On my second day of work a sales rep showed up with Olive Garden. We have gone out for Mexican to celebrate someone's retirement and again to celebrate a promotion. This Saturday is my boss's birthday and there will be cake. Uggghhh!!

I am back on track and I know for me it's going to take a daily does of willpower and some tough love. Good luck!