Ok, i'm not the best "eater" in the world. I eat way worse than most of you guys on here. But i'm trying to do a little better. More fruits and veggies and less. . .candy bars. haha I've allowed myself 1 candy bar a week and it was working. Till we hired a new guy in my department who brings candy to work in his little candy jar on his desk. I have to pass that thing every day. And of course i'll eat 5+ of the little Sneaker bars and several of the Starburst. I didn't have this problem before he came. And i try not to go to the break room at all because if i do, i'll end up with a candy bar or something. I try so hard to flee from temptation because i know i'm not strong right now. . not when it comes to sweets. How do i NOT stop by his office and get a piece when i have to pass his office several times a day?? For those of you who are NOT sweet eaters. . .is there anything that does make you weak? And how do you get past it? the sugar alone is bad. . .i was doing good because i had sugar free gum if i needed something but when i have free access to something like chocolate. . . .

Seeking will power,
Amy

I say chew lots of sugar free spearmint gum. And of course, if his office has a door on it, that means you have to go into his office. Just don't go into his office. Or, ask him if he can move it out of your line of sight as you pass by his office. I don't know how i got over my sweet tooth. I know that the snack machine doesn't bother me anymore in the break room. matter of fact, i've had a milky way by my bed for about 3 months that i just have not even eaten yet. After lunchtime, if i get a sweet tooth craven i look at the calories of one hershy kiss and a minute box of raisins. I opt for the raisins because their sweet and healthier for me than the chocolate. I try to use that approach about everything i eat. Even if i've had all the calories i need for a day but yet i want something unhealthy, i think, okay....i might can go over my calories alittle bit but am i going over then with something healthy or something no good for me.It's just all about making that decision not to eat something that is not going to be benefical to your body in the longrun.

To answer your question which is the title of this thread, How do you find the willpower? - I got fed up enough and sick and tired of enough of being fat and inactive and miserable. My quality of life was poor and I knew that saying "no" to many foods was indeed saying "yes" to a happier, healthier, richer and more productive life.

Living the life that I am living now- being active and healthy and social and having a fantastic wardrobe and all the other tremendous benefits of being healthy and thin tastes way better to me then any of that other stuff.

But yes, of course there are plenty of things that make me weak. Ice cream, candy bars and I could go on and on. Those are things I allow into my life very, very, VERY infrequently. It's easier for me to not start at all, then have to stop at a small portion of it. So I choose to not start this way I don't have to worry about stopping. Did that make any sense to you? Making rules for myself about eating that stuff, strict rules and following through with them. Making the commitment to a healthier and better life.

Try bringing some healthy snacks to the office. Sliced cucumbers baby carrots, grape tomatoes. Sugar Free hard sucking candies work well for me. As does drinking lots of water. Also thinking about the future, not the 2 minutes of pleasure that you will have eating the junk. Staying focused in other words. Always being "aware" of what goes into my mouth. Counting my calories and being held accountable. Remembering that everything that goes into my mouth counts and MATTERS.

Hey Amy!

The piece of candy you must not eat is the FIRST one. That's the one that leads to all the rest. You must not have "just one" because there is no such thing for you right now.

Keep your hand out of that bowl! Step away from that vending machine!

Will power means that you understand that no one is putting the food into your mouth but YOU! Keep your hands where we can see 'em! Put that bite-sized thing DOWN! NOW!

I have sometimes had to "go limp"--pretend my arms don't work--to keep from picking up something I shouldn't be eating. I have also been known to throw food out because if I didn't, I would eat it.

Make a commitment to eat right, and to eat on plan. Make yourself stick with it! You won't always want to, but anyone can get through an hour without a candy bar. I mean it, I've done it! Do it one hour at a time if you have to.

Good luck! We're rooting for you!

Jay

Sometimes, it's easier for me just to put certain foods on a "no" list. I just don't eat that. Sometimes it's situational, sometimes it's absolute, but it definitely works for me. Candy at work? Definite no - haven't had one piece in 3 years. Candy is a "situational no" - I still eat the occasional bit of candy, just not at work.

I was thinking about what RRobin said in her post the other day about the difference between motivation (will power) and committment. Human nature leads will power to wax and wane. Committment to something is much stronger. It will get you through in those times when motivation won't.

X

I'm the opposite. I don't crave sweets but I do like salty snacks. I knew if I gave them up totally I would never last, so I just reduced it. In my case, I can have certain things in the house and use portion control. For instance, before my biggest snack was Pringles, which I've actually avoided this year. So I started buying the 100-calorie packs of other things, like Cheez Nips. I have the one baggie and that's fine with me, I know when to stop. It's not an approach that works for everybody. For some folks, having any junk food around may make them cave; for others, not having any around may make them cave. I've discovered for myself, that I can have some things around, especially if they come pre-portioned or if I know, for instance, that 8 pretzels equals 120 calories or whatever.
My willpower, ironically, comes from being able to have some junk in the house. I realized that I could be satisfied with less and that I could stop at less. I also tend to buy things that I like but am not totally in love with (i.e., I like Cheez Nips but I wouldn't eat a whole box, or even half a box, of them at once, lol). By not totally depriving myself, I'm not creating a huge craving. And I don't really eat the junk brought into the office, the donuts, etc.
You really have to know yourself. Like the others said, if you have some other snack, a better option, handy for yourself, then temptations won't be so strong.

Boy do I relate to your post! I'm a sweets lover, and it's SO HARD for me to deal with free sweets at the office! I hate that guy who left those free cinnamon rolls in the break room right now!

Over time, though, I've gotten a lot better about NOT eating those candies sitting right now on Jerry's desk. First of all, I know I can't have "just one." No sweets at the office is my rule. And I have an "emergency plan" written down for when I start getting the hankering to eat one of those Snickers. I have a piece of paper that says that when I start thinking about it, first I need to get away. I take a five minute walk around the building. If I'm still having a craving, I brush my teeth. If I'm still having problems, try to get involved in a work project. If I still have a craving, I chew some sugarless gum. Then I try writing a paragraph reminding myself about why I want to lose weight. Then I try a glass of hot tea. If I am still having the craving, I make a deal with myself that if I still want it I can stop and eat a candy bar on the way home. But I have to stick to my deal of no sweets at the office. It has to be a candy bar I made a special trip to buy.

Does this work 100% of the time ... no, it doesn't. But it has helped A LOT. Now, I almost never eat free sweets at the office. For a while I also bought a pack of gold stars and gave myself one on a sheet of paper every time I passed that jar and didn't take a candy. It sound silly, but it helped!

I love sweets also.. you really just need to find equally yummy alternatives, whether it's homemade muffins made in a healthier way, 100-calorie packs, etc. There are a lot of great options. I could never give up treats entirely. Target has these yummy chocolate covered ice cream bars.. they are shaped sort of like a popsicle and they are only 50 calories. Also, how about eating chocolate chips instead of candy bars? 29 Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet chips is only 70 calories. Bananas are yummy, as are frozen grapes and apples with or without natural peanut butter. So is sugar free/fat free Jell-o cups (10 calories) or 100 calorie pudding cups w/ fat free whipped cream. You need to look at your calories as currency. If you do that, you'll want to spend them wisely, not waste 400-500 on one tiny candy bar.

I had the EXACT same problem in my office and did what Robin did. NO CANDY EATING IN THE OFFICE! NOT ONE! NO! I can have one somewhere else but not at the office. Once I came to an agreement on that note, I started applying it to other things, like NO COOKIES IN THE HOUSE. NOT ONE! NO!

Now I can have a cookie with coffee with a friend, just not alone in the place that inspires me to binge.

The other thing? I told the guy with the candy that I couldn't have any. It was a brave moment for me but then I was too embarrassed to go get one.

ps-This is called "Skill-Power" not "Will-Power". Left to my own devices, I will binge

It's a female, of course. Haven't you heard Gary Puckett sing about "Lady Willpower"?

This is wonderful

Glory - It's from a 12-step program. I'm not this clever!

I Know this is true for me even after 8 months of eating healthy. I cannot have and will not have that first sweet thing because I will not stop. I am not depriving myself because I rather have a bowl of berries now than a candy bar. My tastes have changed and I don't want to go back to my old way of eating. Just don't eat it. It will get easier with time. Believe me it will.