Argh, I am a bit frustrated with myself at the moment. I haven't been around here nearly enough and as I am back at home for the summer, the junk food in the pantry has been overwhelming me. I end up having a good day, making good choices, and then wham! After dinner, I just start to munch. I've never had such an unsuccessful period of attempting to get myself back on track before.

I need some motivation, but also, I thought that by sharing your ideas for getting yourself back on the wagon that you might be able to motivate others too - not to mention yourself. Sometimes writing it out and seeing it on the screen can make it even more concrete in your mind (like writing out your goals). What worked for you might work for someone else (like me!). What did you tell yourself when you found you had a hard time? I am still journaling everything, including all the cookies I've been downing in the last few days, and I know I'm making bad choices but I can't seem to stop. I hit my first goal and I'm really afraid that my subconscious is saying "that's enough, you can't do any better, so stop trying" and I don't want to listen to it.

Help?

Thanks in advance.

Hiya Free,

You know, if losing were easy, there'd be a lot fewer overweight people in this world.

Challenges like this are bound to crop up at one time or another. Most people go through similar phases where they struggle with staying OP. You just have to put those cookies into perspective... They may be satisfying for the 30 seconds it takes you to eat one, but knowing you chose to avoid them and eventually losing the rest of your weight would be far more satisfying in the long run, right? It's hard to not live in the moment but with things like this it would be helpful to look to the future.

Is there a cupboard you can put all your family's junk into and just think of it as "off-limits" for the remainder of your summer? You don't even know what's in that cupboard, you're not allowed in. Then maybe make yourself a space on a shelf with nice yummy healthy treats/snack foods that is off limits to your family. That might help you avoid the temptation.

If all else fails, dump the cookies in the garbage, convince yourself that you're doing good things for your health AND your family's health! Even if they don't buy it!

Hey Free.... I have fallen off with ya!

My problem is my Chef Son is eating all of my food! I have a special cabinet and a shelf in the fridge as well as a freezer basket. I have tried unsuccessfully to get back to planning my meals after the 4th of July holiday, but am finding it increasingly difficult to do because I go to get what I 'think' is there and it is gone! This is leading me to either skip meals, or eat something totally not on plan because I am hungry. He is also baking a lot. Which is fine and my 'sampling' is totally my lack of will power. But... I wasn't having that kind of stuff around because I knew I was weak in that area.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR....

I have had a talk with him about this and he said he would stay out of my stuff - he told me to label it.. lol. This weekend I am going to have to restock - he is going to be gone - and label everything. I am going to put my stuff back into my cabinet and use my drawer and shelf in the fridge. If I have to label the drawer and shelf I will.

I had also got a Wii and haven't been able to use it because he monopolizes it..

I don't want to place blame as I am the one in charge of my success, but he is sure making it difficult! LOL

All I can tell you is get rid of all the stuff that is tripping you up and plan at least a week ahead for meals. Kinda like you were new and starting over. That is what I plan on trying! Sunday is my new week!

Hey chicks- I'm a visitor from the core board. I have an idea for how to protect your food. Whenever I have purchased ingredients for a recipe that I don't want anyone to eat, I put it in a container for a food that no one will bother. For instance, I save the large plastic bag that frozen broccoli comes in. I wash it out, dry it, then put whatever I want to hide in it. Also, I've put special coffee creamer in the plastic bottle that buttermilk comes in because my DS was drinking it! I hope this idea is helpful!

Oooh, sneaky! I like it!

I think getting back on track for everyone is a personal thing. The first thing I thought of when I read this was that you could rip those pages out of your journal, highlight the line items for the treats and tape them to the treat boxes themselves. Then, if you go to get a treat, you're reinforcing your decision. You either want to continue on the downward spiral or you'll see it and make a better choice.

Of course, that wouldn't work for everyone.

What works for me is getting rid of the trigger all together. If there are cookies in my house and I notice myself snacking on the cookies, I throw them away. "Oh, what if someone else wants a cookie?" Well, tough luck. They can go buy their own cookies. Or, even better, I can give them some money to buy cookies but they have to sneak them in the house and hide them somewhere so I never even know they're there.

I know that seems extreme but drastic measures need to be taken sometimes when I'm completely sabotaging myself. Again, I think it's a personal thing and these tactics might not work for others.

Chef Son made a chocolate cake with fudge frosting. It is on the kitchen counter. He even left a fork in the pan with the cake. I have walked by it all week. <sigh>