I find that weekends and evenings are my "challenging" times to stay OP. During the workday, I am an IP "machine"!

So, I was wondering, for those of you who work outside of the home, do you find being at work easier to follow the plan, or being at home easier to follow the plan?

For myself, it really doesn't matter. What matters is the planning. I usually have a Plan A and backups for a Plan B, just in case Plan A doesn't work out for whatever reason.

I agree--planning is key. But I find myself with a plan and it backfires.

Example: I tried to make rutabaga fries last night. EPIC FAIL.
So, then I went to plan B....jicama. FAIL.

Apparently, I CANNOT COOK.

So then I was stuck sitting there watching DH and kids eat while I munched on meat and celery. Boo.

So, yes, I stay OP....but it's much harder at home. At work, it's just grab a RTD, grab a bar, grab the veggies. The "real meal" at home is trying to get me to cheat....it's a sneaky little beast, but I am winning.

MUCH easier at work!!
I pack my lunch and my breakfast and a couple of water bottles, so I have no option but to eat what I take. Working in a school, lunch is only 30 minutes so I really don't have time to eat out and luckily, the snack machine is on the opposite end of the building--out of sight, out of mind!
As Lisa said, planning ahead is the key, but I have never been good at that. I'm pretty much OP at home, but I try to make sure the fridge is stocked with veggies that I like. My biggest problem at home is getting my water in--I simply forget to drink. Left on my own, I just don't drink that much. I've started putting a 2-quart pitcher of water on the kitchen counter, to remind myself to drink ALL of that during the day.

Tam67green--
I work in a school too! And like I said in the original post, work is easy! I do really well with the "ring a bell, go to lunch. ring a bell, go to class" mentality!

It's home that is full of pitfalls...and suspiciously lacking of bells telling me what to do and when.

Perhaps you should ask the people who stay at home (work, moms, etc.) how they do it.

Sometimes I wonder why we aren't changing meals for our families so THEY get healthier too. My boys love chicken fingers etc but if I cook them that and fries, while I make a chicken breast and salad for me... doesn't make sense. I know they need to learn good eating habits now so am making more effort to have them eat what I'm eating. My son has started chopping up the veggie salad stuff now, and it's not only a big help, but he feels like a real 'chef'. And who's kidding who - If I'm makin' Big Mac in a Bowl, it needs to be a really BIG bowl or I don't get any!

I definitely do not make two meats at dinner. If I am having fish, so is everybody else. The only differences in our meals are the sides usually. Like, last night everyone has broccoli....but the kids and DH had rice, and I can't have that so I attempted rutabaga...then I attempted jicama....then I actually ate celery. Lol...I knew I should just keep using my oven for storage....

But, yes, I agree, we DO have the responsibility to teach our loved ones good nutrition.

Oh yes! Definitely the work week is easier than the weekends! Especially since at the end of the work week you're like "Whoo .. all done for the week!" and you want to relax, etc.

My best weekends are when we're busy and I have pre-planned - which is hard with a kid and a husband since they're both in the "Oooh - let's make pizza's!! " mode!

Actually, if it was just my boy, it would be pretty easy as he has excellent nutrition skills and loves my healthier meals - and of course doesn't go for the that beer or wine My DH on the other hand is an instigater and I have to put him in his place at times ...

I have no really good advice except the planning and trying to rally your troops to support you .. good luck!

I don't find a difference between work and home for staying OP. I bring my food to eat at work but there are tons of snack foods etc that we keep here for our employees. Since starting IP I haven't even considered having anything other then what I've brought with me. At home is similar....there's tons of food in the fridge and the cupboards that I can't/won't have but it doesn't tempt me either. I started this knowing there would be tempting things out there and wasn't about to empty my cupboards so that I wouldn't be tempted. I've learned that I don't need those things and honestly I really don't miss it. My DH does 99% of the cooking in our house and he always makes dinner that I can eat...he may add on a baked potatoe for himself and his daughter but he eats what I eat other then that. And I've noticed he's actually dropped some weight too.

I just started but I feel it is easier when I am at work to stay OP. Like tam67green I have trouble drinking my water when I am home. Never been much of a drinker anyway. Love the idea of putting the pitcher on the counter! Will def start doing that.

I work from home, and just thought I'd offer my pov.

What's been essential to me is to only keep the foodstuffs that are compliant with my diet in the house. So I can't be tempted. Or at least only tempted once, while I'm in the grocery store doing the weekly shopping. If it's not on the diet, I don't put it in my grocery cart.

I'm also single, so I don't have the situation of buying off plan food stuffs for other family members and having to resist it later. I give hugh kudos to you guys who prepare tasty off plan foods for your families, and have all these items in your fridges and cupboards.

One big bonus for working from home is that I always have access to the kitchen for making all meals. So the food prep can be done just prior to each meal with ease.

I'm only on my second week of being 100% OP... but this past weekend and the first weekend on IP were tough! I have no issues during the week when I'm at work, but this last weekend was a "lazy" weekend and I was food obsessed, fantasizing about food, had cravings that I haven't had all week, etc.

So, I figured I need to do something different on the weekends. I will be busy 7 days a week once the weather turns nice, but for now I will have to have busy plans in place so I don't have too much time to think about food.

It's just my old habits and routines that were part of my life for so long (like sitting on the computer and "grazing" all the time) and I need to break that cycle.

I just find it easy to follow the plan generally. However, I'm divorced so I live alone. The only food in my house is what I bring in it and nothing tempting is here so there's nothing to struggle with.

Also, though it would help me get through the day better if I had my protein at lunch, having it at dinner keeps me satiated and I don't want to eat anything else.

I'm a teacher, and my workday is so crazy and busy that I don't have TIME to stray from IP! When I get home, I'm tired and that tends to lead me astray if I'm not dedicated. Weekends home with my kids are challenging, too.