The title says it all. I am addicted to macaroni. I was doing so well. I had lost almost ten pounds. I have NEVER done that before. I've only gained. I might lose a pound or two here or there, but never almost TEN.

Then this weekend I made macaroni salad. Why?? I know this is a danger food for me. I made a huge bowl of it (DH and daughter like it a lot, too). Well, I ate most of it!! Ugh. I would keep eating, even after I knew I was full.

Same thing happened last night, when I made home-made mac and cheese. I was full after the first serving, but I had seconds anyways. Why do I do this to myself? I just can't make macaroni meals any more, if I can't keep my fork out of them. If DH wants macaroni salad, he'll have to go to his mom's (right next door ).

Then I read the posts today from Sandi and Amanda. I know I'm not alone in feeling out-of-control like this, and that really does help. I think I'm with Sandi -- No more excuses. I need to do something about this, before my health is permanently damaged. I'm 33 years old, five foot two, and weigh 253.5, as of today. I want to be able to enjoy time with my daughter -- she's six years old and super-active. I can't do that if I can't even take a walk with her without being winded, or my knees hurting.

You can do it Darla. I know what you mean about certain foods. I gave up cheeseburgers for the same reason. I ate them as treats for a while but was finding that it just made me want to have more all week. So I gave them up over a month ago and I don't even miss them now. I can go by Wendys or any fast food and don't even think about pulling in. Good for you for knowing you have to give it up. You can do this.

Amen to what Howie said. I would rather give up trigger foods completely, or have them only in very controlled environments, than continue to tempt myself and think that I "should" be able to have a little bit and stop. When I decided to deal with the REALITY of who I am -- rather than thinking that I SHOULD be this or that -- I started making progress. My mantra is "whatever works." That includes things like never having peanut butter in the house, not trying to have "just a bite" from a pastry tray at an office reception, etc.

Willpower and control are great, but when those fail I turn to STRAGEGY.

Man, I don't even allow doritos in the apartment. I'll be looking at the bottom of the bag in no time.

It took me a couple (at least, since I didn't count!) of empty bags to finally admit to myself I couldn't go part way with them and had to let them go. haha. Doesn't mean I can never have a dorito again, just that I can buy little bags once in a while. I'd bet a lot of people have a food they can't resist.

Pasta is a major trigger food for me as well. In fact, back in the day I could eat plate after plate of pasta until I would feel sick. I don't know what it is, but it's very hard for me to stop eating it. For some reason, I had this weird block against just eliminating it from my diet, because I felt like that would be "letting the pasta win." Now I make *only* whole wheat pasta (which I've really come to enjoy, but it's quite a bit more filling) and I make *only* one serving each for my husband and me (even though I love leftovers, I can't have leftover pasta because I will end up at the refrigerator with a fork).

I think one major part of successfully losing weight is being able to psych yourself out at every turn (like funniegirl said, it's STRATEGY). Eat in the evenings? Find something to do so you'll be gone. Get bored during cardio? Tell yourself you'll do just 15 minutes, but then trick yourself into doing 30. Be ingenious, and I know you can find a way to kick the pasta habit!

p.s. This has given me a good idea for a book: "Trick Yourself Thin!"

Try being Italian & losing weight. Can't give up pasta completely, have to have it once a week only, in a controlled portion. You can do it!!!!

Congrats on conquering your cheeseburger thing, Howie!

I say dump all that pasta down the drain!! And make sure DH doesn't bring home any macaroni salad from next door. Isn't it strange what pushes our food buttons? Macaroni doesn't do anything for me, but peanut butter, well, that's a big one for me. I can control it more often than not now, but when I'm under stress, I head straight for the peanut butter, and I don't even need a piece of bread to spread it on.

I'm with Sheila. Peanut butter does it for me.

Now if you are like me and I tell myself that I can't have this or that I only want it more. If you know that you just can't live without your pasta and the whole wheat isn't an option, then plan for your pasta. Eat less the rest of the meals and only make what you need.

I love mashed potatoes too and I would make 5 pounds at a time. We'd have tons of left overs or we'd eat ourselves silly on 2nds and 3rds. So now I make 2 small potatoes for the two little ones, 2 med. potatoes for Chris and I and 2 med.-large for Jeff and that's it. We each get a serving of potatoes and don't have leftovers.

Trigger Foods - Hate em. It sometimes suprises me what I can't have in the house. Chocolate is a given, but I can't control chocolate grahm crackers or cheese crackers. But I can easily only have one skinny cow even though I think they are great. Strange!!

I was excited when I first heard about Skinny Cow several years ago. Bought a package. Ate the whole thing in 2 days. No more Skinny Cow in my house. *sigh*

For me it's anything with nuts. Especially caramel covered. Have you seen that new stuff from Popycock? It's just glazed nuts, my god, I think I broke into a cold sweat the first time I saw them at WalMart. Evil Popycock, evil!

Beverly

Oh, God. Peanut butter. It's probably my #1 trigger food! I used to eat it right out of the jar by the tablespoonful (Beverly, this is only one step away from the sour cream we discussed before!). But you know, it doesn't really "trigger" me anymore, as long as I have it only once every two weeks or so on a slice of whole wheat toast. But I do crave it sometimes... SKIPPY SUPERCHUNK!