I'm worried that I might be sabotaging myself, but whenever I pack a "healthy" lunch, the campus food always seems to be all the more tempting.

Today I made myself a light peanut butter and light jam sandwich on whole grain bread, a banana, an apple, a creamy low-fat yogurt and a bottle of water. Incredibly filling, very nutritious and all foods I actually like. And yet after wolfing it down, I went and got Subway with my friends -- while I got the veggie sandwich and baked chips with a diet drink (making it under 500 calories), I still can't figure out why I wasn't just happy with the bagged lunch. Does anyone else find that this is a problem -- packing the good lunch and then getting the "fun" lunch as well?

Definitely. I love the social aspects of eating - so if I eat my packed lunch at my desk and then my co-workers decide to go out, I'm always really tempted. Somehow I suddenly decide that I want more food. One of the other girls I work with always packs her lunch and takes it along when everyone goes out - I've done this a few times and it really helps.

For me, it is the feeling that I am getting a "treat." The treat I allow myself every day, no matter what, is a venti iced coffee, no syrup, light on the cream (but always real cream). I don't know if you have the money, but you can lose weight just fine eating out once a day. Just do your research. It can even be something silly, like a sf jello parfait for after your meal or sf swiss miss hot chocolate in your favorite mug. For a while, I was on a Greek yogurt with chopped up tart apples and chopped walnuts kick. I think it was about 250 calories total.

I'm lucky to have a frig and a microwave at work. I generally take a really great salad and I always heat my protein (chicken, steak whatever) in the microwave, so it feels fancy, like a restaurant. I also usually add a little bit of "crunch" (tortilla strips, spicy wonton strips). It's only 50 calories, but it makes my salad feel decadent.

I think you have figured out that eating two lunches a day isn't going to support weight loss.

So, you're going to have to make a choice and stick to it. Either take your lunch and that's that, or plan to go out to eat and know ahead of time what you're going to order.

Obviously, hunger is not involved in this. If you already ate lunch, then you were not hungry, so you were eating for some other reason, like to be part of the group. So, figure out how to be part of the group without blowing things. It's OK to have already eaten, but go along and have a diet soda, for example.

Jay

Social eating is a big one for me too, I've done what you describe MANY times. People at work are always having a luncheon here or an outing there. The last time I was challenged with this, I decided I would eat the healthy lunch I brought to work first - and then I made a commitment to myself that I would go to the luncheon and drink water (or diet soda) and not eat, you know just be there for the social aspect. It was HARD since it was at a mexican restaurant and they keep the table piled with chips and salsa. I had eaten already, so I know my cravings were not actual hunger.

My point is after all this typing LOL, I agree with Jay.....dont miss out on the social part even if you've already eaten. Have a diet soda

Been there done that way to often! Many times I would have ate and then a friend would call and invite me out to lunch, so I would go and eat. I wasn't hungry but I wanted to socialize. No excuses, other than the food was there so I ate. I knew I wasn't hungry, but I did it anyways. I think that you made progress by realizing what your mistake was. Don't miss outings with friends because you've ate, just don't eat again! Get a drink, or some veggies, but don't eat just to eat. Good luck!

If I pack a lunch and then decide to get something at work, I sub the work food in for part of my lunch so I don't overdo the calories. If I get a sandwich from the food court, I don't eat whatever carb/dessert I brought from home. If I just have to have a soft pretzel, same deal. That way, I can have my treat when I want it, but I don't really hurt my calories.

This is relatable. I think you have to ultimately chose whats most important...eating healthy and controlling your portions...or eating out with your friends and possibly loosing track of your goal

Thank you very much for the support and advice. I think, ultimately, that I know I want to just get lunch on campus, so my friends have actually been great at letting me find healthier options.

I have the same problem with work. I work a preschool so the cook always makes lunch for the staff as well. Now, the food is pretty healthy because we are part of the food program, but still, I take a lunch and then sometimes am tempted to eat more.

Some ladies at work remove the temptation to eat work food and their food. They'll eat outside since it's been nice, or in their cars away from the work food. It's certainly been easier since I have to go to the kitchen to get it instead of the break room. I don't want to make that extra trip to eat extra!

Some chicks on here suggested bento boxes to me. They're fun little boxes in which you can put fun little foods. Maybe it could help you too?

I do something similar. I have a grande iced skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks almost every day (its an issue for my wallet, but that's another thread). It's only 80 calories and I enjoy it SO much that I work it into my calories every day. Which isn't hard to do since it's so low. I try to have it with my lunch (which is usually a salad or a bland sandwich) so it doesn't make me crave something else afterwards.

This is very familiar to me. All too often I find myself bringing home my healthy lunch because I couldn't resist the temptation of the cafeteria. I work in a hospital, so, very stereotypically, the food isn't even very good. But it's warm. And it's comforting. And it's something to think about when you're on your third hour of rounds.
The best solution I've found so far is to buy one hot thing from the caf, usually a soup, as an addition to my crappy boring lunch. That way I can go check out the caf with my colleagues, have a hot part of my lunch, and still "enjoy" my healthy stuff.

I didn't know there were so few calories in those! This is amazing news!!...for my starbucks addiction, not my chequing account