Self Control

**sammi1991** · 12-08-2010 02:05 AM

So i've been doing my home made diet and exercise routine for almost 2 weeks now, first week i lost a kilo but coming to the end of the second week i've gained half back. I seem to be lacking self control/enjoying things in moderation. As it is the beginning of the christmas season, a lot of my coworkers are bringing in chocolate treats, cakes, cookies, shortbread etc etc and i know having a little is ok every now and then but it seems if i have 1 biscuit i'll go back for 2nds, 3rds and even 4ths if theres any left. How can i teach myself to say NO?

**kygirl** · 12-08-2010 07:44 AM

I find that I try to avoid where the treats are. It also helps to let people know that you are trying to eat better. Once I've turned down a few treats, I find I don't get offered them directly.

The only real way to learn to say no is to say no. You have to just figure out how to make that work for you. Maybe you can implement a waiting period. Like when you want a treat, you wait 30 mins to see if you still want it? I find if I don't get it immediately, a lot of times, I forget about it.

**KMonte85** · 12-08-2010 08:28 AM

It is SOOOOO hard to try to lose weight during the holiday season, so kudos to you for trying to stay dedicated to weight loss.. all the goodies and treats and work parties and family/friend get parties... it gets to be SO MUCH temptation! I've gotten to a point where I'm not even trying to lose more weight until after the New Year.. I will maintain the weight I am now, I will keep exercising, I will eat healthy meals, and (knowing myself) I will occationally give in and nosh on a not-so-good-but-oh-so-delicious holiday treat.

If you still want to keep losing, ky is right - you HAVE TO find some way to not eat the goodies. Avoid the area where the treats are placed at ALL costs. Keep healthy treats at your desk - so if you catch yourself thinking about heading over to the treats to munch on some cookies, grab a handful of something healthy at your desk to curb your appetite for the sweets. And if you DO cave in and eat too many goodies - add some intensity/time to your exercise to make up for it. Say you jog for an hour a day usually, but you ate 5 biscuits at work. Start interval sprinting to up the intensity, and work an extra 20 minutes. It will help burn the extra calories you consumed - and the next time you look at those biscuits, you might think about what you're going to have to do to make up for it (makes them a little less appetizing).

**Beautiful Disaster** · 12-09-2010 07:03 AM

This is probably the only time I'll ever say this........but play mind games with yourself.

By this I mean, find somethings you like and enjoy (that are not bad for you) and treat yourself to this "snack" daily while you're at work. Keep it in your desk, and when the glazed donuts show up in the break room, tell yourself "I don't need this, I have a snack waiting for me at my desk". Make yourself go back to your desk, sit down and have your snack. Eat it very slowly and savour each bite. Really take in the flavors and appreciate them. I know it sounds silly, but I've gotten to the point (unless I'm pre-menstrual, then all bets are off! lol) where I enjoy my morning tea, oranges and pb crackers SO much that I'd pass up a donut for them most anytime. The key is finding things you really enjoy that are not bad for you.

Make realistic expectations for yourself during the holidays. Do not let your "holidays" last for a month (as they tend to do in the workplace). But be realistic with yourself. If someone brings in cookies, and you've done good on your food that day, it's okay to allow yourself ONE cookie......but know that in doing so it may make you want more and know that even one medium sized cookie (depending on the type) can have anywhere from 100-200 calories per cookie. Is it worth it?

Another thing I'd suggest is when someone brings something in that you're lusting for, say chocolate chip cookies. Before you even think about whether or not you'll eat one......go to google and type in "Nutrition facts of a chocolate chip cookie". You won't get exact figures but it'll give you a ballpark of the calories, sugar, and fat you're about to put in your body. Perhaps it will help you to make the decision to stick with your food instead.

**belindakan** · 12-15-2010 09:10 PM

i'm like that, once i break the seal and have one, i think two things: either "oh, another one (or two or three) won't hurt me," or "oh well, i just screwed up anyway, might as well have a bunch more and start again tomorrow!"

and listen, i'm a health coach, and it's still not easy but what i teach others to do and what i try to live by in my own life is living as if you were already that person you want to be. if you're at you're healthy weight, you're not eating cookies all the time! so when you're losing weight, it's even more important to be strict. but don't think of strict as a bad thing, think of it as learning the actions (in this case, saying no) that will help you achieve what you want.

i personally don't think that if you're goal is weight loss that having a little here and there is OK. it all adds up and can be discouraging. for me its easier to give it up for a certain period of time, knowing that it will always be there later. you may come to learn that you don't "need" these foods as much as you thought, and that "nothing tastes as good as thin feels."