SELF DESTRUCT

StayceX, are you going to send me a bill for that advice??? :) You are so right - negativity DOES only make the slide worse! I am going to print out this entire post and keep it where I can SEE it at 3PM..... I think alot of my 3PM is my work day is almost over, it gets noisy in the office then (crews coming in) and some boredom. I cant take a break and walk the halls as it would be disruptove to the other people in the building. And the heat here in Bama is UNBEARABLE at that time of the afternoon. I am going to take one of my MANY WLS books today and at 3 I am going to pull it out and take a few minutes to read it OR better yet, I will read this post! Thanks to all of you - advise IS the best answer.

Yah... I bill you 10 green M&M's.. hahah. Just kidding.   Baltimore has been hot as heck too.  I guess much of the east coast.  I think we are going to be over 100 again today.  It is freezing in my office though.  Can you access the OH boards when you get bored or chat via instant messenger from the office?  If so, mabe post at 3pm and let us know how you are doing. I actually am able to walk plenty in doors at my hospital from building to buillding so I'm pretty lucky if I feel the need to go stretch my legs.  Problem is I don't get up and stretch my legs enough.

I haven't had time to read all of these responses, and I have to run to a meeting, (yep, surfing at work), but here is something that is working for me. I can't deal with "I can NEVER have a brownie, piece of cake, or whatever". For a while recently I was getting so I had to have treats after every meal.  I was getting addicted again. So, I have started a new rule where Monday through Friday I must be compliant to the proper diet (portion size, selection, etc.).  Then, if I REALLY want that treat, whatever it is, I can have it on the weekend.  This gives me a reason to say NO during the week to the MANY impulses I have for food, but leaves me relieved knowing that if I really want something I can have it.  BUT, the "damage" is limited because I only have 2 days in which I can have "treats" rather than 7.  Now, you might worry that I would stuff a lot of treats in during that 2 days.  I did the first weekend or so, but then I got over it.  Generally, I don't really want it, it is just impulse.  I'm pretty good at deciding if something is really worth the calories. Basically it is 1) structure with some flexibility and 2) delay tactics. I am a few pounds below goal, I do not dump and I'm over 2.5 years out. 

Please stop abusing yourself mentally--you are not bad or wicked or evil. Maybe you're just  hungry!!!  Or even thirsty??! Eat a good meal of protein when you get the munchies-- Good luck!

I think slipping into old eating behavoir will always be something most of us post WLS have to look out for.  When I get in a bad place - work, family, whatever - I tell myself I deserve a little treat.  Some days I don't even rationalize it.  We don't have snacks machines at our office, just snacks.  Imagine drawers of chocolate (the good stuff) snack crackers, pop corn, pop cycles, soda.  It took me a while to really look at what I was doing.  To stop rationalizing.  Restock my snack drawer with raw almonds, power crunch bars, better choices.  The harder part is sticking to the cliche "one day at a time".  I start every day determined to be good.  It was almost two weeks before I made it through a whole day.  I even managed to get a whole five days last week. So, thank you for your post.  You helped me look at my behavoir today and remember why I got my stomach cut in half.  Don't berate yourself.  Be proud.  You recognize you have a problem and are asking for help.  That's not easy. Torrey