[thakitt]

Just wondering what people do when they have bad days. Do you have a phrase that you find inspirational, imagine yourself thinner? Just gathering information for future reference!

[LSg44PDu]

I put the following in a thread called "INSPIRATION: DON'T GIVE UP" -- the contents are below this paragraph. I also say the following sentence if I am even remotely thinking of eating crap -- or not going to the gym, and it works like a charm. It is, "Today you have the power to get one day closer to your goals, or one day further away. Its your choice." Sometimes, I simplify it as I stare at a brownie mix, drooling, in the supermarket and just say..."one day closer or one day further away". Anyhow, this works for me. Good luck to you! 8)

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This poem, called Invictus, has always helped me during tough times when I want to turn to food for quick and easy comfort. The last 2 lines are particularly powerful. Its about taking responsibility for your life. You may not be able to control other people or what they say, your work situation, or whatever is bothering you.....BUT......you 100% control what you put in your mouth. No matter how bad your day, you at least have full control about what food you put in your body. You own that responsibilty. No one else. Think about it.... If you cheat, they win.

Stay strong and keep your eye on the ball.
Enjoy!

Invictus
by William Ernest Henley; 1849-1903
(taking responsibility for one’s destiny)

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

(Now, think about what you could accomplish if failure weren't an option!)

[JJascaxal]

When I'm having a bad day and am tempted to cheat, I take out my weight loss journals and review my progress.

I look at the chart of my weight loss and try to project what my weight will be in a month if I don't cheat. I look at the menus from the weeks that I lost the most weight. And I look at my record of exercise.

It's usually enough to convince me that it's not worth giving up all I've worked so hard for, to have something that might make me feel good for a few minutes, and will almost certainly make me feel bad for quite a while afterwards.

[thakitt]

That's a good tip, I keep track on Fitday so hopefully seeing my progress downwards will stave off temptation. And you look fantastic in your new avatar, well done!

[DongoSab]

Why not cheat a tiny bit with a low carb snack. there are sooo many out there. I keep a dark choclate bar in my purse at all times. It's 85% dark choclate. One square is .05 carbs. And god knows you can't eat maybe a couple of squares. It's healthy and it's better than those delicious sugar free candies by Russell Stover or even the Atkins bars. Also I keep a hot cinnamon gum in every nook and cranny so I can always get a quick fix. It's so satisfying and makes me drink water like crazy. Also I have been making the flaxseed muffins which are actually kinda good when you get use to them. I carry my oversized lunch pale whereever I go always loaded with Diet Rite cola with splenda, cinnamon and splenda covered pork rinds, Macadamia nuts, my dark choclate. I'm sure I'll get some negative comments but I'm a snack person and I've been able to lose weight doing this. I do eat proteins and lot's of salad at mealtimes but my snacks are a life saver. I was eating Atkins bars and was having major stalls. After dropping thenm out of my diet I have been very happy with my weight loss.

[JJascaxal]

I'm in the OWL phase, and I don't consider a low carb snack as a cheat, as long as I stay within my daily carb limit. I think that your idea of keeping la variety of low carb snacks on hand is a great idea.

I don't eat dark chocolate squares, but I had dark chocolate-covered almonds once. I haven't bought them since because it was so hard to stop when I hit my carb limit.

When I have a craving for sweets or other carbs, I usually don't feed the craving. I try to substitute something healthy, or just turn my back on the carb temptation and walk away. If you're craving sweets, you should check to see if you're still in ketosis. You shouldn't have strong cravings for sweets while you're following Atkins carefully.

[DongoSab]

I actually don't have cravings. I'm just prepared at breaktimes especially at work. I work in a grocery store...........next to the bakery which is a dagerous zone for me. All my snacks are really about habits. I was never really hungry because I ate all day long. I always enjoyed 3 glazed donuts at breaktime and just to have those prepared snacks get me through this. I was always a PPP....Piss poor planner.... which caused me to go through those drive throughs ALOT!
Now I'm always prepared. My lunch bag makes me feel safe.

[GlarlraTpople]

"My lunch bag makes me feel safe."

It does, doesn't it?? I know exactly what you mean.

Tril

[LeaderBiz]

My lunch bag also makes me feel safe. Yesterday was the first time since June that I didn't pack my lunch/snacks. I ended up spending way more money at the grocery store for something to eat that wasn't as good or cheap as what I normally pack.

Nik

[GlarlraTpople]

Nik... I had lunch from the grocery store today, too. I had 1/2# of roasted deli chicken that was marked down... $1.97. I thought that was pretty cheap!

Tril

[LeaderBiz]

Nice score Tril!

Nik

[GlarlraTpople]

It wasn't intentionally my lunch... but I was really hungry after going to the gym and then the grocery store. I grabbed it out of the bag and ate it on the way home. By the time I got my groceries put away and a shower it was time for me to leave for my haircut appt. That's how I ended up with my $2 lunch. LOL

Tril

[DongoSab]

Plus if you take your lunch that leaves you more time to sit and enjoy it instead of standing in long lines trying to pay for it.

[Qualarrizab]

What do I do when I'm tempted to cheat? These days, I run to this board!! You guys remind me what my goal is, not my temporary trouble!