Help! I'm scared of my own lack of self control :s

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So I'm going to house/dog sit for a friend for a week starting tomorrow and I know that they always stock up their kitchen with tasty (but very unhealthy) foods. I've been managing to stay within my calorie goal and eat relatively clean for the past few weeks, but I'm scared the temptation of this is going to be too much, I always make sure I just don't have unhealthy foods in my own kitchen because I seriously lack self control. I'm planning on taking my own healthy food to prepare my meals while I'm there and I'm making up a meal plan, but I'm just so scared that I won't be able to resist snacking and things will get out of control, how do I cope with this fear and stop myself from binging? HELP guys, I need some support big time!!

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  • fitphoenix
    fitphoenix Posts: 9,673 Member
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    I know where you're coming from; I've always had more trouble with "free" food than not-free. So if someone is taking me out to dinner, if it's a buffet--or if I'm over at someone's house and they have a lot of munchies out--I'm more likely to overindulge.

    That said, ultimately, the food is always around; as an adult with purchasing ability, we always have access to something that is bad for us. It's not easy, but at the end of the day, we really do have to learn how to say no (or how to limit our intake). No one can control us but ourselves, and we have to make "good" decisions all the darn time. (It's not like ceasing to eat is on option! The food will ALWAYS be around us.)

    What I've found has worked for me fairly well--it really helped me over Christmas when I was surrounded by many yummy (and free, lol!) treats, was to consider if eating more of it would make a difference. i.e. Eating the food itself is an extremely transitory feeling. It's gone in an instant. If I think about how super yummy that brownie was the next day, does it make a difference if I had one or if I had ten? Nope, I still just remember that it was a really yummy brownie. In that way, I was able to control my urge to just keep eating. I had ONE really yummy oatmeal shortbread, ONE piece of brownie, etc., and savoured them. (I was far from perfect, but I was really proud of myself. And at the end of the two weeks, I actually registered a loss, albeit a small one, instead of a gain!)

    Incidentally, I also found that when I controlled myself like that, I had far less of an urge to eat everything in front of me. (I think of it as the refined carbs getting to me, though that might not actually be what it is. If I eat a ton of them, more than usual, then I WANT a ton of them. Instead, if I just enjoy an extra treat or two, it seems special and doesn't mess up my eating habits.)

    I know just saying you need to learn to master it probably isn't hugely constructive, so other things I can suggest:
    1) Eat in moderation. Unless the food is your kryponite, plan for a reasonable portion that fits into your daily goal. Otherwise, you're probably more likely to binge on it. BUT, if the food is your kryptonite, and you can't stop eating until you've had the whole giant bag of potato chips or the box of cookies, etc., then consider cutting that one out completely. I gave up chips in the 9th grade for that reason and haven't eaten them since. But pretty much anything else, I'll happily eat in moderation.
    2) If you really don't think you can trust yourself and can't do what the poster above suggests about talking to your hosts (you did say it was starting tomorrow), I'd suggest that you lock the food away. Pick a room, move it all in there, and then stay out of that room. (And keep the dog out, obviously.) Out of sight, out of mind?

    Best of luck! It takes hard work, but it's totally doable.
  • Poofy_Goodness
    Poofy_Goodness Posts: 229 Member
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    Just convince yourself that anything of theirs you eat would be considered theft!
  • megan1869
    megan1869 Posts: 166 Member
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    Don't even open the food cabinets or pantry if you can lol....avoid like plague
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Bring your own food?
  • DMicheleC
    DMicheleC Posts: 171 Member
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    If you can tell them that you really appreciate that they normally buy you nice treats but this time would they not buy anything as you are going to bring your own food. If they have already done so ask them to put it in a cupboard that they know you will never go in whilst you are there. Whats out of sight is out of mind. Good luck and be positive and trust yourself.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
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    I can completely relate. We dont keep trigger foods in the house. I would guess that boredom leads to most of my mindless binging. Try and stay active? I agree with others, bring your own healthy snacks, dont open the pantry and ask the hosts if they could refrain from stocking up for you.
  • starling13
    starling13 Posts: 11 Member
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    Thank you so much for your advice guys! Unfortunately they don't stock it just for me :( Their house is just always stacked with yummy foods that they keep in. Coincidentally though my friend is also trying to lose weight and he knows I am too, so hopefully this means there will be less temptation than usual lurking in the fridge :)

    fitphoenix thank you so much for your advice, you really hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that I am an adult and will always have the buying power and the access to tasty treats and I need to get a handle on it. I like the idea of just eating a small amount and trying to fit it into my goals. 1 brownie will still taste just as good as 10 brownies but with 1/10th the guilt.

    My personal kryptonite is cheese which I cut out completely for a while but have slowly been allowing low fat versions to creep back in, so hopefully I can keep control of that. Well done for losing over Christmas!! I know that time of year is usually hellish for me too (luckily I was in a country that doesn't celebrate it this year so I missed that :))

    I might do that with putting it in a room, or pushing it all to the back of the fridge where I can't see it, block it out with all the vegetables I'm bringing :p On top of my fear of binging, they also have scales at their house, which I currently do not own, so it will be my first chance to weigh myself in about 6 weeks and I'm totally bricking it :S

    Thanks Again :D xx
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    Bring your own food?

    +1
    Just convince yourself that anything of theirs you eat would be considered theft!

    And this^^^
  • starling13
    starling13 Posts: 11 Member
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    Bring your own food?

    +1
    Just convince yourself that anything of theirs you eat would be considered theft!

    And this^^^

    Thanks guys :) I'm currently cooking up some premade dinners for while I'm there as we speak and I do kinda feel guilty if I eat loads of their stuff so I might try to focus on that guilt :p
  • meaganrh19
    meaganrh19 Posts: 20 Member
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    Take some things to keep you busy if you do feel yourself wandering towards their pantry lol. Book, movies, puzzles, what ever you enjoy!
  • starling13
    starling13 Posts: 11 Member
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    I'm planning on spending my free time walking the dogs so I can get out of the house away from the food and burn up some calories at the same time :)
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    pre-log your meals for the week and stick to it.
  • nohaynicknamesdisponibles
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    You need a therapist.
  • starling13
    starling13 Posts: 11 Member
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    pre-log your meals for the week and stick to it.

    Great idea, I'm doing that now :)
  • AJL437
    AJL437 Posts: 71 Member
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    Out of sight - out mind. Take all the unhealthy food and put it in the veggie drawers and take out all the veggies and put them where you can see them. Also - make a deal with yourself that if you see a trigger food you want - you will do enough jumping jacks, burpees, whatever to burn off the calories to earn it.
  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
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    I dont know if it sounds obvious but be strict about logging everything you eat! I sometimes find myself picking at this and that, but i always try to log stuff as soon as i can after eating it. Seeing those numbers jump up so fast usually shocks me into not eating anything else that isnt on my plan!

    And as someone said above,if you really really want it, do some exercise first, and earn the calories for it. Dont eat it then think i will exercise later, because it is easier to talk yourself out of it once the food has been eaten!

    Good luck!