Need advice on restraining myself around amazing free food...

RaspLizzy
RaspLizzy Posts: 3 Member
edited 9:07PM in Motivation and Support
Hey all. I'm pretty new here (logged first time on Sunday). Trying to keep it up. I've lost weight and gained it back plus some in the past... a lot of times. I'm 294 now (the highest I've ever been! Yikes!) and on a mission to be under 200 for my wedding in 2018 :) I'm also ready to lose the weight for good this time. :D

However, I am a graduate student and am on an extremely tight budget. If you're not familiar with the "social lives" of grad students, we usually help at many academic events in return for the occasional line on our resumes and free food. Whenever I'm off-track, I take full advantage of this free food. It's usually never healthy. It's usually pizza, cake, donuts, candy, etc. I feel like I could potentially keep myself from consuming those goods, although it's difficult when I watch my friends and my guy enjoying them while I'm sitting there being awkward.

But on Saturday, my guy and I are being judges and a local history fair and I'm really scared because my friend who's bribing asking us to do this has promised a big bag of Asian grocery story snacks including green tea kit kats. I know this might sound weird to you all, but I grew up eating a lot of exotic and weird food... I actually kinda don't like typical American fare.

So in short, these treats will be extremely hard to resist. But I REALLY don't want to screw up my healthy eating progress, and really want to do well on my next weekly weigh-in.

Any advice?

Replies

  • phogbear
    phogbear Posts: 30 Member
    Ahh the days of being a grad student. I use to stuff myself on the free pizza, sit by the door so I could bolt when I was full. :)

    It takes practice ignoring that food and making good choices. Being a grad student just makes it all the harder. Habits are not broken and remade over night. It takes time.

    There are some things you can do to help you make the good choices.

    First tell your friend you'll take the green tea kit kat and thats all. Be clear that your glad to help her out for only the kit kat. Explain to them what your doing. I so want that green tea kit kat. :D

    Second, pack a lunch, snacks and drink. Some snacks I like to pack are humus wraps packed with veggies, nuts (weigh them out or the snack packs), apple, beef jerky and maybe a cheese stick. I always pack more than I'll eat. I find if I have food on me its easier to ignore the food.
  • aripley
    aripley Posts: 10 Member
    I've had a similar problem with free food at my office. Everyone who works there is broke and in their 20s and the management is always buying us lunch (probably to distract us from the fact that we're broke!). The problem is the food is served buffet style and I CANNOT exert self-control at a buffet. Especially if it's a buffet of delicious oily takeout food.

    After 3 years of this I had to go cold turkey and make a rule for myself--I only eat food at the office if I brought it there myself. It's really hard and kinda embarrassing when everyone else is chowing down on pad thai or nachos and I'm sitting there with my low-calorie soup or salad. I feel like I'm drawing attention to myself and the fact that I'm on a diet, and therefore calling attention to the fact that I'm fat. Calling attention to my fat body is the LAST thing I wanna do, but I am doing it. And as far as the money goes, I try to tell myself that I'm worth it. Getting to a healthy weight is more important than my bank account right now.

    Of course being a grad student and not having an income makes it even harder! You may have to just find a way to work the treats into your calorie count. For instance, if you know you're having pizza tomorrow, put that in your diary now and then you can plan breakfast and lunch accordingly so you don't go over. In general I find it easiest to put dinner in first and then work backwards, since dinner is the meal I look forward to most.

    One final thought--it might be embarrassing, but you can always ask your friend to just not give you the snacks! Just explain to her that you're on a new diet and you don't think you will be able to eat the snacks in moderation so it would be easier for you to just not have them at all. If she's a good friend she'll understand!

    Anyway, I know how hard it is. I've had a couple of good cries about this very issue!
  • RMH___
    RMH___ Posts: 9 Member
    Agree with the above comments, but I think that drawing attention to the fact you're on a diet/trying to lose weight is a really positive life change and something to be proud of & celebrated....please don't feel embarrassed for having the strength to try and improve your health and well being.

    I say you should tell ALL your friends about the positive journey you've embarked on and ask them to support you (particularly through times when temptation is high). You'll be surprised how much support and admiration you'll get if you're open and honest about your goals. Good luck!!
  • RaspLizzy
    RaspLizzy Posts: 3 Member
    Just thought I'd let everyone know that I successfully avoided cheating at all while I was at the event today. Everyone had pizza and bagels and pastries and muffins. I had a quest bar and some fruit. When I got home, I made a stirfry of zucchini, onion, bell pepper, beans and lean ground turkey, with some roasted brussels sprouts on the side. Now drinking a bunch of water. Feeling very pleased with myself and very grateful for everyone's advice. I survived this challenge; I can survive more. :)
  • phogbear
    phogbear Posts: 30 Member
    RaspLizzy wrote: »
    Just thought I'd let everyone know that I successfully avoided cheating at all while I was at the event today. Everyone had pizza and bagels and pastries and muffins. I had a quest bar and some fruit. When I got home, I made a stirfry of zucchini, onion, bell pepper, beans and lean ground turkey, with some roasted brussels sprouts on the side. Now drinking a bunch of water. Feeling very pleased with myself and very grateful for everyone's advice. I survived this challenge; I can survive more. :)

    Congratulations!! :D
  • palwithme
    palwithme Posts: 860 Member
    RaspLizzy wrote: »
    Just thought I'd let everyone know that I successfully avoided cheating at all while I was at the event today. Everyone had pizza and bagels and pastries and muffins. I had a quest bar and some fruit. When I got home, I made a stirfry of zucchini, onion, bell pepper, beans and lean ground turkey, with some roasted brussels sprouts on the side. Now drinking a bunch of water. Feeling very pleased with myself and very grateful for everyone's advice. I survived this challenge; I can survive more. :)

    Way to go!
  • mccanns725
    mccanns725 Posts: 36 Member
    As hard as it gets sometimes I keep reminding myself that it is just today I have to be good. I don't have to give up goodies forever just today! I gained so much weight in grad school between stress eating and boredom eating while writing papers and studying! Ugh. Now instead of heading for the fridge I do exercises! Really. And it really helps. I grade 5 exams and do 10 jumping jacks grade 10 and do 15 push ups. I feel better and it all went so much faster!

    One day at a time works for us too!
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