<p>^^^
Thanks for those tips. I’m going out tomorrow night and will look at the menu tonight when I’m not hungry.</p>
<p>I do the whole “check out the menu online” thing, too. The thing that trips me up are chips and salsa that sit out, or bread and olive oil, or something like that.</p>
<p>^
Yes, I tell the server right away NOT to bring bread. Ditto on the chips.
If others at the table are partaking, I have them put that stuff at the other end of the table.</p>
<p>But I WANT chips and salsa. :(</p>
<p>I understand!
Then calculate how many chips are okay for you to have. Count them out, put them on a plate, and make the waiter take the rest away. Maybe dip fresh veggies in the salsa in between the chips?</p>
<p>Or if the chips are the best part, make that the meal.</p>
<p>You can always eat the salsa with a spoon - 50% solution.</p>
<p>It also helps to consider, do you want the CHIPS, or do you just want the joy, and it is one, of putting salty thing after salty thing into your mouth without enforcing any limits. Like if chips came in one big hunk you wouldn’t want as many, maybe, as you do when they arrive as a sort of bottomless pit of crunch. At least for me:).</p>
<p>Before eating the chips remind yourself of how annoyed you’ll be with yourself after that few minutes of chip eating bliss has passed. Think of wearing smaller size jeans as a reward for not eating chips/yeast rolls etc. Try to not look at foods as “treats”. Make something else the “treat” instead. </p>
<p>I went shopping at Goodwill (not willing to spend the big bucks on small clothes yet and still have all my big stuff in the closet) on Sunday to buy some smaller size pants. Got two pairs of jeans and some walking shorts in a size I haven’t worn in thirty years. Now that was a treat. Down another pound this morning. Stay strong ladies!</p>
<p>I want the chips and salsa too! :)</p>
<p>Here’s what helps me some. I make myself take notice of EVERY chip I put in my mouth. When the basket is on the table and everyone is chatting it is so easy to keep reaching in endlessly and before you know it, the basket is empty! Think about each chip you put in your mouth - you will be more likely to eat them slower and farther between - thus hopefully cutting your consumption of them by 25-50%. Still have the chips, but LESS.</p>
<p>The other thing I do is I ENJOY the salsa. I don’t “dip” my chip, I SCOOP! Especially if it’s a fresh salsa it’s generally quite good for you so by getting lots of salsa on your chip you fill up a little more, have lots of flavor AND get a portion of vegetable before your meal.</p>
<p>I was at a restaurant a few weeks ago and my friend wanted to order spinach artichoke dip (which I love). Of course it comes with chips so I asked the waitress to bring some celery sticks and carrot sticks and I dipped those instead. I still ate the dip but at least eliminated the chips.</p>
<p>I think PackMom gets to the heart of the matter. The real struggle is trying to keep your eye on the long term reward and not giving in to the short term reward that makes you feel good for ten minutes and bad after that. Not that we shouldn’t have the foods we crave on occasion but, for me, obviously, when I am treating myself too often, it shows up on my waist.</p>
<p>A must read for anyone who is complaining about putting weight over one weekend:</p>
<p>
Continue reading here:</p>
<p>[9</a> Ways to flatten your belly in one week - Healthy Living on Shine](<a href=“http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/9-ways-to-flatten-your-belly-in-one-week-2519050/]9”>http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/9-ways-to-flatten-your-belly-in-one-week-2519050/)</p>
<p>De-bloating…I like sound of that term…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>3 pounds? Ha! If only. Try double that.</p>
<p>As to the post-indulgence bloating, the college girls refer to that as a “food baby”.</p>
<p>I want the chips and salsa too. I used to want the bread but that has been easy to give up. With the chips I reserve the indulgence for when I am eating at a place that has great chips versus chips out of a bag. One place we go to makes the tortilla chips fresh with each order. Those are worth eating. I find I don’t need to eat the entire basket anymore.</p>
<p>abasket - I too scoop the salsa. Same with guacamole…</p>
<p>
Not for me. My goal is to have a diet now that will cause me to lose weight slowly that won’t be that different from the diet I have for the rest of my life. I’d much rather figure out how many chips I can eat, or figure out how much extra exercise I need to get in order to indulge in a few chips. Obviously I don’t want to overindulge so much on the weekends that it takes two weeks to burn off the calories, but a diet where I never get to have dessert or chips at a restaurant isn’t worth it as far as I am concerned. </p>
<p>If it’s the salsa I love - eating them with carrot sticks is a good solution. If it’s the chips, reducing the quantity is probably a better plan.</p>
<p>^^^^^bingo. :)</p>
<p>Mathmom,
That’s what I was trying to say (clumsily). What I meant by giving in to the short term reward was giving in too frequently to those impulses that make us put on the pounds and become unhealthy. I can’t live with a diet or lifestyle that forbids sweets or chips. I do know that I have to watch those things and try to make them more occasional.</p>
<p>Bump and Friday check in - after not dropping the previous week, down 2.6 pounds since last Friday so still going at a little over a pound a week on the average. I think those 20-30 minutes of Wii Fit most days really do help.</p>
<p>I agree with those who are adjusting their diets but not giving up their most beloved foods. I admit that I haven’t really given up butter and cheese, but since I’m eating so much less in general, I am actually eating less of those too! Overall I haven’t really added new foods, or totally given up anything. I’m not a salsa fan but do love those chips! We get them by the bag and I lay about 6 on a small plate, put a small slice of Cojack on each, then melt briefly in the microwave. Then I slowly nibble each one. I am trying to be totally aware of every single bite; didn’t even sample the banana bread at Whole Foods today. No more mindless eating!</p>
<p>For some reason which I can’t explain, this message thread activated my will power, which hasn’t really been working well for the last 23 years. I’ve used this will power twice before: (1) when I decided I was ready to get pregnant and quit smoking for good and (2) when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and had to restrict my diet for 3 months. Both times, of course, were related to the health of my unborn baby, so to speak. Why I couldn’t do it for my own health, I have no idea.</p>
<p>Still can’t come close to zipping up my temperature dress, but I am fitting back into several other older items of clothing that have been gathering dust for a couple of years. Also am fitting better into my upper foundation garment - plenty left up there so no worries!</p>
<p>Marilyn, this makes me terribly happy:). This thread is so, well, accepting? Is that it? That’s why I like it. You may have other reasons. Whatever they are, hats off. Even though I can only fit one hat at a time.</p>