All right. I gave myself permission to indulge in a little extra chocolate on Valentine's Day. I enjoyed it.

But now it's the Thursday AFTER Valentine's Day, and that little heart-shaped box is still there. It's not empty. It says "BE MINE" on the lid. Is that an invitation, or what?? I'm thinking one lil' nougat after dinner. I mean, I've already...and what's one more...and no harm so far, eh?

The box is in my hands. The lid is coming off. The chocolate is in my fingers on the way to my mouth.

WAIT JUST A SECOND!! (Who said that?) WHAT'S THE BENEFIT HERE? (I dunno...it just needed to be eaten?) PUT THE CANDY BACK....AND SLOWLY BACK AWAY. (All right, all right.) I'm nestling the chocolate back into its little brown ruffle. I'm shutting down the lid that says BE MINE. I'm deciding for the millionth time what I want more, a little hit of sugar, or a lifetime of good health.

One more installment of my life story: Me vs. the Weight Creep. I won this round. But I'll stay in training.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

:jumpgreen WTG Barb!

I didn't get any chocolate for valentines day. DH was smart and bought me flowers and a huge candle in a ceramic holder in a shape of a huge chocolate covered strawberry! I guess that's my chocolate.

You've got a heck of a lot more will power than I do! I would have eaten the whole box of chocolate by now!

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Anik

Stats
198/183/115
"My metabolism isn't low, it's just hibernating!"

From the time I was small, I remember receiving, from a certain aunt, a huge box of Russell Stover candies every Christmas. My mom's absolute rule was: no more than one piece per day. Funny...of all the rules my mom ever made, that one sticks in my mind. Disobedient kid that I still am, it doesn't always stick in my behavior.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

my mom also got one of those HUGE heart shaped boxes..(i think SHE bought them.. but later in life I bought them FOR her..)
i am SOOOOOOOOOO thankful that candy isnt a big weakness to me.. but if you filled that box with STARCHY things i would be all over it like a mad man..*L* (we alllllllllll have our weaknesses.. eh?)

ya done good barb!

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kims SECOND journal is HERE
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Great job! I decided I was going to have a brownie for Valentines day, counted calories to make sure I could eat it and maintain for the day, and ate up! Wouldn't you know it didn't agree with my system and I became SOOOO sick!

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I had a ton of stuff left over after Christmas-I just had to throw it out. I kept thinking to myself-it will cost me PLEANTY in the long run, more than the money it cost to buy it (candy, cookies etc gifts from others). So it all went in the trash. It isn't good for my kids, my husband, not even the chickens! Good job on the pass up-but throw it out before the next time of weekness. Keep the box as a keep sake if you want, it will only increase your fiber if you want to partake in that! :jump:

Good job Barb!!! That's no easy feat! I love chocolate! Love it!! So kudos to you for resisting.

Good For you Barb! Maybe you could change the box lid from BE MINE to LAND MINE. LOL

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my blog

Nicely done Barb!!

I appreciate all the applause, although it begins to feel like my post was just a grab for attention.

All of us face temptations large and small, day in and day out. If there's any comfort for those still striving to get into the LC mindset, I'd say it does get easier over the months to become blind, or at least blase, about stuff you no longer eat. As goddess has often said: "Not I CAN'T eat that, but I DON'T eat that." Simple enough.

Yesterday at the office, while I waited for my tea water to boil in the microwave, I stood in front of the adjacent snack machine. I was thinking, "How can people EAT this junk??" You kind of want to put a skull and crossbones sign on the glass. Hey--there's a thought! Get a sheet of skull and crossbones stickers, and stick 'em on stuff around the house that is off-limits. (I don't think they would appreciate the gesture at the office, however.)

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

har! you know, barb, i know just what you mean. one of low-carb's "gifts" to me is freedom from wanting that junk, which used to be a staple of my diet. i didn't think it would happen in my lifetime, but i just don't want most of that stuff anymore...

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EatSmart Nutritional Scale Review

Barb, DH and I have discovered that the ONLY sure fire way to not slip up and succumb to the BE MINE gremlin is to immediately toss or give away anything that is a hinderance. The house just HAS to be empty of the temptations. I guess that sounds sort of drastic - but for us it's the only thing that works.... that combined with a cupboard of occasional LC treats or SF treats.

Oh, and since we do lots of entertaining (dinners and receptions) I always make sure I buy the kinds of desserts or treats I can't stand (why waste chocolate bon bons by filling them with alcohol - ugh!) - just like I put out the crackers I don't like with the cheese platter! Is that mean?!

good for you for resisting...

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Hugs, Rachel







(the horn is in honor of DH!)
Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings fightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

Rachel, my DH is a sweetheart with a sweet tooth. We ALWAYS have candy in the house, not to mention potato chips, crackers of all kinds, and usually doughnuts or other pastries. I'm normally a saint of resistance.

We usually have a big jar of mixed nuts, too--not the worst thing for an LC snack, but easy to get in the habit of "just a handful" every day. For me, that could seriously add up.

I keep reminding myself that after a lifetime of deprivation (Can you say low-fat/low-cal??), LC seems overall--as Dr. Atkins was fond of saying--luxurious. Guilt-free bacon and cheesy eggs? Bring it on! One-Minute Muffin with a big shmear of cream cheese? Yes, thanks. I try to keep the big picture in mind, and that helps a lot when the little temptations show up.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

You know, I recommitted myself for the 10th time last Tuesday. I didn't realize all of the temptation that I would face that day. I bought candy for my Fiesta dancers and Fiesta Club students (3-5th grades) I NEVER give them chocolate and I ALWAYS tell them how evil it is. Anyhow, I gave in this one day and when I went in the teacher's lounge to sign in. There was red velvet cake and cookies, there was chocolate in my in box, another teacher gave me a box of hersey candy bars, and krackels and all of the GOOD kind of chocolate. Not the mystery kind, students gave me valentines and candy and chocolate. I didn't eat any of it. The candy the other teacher gave me I gave to my classes throughout the day as prizes for something or other (I teach Spanish so I came up with something to justify it). Anyhow, I amazingly survived the day and I must say to you Barb hats off because I know...we ALL know how hard that is!!

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Proactive not reactive!!
222/176/165

WTG Barb AND Tia!!!!! I'm so thankful DH didn't get me any candy for V-day. (He knows better) The other day I found Lindt 70% cocoa bars at the grocery. They are low sugar and bittersweet. So I bought 2. half a bar is 4.5 carbs. NOT bad. So now I will allow myself some of THAT once in awhile. I think it's better than sugar alcohol junk. But I must admit, I AM a choclaholic. I really need a 12 step program for it!!!!!

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