willpower

[targetlover]

Hi Cathe,
I am new to posting on this forum and I love the idea that you personally keep in touch with your fans. So, I hope you can answer this one for me. First, to let you know a little about my excercise, I do step about 3 days week with weight training 2 days a week and I am seeing great results. Although, I feel like I can see better results if I knew more about eating a little bit better. I'm not a total moron when it comes to healthy eating, but what is your weekly eating habits like? Could you please give me some tips on what you do to keep your willpower under control?

 

[jboyd]

I am "bumping" this because I have the same problem as well. I have no problems with getting my workout in every day and during the week I seem to eat really well. However, once Friday night rolls around I seem to loose all willpower!!! It is not because I go out and have more temptations. I am usually home with my husband and two kids. I would love to know how Cathe and other's handle this.

 

[kandeycane]

i am bumping this one up as well. I am anxious to see if Cathe has time to address this one.. I am ok during the week but i lose it on weekends.. and i mean lose it!

thanx in advance
Candy

 

[babyd]

I too am interested in any suggestions regarding this issue. I am also sesing that this is an issue for many others and an important part of a healthy, fitness oriented lifestyle-definitely bumping on this one.

 

[Connie1]

Until Cathe can answer, I have one hint: Failing to plan is a plan to fail!

That means have a plan for what you can eat at those times, with plenty of alternatives. Some easy suggestions are apples, cut up and shared with the kids, cottage cheese (lowfat) on crackers or by itself, whole wheat toast with a thin spread of peanut butter (use with some caution!), cold cooked shrimp with seafood cocktail sauce and a tiny fork!

Hope these help!
-Connie

 

[tmrclvlnd]

I agree with Connie on this one. I found that during the week I have great willpower and can resist all temptations, then when the weekend rolls around I reward myself for getting in all my workouts and eating so well by pigging out. Saturdays my husband is home and drags out things that are normally hidden away in the pantry and munches and there I am, desperately wanting something sweet or salty but with no good choices to make.

Things I have learned not to be without - lowfat popcorn for my salty cravings and lowfat pudding cups for my sweet cravings. Having these things in the house so I have something to turn to for my cravings has really helped get through the weekend.

Seriously, when I want chips and dip, carrot sticks just don't do it for me - but popcorn gets me by. If I am having horrible chocolate cravings all the cottage cheese in the world isn't going to make that go away but a chocolate pudding cup will put a dent in it.

Another idea I got from the Body RX board is to put cottage cheese in the blender and mix it with Hidden Valley Ranch mix. This is so good with chopped veggies and whole wheat crackers and tons better for you than sour cream. My husband couldn't even tell the difference. Try it on a baked potato, too.

Don't let yourself get too hungry, then you will go for the easy crappy stuff. Have something healthy ready for you when the craving hits.

Hoping to hear more hints from others...

 

[Lizzie]

Wow does that cottage cheese/Ranch mix thing sound good - thanks for the tip!

One thing I love to have around is Melba toast(I prefer Old London brand) - I started buying the whole grain ones, they are very good. I take a container of fat free (low fat would work too) cream cheese, heat it up so it's soft, mix in some garlic powder, oregano and basil to taste. Put it back in the plastic tub and just pull it out for dipipng when I have a few melba toasts as a snack.

 

[bethj]

One thing that works well for me to prevent the weekend over-eating is to do a very long and intense workout the first thing saturday morning. This really kicks up my endorphins which helps supress my appetite a lot. Also it really motivates you to eat clean because you know you burned all those cals and will probably lose a half a pound today if you just eat halfway normal. Third benefit-even if you do over indulge a bit you probably compensated well for it with that workout.
Beth

 

[tonyaz]

Guess what I do for the Chocolate cravings? I take two chocolate grahm crackers; put a tablespoon or two of coolwhip in the middle to make a sandwich, then put it in the freezer for atleast an hour or two until frozen to make an ice cream sandwich. It is great and low in fat and calories.