Tips to Resist Temptations

One of the hardest parts of my day is resisting temptations and bad food choices. I find this especially hard at work when no one is around to hold me accountable. At least at home, my family will remind me not to make bad choices along with having a lot of healthy choices I can make. At work, there is the cafeteria with a minimal amount of healthy choices, and the healthy ones are priced to where you would think they don’t want anyone to buy them. There is also a vending machine, and I don’t think I need to explain how terrible all of those choices are.

Bring a snack to work

When I am at home, I can keep myself busy with something so that I don’t eat because I am bored. There is nothing extra I can do to keep my mind off my stomach when I am at work. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to eat when I am hungry, or I am starving myself, but I am actively trying to eat fewer calories and make better choices every day. One thing I have found that works is bringing a snack. Something like veggies and dip or a granola bar seems to do the job. I am not a huge fan of the granola bar because of the carbs, but sometimes I need something a little sweet to make sure I don’t go crazy on something terrible like candy.

Change your focus when eating out

One of the hardest temptations to resist is the one I openly allowed myself to have before my diagnosis. When going out to eat, I always splurged on whatever sounded like it would satisfy me. I have looked at these dishes after becoming conscious of what I put in my body, and all I can say is wow. These temptations are still pretty strong, and the only advice I have for this is to find the healthy part of the menu and order from that. Don’t look at what you used to eat and order first. Don’t ask what everyone else is getting. Focus on your dish. You know if you order junk, afterward, you will feel like garbage and it’s not worth it. It may be mentally painful initially, but it gets easier. I promise.

Prepare ahead for road trips

Road trips are another temptation nightmare. I am pretty sure snacks were invented at the same time as cars because driving and eating go hand-in-hand, at least for me. The easy thing is to pack a snack before going on the trip. Also, make sure you get gas the night before, if possible. This way, you know you aren’t stopping at a gas station and may forgo a homemade healthy snack for junk. You can also get your gas at a grocery store gas station so if you need a snack, you can go into a place with healthy choices.

Don't get discouraged by mistakes

Hopefully, these tips help you avoid temptations when going out or taking a vacation. One last thing, do not get discouraged if you succumb to temptation. You are human and it happens. I still make mistakes almost daily it seems for some weeks. Move on and learn from them.