Patterns

[tedji]

Hi,

I have been No S-ing for several months and have had some success. I very much like the focus on habits and my behavior and not on obsessions with counting pounds.

With that said, I have noticed, thanks to the calendar function, that my habits are most likely to lapse on Thursdays & Fridays when co-workers ask me out at the end of the week.

Any suggestions about how to control/avoid those urges and stay in the green?

[Thalia]

Are you going out to restaurants or bars, like for happy-hour nibblies? If so, can you fill one plate with whatever there is to eat, and stop at that? You could pick at it gradually while everyone's hanging out ...

Congratulations on making it several months! I've just finished my first, it's very inspiring.

[Anne]

You could switch your S days (Sat. and Sun.) for Thursday and Friday. That way you would be able to enjoy eating out with your friends and indulge in a few treats without guilt (provided you don't go overboard).
It's just a suggestion. Good luck!

[reinhard]

"Social Pressure" is tough -- it's the only S that ever gets me these days.

I'd say plan ahead. Come up with a script of excuses to make, legitimate alternatives, etc. If there are particular places you go a lot, focus on the specific details of those places.

One thing I've found helpful is the realization of how little others care what I'm eating. You very rarely actually offend anyone by not partaking in S as long as you don't put on a big holier than thou show.

Finally, the fact that you're noticing it, that the habitcal is making it jump out, might be sufficient in itself to make the problem go away. As I think you're finding already, once you've got some green under your belt, there are few temptations that seem worth a red. And the longer you continue to invest in that incentive structure, the more powerful it becomes.

Reinhard