I ate out at lunch again. I brought my lunch but it wasn't what I wanted. So I went to Arby's and bought food that I didn't need. Why is it so hard for me to resist? It is like the money sitting in my checking account is burning a hole in my pocket. I am fine if I don't have any money in my account.
I also have my weigh in tonight. So I probably blew that as well. My will power is non existent. I have to get this under control or I am wasting the money that I give to weight watchers each month.
Why is this so hard????
July 26th, 2012 at 05:14 pm
July 26th, 2012 at 05:21 pm 1343323295
You might want to leave all cash and debit/credit cards at home so you've got to eat what you've brought.
July 26th, 2012 at 05:24 pm 1343323458
So, if you have $20 left in your wallet, and you decide you want to spend some of it at Arby's, and you're certain you can spare the money, then go ahead and have Arby's.
If there is no money left in your wallet, then there is no Arby's.
Also, you should start a savings account at an on-line bank. Every payday, transfer some money to it. It's just fine if you start small, but you need to start.
Money in savings is not for Arby's.
July 26th, 2012 at 05:31 pm 1343323909
You're smart, intellectually, you say the right things, you know you need to give yourself the positive messages that fix problems. If you've made lunch you might as well eat it. Try visualizing yourself standing in the parking lot burning $20. dollar bills. If you find yourself in the parking lot, get back in the car and drive home/to work etc.
July 26th, 2012 at 05:38 pm 1343324315
Think about your morning. What happened? Did you have a reasonable breakfast? (Blood sugar really affects your willpower.) Did you drive by the Arby's on your way to work? (Seeing the Arby's can be a trigger.) Did you get bad news? (Using Arby's as a comfort). Did co workers invite you to lunch? (Co workers can be a lure, but it works both ways - if you resisted them, you might treat that as bad news and consoled yourself with Arby's).
Ruts in your routine can make your willpower work harder - you would have to bust through both your habits and your rut. I re-think your entire day. If you had it to do over again, how would you wake up, eat breakfast (and I would eat breakfast, even if its an energy bar or handful of nuts), how would you drive to work ... then at the end of the day, how would you wind down and go home? And definitely you would want to eat something at around 5pm, so you could resist take outs.
July 26th, 2012 at 05:47 pm 1343324834
July 26th, 2012 at 06:14 pm 1343326453
July 26th, 2012 at 06:20 pm 1343326810
However, in the end, our lives are about habits. Small habits, good or bad, lead us to the larger habits that we have, good or bad. You simply change small habits one by one and acknowledge to yourself when you do. Soon you will become consistent and then it will be, oh, a habit! :-)
Good luck to you. BTW, I live in Georgia and it is blistering hot here.
July 26th, 2012 at 06:23 pm 1343326988
LF: where is GA do you live? I am in Blue Ridge and yes it is sweltering hot here.
July 26th, 2012 at 06:44 pm 1343328266
What could you have done differently? Well, maybe you could make a little index card up that gives your reasons why you don't want to eat out. Then read it over when you are tempted to eat out.
1. Fast food equals fat food and I am trying to lose weight.
2. Eating out means one less bill paid on time this month.
3. If I eat out, the pleasure from it will fade quickly and I will end up feeling depressed and disappointed in myself.
4. When I give in to the urge to buy food out, I know it means I will not accomplish my money goals this month.
5. Eating food from home will make me feel healthy and strong.
6. Eating food from home will show me that I do have the will power to accomplish my goals.
7. Eating food from home will not make me feel guilty and ashamed of myself.
I also think that maybe you did not pack an appealing lunch. Did you throw together a peanut better and jelly sandwich or did you make the effort to make yourself something really yummy the night before? You need to make up a list of homemade lunches that really appeal to you, not something you are going to look at and resent at lunchtime.
July 26th, 2012 at 07:22 pm 1343330536
Good luck with your challenges. I really think that stress has gotten you. Please give yourself credit for the good things that you do and those habits will change.
You can do it!