BEATING THE SNACKING HABIT

Ten extra pounds. I padded my mid-section with ten extra pounds over the holiday season.

True, on a 6'3" frame the extra pounds are not immediately noticeable to other people.

But I can see it AND feel it. And I don't like it. 

But I am a compulsive snacker.

I pledged to myself on December 26th that I was going to reverse this weight gain trend. The main culprit was pretty obvious: extra sweets were in abundance for weeks on end. At school, the final few days were punctuated by pitch-ins and Christmas cookies and donuts. At home, Melissa was making buckets full of holiday snack mix that I can't resist*, plus buckeyes and cinnamon rolls. Friends gave more cookies and biscotti as gifts. 

AFTER Christmas, when I first made my pledge, there were all the leftovers, not to mention the dark chocolate truffles and other goodies that had filled my stocking.

So I failed.

My next opportunity was my week in Mississippi. I thought, "Surely now that I am away from all the leftover goodies, I will get back on track with healthier eating."

But there were complications. Melissa made an extra big helping of the snack mix and a whole lot of muddy buddies to take along to share with our hosts. Plus, one of the professors delighted in preparing incredible lunches for the students, complete with irresistible desserts. The table right outside the classroom was heaped with a perpetual supply of cake, cookies, and donuts. 

Once I got home, Hannah asked me to make one more batch of the snack mix for her to take back to college. I gladly obliged and held back an entire bowlful for myself. 

Yesterday I recommitted myself to reigning in my snacking. After all, I am working from home now, so I better start exercising some willpower!

Then Grandma Trudy dropped off some brownies. 

I ate at least four. And snack mix. And a handful of Whoppers from a full box that Samuel left behind when he returned to Ball State.

It makes me feel gross, but I keep snacking. ("I'm the one doing it and I don't know why!")

Today, finally, I put to good use what I have learned from my study of habits. And my snacking habit was broken immediately.

It was simple: This morning I decided what would be a REASONABLE amount of sweets to eat in a day's time. I gathered those FEW items and put them on the back corner of my desk where I would be working all day.

Here's what I grabbed:

Six Whoppers, a small(ish) bowl of muddy buddies and ONE brownie. I told myself this was it for the day and I would just have to pace myself. 

You may have trouble believing that this worked - that it could be this easy. But it did and it was. In fact, I didn't finish the muddy buddies. 

Tomorrow I will explain why this was successful. 

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*Melissa, by the way, didn't add a single pound over Christmas. Early in 2021, for health reasons she eliminated gluten, dairy and eggs among other foods from her own diet. She has had amazing self-control throughout the year, including the holidays. She is down over 35 pounds since this time last year!