Hey Everyone,
I have often said that sugar is the bane of my existence. I grew up with a health-conscious mother who limited our intake as best she could, but seeing as I think I was born with a full set of sweet teeth (not just a mere sweet tooth,) once I got out on my own and could buy my own groceries, it's been a struggle.
My latest downfalls are usually a handful of chocolate chips (which can easily turn into half a bag in one sitting,) and fig newton cookies (I could easily clear out a full sleeve or more in a day if I don't watch it.) Right now I don't let myself buy any other sweets. The reason I choose chocolate chips is because I try to eat them one at a time, in an effort to slow down and control my consumption. The fig newtons are to try to calm my cravings for cookies and cakes with frosting. I've tried substituting fruit but that has its pitfalls as well -- at one point, I was literally eating a couple of bananas and 6 oranges in a day.
One way I try to slow myself down is to not allow myself to have something sweet until later in the day (though sometimes this doesn't help, as it can be too easy to "overcompensate.") However, the past few days, I'd been doing pretty well. I even astonished myself by getting through almost a full day without reaching for anything sweet (but admittedly conked out before I got the finish line.)
But when I tried to review why I'd come so close to "success" -- I realize it was because I'd been eating tater tots instead. Growing up, we hardly ever had fried foods and while I love some fried things, I don't crave them as much and can go without them for a long time. Unfortunately, I passed some place last week that smelled so delectable with fried fast food goodness, I came home and found myself eating tater tots the next 3 days. (This is also why I don't put much effort into cooking or baking -- if I did, I'd be making rich foods all the time and would be a goner.)
To my dismay, I found that I wasn't making any progress at all. I had simply exchanged one vice -- sugar -- for another -- fried food. ARGH!!
I've read that this kind of thing happens a lot with smokers -- they might eating mints or candy instead of smoking, and the next thing you know, they've gained 20 pounds.
Has something like this ever happened to you or others you know?
* Have you ever tried so hard to cut down or quit on something, only to replace it with something else that was just as bad, annoying, or worse? Other examples might include video games, alcohol, sugary drinks, biting your nails, sleeping too little or too much, etc.
* Did you then find yourself having to quit both the habit you started out with AND the habit you tried to replace it with?
* If you DID find an acceptable substitute, what worked for you?
* What advice would you give to anyone trying to cut down or replace one undesirable habit for another?
I'm guessing this actually happens to people quite often, so I'd be very interested in hearing about what others have found that works -- or doesn't.
2
. When Yoplait first starting appearing on store shelves, it came in one pound containers and those containers cost 50 cents each. The strawberry Yoplait had nice sweet strawberries inside, several of them in each container. It was a great product. Along with that I'd eat lots and lots of starbursts which I'd get for about a dollar for a one pound bag. Before I left for work I'd put 2 or 3 more handfuls of starbursts in my pocket. I did this every morning for quite a long time. Not sure when I changed my breakfast practices.
