We’ve all been there, I think. You lose focus for a second, and all of a sudden you realize you’re doing something you’re not supposed to be doing. Maybe you started “tasting” while cooking dinner, or you started serving yourself from your children’s pile of Snacks in the pantry, or you went to the drive-through out of an old habit or craving.

How do you handle the situation? Have you been able to stop yourself mid-moment? Or do you cave in, finish up the pan of brownies or whatever else it is you’re eating, and promise to get back on track tomorrow? If you have been able to come up with a way to cut it off or you’re good at getting back on track, share your strategies!

Honestly, if it's right in front of me and I'm craving it like mad, I take a bite. Sometimes two or three.

Life post-sleeve isn't about deprivation. It's about building new and sustainable habits. In the nine months since my sleeve, when someone goes "hey, you wanna bite" or I become totally fixated on some treat, I indulge. I sit there, and once I have it in my hand and have a bite, I've satisfied the urge and it goes away. I take a bite, then wait. Then I take another bite, and by then, the impulse that drove me to it has passed. Then, I throw it away immediately. I don't save it, I don't say "I'll eat some of this later," it goes right into the garbage can.

Sure, it's resulted in a huge waste of food (it'll end up in two places: the trash or my hips, and I've learned to choose the trash), but it's how I manage to still feel like a normal person and find balance. Oftentimes, I can simply have a bite or two of someone else's treat, or offer to "split" something with a friend and only take a mouthful or two. I was a binge-eater and food-obsessed person pre-sleeve, so my post-sleeve plan is to try and live a normal life.

It's worked. As time goes on, I become more committed rather than less. The urges and thoughts about eating naughty foods decreases. The emotional attachment has slipped away, and I make good choices for myself. Yesterday, I had four little bites of Peanut Butter ice cream, and it was the first "bad" thing I'd eaten in weeks.

It may not work for everyone, but I stick to the plan by not ALWAYS sticking to the plan. I'm at nearly 150 lbs lost since July, totally on track, and more focused/committed to leading a healthy life than ever. How do I keep from sliding completely? By allowing myself to occasionally slide a little bit.

Oh! And any of that snacky bad food I try? It never, ever comes home with me. I indulge every once in a while OUTSIDE the house. Nothing but appropriate, high Protein foods and nutritious stuff in my house. I won't even keep things that are good in small amounts (aka: carbs, anything salty or sweet) because it's too strong a temptation.

Edited April 24, 201610 yr by BarrySue

Honestly if there is something I want or crave I will usually have a few bites and I am satisfied. For me, there have been a few days in the last 20 months in which I felt like maybe I was over indulging and I called it a slip. So far, my strategy has been to immediately get back to the basics.

About a month ago, we had traveled and during that time I made some food choices that were not the best. I gained 2lbs over a period of 3 days. I got back home and immediately went back to my safe place where I make good choices and control myself. Within 5 days I lost those 2lbs and lost another 2 on top of it.

So for me the rule of thumb is, if I slip I immediately go back to the plan.