Victory over the Candy Jar

My biggest downfall has been the office candy jar. Years ago, I had a job in a small office with not too much to do. They kept the candy jar stocked with Hershey's Miniatures. As I got more and more restless without challenging work, I stopped at the candy jar more and more often. It was how I dealt with stress, boredom, everything. That year packed on quite a few pounds. I remember buying a size 12 suit and never cutting the tags off before it got too snug.

I was laid off from that job and started working from home. That was a different challenge, but not going out every day made it easy to ignore my expanding waistbands. Another job that was completely unfulfilling (and very stressful) got me back in the plus-size department. A move across country brought even more stress-eating.

After settling in at my new job and making friends with co-workers, the candy jars started overflowing. We would go to Target for lunch and "buy-me-some-happy" with whatever candy was in season. It started at Valentine's Day, went straight into Easter, had a slight lull until Halloween, and then all of the Christmas goodies. Popularity and affluence was not helping my health and well-being AT ALL!

Finally fed up and ready for change, I started Jenny Craig and told NO ONE at work. I just stopped--everything. No lunches out with the girls, no trips to the vending machines, and NO candy jars. Sheer determination kept me going for well over a year. Then maintenance came along. I know the exchanges for Hershey's Miniatures. They're not so bad, certainly something you can fit into a 2000 calorie diet, which is what I was on to maintain my 170 pounds. The problem was portions. One leads to three which leads to ten. The candy jars were bottomless. When my co-worker started asking me what my favorites were so she could buy them for me, I just STOPPED. I do NOT want to be the person that munches on candy all day long any more.

It happened to be August 1 when I decided to put my foot down. I told myself I was NOT going to have anything out of a candy jar for at least the entire month of August. I had to remind myself of that several times, but I stuck it out. Now it's September, and I still have not caved. It's just one of the rules I have to make for myself to keep me in line.

Chocolate is not evil. Candy jars are not placed there by the devil. They ARE my downfall however. Once you can put a name on your trigger, it's much easier to avoid. Some tricks I have employed to help me through the tough times...

> Eat something that is totally incompatible with your craving. For me, it's sweet pickles. It satisfies the sweet craving, helps with the desire to munch, and totally erases any taste I might have had for chocolate.

> Acknowledge WHY you want to eat. If I'm tired, stressed, angry, frustrated or bored, going for a walk is truly a better way to manage those feelings than eating chocolate.

> DO anything. Distraction is a wonderful thing. That's why I'm here now! Not quite time for dinner, but I want to eat everything in the pantry. Next may be playing a video game. Might I actually resort to vacuuming the floor?! Doubt it--I can toss off that urge pretty easily! ha