h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've really been struggling with my diet for the last few days.

We now have three baskets at work, one charity basket selling sweets & flapjacks for Air Ambulance, one selling crisps and one selling sweets & chocolates. I don't know who even agreed to give these baskets houseroom but someone evidently did and someone comes along every couple of weeks and tops them up. I have to pass right by them to go for a drink, to go to the toilet, to arrive and leave. And this week all the little goodies hidden within have been going "Deb, Deb, come to us, we'll make you happy". I've eaten a lot of satsumas at work this week.

I've been busy and stressed at work because the closer we get to Christmas the more urgent it is I get up to date. Our year end is 31st December and the first three weeks of January are always stressful. There are a lot of once a year tasks to be completed before the auditors come in, so I don't want to have to be playing catch-up as well. This leads to my next struggle, which is the coffee machine. My employer supplies a nice machine doing a whole range of sweet, creamy drinks - cappuccino, latte, mocha, hot chocolate...It's free and it's easy. Instead I've been microwaving some of my skimmed milk allowance and adding an espresso - which actually I enjoy more than the quick & easy coffees out of the machine.

There's a sandwich shop round the corner from work who do hot pork sandwiches on soft, white, crusty bread. They put a piece of crackling in with it too. I've been craving one for days. I had crispbreads with low fat cream cheese & salad on Thursday and a jacket potato with beans & mushrooms on Friday, both good lunches on my particular diet.

I look back on the last few days and think I won't have done very well because all I can remember is the stuff I wanted to eat. In days gone by I would have had them, no question, but I've actually managed to resist all temptation and instead of feeling good about it, I forget. It's very strange - although I KNOW I'm actually having a really good on-plan week, I FEEL as if I've wrecked it at every turn.

So hopefully I'll get a really nice surprise on the scales on Wednesday evening

Deb

I feel your struggle - so difficult when we're bombarded with so much stuff that speaks to us, as you say...

I am confident you will get a nice surprise on Wednesday I did today so we're doing well and keep up the good work

[Amy P]

You may think you're struggling but it sounds like you're actually winning! Well done for resisting all that temptation, though I do have a sudden desire for pork crackling now thanks!

It is cruel for those either dieting or on special diets at this time of year. You see all the adverts on tv with tables laden to breaking point with all manner goodies knowing you can't partake of much of it yourself.

I second FWR good on you for resisting temptation hope you have a happy scales day

Thanks folks.

BMT, I'm afraid I'll be partaking over Christmas but then I'm lucky I can. I can control my diabetes with adjustments to my insulin short-term, and the diet - well, if I put on a few pounds I'll just have to get them off again in the new year! I won't go too mad, but I'm going to eat & be merry (I don't generally drink).

Deb

The average person gains about six pounds over the holidays. I'm trying to eat some of the forbidden foods, but in very small amounts.