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Eating in the Real World
There ' s a quote from Oscar Wilde that I love to paraphrase: There is only one thing that I cannot resist, and that is temptation. I think we have perfected the art of weight loss to the point where that is so true! And temptation wears many guises.
The biggest booby trap is called the " Real World." Here, sad events can upset us so much that we turn for solace to our old reliable friends, the foods that have always comforted us( see Chapter 21, " The Psychology of Weight Loss "). But happy times can also undermine our weight loss efforts. Vacations, holidays, let ' s-bring-out-the-champagne celebrations, family weddings and gourmet dinner parties are also challenges to overcome. Then there ' s business travel and entertainment, plus pit stops at fast food places. In all of these situations, those of us determined to shed excess pounds and inches must find ways to avoid pitfalls or, if we do succumb, ways to right ourselves and get back on course. With the tools in this book, you will be able to do just that.
Dealing With Temptation
The truth is that temptation lurks everywhere, unless you deny yourself a social and working life and the attendant pleasures of eating out. I believe that the best way to overcome temptation is not with willpower, which is so often in short supply, but with our brain power, a potentially unlimited resource.
Imagine that you ' re doing great, losing weight, feeling better than ever, thrilled with yourself, hearing compliments from friends and acquaintances-and then it happens! Despite all your good intentions, you ' re mightily tempted by a food you ' re not supposed to have. What to do? I ' ll tell you this: You ' d better have a strategy ready!
Strategies you can employ are:
• Talking yourself out of your momentary passion so you can stay the course.
• Deliberately stopping the Atkins plan, but you must do so intelligently. Pick your poison. Don ' t throw all reason to the wind. Do you want that potato with your meal, or a glass of wine with your dinner, or a taste of your partner ' s dessert? Pick one and only one and be done with it. Then get right back to doing Atkins. Used occasionally, and I stress the word " occasionally," this strategy can be a useful technique.
• Finding an alternative that is low in carbs but gives the same taste sensations. Make or purchase controlled carbohydrate ice cream, mousse, bread, crackers, chips or chocolate sensation.
Let me explain something about cravings, because this point might allow you to continue with Atkins. Your craving appeared, most likely, because it was triggered by a drop in blood sugar.
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