When I needed to lose 15 lbs. last year, everyone told me to eat 6 small meals a day. But I quickly realized that at each “small” meal, I was eating an entire meal instead! So I decided that I would have three meals a day, and that’s it. It didn’t matter if I wanted to eat something in between meals- I knew that if I did, I would keep on eating.

I quit chewing gum about 4 years ago, because it hurt my teeth, so I just stopped altogether. I just said that I wasn’t a gum chewer anymore, and now I have no desire to chew gum.

I also stopped going out to eat at restaurants- I went 3 times in 2009, and only then because they were for family events.

I gave up chocolate too about 3 years ago now.

The way I see it, if I cannot control my intake, I stop it altogether. Some things I can control – like soft drink and ice cream etc. but for those I cannot, they are gone entirely.

It’s even more interesting, as I think that I’m a mix of the two. I’m very good at moderation in *not* doing something. I can eat one chocolate a week and stretch a box of fancy valentine candy almost the whole year. I’m pretty good at watching t.v. in moderation too.

On the other hand, when forcing myself to *do* something, I need to be all or nothing. I was having no luck getting myself to wear makeup, or nice shoes more often until I declared an ultimatum on myself and did it every day. Once I picked up the habit, I can moderate a little bit, but not much.

That’s actually a really helpful observation, since I tend to think of myself as a moderator given my success with finding a balance on food. However, now that I look more deeply, I bet I would be more successful with cleaning if I resolved to sweep every day whether it needs it or not, rather than just planning to do it when it starts to show.

However, I found myself dipping into it. At first I’d tell myself, “oh, just one during naptime” and that became “two during naptime” and then “And one for after dinner.”

When I told myself, “I don’t eat candy anymore,” that worked. I had to do the same thing with coffee. Because I started with one cup of coffee in the morning, and then “A latte at lunchtime” or “Another cup in the afternoon.” But when I decided, “I’m not a coffee drinker anymore,” I was able to resist. And i reminded myself how horrible the headaches were, and I remind myself that when I abstain from candy, I lose weight easily.

How long did she talk in DC? She was scheduled for an hour and a half in Kansas City (her hometown) and she bolted after about twenty minutes. After the difficulty in parking and getting to the plaza library, I was disappointed.

Perhaps I have learned to utilize better coping mechanisms like placing foods that are not as good for me where they are not immediately visible and placing the healthy foods at eye level in the fridge.

I think I’m mostly an Abstainer. For example, I decided to join the Great American Apparel Diet this year and not buy ANY new clothes for a year. I decided one day and just did it. The fact that I made the act of not buying clothes easy. The topic was simply closed in my mind.

However, in food-related things, like, not eating a burger for a month, I’m not as successful. In that case, I have to be a moderator.

Except caffeine. For health reasons I need to eliminate it from my life. But I’ve tried the abstinence method more times than I can count with short term success at best. I’m doing better moderating, but it’s another thing I have to constantly think about in order to be successful.

I’d like to moderate it into oblivion, but I’m still stuck right where I started.

@Jeanne B. Your strategy worked really well for me as I was losing weight. I’d pass right by the candy and soda aisles in the store with the mental reminder “I don’t need anything here. I don’t use any of that.” Just as easily as I’d pass by shoe polish and baby food. Not on my radar. After several years I did allow the candy and soda back in and now I am paying the price! I need to abstain and re-image myself there.