Practice.... that's all I can say. It's different for everybody, I think, and I can't really pinpoint what made me turn the corner...NOR can I say I'm 100% with it. I do know I just had to get really sick and tired of having one mistake start that chain of events that kept putting me back to square one. I think the feeling of accomplishment that came from stopping at one "oops" and putting down the fork just reinforced the idea JUST enough to help me walk away.

Realizing that slips are going to happen and there's not going to come a day when I am just magically "cured" went a long way, too. That idea used to depress me back into the chips, but now I realize that mistakes are a part of life, not the end of it.

Its weird how when things are going well-- you feel that wild horses couldnt drag you off plan and that you will never ever go off plan again....and then a few days or seconds later WHAMO you get that urge to WANT to and round and round you go. And you KNOW that one cracker or whatever will set you off...but you jsut want that one stupid cracker....and so you have it...and then you think damn...might as well....

I think, I just WANT to be able to have the cracker--just like other people. My little girl WANTS and stamps her feet and has a tantrum...and the MOM in me says no no not today ( or ever) and then the little girl just gets plain pissed off...and grabs the box and runs away with it. Thoughts?

I get raging cases of "THAT'S NOT FAIR!" when I see people being able to eat whatever they want and not suffer for it. My "inner child" is a spolt brat!

Your "inner child" and "my inner child" must be twin sisters

they must be.

Seriously, though, I do try to think about my own behavior in terms of what I'd expect of my own kids. For example, my son can't eat grapefruit due to the meds he's on, and if he did, he could get pretty darn sick.

He's never eaten grapefruit, but what if he used to LOVE it and he kept begging me for it? Would I cave in and let him have some because he looks sad or even has a fit? Um, NO.

Should I cave in and let my "inner child" eat things that are going to cost me years of my life?

Okay, so my inner child just isn't as CUTE as Steven, but you know what I mean.

I know exactly what you mean...but sometimes my inner child screams SO LOUDLY and WANTS TO SO BAD, that the Mom cant even be heard...it all happens so freakin fast...and before you know it, i have had x y or z--which isnt a problem IN AND OF ITSELF, but THEN...I start thinking " well...since i had x y or z...I might as well have the rest of the alphabet and other alphabets in other languages as well." THAT is what i have to change..and yes with practice and eating right.....

try the old stop-thought trick of wearing a rubber band around your wrist. When the intusive thoughts kick in, SNAP! I know, it sounds hokey, but it really DOES help!

Sometimes the hokeist ( word? spelling?) tricks work the best.

This is me also. However, I would NEVER accept myself at the same weight others might find "passable." My goal is to be succeed and excel and be beyond just "passable." I'm extremely much more critical of myself than I am of other people, but that's because I expect so much MORE from myself. I know I can DO more.

I think Potato poses a good question: What's the diff between a "reason" and an "excuse"? I fight with this all the time! It's a waste of energy. Just do it and get it over with and stay on target.

I think they've got a triplet in me, because I'm just like that! I turn into a spoilt brat...it's ridiculous.

But I just keep telling myself, if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again. I'm trying to applaud myself for taking the huge step of getting back on the Atkins WOL. So far, so good...I can't wait to see what happens.

I love this forum!