WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT AVOIDING CHEATS, FAILS, BINGES, SCREWUPS

Let's be honest, keto is harder than we sometimes make it sound here. Our culture, media, social networks, families, and so forth, are pelting us constantly with food-based temptations, incentives and inducements. The food industry researches things like "mouth feel" and "bliss points" to keep us tempted, addicted and enslaved. We are all here because we have found freedom from these traps in a way of eating that emphasizes whole, healthy foods, but damn ... it's hard sometimes. I have been on some form of keto/low carb for years, not for weight loss (5'8 male, gw: 165, cw: 165) but for health benefits and because of blood tests with higher fasting glucose and a1c than I would like. In some ways I may be more likely to cheat because I have a built-in rationalization: I don't look too bad when I look in the mirror, so what's the harm in a chocolate donut now and then. But it is frustrating and self-defeating so I decided to dig deep into what seems to make it happen, at least in my case. What I have realized is that cheating is not an event, it is a process with a number of discrete steps. When I made some notes on these steps and really identified them, I found that my success rate got much better, because I understood what was happening in my brain that was leading to that donut counter. I thought I would pass my thoughts along in the hope that someone else might find them useful, so here goes. In my case at least, the cheat cycle goes like this: 1. Vulnerability: I am hungry, tired, stressed, pissed -- whatever mental state makes me weak and susceptible to short term gratification versus long term goals; 2. Temptation: The foods that I know I should avoid are readily available and right in front of me -- on the counter at work, in the drive-through that I am driving past, etc. - in my case this is especially true if I am alone - nobody to hold me accountable, my little secret; 3. Rationalization/Excuse making: Ok I'm hungry and there's a Dunkin Donuts drive through right there. Now I just need to give myself a reason to stop and indulge. Well, I am not overweight, other people eat this stuff all this time, I am on my way to work and I can't work when I'm hungry, so it is actually a good thing to stop and get a donut, it will help with productivity -- blah blah blah, you know the drill. 4. Decision: Ok, let's do it. The switch gets flipped and I pass a point of no return -- blinker on, pull in, get out the debit card, get in line, place the order (two chocolate donuts please .... actually, make it 3, why not?). 5. Execution: Shovel it in 6. Regret: Why the f__ did I just do that instead of just eating the baggy of almonds that I packed for the day? Now I'm back to square one. What I have found is that at any point during steps 1-4, becoming mindful and conscious of what is happening, helps me to stop the process. I might be feeling vulnerable and see the opportunity to eat some crap, and simply say to myself -- that is just temptation, ignore it. Recognizing rationalization is also easy once you understand what it is and learn to remind yourself that you're just trying to talk yourself into messing up your goals. Even after the decision is made and I'm in the parking lot, I might say, you know what, it was just a decision, there is still time to reverse it now and have the almonds instead. Even when the fricking bag is on the passenger seat next to you, you can say, let's just not do the execution step here -- dump the damn things in the garbage. Obviously the best thing is to avoid the first step -- vulnerability -- by making sure you don't get too hungry and managing your mental state. My point here is that even if you have failed to do that, it is helpful to recognize and understand the process that leads up to the sugary treat entering your digestive tract, and you can learn to stop that process anywhere along the way. It all sounds very simple when I read it over but I found it useful to break it down this way. Hope this is helpful, I have found it to be so.