I felt the need to share that while I’m 15 weeks into this journey, I must admit that I still struggle with the mental side of obsessing about food. I don’t mean casual thoughts about what to plan for dinner. I mean obsessing. That constant mental thought that can not be shaken.

I could be working on an analysis at work [ice cream]. Finishing it up and prepping for another meeting that I have in about 1 hour 15 minutes [ice cream], which is just after I get back from lunch [there's ice cream in the freezer upstairs!]. I’m leading and I have to get an agenda out [plus, there's that new ice cream shop that just opened down the street!] before I leave for lunch. It would be good to [hold it...they have a drive thru!] jot down some notes about the discussion points. Damn it. I’m leaving for lunch.

I feel the need to put in a disclosure that while these thoughts do occur very similar to how I’ve outlined above, sometimes I succumb to them and sometimes I don’t. If I do succomb, I do log it in my food log / calories consumed. Granted, for the better part of the 15 weeks, I’ve been able to “ignore” those thoughts or distract myself with other tasks. I’m curious whether this will be a life-long habit that I will have to deal with. Because if it is…that sucks. I’m up for doing it. I’m just recognizing that it sucks.

I’ve quit smoking. Haven’t had one in 7 1/2 years now. And I know that I will never have another because I understand that the first one that I “approve” will be the toughest and all my control over the addiction will be out the window. Granted, it is much easier now to say “no” to smoking than it was 2 weeks after I quit (infinitely more easier). But this obsessing is very much like that.

For anyone that’s fought and beaten (or worked with someone that has), any feedback on how you dealt with the mental aspect?

I can only speak to how I handled the smoking addiction and that was one day at a time. Not even that. I focused on very short term goals. …..5 minutes …..I can make it to the next 15 minute mark without a smoke …..I can make it through the drive home without a smoke ….I can make it in the house and change out of my work clothes without a smoke …..I can eat dinner without taking a break for a smoke ……ah, thank goodness, it’s bedtime

That’s how I handled a full elimination habit.

This isn’t full elimination though. This is like quitting smoking, but still buying cigarettes everyday. Having someone light it for me and handing it to me and saying, “Don’t smoke that”. Like I said…I’m not going to. But yes, this sucks.