Confessions of a Cookie Monster

Negative thoughts like “How could I do this to myself?” can be your own worst enemy. They fuel guilt, anger, and discouragement, undermining your ability to handle the slip or cookie binge effectively. Wipe them out with positive thoughts, such as: “I am not a failure. I messed up for 10 minutes. I can – and will – get back on my feet again.”

Use the General Patton problem-solving approach: “HOW DID THE COOKIES GET IN MY FACE? WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?”

Mary Jo D is obviously not going to stop visiting her mother, but it’s possible she can work her way around the situation so that those gorgeous cookies are not in her face every day.

First of all, does she have to enter her mother assisted living home through the main door? Is there a side or back entrance that doesn’t force her to see (and smell) those cookies?

Another strategy: Is there a different time of day that she can visit her mother? Mary Jo is walking into the foyer at the worst time of day, right after the cookies are out of the oven and right when they’re sitting all plump and pretty on their platter. Just an hour or two later, and the “scene of the crime” might be very different. The aroma’s gone. The platter’s empty. The cookies have disappeared. And so has the awful, nagging temptation.

People tend to slip for different reasons. Which of the following might be the Achilles heel behind your cookie binge?

• Social occasions – holidays, birthdays, vacations.

  You’re happy, you’re feeling good, and your family mantra at celebrations has always been, “Oh, to heck with the diet. Have some fun.”

• Boredom

  You’re home alone, fiddling around online or watching T.V. On the screen flashes a big juicy cheeseburger, and you find yourself wandering into the kitchen, snooping around for a little snack.

• Anger

  You’re home with family, and someone starts ranting – and frankly, you’ve heard it all too many times before. You want out. So you stomp out of the house for a cookie run to Mrs. Field’s.

• Stress

  You’re behind on a project at work, and everyone’s on top of you to get it done. A co-worker passes by with a box of Godivas. Three chocolates are in your mouth before you know it.

If you can identify your weak moments, you can plan a strategy for handling the situation better the next time.

Can you avoid it (as we recommended with Mary Jo)?

Example: Don’t keep cookies in the pantry. Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks like popcorn and fresh fruit instead. Or, can you manage it in a better way? For instance, at the next holiday party, position yourself far, far away from the buffet table.

A good friend. A close family member. A coach. Remember: “Talk it through. Don’t eat it through.”

Know who your coaches are, and use them. A golfer whose stroke periodically slips returns immediately to the pro – his coach.

At the Pritikin Longevity Center, there are particularly outstanding coaches in healthy lifestyle change – physicians, dietitians, exercise trainers, and behavioral-change experts. “Many Pritikin alumni know how to use us,” smiles Dr. Danine Fruge, MD, ABFP, Medical Director at Pritikin. “As soon as they detect a breakdown, they’re back at Pritikin, deepening their understanding and motivation for healthy living.”

The person who “blew it” today is the same person who has likely been successful many previous days and weeks. A cookie monster binge does not reveal the “real you.” The “real you” is involved in a lifelong commitment to eating well and exercising daily. Pat yourself on the back for your efforts, keep calm, and carry on. You’ll be so glad you did.