elizara added an entry about lose weight : It’s so nice to be in this forum-it makes weight loss so much less lonely!!! So Thursday night I did really well even in front of pizza. A major coup. But yesterday-while working at cafe with really delish muffins, and later sitting at a bar with peanuts in front of me, because of my weakness for snack foods at bars/parties, I ate about 1750 calories instead of 1200. Now tonight a bigger challenge is approaching: rooms full of people and wine and beer and snack food. After the alcohol, as they say, inhibitions plummet-for me that means chips, crackers and cheese, nuts. So here we go. My goal for this party is to totally stay within 1200 calories. To start to develop the ability to go to a party without eating more than everyone else. To be able to go out after dinner and only drink two glasses of wine, despite snacks and deserts everywhere. To be able to sit around a table with four semi-strangers/new friends/old friends and not be eating peanuts one by one. To be able to have dinner with friends and a good conversation while not walking out feeling stuffed and disappointed with myself. At home, over the past 8 months, I’ve basically broken the habit of sampling all the sweets in the house-i.e., my roommates ice cream and candy. But now I want to develop self-control at parties and group meals. I will separate socializing from overeating. That way I can enjoy people and not obsess about the food-or have to avoid the whole thing if I’m on a diet. Another thing: my grandmother has diabetes. So sweets are not just a frivolous indulgence but a low-grade poison. My family history and observations of my appetite and hypoglycemia make it pretty clear that I will develop insulin resistance if not diabetes in later years. And some expert says, “in the population over 65 years old, 18% to 20% have diabetes, with 40% having either diabetes or its precursor form of impaired glucose tolerance.” Eating low-glycemic foods is a good prevention. An ice-cream binge-the whole carton of haagendaasz kind-is much worse for me than a few glasses of wine. This no sugar or refined flour diet has to be a lifelong habit for me. A desert just a few times a week may be all my body can handle. Anyway, for today, to stay within the guideline-while making sure to eat enough protein to not lose muscle mass-I wrote down everything I’ve eaten, and everything I will eat.