: "I hope this high lasts
: forever"

: Hey send some of that high this way.

: I need to find something to do when I
: feel like eating sweets. LIke
: pulling that tool out of the
: mentioned toolbox. In other words
: when work gets really bad instead
: of heading to the ice cream store
: I need to find a healthy
: alternative, such as floating
: around the hot tub or going for a
: run. Neither of which I do in
: winter. So I need a winter
: destress activity. Any
: suggestions?

: L

I have three-- a stare sheet, a potato or a treat. I have my stare sheet at the beginning of my food journal or somtimes on a card in my card holder. My "stare sheet" has the following written on it: "perfect health, perfect body, waist, skin, vision, sweet breath and scent, radiant beauty, energy and peace of mind." I paste my eyes to this when family members choose to eat sweets around me. My mind likes to convince me that others are getting something I can't have. This way I remind myself I'm getting something they can't have making those poor choices. Sometimes looking at it is enough, other times I have to really imagine myself in my bikini in Hawaii or something like that to get away from the temptation.

The book tells us to have a potato at night, but there's certainly nothing against having a potato any other time. I find, and my loved ones will testify to this, that potatoes make me happy-- I feel consoled and fulfilled. I enjoy sweet potatoes more in a jam because the smell they give when cooking is so divine. At work, I slice one into half inch rounds and bake in the toaster oven at 375 for 30 minutes. They get a nice sort of chewy crunch on the outside and the anticipation waiting for them to be done distracts from other frustrations.