temptations...

I've developed a routine at work:  I come in, boot my computer, go hang up my coat, unpack my bag, go make my high protein hot chocolate (can't seem to get up at 6 am anymore in order to make it at home), and then sit at my desk, drinking hot chocolate and checking my email.  About 45 minutes later I eat my breakfast.

I go into the kitchen to make my hot chocolate and I see an insulated casserole carrier, a big jug of pancake syrup, and all the plates and utensils set up.  No big deal.  I go back to my desk and enjoy my cinnamon hot chocolate.

When it's time to go heat up my breakfast, I see a few of the women have set up a potluck breakfast and the table is now full of food. (The rice crackers I brought in to share had been relegated to the empty table, all by themselves.)  There were fresh sticky buns, broccoli and cheese casserole, fresh fruit, big muffins, small muffins, mini cinnamon swirls, Dunkin' Donuts coffee and OJ.  It smelled heavenly.  Especially because they were heating the sticky buns in the microwave.

Apparently it was a coworker's birthday today.  I wished her happy birthday and ducked out of the kitchen. I let them know why I wasn't going to eat (I'm very open about my surgery).  Everything smelled delicious, but I sat at my desk and enjoyed my egg bites; it didn't bother me at all.  Later on I ducked back in and snagged a piece of the broccoli casserole for tonight's dinner.  It was delicious!

Later in the day it was round two:  Chocolate Bomb cake and brownies.  Again, I avoided the kitchen and didn't touch any of it.  I made a cup of raspberry hot chocolate and enjoyed it.  It crossed my mind to grab a small brownie, but I don't want to get into my old habits.

Speaking of temptations, I have found a new trigger food:  honey roasted sesame sticks.  They generally come in the Chinese rice cracker mix and they're delicious.  I bought some at the local health food store and that was a mistake.  I've noticed that when I eat any kind of item high is carbs, like crackers, my weight loss slows down.  I want to take advantage of the next year as much as possible, so I will need to limit my crackers.  The first year after gastric bypass is when we get the most weight loss with the least amount of effort.  Sounds good to me!