You’re doing great, bringing your lunch in to work every day, planning a healthful snack in the afternoon and going for a walk after supper. Then the inevitable happens to sabotage your best laid plans: the cookies a well-intentioned co-worker brought to the office, surprise dinner plans at your favorite restaurant or attending a social event that happens to have all your favorite foods. When instances like these occur it can be easy to forget your intentions to eat healthfully for your waistline and your health.

Unfortunately almost an entire week’s worth of healthful eating can be undone at one eating event, but there is good news, you are always the one in control of what goes in your mouth. Read that again, YOU are always the one in control of what goes in your mouth. This is a very important message to remember when faced with piles of all your favorite foods. One of the best strategies for avoiding temptation is to remember why you are at a particular event. Are you there for work, to reunite with old friends or to make new friends? When it feels like your favorite foods are calling to you remind yourself that you have consistently made great choices and this is one more time where you will continue to do so. This may be difficult at first but will get easier with time and practice.