National Yo-Yo Museum

I am up 1 pound from a month ago. I've been up as high as 3 pounds and as low as 2 pounds down. Truth be told, it's more like 6 weeks I have been doing this yo-yo trick up and down that 5 pound range.

I've been fairly good about logging my food. The days that the log stops at lunch are the problem. The afternoon snack attacks are sabotaging my efforts. I feel helpless to stop them. It's really detrimental to be feeling this way.

I have gone so far as to leave all my cash out in the car at work so the evil vending machine doesn't trip me up. However, at least 15 people where I work have candy on their desks. The good stuff too. And at least once a week there is freebie cake or cookies or something irresistible in the lunchroom.

On the plus side, I have banished the mid-morning snack. My endocrinologist referred me to a nutritionist and she has me on a plan that should increase my insulin sensitivity. One of the keys is 3 meals a day and one afternoon snack - and NOTHING in-between. No coffee with sweetener, no sugar-less gum, no flavored waters - nothing that will trigger my body to produce insulin or make it think that real food is entering the system. After approximately 10 years of grazing all day long, this is a big change.

I must admit I am sometimes drinking coffee longer than I should, particularly on the days that I telecommute and have access to our home-brewed chicory blend and sugar free French vanilla coffee creamer. I will keep working on this, and feel confident I can conquer mornings.

I like my apple and cheese stick afternoon snack. But it hasn't stopped me from eating more. Even if the calorie count is not that high, I need to break the habit. Any ideas?