Ok, before I write what I actually want to say I have a question for you guys - Do you call all biscuits cookies, or are some call something else? Cos I would say that to me cookies are a type of biscuit, but not all biscuits are cookies.
Anyway, now that I’ve totally confused you all, I have another question… How do you avoid the biscuits?
This morning I was childminding and took S to a mothers (etc) and toddler session at our local church. I’m assuming you have those sorts of things - in a church hall and the kids play with lots of exciting toys and the mums (etc) all sit around and chat and drink tea and eat biscuits! Well, I’ve never liked tea or coffee so don’t have a problem refusing them, but when the biscuit tin comes round it gets harder. Putting aside all the ‘retuning the body to not want sweet stuff’ (which is great, and totally true) how can you manage to keep avoiding the biscuits?
BTW, in case you were wondering, I did avoid the biscuits today, but it was getting hard to say “No, I’m sure, I really don’t want one”.
So, how do you avoid the biscuits*?
* Or whatever it is that gets waved under your nose every 2 seconds.
I don’t call anything a biscuit except baking powder biscuits. We have cookies and bars (bar cookies).
At home, I avoid them by not buying or making them. But when I’m out, sometimes I chew gum, or have something with me to drink. Anything that will give me something to put into my mouth instead of a cookie. But, it’s hard to resist, no matter what strategy I have.
Plus, I think some European biscuits are easier to gobble up 2 at a time because they aren’t as sweet as our American Cookies. Like digestive biscuits - they don’t seem very cookie-like to me. Just my opinion.
Good for you in avoiding the biscuits today! One step at a time, one day at a time!
Comment by Anita — November 29, 2006 @ 4:44 pm
What helps me is being a cookie snob. I find that most of the time at a gathering like you mention, there are store bought goodies. With the exception of Nutter Butter (yum), I find commercially made or even store-bakery cookies yucky. Get snobby, it might work for you, too.
Other than that, gum helps me too. Or having just brushed my teeth.
If none of that worked, or someone who baked brought the treats, I would pick just one leetle cookie and nibble on it really sllloooww.
And what’s up with you not liking tea, Debs? Isn’t that unpatriotic in jolly ol’ England?
Comment by lady laura — November 29, 2006 @ 4:53 pm
Remember the energy and success and empowerment of NOT eating the biscuit/cookie today. That’s one of the things that I have to remind myself about — how great it feels to NOT be controlled by food and to not give in.
And, seriously, learn to like TEA!! It’s yummy and also a good way to get water
Comment by anne — November 29, 2006 @ 8:03 pm
Biscuits are biscuits and cookies are cookies and never the twain shall meet - except in the UK. LOL When I first discovered British Comedies I was so confused that they called little round sugary things biscuits. I kept telling Dan, “those are not biscuits, those are SUGAR COOKIES!” Seriously biscuits are NOT sweet here unless you put syrup, honey or jelly on them. They are breakfast food and I prefer them with gravy. Cookies are made with butter, sugar, flour and a variety of garnishes like chocolate chips and walnuts or oatmeal and raisins or peanut butter or… I am getting hungry here…
Anyway, I don’t avoid them completely. I will be baking with the kids for the holidays and I will be having a nibble as I go from time to time. The thing is not to OVER INDULGE for me. I can have one with a cup of tea or coffee and then give the rest away. I have learned to control that. I find that when I totally cut out such things I feel awfully deprived. I know some of the other ladies would SWEAR I am giving bad advice but that is what works for me. I eat a bite of cake off Dan’s plate or eat one cookie and then I have had that taste and can let it go. Some people cannot and so they shouldn’t. We are just all different… It also helps that the only store bought cookies I can even tolerate are oreo cookies with a big glass of milk. If they are not homemade I won’t eat them. I am a real cookie snob, too. I even make my own cookies with whole wheat pastry flour so they are even a tad bit healthy. That helps when the “biscuit tin” is passed my way.
Love ya sweetie!!! (((HUG)))
Comment by Leann — November 29, 2006 @ 8:54 pm
I guess that’s like people in the south calling anything with carbonation a “coke” or the folks in the north calling it a “pop”. When of course you have different varieties and brands and whatever.
I like Leann’s description of what we call cookies and what we call biscuits. How to avoid them?? Hmm, I typically don’t have a problem avoiding them in public. I figure people are looking at me if I eat junk in public and thinking, “that woman has no business eating that.” lol. Where my struggle lies is in private but that has come a long way in the last year. I’m with Leann lately, trying to train myself to just have a small bit and then move on - teaching myself that I can control what I put in my mouth when for years I believed I was a lost cause in that area.
Anyway, I figure I don’t really have an advice lol - if you’re trying to avoid that stuff just keep in mind that you’ll be proud of yourself later if you do
Comment by Blair — November 30, 2006 @ 7:10 am
Excuse me, it’s not pop or coke, it’s SODA! (yet another variation, LOL). I am also curious about what kind of cookies are called biscuits.
The Christmas baking has begun and I am trying not to eat much of it. The way I handle it is to make cookies I’m not as fond of, and when I do make my faves, I have ONE. no more.
I like the idea of being a store-bought snob - it would help. I’m trying to get ready for the round of Christmas parties - church, work, neighborhood, and it’s going to be a challenge, but if I’m going to lose weight by Christmas, it must be done.
My number one tip is to make sure that you’re not hungry when you’re going to be in the situation. That makes it easier to make good choices. The idea of picking one to sample (slowly) is a good one too. Or enlist a helper who will stick by your guns with you (my dh will be mine at the parties, reminding me NICELY that I decided not to have the sweets, or that I decided to have ONE).
Comment by Tracy — November 30, 2006 @ 12:33 pm
Ok, cookies would probably be homemade, but you can also get store-bought ones. They would probably be, for example, chocolate chip or something like that. Biscuits would be most other shop bought ones - things like digestives, hobnobs, custard creams and bourbons to name a few.
Everyone said that I’d get a taste for tea or coffee when I went to university (typical student image being sitting up till all hours and using caffiene to stay awake…) But I never did, and to be honest it doesn’t really bother me. I’m not really keen on hot drinks - my ‘hot’ chocolate has to cool down before I can drink it! To Anne I’ll just add that I have no problem with drinking water, so i don’t even really need that excuse to drink it!
I wasn’t necessarily wanting advice (but thanks for it anyway!), just checking other people are facing this too, and that people are alive really, whatever the blog may have suggested recently
Finally, they’re ‘fizzy drinks’ ok?
Comment by Debs — November 30, 2006 @ 1:13 pm
BWAHAHAHAHAHA…”fizzy drinks?” I call them sodas…
but I may call them fizzy drinks from now on! LOL Oh, anything called custard creams cannot be anything but YUMMO! MUST.FIND.RECIPE!!! 
Comment by Leann — November 30, 2006 @ 1:33 pm
Dunno if you can make custard creams - I’ve only ever seen shop-bought ones, but let us know if you find a recipe!
Comment by Debs — November 30, 2006 @ 2:07 pm
For what it’s worth Tracy and Leann, I too call it “Soda” but know plenty in several areas of the country who call it “coke” and “pop”. When my SIL asks “do you want a pop” I always picture someone getting smacked in the face lol.
Of course, then you have the folks who take it to the extreme and call them “soda pops” lol
Good times…
Comment by Blair — November 30, 2006 @ 2:31 pm
Oh and I once babysat (”child minded” for Debs) a little boy who called soda, “Fuzzy Juice”. It was sooo cute once I realized what he was asking for lol.
Comment by Blair — November 30, 2006 @ 2:33 pm
I’d call it babysitting if it was for an evening or something, but child-minding if it was for a whole day\couple of days a week. Also, people that do it on a more official basis (rather than as a favour for a friend) have to be registered as official child-minders.
Comment by Debs — November 30, 2006 @ 2:55 pm
I was a nanny for a family during the summer while the kids were out of school. I still called that “sitting” for them
I can see what you mean though. I’d never heard of “child-minding” till you mentioned it (and it took me a minute to realize what you were talking about lol). I think the differences are neat though - I’ve commented more than once to my husband how fun it is to read the differences in phrasing and stuff. Tee Hee…speaking of the hubby - he’s just walked in and it’s time to eat!
Comment by Blair — November 30, 2006 @ 4:22 pm
My dad has always called them “fizzy waters” with the s on the end for both plural and singular. He is a true southern boy from south Texas. LOL
Comment by Leann — November 30, 2006 @ 5:48 pm
Oh, and “sody water”…
Comment by Leann — November 30, 2006 @ 5:49 pm