while I am at my friend's Christmas party. This is NOT your average party. My friend has taken courses at the San Francisco Culinary Institute and other great cooking institutes and she is one of the best. She does this party every year. She has a gorgeously arranged table with desserts. It is just DESSERTS. They all have little matching cards with the name of the dessert (most of them you can't read without a French dictionary at hand). These are the most delicious things I've ever eaten. She also has southern comfort punch (which I also had to pass on another party recently) and other drinks.
I had planned to cheat for this event but now I'm reconsidering.... I guess if I were to cheat this would be the time to do it considering the "quality" of the cheat. (After following this WOE since May without cheating, not even once, I slipped! I had been on a trip where I passed wonderful tea with scones, french pastries and gourmet ice creams. And then one day after I was back, I ordered a salad that came with croutons and can you believe that I munched all those croutons one by one before eating the salad? Passing all the good stuff to end up cheating with some stupid garlic croutons from Chili's).
This time I am going to give it my best effort to NOT cheat. I can see myself standing in the farthest corner from the table sipping my water trying to make a mental count of the insulin levels of all attendants...
OK, here's where I need your help. Please give thinks to think about while I'm there to keep me strong! Or... do you think I should just... NO!!!!
Thanks for all your help.

That's a tough one. Does your friend know you're following a lc plan? Are you comfortable with asking her if you can bring a lc treat of your own?

The only "thought" I can think to pass on is the platitude "Nothing tastes as good as think feels"--often repeated but still true.

Good luck.

Actually, Katwoman, your saying in your signature is a good one to memorize...........

Just keep remembering the reasons you are low carbing......Good luck!

Hey I'm in the Midwest, too - where's this party?

Can you talk to the hostess beforehand to ask if there will be anything low carb or sugar free on the menu? Can you let her know that you have health issues that will prevent you from taking part in the goodies? (people understand "health issues")

Hang in there!

..and as good 'ol Dr Phil advises:

If you are going to a "target-rich" environment, eat BEFORE you go. Position yourself AWAY from the food, and carry around a club soda and lemon to keep yourself "busy".

Try to focus on the friends, NOT the food.

i think we have lots of good suggestions here....it's just a matter of knowing whether or not you're in control.....maybe you could spend some time analyzing all the treats and then make your choices very carefully....set a limit of say two or three---and spend your time carefully selecting those....i am no expert...but i like the advice of focusing on friends! i don't think i would have the nerve to bring my own food to this event or to ask the hostess to make me something special.....but i would not feel bad if i didn't eat a bite of anything either!

I agree with eat a large meal befor eyou go. Actual hunger can often cause people to give in to temtpation when there is nothing else around.

Talk to y our friend. Explain to her about low carb, that you can't have sugar or refined flour. Maybe point to various low carb recipes online she can look through. She may see it as a challange to her cooking skills and create some new amazing low carb treats you can share the recipe too. Tell her there is big bucks in writing low carb cook books and selling products

Thanks for all the responses. I was planning to eat before I went. This is going to be a big party, so nobody will notice if I eat or if I don't. I really don't have to explain, probably nobody will notice if I don't eat because it is not a "sit down" party. The scrumptious table is in the middle and most people stand and mingle in groups and they hold their lusty plates in their hands... so is not that anybody will notice. I know I would not eat out of hunger; it is just that these desserts are not your average thing, they are very unusual and totally gormet and delicious. I know I would eat out of "lets see how this tastes" kind of thought.... That is why I don't need to bring my own LC goodies. I guess I could have something waiting at home for when I return. And I will stand and focus on my friends and interesting conversatation while I sip on my wonderful WATER....

What bugs me the most is how much time and thought I have given to this. Why is food so important? I wish I would be like those people that have to be reminded to eat! Somebody once wrote on this board "It is just food" and I have to remind myself of that at all times.

Potato, that is good advice from Dr. Phil. Thanks!

Unfortunately it is not just food. You already recognize that this person has quite the talent and that this party is a labor of love. It is difficult to pass these treats on the holidays especially because
1. they taste good!
2. they often represent traditions and memories that are near and dear to us.

Personally, I think that if we view them as TREATS we are on the right track. It is when we eat an enormous amount of sugar and carbs (as most of us used to do) that we end up in poor health and overweight.

That is my two cents.

Personally, I would handle this situation by having a bite or two of a couple of carefully chosen desserts, and skimp on carbs the days before and after.
It's also a great social device, to meet people by asking them if they want to share.
Also figure how many days are you going to do this? I don't have a problem with a couple of special occasions, but I know if I declared the whole holiday season a "cheat day" I would have a lousy time the whole holiday season.