thank you for your encouragement Kevin. i am not that great at staying positive either. i am kind of a cynical person actually!!! and i have a bad habit of waiting until there is absolutely no choice before trying to change anything in my life!!!
For me it's all about rules and positivity. Rules help me when I get torn. (I want the tasty food, but I don't want the fat...) If something is straight-up off limits, I can say no much easier. It can also be helpful for me to follow up my "No, thank-you," with "Sorry, I don't eat _____." Positivity: whether you think you can or can't, you're right. So think you can!