I get this question all the time. “What’s it like, working at home? Do you love it?”

And sure, for the most part, I do. There are plenty of advantages to working at home. You can make your own hours. You can avoid bosses, irritating coworkers, and office politics. It’s great to skip the stress of rush hour, wear whatever you want (not so cool when a last-minute meeting crops up and you have scary hair and sweatpants on, but still), and take midday jaunts to the park on nice days without anyone around to chastize you.

I had heard about all these plusses before I signed on for this gig, but no one warned me about one of the major minuses that plagues me. No one told me about the Fridge Factor.

It’s way too easy to pop into my kitchen and snoop around for something to eat whenever I feel like it. I mean, it’s right there. It’s fully stocked. And it’s super tempting, especially at this time of year when I (and half the female population of the U.S.) am trying desperately to be good and lose a few pounds. It’s nearly summer, the short skirts and sundresses are about to make their debut, but my long-lost skinny bikini butt is still hidden under last winter’s layer of plump padding.

I’ve tried buying plenty of healthy snacks. That usually lasts about a week before I cave and buy ice cream. I’ve tried exercising more to compensate for my munchie fits. I’ve thought about taping a bathing suit to the refridgerator door.

So far, no luck. I’m considering diet pills, yoga poses, hypnosis. Anything that will keep me from nibbling all day long as I work.

Any suggestions on how to connect with my inner disciplinarian? (See comments link for feedback below.)

For now, I think I’ll just head out and take a calorie-burning jaunt to the park. At least it’ll keep me out of the fridge for an hour or so.