[Sabrina]

I have tried to keep one for so many years. It never lasts more than a couple of days. As soon as I cheat I just don't write in it anymore.

This morning I weighed myself, took all my measurements and started on the diet my gym have given me. And wrote this all down. By lunch time I had consumed all sorts of things that I shouldn't and tore the page out and tossed it in the bin.

I am so weak with this. Naturally I look the way I do - I have myself to blame!

[wi_fighter]

I build in a cheat day for myself. It's usually on the weekend when my time is even less structured than usual. I let myself eat all the "bad" food that I won't allow during the week. When I know I have a day to eat whatever I want and not feel guilty, it makes the rest of the week much easier to get through. I don't write down the junk food day either.

And pigging out for one day isn't going to undo all the hard work you've put in up till then.

The weekends the kids are here, it's REALLY hard to stick to eating healthy because we're usually running around doing errands. It's hard to go "mmmmm, yum, protein bar" when they're eating orange chicken from Panda Express or a melty steak sandwich and cheese fries from Steak Escape.

Besides, you'll probably end up so sick of the junk food part way through the day that you'll end up eating less than you thought you would.

If I slip more than I planned, I just remind myself it's one day and get back on track right away or the next day.

I was a horrible eater up until two months ago and I just decided ENOUGH. I even was challenged (well, not challenged, just tempted) this weekend by my ex's girlfriend. We had to stop over to get my son's cell phone and she had a buffet of chips and dips and sodas and beer. After turning down several offers to dig in, I finally said "I'm on a diet and I've cut out junk food and soda, and I'm not going to drink alcohol because it hits me too fast and I have to drive." Let me tell you, it was scary to say no and back it up, especially when I knew that I'd hear back "Oh, you are soooooo not fat." Hey, I was fat enough for me when I was outgrowing my clothes and I had that roll of flab hanging over my pants and it hurt to sit at a desk all day.

You can do it Sabrina, I know you can. You just have to be ready for you and your own reasons.

[Sabrina]

Thank you so much wi_fighter. Your encouragement means a lot. I just hate the way my resolve disappears with the first wrong mouthfull.

I think I am ready, and boy do I have reasons - know I just need to "follow-through". I give up on this too easily and keep saying - oh well I'll start tomorrow. Um, all the tomorrow's have seen about 50 extra pounds creep up. (Ok, the first few were med related and a couple are thyroid related - but still ..).

Thanks for making me feel less guilty for having a bad day - even if every day is a bad day at the moment. And LOL - I doubt I will ever get sick of junk food. Fortunately I can't afford it too often.

I hardly ever touch sweets and chocolates but chips and bread and the high carb forbidden goodies are my downfall.

Maybe I should ditch the diary and go with my instincts. I think I am placing so much pressure on myself with the diary.

Rambling now ...

[(JD)]

First I say, begin again. Make the book "just the facts" book. Write down the truth...the facts.... no comments about how bad you were, or that you cheated or that you shouldn't have had this and that... NO JUDGMENT! No blaming.

The book contains just facts that you are gathering to use to figure out what you need to add or decrease later on. But don't do any assessment till the end of one or two weeks.

Write down everything... and when. No judgment now! It's just a fact book, like if someone else were taking the notes. Approach it from that perspective and I think it will help. (Getting the info will allow you to realize that maybe you are allowed some of those fun foods, you might "just" need to add more healthy ones. ) good wishes.