I'm still working on making better food choices. It doesn't help that I'm in a Board meeting for the next 3 days for about 12 hours a day. We've got nothing but snacks around and lemon bars (I love the lemon bars). The hotel even has hot cookies at the desk (I used to eat about 3 each night). Every morning we have a restaurant buffet breakfast that includes phenomenal omeletes.

I've tried to plan ahead. I brought my own low-cal snacks. I control the menu and I selected lean meats with lots of veggies for each meal (I banned pastas).

We have this meeting every 3 months and the last 2 meetings didn't go so well. I REFUSE to go to the exercise room because I am not ready to sweat or wear work out clothes around my bosses. I'm committed to posting on Thursday that I made good choices!!!

Free1 - you can only do the best that you can do with the available choices. These situations are always difficult. I feel like I have to get my money's worth at a buffet. Not good for someone watching their weight!

You are aware of the dangers. You are prepared. You could probably even ask the food service staff if there are fruit and veggie options for snacks that might be healthier for all involved. Great job in controlling the actual meal menu.

AS far as the exercise room - you could wear sweat pants and a loose shirt to walk on a treadmill or use the other equipment if you felt so inclined. Nothing that gives away too much. But not if you feel it could be awkward back at your normal work.

You can do this. I'll check back on Thursday to see how things went. Or sooner to add words of encouragement. You are worth the effort - just make those choices 1 at a time.

Lin

It sounds like you have a good plan in place, now you just have to stick to it. I think it's too bad that you're not comfortable working out in front of them though only because it's a shame to let that get in the way of your goals.

D@mn La Quinta and their fresh cookies!

Try your best with the options you have selected. Since lunch sounds light with lean meats and veggies, maybe you could have the omelet (or you could ask if you could get it with egg-whites if they're made-to-order, a lot of hotel buffets offer that option). And then that and fruit could be your breakfast. Dinner could once again be something light. And if cookies MUST be involved, maybe just the 1 at most. Just try to make the best decisions you can. Good luck!

As for the exercise room, if you can't work out for 3 days, it's not the end of the world. However, for next time, maybe if the exercise room is open 24 hrs you could try going at awkward hours i.e. super late at night or super early in the morning. In my old apartment building, there was a fitness room and I only ever went at the strangest hours so I wouldn't meet anyone. I've never been a fan of sweating and panting in front of strangers not before, and not now. I'm used to it now but I still don't love it.

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words!!!

Well, it went...better. I ate most of the meats and left the pastas and rices. On the last day, I did have an omelet (eggs, mushrooms, spinach, bell peppers and very little cheese). I did have a lemon bar and only 1 cookie. This is progress, I usually have 2-3 lemon bars and at least 2 cookies along with a bunch of other stuff.

It wasn't bad. I have to get back to my disciplined regimen. Fun...but disciplined.

linJber....Thanks so much! You always say the right things. Knowing that I had to post and that you were going to check on me helped hold me accountable

Oh, my! I'm so glad I could help! Just keep on making the good choices - one at a time. A few lemon bars and a couple cookies are part of life. We haven't stopped living. Fantastic job on keeping it in perspective.

I've sort of changed the way I look at things recently. It occurred to me that I was thinking about what choices my DD would make when I choose what to eat. She is thin, but works at it. I have decided to "eat like a thin person." And once in a while, thin people have treats. Once in a while, thin people eat too much at a buffet. Once in a while, thin people eat too much candy, chips, tacos, potatoes, whatever. But the difference between thin people and how I used to eat is that the thin people just compensate for a few days after and it never gets out of hand.

While we're losing, we don't usually give ourselves the freedom of "once in a while." That makes trying to stay on plan so hard sometimes. As long as "once in a while" is just that, we will all be OK. Keep up the great work.

Lin