Do you have cheat days? If so, how do you keep from falling completely off the wagon? I'm a little disgusted with myself right now for how much of a cheat day I had today.

I'm not sure what your motivation is, but look back at that. That's the thing that got me right back on track after a brief vacation the week before last. Originally I was going to try to stick to watching my calories, but it became increasingly difficult and I got emotional, so I just said forget it. Once I got back home though, well...it was back to the grindstone! If nothing else, think of it as splurging. Do you ever go out and buy something you know you really shouldn't? You don't continue to buy things you shouldn't, you rein yourself in! You can do it! Just remember that if nothing else!

Words like "cheat" and "fall off the wagon" I don't use much because they make food emotional or like it's out of your control.

I'm on plan to lose or I'm on plan to maintain. I eat to lose during the week. On weekends and during TOM, I eat to maintain. Either way, I'm on plan because I choose to do it that way. Who am I cheating? I'm not falling off anything.

Most of our socializing happens on weekends. Dealing with a social situation or my period time is challenge enough without the extra stress of ALSO trying to diet at that time. I chalk it up to practice for maintanence and call it good enough to break even. I can enjoy my social life, get through rough periods as best I can, and then carry on as usual.

Overall, most days I'm eating to lose, so I'm still losing overall. Taking some maintain days to be able to go the long haul with less stress? I'm ok with that.

But going with your terms... I drive my own wagon, thanks. So I choose the road.

I rather take the slightly longer but more comfortable road than deal with a shorter but much bumpier one.

If you find yourself having a hard time sticking to the road/plan you chose -- can you adjust and pick an easier one to follow? Why pick this one?

A.

Thank you all for your thoughts. Great advice so far! I guess I feel like I binged today compared to how I normally eat. I'm talking excessive amounts of desserts-- enough to make my stomach hurt. Tomorrow I'm back to work and back to eating well again, so this one day isn't that bad really. I need to learn to stop beating myself up. Easier said than done.

Do you have blood sugar issues? If so, desserts can be hard to stick to on portion. It causes a spike and then you jones for another hit.

Or was it emotional eating? Sweets indicate heart hunger -- wanting comfort and nurture. Have you been feeling lonely? Or similar?

Don't beat yourself up over it happening -- just try to understand WHY it happened. Then next time when faced with this situation you can try a different approach to see if that works better.

A.

I have control issues, and we went to a festival similar to the state fair today. Temptations everywhere! I've had my blood sugar tested recently and no issue with my blood levels. However, I do have pcos and take metformin for it. I know I have issues with my blood sugar, even if tests doing show it. If I go to long without eating, I can get very cranky and feel weak.

I don't have cheat days because to me no food is off limit. I have a calorie budget, I try to stick with it. Sometimes I go over but I try not to beat myself up about it. I let myself have treats from time to time because otherwise I binge and go crazy and make myself sick. And then some days I just feel blah and eat crap anyway!

I tried the cheat day thing, it didn't work for me because I thought "I can eat anything". It took me realising that I'm not on a diet to get over that thinking, I had to tell myself that all food is ok, some is better than others and its about the calorie deficit.