[ncuneo]

So I've got all of the following temptations coming up this weekend into next week.

Saturday - Bagels and Starbucks with the girls and dinner out at a steakhouse with DH

Monday - Family in town for a Carne Asada BBQ

Thursday - Concert in the city/Dinner out

So Bagles and coffee I think I can fit it, I'm clueless what to do about the dinner at the steakhouse. Dessert and martinis are always really hard to pass up. If this was the only meal I'd just go for and not stress about it, but with TOM hours away and the family in town and concert on Thursday I want to try to do better.

Monday I've manage to get the BBQ at my house so I can through some chicken on the grill for myself so that day is under control. I just have to pass on the chips and margaritas.

Thursday I'm also clueless because I'm not sure where we are going, I think we are going to Roy's and their 1988 martini is to die for as well as the lobster pot stickers! I'm zig zaging so I'm going to move one of my high days to Thursday to help, but I'm not sure if it's going to do.

Obviously I'll just have to do my best and not stress out about it, even if I slip up. Oh this is hard sometimes. I've been so motivated lately and my tempatations have been really under control and I really want to stay focus, but I know it's going to be hard. The only other thing I can think of is to really hit the exercise HARD next week. There is not a lot of time though. Wish me luck!

So I wasn't going to update this because I'm not thrilled with my choices last night, but I thought you know what we're not perfect and LIFE is going to happen.

So I had the bagel w/ LF Cream Cheese and an iced coffee with 2% milk and ate on plan for lunch and my snack. I was going into the steakhouse with about 900 cals to spare. I had a few bites of FRIED Calamari, 1/2 a ceasar salad, scallops w/ thai sauce (I was pleased with this decision), green beans, a bite or two of DH's baked potato, key lime pie and two martinis. Boy writing it down it sure looks like a lot and it was. But I don't think I would have done it any differently (maybe the appetizer/salad choice). Life is going to happen from time to time and as long as it's only occassionally and we pick ourselves up the next day or the next meal then that is all we can do. It is not healthy to stress about it or feel guilty or deny ourselves as long as we don't let it spiral into converting back to our old ways. This is the only way we are going to maintain this new lifestyle.

So this morning I got my butt up and put my son in the stroller for our usual Sunday morning 5 mile walk/jog. But today we did 5.7 miles and I usually only jog 2 of the miles but today I jogged 3 and I was jogging an 11:45 pace when I usually am pacing closer to 13!

So in preparation for Thursday I'm going to beef up my exercise the rest of the week and drop my cals to probably 1450-1500 everyday. As I mentioned before I zig zag and my daily average is 1650. So keep it up everyone - even if you stumble a little or a lot!

[NorthernExposure]

I totally agree with your way of looking at things. Having an "off plan" day every once in a while is NOT the end of the world. Like you said, it's called life!

I have a St. Patty's day party coming up...green beer and pizza! While I've had a few "oops" days here and there, I'm usually at least right at, or maybe a few calories over the high end of my budget. I have a feeling St. Pat's day will probably be over 2,000 calories when all is said and done. (I have not eaten more than 1,750 or so calories in a day since I started my plan.)

But you know what? It's ONE day, and unlike the way I used to think about "dieting" in the past, this is not going to "undo" all my progress and it's not going to derail my whole plan. No matter what, I'm going to keep going!

So good for you. It's all about being flexible enough to let life happen, yet still keeping things under control. You're doing just fine