Got this from skwigg (http://skwigg.tripod.com/blog/) in my mailbox. Some words of encouragement and common sense for the times when we 'blow it' or are forced to make food decisions.

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Now What?

So you went on vacation, missed a workout, and ate a fried chicken party platter and half a cake. Now you've "blown it" and you're wallowing in guilt and anxiety. Even worse, you have another vacation (family gathering, business dinner, dietary apocalypse)coming next week and you can't quit worrying about it and feeling sorry for yourself.

Let me take this opportunity to smack you. You can't blow everything or screw everything up. That's not possible. No matter what happens with your nutrition and workouts, you can always learn from it and use it to get even better results. All of it is an advantage. There aren't any fatal errors, catastrophic disasters or irreversible calamities. Don't waste your day making up imaginary worst-case scenarios. Focus on everything that's positive.

Think about how athletes visualize their sports performance in order to make it perfect, or business people visualize their presentation, practicing it in their mind until they're confident that everything will go well. Worry is visualizing, but instead of being anything positive or helpful, it's rehearsing disaster and
disappointment. Why would you want to practice THAT?

If you want to be successful and happy, practice being successful and happy. If you're going to spend all day dwelling on something, dwell on things that will help you and motivate you. See yourself having a great workout, eating healthy meals, and meeting your day with happiness and confidence. Imagine looking spectacular, receiving compliments, inspiring others, and navigating social eating situations with ease. You'll notice a huge change, not just in your attitude, but in your results. We tend to create what we think about all the time.
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Thanks for that! There's a chance I may not get my final work out in for the week, and I'm dreading the thought of that (I have a really good record so far!) It wouldn't be detrimental because I'm not missing it because I don't want to, I just have wayyy too much going on that I won't able to make it to the gym, and I feel horribly guilty. I'm going to try my best to get there tomorrow, but if somehow I don't, I'll try not to beat myself up over it!

You do the best you can do, Mango.
I like your profile pic - I thought you two were such a cute couple and then did a double-take...

Wow!! This is cool. I havnt blown it yet but I have only been doing this for a week or two. I know my time will come and I dont want to fall of the wagon

I read an article in Muscle Mag today that even most serious competitors cheat, life isn't worth living if we don't splurge now and then. But if you are working out hard you can handle it more then a couch potato right? Still... How about the French Women Don't Get Fat idea? If you overeat you get out within hours and work it off, my mom who's been thin for life does this, goes on an hour long walk after her cheats, but what she calls cheating you and I might call normal eating!

Thanks for posting that!

Hey! That's a good one!

I just got back from vacation, and I DO call it normal eating. There were some wonderful meals, though--and many of them. I'm up 3.6 pounds in 10 days. Am I worried? No! Two pounds of that is water weight--I'm all puffed up. And the remaining 1.6 is what one can expect when eating over maintenance level for 10 days, which I did. Am I sorry? No! I'll have that 1.6 pounds off in the next two weeks.

Jay

I like your attitude, Jay. Unfortunately, I am not going on any vacation but if I were, I would want to enjoy it, too. I would not worry about the little increase in weight either.
I hope you had a really good one!