[kms7z]

i also listed this in the 20-somethings, but I think some of you here will find it helpful too:

ok, i was out of town for business for 3 days this week. the days were pretty long and grueling, and i had a migraine for one day and a strained neck the other! most importantly, my eating habits WERE so different because I was not at home where I could prepare and eat WHAT i wanted WHEN i wanted. i felt like crap, plus there was no workout facility (even though I thought there was when i booked the hotel), so i took up walking as exercise instead of something more vigorous and relaxing like running or the eliptical.

i think i lived like the "Average American" for those three days-- eating out (even though I was pretty successful at choosing healthier options), exhausted from work, not able to adequately exercise for my skill level, etc. being lonely, stressed, and fatigued did not help.

my victory-- living like that used to feel "normal." all of the diet and exercise changes i have made are definitely a LIFESTYLE change, not temporary, because I can't live the "normal" way anymore! i now have a great faith in myself that i will never fall totally OFF the wagon and revert to that again.

i bet most of you don't realize how much you have improved your eating/exercise/lifestyle habits. i occasionally eat too much, but in the long-run i am doing pretty good so give yourselves a minute to realize all the non-obvious progress you have made!

[dalai_lala]

Oh, I know exactly what you mean. We've been away from home a couple of times in the past couple of months, eating out constantly and not being able to exercise other than walking... Hubby and I couldn't wait to get back to "normal"! Isn't that funny, now the eating right, eating at home, and exercising is "normal" and sitting around, eating out all the time is not. That's why, even after not losing or even gaining a couple of pounds after these trips we still felt good about ourselves because we know that this has become a real, permanent change in our lives and our minds... and not just a "diet".

Good comment!

-Lala