[Vero2394]

I took the weekend off, and had a great time hanging out with my friends. I ate the foods I wanted, but still watched the portions, but 1/2 a cup of ice cream is still ice cream. I also drank alcohol. That was my down-fall, I gained 4 lbs over the 3 days. I feel really bad about the gain, and really upset that I blew all my hard work on a weekend, but I look back at the choices I made and think I would make them all again. I know it wasn't the food or drink that made the weekend fun, it was the people, but it was nice to go to a restaurant and order whatever I felt like eating instead of a salad with grilled chicken. even though I ate less than half of what they gave me... Well, I guess I better get my butt in gear and start working these lbs off!

[fattymcfatty]

Don't beat yourself up. I had an off weekend (DH's birthday) and now I am right back on plan. I think actually I am now more focused on getting these last 30lbs off now. Sometimes I think we need a break. As long as you get right back on plan, you'll do fine. Most likely, those 4lbs are water weight/salt retention, etc.

[Trazey34]

Absolutely! Life is ALL about choice!! If you're in full on 'beast mode' for losing weight, then you choose not to have ice cream or booze and lose weight that week; but if you're in "this is my new life" mode, where weight is coming off at a naturally slower pace and you're learning how to live your life with different patterns/habits, then enjoying yourself now and again is part of it.

[envelope]

Vero - Do not beat yourself up over it, just keep on moving on. Keep drinking extra water, I bet atleast a little of it is water weight, since there is usually so much sodium in restraunt foods.

[Vero2394]

Thanks for all the support, the weight is already starting to come off.

[lili8184]

I look at it this way: I really do want this "diet" to be more of a way of life in the future. Diet plans and shakes, bars, etc. never worked for me- the weight always came back with a vengence. The were too strict or didn't teach me about REAL food. I can't live on shakes and broccoli the rest of my life. So I decided this time, no more "plans". I just watch what I eat and work my BUTT off in the gym. I enjoy cooking for myself and feel better making better choices. If I go out on the town and fall off the wagon, I just dust myself off and jump back on. I have a LONG way to go to my goal, but I think if you don't EVER allow yourself some freedom, you are setting yourself up for failure. So what, you had a great time with friends, right???

[butterflymama]

I have a splurge meal built into my plan. 4 days on plan and on the 5th day one meal is whatever I want, however it is usually not to crazy. Well yesterday was a splurge meal day and I decided to take my son to one of his fav restaurants, Moe's. I ordered the meal I used to get 2-3 times a week at times anyway I looked up the nutritional info before we left and the whole meal incl the drink and side of chips and queso ended up being about 1275 calories (and we used to call that our healthy meal ) I ate the whole thing and when I got home I entered it into my fitday, as I did the rest of my food for the day. I also did an awesome aquafit class that I really pushed myself at, AVG 74% HR so in the end I still maintained a deficit of 1255 calories (my goal is typically 800 a day deficit) I always journal even my splurge days or the days I stray from my plan (thanks first long weekend of warm weather at my mom's house ) It helps put things into perspective and makes me acountable and learn to make better choices and stay motivated.

I agree with everything everyone above said.

Ok so seriously to have gained 4 lbs in a weekend you would have had to have eaten 14,000 calories above your maintenance caloric amount which is probably around 1800 to 2000 a day so in total you would have had to consume 17,600 to 18,000 calories! that would be very hard to do (that's like 33 Big Macs in a weekend ) Anyway I think that yes lots of it is water weight and as you can see by the weight shift already, if you get back onto clean foods and exercise one weekend of indulgence will not make a huge difference over all

Enjoy life and live healthy