So I have been exercising my butt off for the past month. I've worked out every day for the exception of three. I jog/walk at least four miles a day and do 40 minutes of weight training every other day. BUT......I use that as a reason to eat whatever I want when I go out on the weekends with my family. Seriously...a corndog and fries and a wrestling match...a loaded baked potato, onion rings and bread at a dinner with friends. WHAT is my problem??!! I lost about seven pounds but now, because I have no control at restaurants, I have gained at least three of them back. I really want to lose the weight. Beyond that, I really NEED to lose the weight. So the question is that if I can be so disciplined at home during the week, what happens to me when I get around other people? I keep telling myself, "go ahead cause you know your gonna work it off...." but I'm NOT working it off. The scale is going in the opposite freakin' direction!! This sucks, and I feel terrible. I know that when I cheat on healthful eating, I'm cheating on myself and, worst of all, I'm cheating on my family because they want me to be happy, and when I do this, I'm NOT happy the following Monday. Any tips as to how to get my act together???

hey girl

I definitely get where you are coming from. You are not alone. I love to workout, but when it comes to food outside of my house, it is like I am possessed by the food monster or something and have a free for all. For example, I went to the gym the other day and felt great about my workout. That was all negated by the free hot dogs and deli meat rollups being passed around the store. And at first the woman was passing out half hot dogs, then asked the woman in front of her if she wanted a whole one. I had it in my mind that I was going to get a half but the works "Sure I will take a whole one" came out instead.

But take this situation not as a destroyer of your progress, but as a lesson learned. I realized that I always eat the free samples when I go to the store. Even though that small piece of apple cake at Whole Foods is small, when combined with the 5 other cakes they have out, it is big. Identify what around you makes you feel the urge to go off plan. When going to the wrestling match, pack a snack if you can. Decide beforehand when going out with friends that you are going to have something healthy instead of the other stuff. And tell someone. I told my mom and my best friend that I was going to have a salad at this one restaurant. I gloated a little bit when I told them I did and had water too. You can do this. We have your back.

Well, you definitely know what your problem is; it just so happens that I have had that same problem for years. I was eating Michael Phelp's size meals for years and would work out every day, only to never lose a single pound. It always felt like, well, I earned this plate of onion rings. Or, I will just eat these two burgers and fries and nothing else today.

The way I lost fifty pounds last summer was food journaling. It sort of replaced my food obsession. I know it is a food obsession all on it's own, but if you want to lose the weight, you need to be honest about what you are putting in your mouth. It can be a harsh reality.

I started my own little WW program at home, low on cash, and started walking on April 7, 2008. I lost the weight over a period of five and a half months. It has stayed off. I started to gain a little bit of the weight back, but after a couple days of food journaling, it wasn't hard to see where I had gone wrong. I am back down to my fighting weight and without the journaling, I have no doubt that I would go back to my old ways. It sucks to realize that months worth of workouts have put you none closer to the ultimate goal.

I also started walking on the day I began dieting. It soon morphed into running once I had shed about 20 of the pounds. I had worked my way up to running five miles in an hour about four times a week. I felt wonderful, but then the weather turned.

You can do this! It may not be the answer to your prayers, but food journaling, along with exercise and making a newly concerted effort about what it was I put in my mouth, are what led me to victory.

I totally agree with mamaspank. Food Journaling has been a weakness of mine in all of my other weight loss endeavors. I started WW last week, and I write down what I eat BEFORE I eat it. It has helped me a lot, especially when we go out, because I know I have to write it down, and it makes me think twice before I eat it... (Do I REALLY need a second helping of that?) I wish I had stuck to food journaling a few months ago! I'd be closer to goal!!

Good luck!

Bliss and mamaspank are totally right! I'm also in WW, and at meetings our leader talks a lot about accountability, especially to yourself. If you're honest with yourself about what's going into your mouth, you might be less likely to splurge on those cakes etc.

I completely recommend WW, but if that's not an option, you can always do what mamaspank did and run your own at home. For me, it's not even so much about the points as it is about the accountability.

Good Luck!!!

I completely agree with what everyone is saying here. mydailyplate.com is a life saver. I've discovered over the past 2 years that I will not lose weight unless I write down everything I eat. There is somethiing about having to write it down and see it on the screen. I don't eat things I know I shouldn't because I know I will have to write it down later. If you don't already do this, give it a try... it might be the answer you are looking for.

Ahhh, the onion ring..my old nemisis...Anyway, the food journal is a wonderful idea. I think you said that this is worse when you go out on the weekends. Maybe you could kind of prepare for that, like pigging out on carrots or fruit or having a salad before you go. This way you may not feel so hungry and won't finish all of the dinner. That works for me from time to time, when I have time to prepare. Everyone is different, and I know that you'll find something that works for you and gives you back the edge. Good luck

When you go out, just tell yourself your goals and what item on the menu will help you reach that. I plan what I am going to eat at a restaurant before I go, such as Red Robin I am going to get a salad with dressing on the side and a water or a Boca burger with no mayo. writing what I eat down definitely helps and going to bed with a slightly empty stomach helps me feel better in the morning. This weight loss thing is tough but doable. keep at it.

Wow. I've heard alot about writing down what you eat, but I never really thought it would help that much. I see know that it really does. Mickeypnd, you are SO right. It totally isn't worth it. My husband keeps telling me it's about HEALTH not WEIGHT and healthy eating five days a week and exercising six days a week is enough to say that I'm getting healthy. (I haven't ever admitted to him that I don't like my size.) So I will journal for the month of March and see how that changes my numbers come April. My husband and I are going back to his hometown for his birthday in July. I would LOVE to do that 20 pounds lighter and that's not going to happen at the rate I'm going. Thanks so much guys for helping me get my butt in gear. I'm going to be a healthier, lighter and happier wife and mama this summer!

by the way......mamaspank, FIVE MILES IN ONE HOUR??!! AWESOME. one day i hope to be like you. lol

Thanks, gaarmywife2007! I would play bashful, but I really worked hard to get the endurance and make it a habit. One other thing, I did this just because it was fun to see, but write your morning weight along with your daily food journal. I did this, and it was really helpful to look back on and see what amounts I was eating when I was losing rapidly and vice versa. It also provides me ideas of what to eat on days when I just feel like there is nothing in my pantry. I just go to an old day and get a whole bunch of ideas of food that I was really into back then.

I have to tell you guys how awesome all of your advice was. I took it, AND IT"S WORKING!!!! After monitoring my food intake with thedailyplate, I have shaved off those pounds that I had gained back PLUS one more. I'm now at 209. It's a long way from the 160 I want, but at least I now have a solid understanding of what it's gonna take to get there. The bottom line is that no matter how committed I am to living a more active lifestyle, what I put into my mouth everyday matters. Period.

mamaspank, don't play bashful!!! You have totally earned your bragging rights! The idea about recording my weight daily sounds like a good one too. Writing everything down has helped me stay accountable to myself. Having support helps, but if I'm not honest with myself about where I am and where I WANT to be, it's easy to stop reaching out and using the network available to me. Thank you all for your helpful advice. I'm a pound closer to my goal instead of a pound closer to throwing in the towel thanks to you!

WOO HOO!! Good for you!! I don't know what I would do sometimes without the ladies here... You and I are at about the same point right now!