[Morgaine]

Hey there -

I have always been a comfort food person. If I have a bad day - I bury myself in a bag of Chex mix or some other carbohydracious food.

Yesterday I had a bad day. I was depressed. I took a half day of vacation from work to have some time to myself and relax.

Usually I would head to a restaurant and soothe myself with a favorite high carb food.

I didn't. I headed over to a hair salon and got a perm and my eyebrows waxed. It made me sit still for two hours and NOT do what normally comes natural (eating).

I wound up spending way more than what food would have cost - but I escaped the stall, the weight gain and the kicking myself in the rear end for going off induction.

w00t!

[DeafinlySmart]

That's fanatastic! That's definately a NSV. It's hard for us to remember that eating doesn't solve our problems and learn self comfort.

I'm doing much better than I would have thought of on bad days, but I'm suffering from the I'm too damn lazy to go get anything good to eat. I try to avoid it by placing ready to eat stuff in my fridge, but it doesn't stay there long

Valentines day wasn't my most successful, but I was proud of limiting myself to 1 serving of chocolate and 2 cookies. Didn't go out to eat. Stayed home and cooked (at my request).

[RobinW]

Wow!! Good for you!! I like that idea too....doing something that makes you sit still for a while..pretty clever you are!!

[lady_adnerb]

AWESOME job!!! That was Super clever!!!

[Falon]

Excellent idea!!! *jotting it down in my notebook*

[Morgaine]

Thanks, ladies!

I need ideas in case I hit another bad day...preferably one that doesn't cost sooo much!! Fortunately - I really needed something done with my hair - but I only do that every 4-6 months.

Any ideas?

[SherryA]

For those of us who like books a new book might be a treat. Or a new video. Or even going to the library and borrowing something. Other treats might be window shopping or planning future purchases, or buying some small trinket or jewelry that you would enjoy having.

So many things you can do that will cheer you up.

I LOVED your determination to endure your bad day without cheating, Morgaine! Congratulations for learning to retrain yourself. We can all do this. It just involves being really adult about what we want. So often we let that little kid inside whine and tell us what It wants instead of us taking charge and disciplining ourselves.

I feel like I've made a lot of progress that way lately myself. Not so much about diet, but that too. Mainly I've always made excuses about why my financial situation doesn't work very well, and to be honest I've always kind of blamed my husband. Recently though I told him "we're adults, we can do this." He still isn't being as adult as I would like, but we did pretty well these last two weeks on keeping things in check. So I'm pleased. Feeling confident, feeling more hopeful that we finally will be able to correct our situtation and get out of debt.

[DeafinlySmart]

Look online for homemade remedies or go to the store and really browse the beauty section for spa type products. Treat yourself at home with some melodious music piped in.

Drive for a while, go out of town and shop in a new place (even if you buy NOTHING).

Go to a bookstore and look through 20-30 books before settling on one.

Use a treadmill for frustration

Find a book, a healthy snack if you must, dim lights or candles and sit in a bathtub and read that book.

Ask some friends to come over and play cards or other games

Call one of your girlfriends and have a gab session.

Stroll through a whole foods market (when it is grocery time). Spend time really enjoying the process and in the process you don't eat the whole time you are in the store, but you come home with a good plan for the week.

Go rollerblading, ice skating, or bowling with some friends.

Take a nap (we don't rest enough)

[hockeyfan7]

Get a pedicure and do some wild and crazy color on your toes - mine are bright screaming green at the moment. Or buy a paraffin wax bath at Wal-Mart or Target so you can do your own at home -- they aren't too expensive.

Polish your nails or get them done -- again, try out a bold daring new color.

Go shopping and try on clothes. Look at all the things you will want to buy when you get to your dream size.

Try on shoes -- that always makes me feel better.

Browse the Internet and find 7 new low carb dinner recipes and plan to try them out for the week (or breakfast or lunch - or all 3).