I got off work early yesterday, after a great day being on program, and was determined to go to the gym, go home and finish an assignment that I had due last night. Did I do that? Noooooooooo

Instead I went home, telling myself I didn't have time for the gym because of this assignment that was due. I flipped on the tv, got a bowl of chips and proceeded to eat them. Then, as if that wasn't enough, I went and pulled out the box of melba toast rounds, and some fat free cream cheese. I bet I ate 15 melba toasts with cream cheese on them.

When my husband came home, I made supper. And ate potatos.

What is going on with me???

Today I'm doing TO .... I need a serious course correction!

Join us on the POP challenge.. and I find for me I just can't keep that temptation food in the house.
Good news is yesterday is over and today is here. Hang in there!

OK, it happened, it's done, move on. You can't change the past, but what you can do is figure out what made you grab those chips in the first place. I understand about skipping the workout since you had an assignment due, but what made you grab those chips?

Maybe on those days when you know things will be challenging, you can schedule something in that will get you through. Like you could have foreseen the day before that you would have a tough day, and then you could save a starch for some LA cheese curls, or even a 100 calorie mini bag of popcorn or other 100 calorie pack of whatever. Sometimes having the treat to look forward to can help you get through the day.

Do you really need to do TO? Maybe you just need to re-focus and be POP for the next few days.

As for the rest of the stuff, I'm guessing you grabbed the chips in a moment of weakness and then wanted more but tried to ignore that with the melba rounds and FF cream cheese. Then when dinner came around you just thought "screw it" because you already have blown it.

That's where we all need to realize that we didn't blow it. We just had a lapse in judgment. It's the all or nothing thinking that gets us. Just because you went to one extreme last night doesn't mean you have to go to the other extreme (TO) today. You just need to get back to moderation (OP).

You can do this! You are very close to your goal. Don't give up now!

I agree Cassi.. I'm the king of ETO's (emergency Take Off's), using them as a crutch when I've been bad, intentionally or not..

I think part of our POP challenge should be to NOT do any TO's unless we're really stuck on a plateau.

I'm really going to push myself to stay POP and not jump to a TO if I slip up a bit..

Good idea, Dan! We've all gotten overweight by a pattern overdoing it. It seems that a lot of us go from one extreme to the other whereas people who naturally maintain a healthy weight have a pattern of moderation. Something that I am trying to learn for the long run.

Darn! and I'm having a good TO day....lol. It's so great to have this place to come to - and I will join the POP challenge....thanks! I am going to finish off this TO though - I think I need it. Not as a punishment, but as a bit of a cleanse. It also helps me to discipline myself. So, I will begin the POP challenge on Friday.

Thanks you guys...you're awesome!

That is true. Sometimes you need TO. I just wanted to point out that just because you go off plan doesn't mean you automatically need to turn to TO. However, if you keep having cravings, etc. TO will help set you straight. Good luck!