I took my daughter to the movies tonight and after eating a small popcorn I ate an entire box of Hot Tamales! This is the second time this week that I have screwed up my diet! I feel so guilty, but it's like I can't help myself.... any advice to keep from going on these sugar binges?

Hmm... sugar binges are tricky things. The one thing that jumps out at me about your situation is that you were watching a movie -- and probably falling victim to the movie+food=necessity equation that's ingrained in us as kids, along with a bit of mindless hand-to-mouth action. Next time you go to a movie, why not bring some of your own, healthy snacks? Dried fruit, air-popped popcorn, some dark chocolate? Something that will keep you from feeling deprived but will help you stay OP.

If you ate the Hot Tamales definitely for a sugar craving reason, you might do well to really really restrict your sugar and refined carbs for a few days -- even just three -- and you'll find your cravings start to disappear. It's the principle behind the South Beach Diet but I've never gone quite so far as to do that plan. The idea is that if you let your body get the junk out of your system it will stop sending you signals to eat junk. It may be tough but it really does work. Now, I'm not saying go low- or no-carb, just take out the candy and white bread for a bit. That might help.

My third suggestion is to find substitutes. You may be craving sugar because you've told yourself you can't have it. Find ways you can satisfy your sugar junkie (if that's what you want to do instead of the suggestion above, both valid courses of action) without throwing you off plan. Sugar-free fudgesicles do it for me, as does "diet" hot chocolate. And squares of high-quality 85% dark chocolate. And dried apricots, for whatever reason. Find your foods that will become your new treats, because nobody is going to tell you a box of Hot Tamales is a good addition to a healthy diet

Good luck!

That's great advice, Judy.

Judy did give you great advice, but I do want to add that once in awhile it might be OK to revert back to your "old self" as long as it's not day in and day out out of control stuff.
I am struggling too lately. But, I have developed a mind set that could very well successfully get me to goal this time, finally. What I think of is that I have made a permanent lifestyle change for the good. Once in awhile there will be movies, parties, holidays and birthdays. If I blow it on those occasions, again once in awhile, and stay true to my new lifestyle the majority of the time, then I am still victorious.
I have kind of this new me vs. old me thing I go through in my mind and that may help you. I think about it and talk to myself about what the old me would have had to eat and what the new me will now have.
So, if the new me goes to the movie and has the small popcorn and a diet coke, the old me would have had the large popcorn, the regular coke, Reese's peanut butter cups and maybe even something else. So, the new me is STILL much better than the old me.
Sometimes the new me takes a WW one point bar in my purse so that an unexpected craving can be dealt with easily. Sometimes, the new me eats a TON of 94% FF popcorn BEFORE leaving the house to go to the movie and just gets a diet coke.
So, the new me is NOT perfect at all, but the old me was so much worse. You need to remember that to make a lifestyle change that you can stick with for the rest of your life, you need to learn to forgive these occasions where you will be tempted and you will blow it.
Today is a brand new day, a fresh start!

I totally agree on the new me vs. old me!! So true!! It's no good to beat your self up over it. Just don't use it as an excuse to completly fall off plan and eat like crazy! I know- I'm guilty of it too.... but once I get it out of my system- I'm back on the wagon. If you fall off for a day- it's ok- just don't let that day turn into a week- or month. tomorrow is another day- another chance at being healthy. We didn't get fat overnight. We aren't gonna get skinny overnight either. and if you keep agonizing over every mistake- you mught just give up all together. Good luck on the rest of the week!!!

I'm guilty of giving in to cravings on occasion, too! I've found, though, that after I've given in and eaten more than I should, I don't crave that food for a long time and it immediately becomes easier to stay on-plan.

Susan

I would try sneaking in a small package of something to the movies instead of buying their silly gigantic expensive package. They have a movie meal thing at our theaters for kids, it's a little tray thingy that holds a small drink, a scooper or so of popcorn and they give you a nerds candy thing, which you can give to DD or some other needy kid

I look for kid size stuff when out, especially at fast food type places, you can satisfy the urge without having a big bunch of whatever to deal with. We have a hard time tossing food. For some reason we always seem to think it's better to eat it and regret it than toss it the trash.

p.s. Judy's right, sometimes you have to go cold turkey on the sugar to get the craving out of your system. The old Atkins used to have you go 48 hours with no carbs to clear the old "you can't eat just one" urge out of your system. carbs/sugars~same thing.

Just yesterday I went to the movies and right before the show I stopped at Starbucks and got a grande non-fat latte. I snuck the latte into the movie and that was my treat.

For me, I'm successful when I re-think what a "treat" means. Now, I treat myself to fresh blueberries, whereas before I would tell myself they were too expensive. Or a non-fat latte. Or a bunch of baby Arugula for my evening salad. I'm shopping more "gourmet" and focusing on very high quality, healthy food that I wouldn't let myself buy in the past due to the expense. Now I'm buying less volume, but better quality. I know movie popcorn and candy isn't cheap, so if you had smuggled in a cold sparkling water and a baggie of fresh blueberries you would have saved money, points and your health.

So my advice is to really think hard about what healthy treats you can splurge on and then go all out!!! Buy that $5 mini carton of gooseberries, or whatever it is that tickles your fancy. You deserve it!!!

Good luck!

I would have to say that I agree one thousand percent. We all slip from time to time, but you need to make sure that you're not too hard on yourself. Sometimes when us perfectionists push ourselves too hard it can backfire. So you had a bad week. Isn't next week a chance to do even better? It if is one day at a time, isn't tomorrow a chance, too?

Remember that you can do this, and it's going to get easier. I went off plan for about three months and gained back all but five pounds that I had worked so hard to lose. Each time I "cheated", I would think to myself; "Well, I screwed up yesterday, so I might as well keep on eating junk". Let me tell you, that was a bad idea! Now I'm back on track, and more focused than ever! Keep in mind, though, I still have moments of weakness.

Don't be too hard on yourself, and try to stay motivated. WW is a lifestyle change, so it cannot happen overnight. I compare losing weight to quitting smoking (which I did 2 1/2 years ago); It can be one of the hardest changes to overcome, but once you've done it, you feel fabulous!!
Good luck, and keep your head up!

Dieting Myth – Believe Setbacks are Fatal

Learning to accept setbacks as a part of being human will help y9u cause yourself less frustration on the road to success. Setbacks, when viewed as learning tools, actually help dieters achieve their final goals. Just about every person with a great body I’ve encountered experienced a glitch somewhere in their attempt to slim down. Those who succeeded were able to step back, analyze what went wrong, correct the problem(s), and then use it as part of their motivation.

“When I started the final program that became my success, I too pen in hand and listed all the times I had tried to lose weight in my life, and what happened that made me get off track. What I found was that it was the same situation playing itself over and over again.” Chandra, age 51, 58 pounds lost

SETBACKS

It can be a vacation, a weekend of partying, or a major life crisis. All setbacks and lapses prove is we’re human. It’s not fatal. Here’s how to get back on track.

1. Take immediate action. The sooner you start, the easier it will be. Don’t try to analyze it to death.
2. Make it a priority. For the next few days, monitor everything you at, and become proactive in your plan. After getting back on track, you can back to coasting.
3. Create a schedule that will not leave you much time for anything else. Write down your menu, take a class, or get your hair done. Get back to you.
4. Don’t do anything drastic. Don’t try to fast or go crazy with exercise. It’s a form of self-punishment which just won’t work.
5. Avoid temptations. Throw away that part food and liquor, and decline that invitation that may lead to further problems.
6. Don’t wear the bulkiest item you own. This just reinforces the negative feelings you have toward yourself.
7. Forgive yourself and get on with other important issues in your life not involving food.