I feeling like I’m starting to fail. I’m trying to keep my positive attitude but it’s slipping.

1. I went to lift weights at lunchtime like I do 3x weekly. This is probably my favorite exercise because I feel so awesome afterwards. Well, I get there and find out that the whole rec area (I work at a university) is closed this week for cleaning. Ack! What am I going to do? I’m afraid that I’m going to seize up like the Tin Man! I will keep up with my cardio, but am seriously freaked. The last time I took a week off (over Christmas) it was a killer after I went back.

2. My DS’s 14th birthday was on Saturday. On Friday night he had friends over and I had loaded up on junk food for them. And while I thought I could control myself and only have a little—I was wrong. DS’s celebration continued Saturday with a lunch out and DQ ice cream cake. I did better on Saturday. Lunch out was at an Asian stir-fry place where you get to build your own stir fry. I loaded up on veggies and only added chicken, an egg and no oil. Plus I only ate the chocolate part (my fav) of the ice cream cake.

3. And yesterday was Mother’s Day. We went to a really nice buffet and I did overdo it but not too much. I did have a Slim-fast for supper because it is the perfect amount to fill me up but not too much.

4. Today is the annual employee appreciation breakfast and I skipped my breakfast at home so that I could enjoy some scrambled eggs, sausage (naughty I know) and a mini muffin. But we get there and it is a continental—nothing warm. I was seriously disappointed. I had some fruit, a donut hole and a mini cream cheese Danish.

5. I do count calories and sometimes it is hard when you are not cooking for yourself but I really try to be honest with myself. But life happens. Since last week, I am up 1 ½ lbs and it is the end of TOM. I think I am experiencing what DD and I have coined the PPS—Post Period Stupids, where you basically panic about everything and are seriously paranoid.

Thank you for listening to me whine!

I think you are just upset with yourself, but NOT failing. None of this seems so bad to me in isolation... Remember when I had the back-to-back my birthday, DS birthday, MLB baseball game, celebratory dinner??? I was up 5lb after the 3 days were all said and done, but then the 5lbs were gone after 4 days of being back on plan.

Sometimes life happens, and sometimes it happens in days that are back to back. Just get back on track starting now, and this will all be behind you soon. You can do this!!

PS: I've been craving sausage lately for some reason, and have found many chicken sausages that are not so high in calories.

Losermom, it is a journey. I know you have heard it before. I keep reminding myself of this. Let me carry your bag for a while. Get your strength up again--if you are willing I will need you to carry the bags when I get tired. We are all here for you and every single one of us can identify.

Is there any strength training alternative you might consider -- maybe check out a DVD from the library for a week? Yoga is great, so is Pilates, and there are lots of awesome strength moves you can do with just body weight.

Or, What about getting a "free 7 day pass" from one of the local gyms?

Don't beat yourself up over the buffets and such, we all have those times! Just get back on plan and forge ahead. Weight loss is not a linear process.

Or exercise bands. I bring those on the road with me to "lift weights"... but I have a set of weights to workout at home too.

At least you didn't "cheat" more then a few days! I just cheated for a month, going through personal muck and ATE emotionally not just for "fun" like you.

I think we can have "fun" Holidays and events in our life. If you are mostly on track the rest of the time, life goes on. We have to ENJOY. Key is getting right back on track soon after "enjoying" a bit too much.

I read that Jackie O used to cheat at Presidential parties, then she'd go for days "eating" only chicken broth. Now that's extreme, but how about tightening up your diet for several days after your cheats? Say only protein and veggies, no starchy carbs for a few days?

Another idea from French Women Don't get Fat, is you exercise as quickly after gorging as you can. My thin mom does that, if she feels she ate too much, she goes for a long hard walk.

Thanks everyone! I was such a spaz! You guys are so supportive and I really appreciate all of your words of encouragement and suggestions. Yes, Thighs be gone, this is a journey. I seemed to have forgotten that important fact that day. There will always be days that I don't eat perfectly and I don't want to be one of those annoying people who refuse to eat at celebrations because "I'm watching my weight." I would rather eat at celebrations and self-correct my eating either prior or afterwards to make up for my splurges. This is going to be the way that I eat for the rest of my life--not just until I get to my goal. I have been back OP since Sunday night and was rewarded with a 1 lb loss this morning.

DH and I are on W2D2 of our C25K program so maybe taking a week off of weight training is not a bad idea. I did pick up a stability ball last night because I'd like to work on some core strength at home. It came with a poster of exercises that I'm excited to try.

I also have to remember that there will be times this summer that I won't be able to go to the weight room or water aerobics class here because our campus hosts the MN Vikings training camp in the late summer. So I'm trying to come up with some other types of exercise to fill in and keep my fitness fresh.

LOL excellent thought and so very, very true. All us ladies have PPS at some time or another. I think you should sit back and evaluate your progress. You have done an amazing job, look at how much weight you've lost. Get yourself back on track and don't worry about it. Learn from your mistakes and move on.