I feel like I am backsliding. So far this week, I have had a cookie, a sandwich, and a super fruity, but high in sugar drink. None of these foods are things I should have during the week, let alone all of three of them in one week.

I also started backsliding with rice on the weekend as a filling food for when I am working long hours. I currently have some food for part of the long hours I will work.

I know that this weekend I will be at a place where there will be free food. But, it is not food that I would eat normally---it is very carb heavy.

In my head I am trying to contemplate eating it since it is free, not totally unhealthy (i.e., not fast food, just food that is primarily carbs) and since I haven't cooked and am not sure what I would eat anyway. I am going back and forth between eating some of the food, but not all of it. I know that this is usually how my overeating begins....a little bit more and more into my diet, until my entire diet is food I should be avoiding.

I am not sure what to do. I could not eat any of the free food and bring my own, but I am not sure if I will have time to make it. I also would be upset at myself if I brought healthy food, and still gave into the free food....that has happened before because I couldn't resist it.

I could skip some of it, and just eat a small portion---though eating small of anything is hard for me.

I do not often go to events like this where there is plenty of good and free food. It is a sort of a special occasion, and I am wondering if I should just 1) not pig out, and 2) track my food and my calories and try to stay within my goals, even if the meal is higher in carbs.

Not sure what to do.

Are you sure that a low carb diet is the right plan for you? If you calorie count or do WW the sandwich and rice would be no problem, you could also count calories or points for the cookie and juice and keep them within your daily ammounts.

Someone here wrote recently, "You shouldn't be on a diet that you can't follow for the rest of your life." I thought that was pretty good advice. I used to do low carb, but would have slip-ups often which would cause stalls, or weight gains. I still watch carbs, but am more concentrated on calories and fat.

Lower carb is definitely best for me, as I find that i am less hungry when I do not overeat on carbs. Also, some carbs, even ones like rice, can be a binge trigger for me, so avoiding them most of the time is best for me.

I will not give up certain foods forever, but I do want to keep certain trigger foods to a minimum.

My gut tells me that you should stick to your low carb plan and bring your own food. And not eat any of the free food even if there are low carb options. That way you have a plan you can stick to and might be able to resist temptation. I have brought my own food to things in the past and it worked for me. But it's up to you.

I'm thinking you should bring your own food if you can. (VEGGIES) Then have a small portion of free. Small is key. Then busy yourself with something at the special event that doesn't include wandering over to the food area. Go in with a plan. Keep talking to yourself saying "I can do this!" Drink lots of water! Maybe even have a drink in your hand most of the night- flavored water? Be forgiving with yourself!! Then try to exercise that night or next day. I dunno if this helps... it's 7am here and I feel like I am rambling...

I've known for years that a lot of the carbs are trigger foods for me. I can tell myself I'm only going to have one cookie and I may only have the one cookie, but that one cookie leads me to all kinds of other carbs. It's like when I eat the one cookie, a switch trips something in my brain and I'm off and running. I keep trying to tell myself that all the cookies and junk in the world are not worth giving up being able to go outside and play basketball with my grandkids, going for walks with them and being able to get down on the floor and playing with the little grandkids. These are all things I couldn't do with my kids because I was way to overweight. Right now I'm getting ready to go watch my grandson compete in robotics. I didn't do things like that when my kids were in school, because I couldn't walk up the bleachers and I was to embarrassed to go to their school events. I missed out on a lot with my kids and my kids missed out on having their mother participate in their school activities. Take it from an old lady, DON'T EAT THE COOKIES!!!!!

thank you everybody! You all are so correct.

I did end up eating more of the food at the event. But, I didn't totally pig out. I do realize that I did not feel so great eating those foods, and that while I enjoyed how they tasted, I think my body was a bit pissed off at me.

I gave in today and got some fast food. I feel like I can say no to certain food items (like rolls and some high carbs), but the sugar is what is really hard for me. I was this close to buying some doughnuts tonight, but I said no.

Woot! Little victories - that's where it's at.

Well, I feel like I did pretty good today. Though I had leftover fast food, I did not go and pig out like I had planned to. Instead, I bought some super healthy and yummy snacks that are appropriate for my healthier way of eating, and I am pretty happy about that.

I found a healthier, high fiber cereal that is gluten-free, and has a huge amount of fiber and I like that. It will help keep me feeling full and be a carbohydrate option.

I did not get the sweets like I wanted, or the sugary drinks, and that makes me happy. This week I am also going to cook more, and maybe that will help get the scale going down again.

I am also taking better care of myself. I find that doing skin care and that kind of thing, sort of like pampering, helps me to feel better about myself as well.