That time of the year again! Loads of chocolate at home and in the office. And there I was on the 23rd, feeling so superior and smug! "I don't eat sweets" And I didn't. Until the 24th. As a Swede living in Scotland I started to feel sorry for myself. "No one gets that today is MY Christmas, and here I am at work. Poor me"
I have been preaching abstaining (well, from chocolate that is!) and it has been working so well. But the holidays totally brought on emotions I didn't expect. Like missing "my" Christmas, missing my folks and friends from home. And guess what. I caved. I bought comfort foods by the bag full. Chocolate and cookies.
And what was supposed to be one day turned into a week.

I know I have done some serious damage with this - after all I can usually just smell chocolate and my jeans feel tighter - but I'm trying hard to formulate my bounce back plan.

I want to get back on track. The difficult thing seems to be my mind. I don't feel motivated. I guess this is the time when I have to try out what so many wise ladies here say - motivation isn't key, persistence is.

There is no real point to this post I guess, apart from maybe being told that the world doesn't end because I have been put down a peg or two. Cause it won't, right?

You are right tinkerbelle, the world doesn't end and neither does your world either. But the important thing for you to do is to pick yourself up and continue on your journey. Go back to the plan you were following and forget the past week. We al have setbacks but the important thing is to come back from the setback.

It is this point of your journey that will determine your success. This is the time when you do not have the motivation but you will have to dig in and pursue the goal - its about committment and perserverance at this point.

You have come so far already. 50lbs is a LOT of weight. Just get back up, dust off yourself and push to your goal.

I agree with Slim CB! You can get past this little bump in the path.

BTW, I adore your penguin!

I am right there with you! Sometimes I think that being brought down a peg or two is the price we pay for being so smug!

But the world is not going to end, and now you have learned something. So, maybe next time it will be easier to resist, and you will be less smug

It will all work out, the important part is you recognized it early and are going to do something.

You can definitely get back on track. I have to watch my confidence on weight loss as well, every time I think I have it down I slip up. It's a reminder to me that humility, gratitude, and caution with my habits is important

You're right, the world does not end because you hit a speed bump on the road to success. 50 lbs. is a lot of weight lost, and definitely something to be proud of and to protect.

Thank you for your kind words and reassurance everyone. I suppose that maybe a few pounds is a fair price to pay to learn a bit of humility and to not take things for granted. I know I have lost a lot, but it really is going so slow. Mainly due to my 3 months on - 3 weeks off pattern I seem to have had for years and years. I WILL catch it early this time and get there!
Thanks for letting me vent and feel a bit sorry for myself

Oh girl that's funny! Sounds like me!!
I ran into the same problem at Christmas- as far as the sweets goes. I am still working on geting those 3 gained Christmas pounds off. Then back to where I began 2 weeks before Christmas. <sigh> Anyway, you have come a long way! As far as motivation goes- remember what it was like before the weight loss. Use that as a motivator. Spring and Summer is coming with all those pretty breezy clothes. Imagine how fabulous you are going to look this year.
Hang in there you can do this!!

Remember, it's not about being perfect. It's about being persistent.

I swear, the perfection mindset will destroy us more than any bag of cookies will.

So you had a bad week, so what? Does that mean a bad year? Nah. Pick yourself up, dust off the crumbs and get some exercise.

Oh yes, "persistence, not perfection", what a great slogan!

I was abstinent until 23/12; mindful on 24/12 (but ate too much sugar and got sick); disinterested on 25/12; recovered on 26/12; ate small amounts but too frequently and too sugary on 27/12, 28/12, 29/12 (29/12 spent large amounts of time dying in the bathroom); cautious today. Will be back on plan tomorrow, can't wait. All it'll take for any of us is one Good Day, and we'll be on the straight and narrow again.

I like that, Rosinante.

What a great pick me up thread. I also lost my focus the past week. Holidays were a bit harder than I originally thought. Getting sick didn't help.

Another day is another reason to get back on track. It is harder than I thought to get back on track. In the past when I gave up, I gave up.... With the amount of loss you have achieved so far is a great motivator for future possibilities.

You may have done a pound or two damage due to "celebrating" Christmas but you sure haven't gained back the amazing 50 pounds you have lost. That's a lot to be proud of! (maybe not smug, but rightfully proud!). Pick yourself up, stand tall, and get ready for a whole new year!