[vkhRN07]

I have been doing so well on my diet, since January 8th I have gone from 218 to 203.4. I was feeling so good about myself. But whenever I work night shift (I am an RN and work 12's) it's SO hard to eat healthy! I have been doing it though. Tonight I haven't done well. I brought my lunch tonight but decided to eat in the cafeteria anyways. I had 2 cupcakes and grilled cheese and fries. Tomorrow night everyone here is bringing in food for a pot luck, and I want to eat healthy but know after I get here my mindset completely changes and I think 'work sucks today, I deserve this. I shouldn't suffer in every aspect tonight'. I will be up to 208 I am sure and that makes me so upset, I feel so guilty now. Why do I do this to myself????

[GoingForGold82]

VKH - I've done that a million times -bring my lunch and then eat in the caf. Usually I'll try to go for a wrap, but c'mon, grilled cheese, fries and 2 cupcakes sound delicious! About the pot luck - maybe limit yourself to one (normal) plate of whatever you want and 3-4 bites of dessert (or a light dessert). Hey everyone does this, don't let it get you off track.

Try to go OP after the potluck, and don't knock yourself - you'll be in onederland before you know it - you better post if here first though ;-) Good luck! We're here for ya!!

[shellofself]

Exactly, GoingforGold! I know I'm guilty of straying and then throwing an internal guilt-fest because of it. I just trudge forward. Yesterday, I had to take my "lunch" at 10am & subsequently was starving by 5. Ate more than I should have so... I got on the treadmill. The way I figure, we all slip, but it's how we respond to our slipups that account for more than the slipup itself. This morning i was dreading my weighin... I didn't lose a pound-but I also didn't gain a pound. Why did I stress again?

[shellofself]

And way more importantly... Congratulations on your Jan. weight loss!!! That's awesome!

[sontaikle]

Stop thinking of food as your enemy! It isn't evil! We need food to survive and it also has the added benefit of being a social and fun thing. You just need to learn how to manage the fun and the nutrition!

Remove yourself from the mindset that food is a treat. I once saw something that said "don't treat yourself with food, you aren't a dog." It really rang true with me. For so long I thought "well I worked hard, I deserve a treat." I still treat myself, but in non-food ways. I buy myself something nice, or give myself time to read or do something. For example, when you lost weight, treat yourself to new clothes!

Learn to savor the taste of your food. You don't need a heaping plate of something to taste it—only a very small amount. The first bite will still taste the same as the last but by limiting yourself to a small amount, you can force yourself to slow down, enjoy your food and say "this tastes good and I will enjoy this because this is all I'm having of it." With that strategy you can go to the potluck, have fun, but still have a reasonable amount of food.

Please remember that food isn't bad or evil. You CAN enjoy it while being healthy