This Sunday will mark three full weeks of my lifestyle change, diet whatever you want to call it. I have done very well. I know how I am, and know that most of my calories come while watching TV with hubby at night, so I eat less during the day and try to make better choices at night. I have lost just over 10 pounds so far.

Well, today, I didn't have any of my healthy food to take to work. It so happens that today we had this meeting where they fed everyone pizza. Even though pizza is my very favorite thing (or is that ice cream)I didn't eat any. Three people asked aren't you going to have any pizza? (There were cookies too!) But I didn't and I came back to my desk and ate my damn carrots.

So here comes lunch and I debated for what had to be 10 minutes or so, about whether or not to have a couple pieces of that pizza (which by the way was the most loaded thickest pizza I have ever seen) or go spend money that I just don't have. So I ate two pieces. Just cheese, but more cheese than I have ever seen on a pizza. Big thick crusts.

Now I feel stuffed and horrible. Someone tell me that it will be alright! Please!

It's OK, really !!!!

2 pieces of pizza will not kill you, just make really healthy choices the rest of the day! If you love pizza that much, then I think you should find a way to have it. Could you make your own? I've made them before using portabella mushrooms as the crust, and they were yummy! Or maybe use an english muffin and some low fat cheese? I don't think we should elimanate our faves, just make them healthier for us! So, stop beating yourself up and get back on track. You'll be ok!

Jenny

Don't sweat it. Most people here will probably tell you that permanent weight loss doesn't require that you be perfect. In fact, aiming for perfection will do little but set you up for failure, because no one can eat carrots and celery 100% of the time. And frankly, there's nothing wrong with having a slice or two of pizza every now and then. On the occasions when I have pizza (or a hamburger, fries, or whatever "junk" food I sometimes indulge in) I enjoy it without guilt, because I know that I eat healthy the vast majority of the time.

Guilt kills weight loss. Remember that.

And don't use this as an excuse to give up!

You are not horrible!!!

In life, these things happen. You ate two slices of pizza, so what is the worst damage that can be done? I think the worst thing is that you get so freaked out over the pizza that you blow your eating plan for the rest of the day. That could lead to you blowing it for the weekend, and then the week. See what I mean?

Put aside your guilt, eat as well as you can the rest of the day and go on with your weight loss efforts. Don't let this derail you. Two slices of pizza are not going to ruin all the work you have done.

You can do this!

By the way, I should also mention that you might experience some temporary water retention from the pizza, so if the number on the scale goes up tomorrow, don't be discouraged. You gained water, not fat. It will go away.

Now, take a deep breath. Freaking out over every slice of pizza is no way to live the rest of your life.

You are not horrible BUT you need to think why you were left with no better lunch choice than pizza. This should be an eye-opening, learning experience - have a PLAN, be READY. Pizza vs carrot sticks isn't a very fair fight.

Don't beat yourself up, figure out how to do better the next time. You're going to face the "pizza decision" hundreds of time throughout your life. Sometimes, eating a couple slices of pizza will fit your plan, most often it will not.

I'm going to tell you this because I have a problem with it too: YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY WHAT YOU EAT. You are not horrible because you ate pizza (which is not a bad food either, it's just a food). You do not need to beat yourself up over it.

Good advice about the freaking out Drina! Pizza is my favorite thing in the world. I didn't get fat from eating a slice or two. I got fat from eating the whole pie. Three times a week. After having fried chicken for lunch.

If it makes you feel any better, on Wednesday afternoon I was uptown and went to Koronet Pizza in Manhattan. Its sort of famous for serving slices of pizza the size of a yield sign. I ate one and it was freakin' DELICIOUS!

I went to the gym, I woke up the next morning and got right back to my normal healthy eating. I had my fiber one for breakfast, my grilled chicken on salad lunch and my two banannas for a snack, and I still lost my pound for the week. It will all be fine. I second the notion that stirring yourself up over some pizza is no way to live.

I ate pizza last weekend ON PURPOSE! Granted, I don't do it very often because a) pizza's not my favorite and b) it takes a couple days for the water weight to go away. But you didn't sabotage your success so far with one meal, I promise. Drina's right, the scale will be up if you weigh yourself tomorrow (I was up two pounds overnight after my pizza) but it'll go back down soon enough.

The last thing you are is a horrible person. It's just food, it's not the enemy. Sure, you could have had something more nutritious/less calorie dense, but that's life. Sometimes there will be pizza. Forgive yourself and move forward.

No, of course you are not horrible! You had a slip, it happens to the best of us. I agree, though, that you can make a silk purse out of this sow's ear by learning from it.

• Lesson 1: You should pick right back up and continue with your healthy plan today. Don't let one slip slide into an all-or-nothing attitude such as "I might as well pig out today/this weekend/this week because I blew it." no, no, a thousand times no. Every bite counts. Just get back on the wagon.
• Lesson 2: Always have your healthy food available. Always. If you leave things to chance, you greatly increase the likelihood of going off plan. Don't procrastinate, don't put off going to the grocery store, pack your lunch the night before if you need to. Plan, anticipate, execute, don't wing it. Also, always have a backup plan. What if you packed your lunch but forgot it? Always have a backup plan.
• Lesson 3: Eating most of your calories at night isn't the best plan. Besides being the opposite of what your body needs to function, it leaves you vulnerable to temptation. I'm not a "no eating at night" advocate by any means, but you really do need the bulk of your food during the day where it will do the most good in giving you energy, keeping your blood sugar on an even keel, and keeping you from being over-hungry or just vulnerable. Try to find ways to increase your calories for breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and cut back on night-time calories.

You can not deprive yourself of all of the foods you like and lose weight. You will quit. As long as you do things in moderation, you should be able to have "cheat" foods sometimes and still lose just fine. Don't feel guilty! Just focus on your next decisions and don't linger on two pieces of pizza. Nothing good can come of fixating on something you can't change.

That's not true of everyone -- for compulsive overeaters, certain foods can be triggers that lead to binges. Even for those for whom this strategy works, sometimes it takes time to get to that point.

You're not horrible!

You had a slip up with your favorite food. It's normal and gonna happen. Just get right back in the game! I too LOVE pizza and refuse to deny myself of it. So I plan it into my day. Sometimes I'll get two slices from my fave pizza shop or make it myself with whole wheat pita's.

There is no reason to deny yourself of your fave foods, just re-invent them healthier.

Course it will! You've done 3 weeks so far, so well done! Dust yourself off and carry on. Little bit of what you fancy once a month or so isn't bad for you x