Hey everyone,

So...I need some advice! Today, I did my 45 minutes of HIIT in the morning, had awesome snacks, breakfast and lunch and then dinner time came. I had about 600 calories ish to play with, and we were having a turkey dinner with our student girls' group at the school I teach at.

I had the right serving of potatoes, veggies, and turkey, but I know I overdid it on the stuffing and I did have a slice of desert.

NOW here's why I need advice.

I FORCED myself to have the stuffing and a SMALL sliver of cake. I have been going pretty much 'perfect' since January 1st with no white bread or sugar and I wanted to prove to myself that having it does NOT mean I have derailed. I want to teach myself how to include those treats without viewing it as "Well, I made it three weeks that time. Back to square one I guess..."

It's like those homes in Tornado Alley where it's like "46 days since our last tornado" and then a few days later, back at zero.

So I guess what I need is validation that I am doing a good job and that I didn't mess it all up today or throw away any chance of a good weigh in on Sunday. And to know that tomorrow I will rise, and make the same choices I have been making consistently.

Does that make sense? I want to train myself into comprehending failure as something separate from treating. And I WILL 'fail' sometimes....man, weight loss is 99% emotional, isn't it?

No one wants to give up all of the things that they love completely! I think its totally OK to treat yourself sometimes. The challenge of course is picking up where you left off immediately afterwards! It sounds like you have the right idea, so keep it up

I have had about a hundred days like you just mentioned. I always fear that one bad meal or over indulgence is going to mean I will snowball into a massive regain. I guess it's a trust issue with myself but I deal with it a day at a time proving to myself that 1 day or 1 week or heck just 1 meal is just that! Not failure or an inevitability of gaining.

So, you had some stuffing and some cake.

No healthy lifestyle would ever say you can never again as long as you live, never have stuffing or cake, or fries or onion rings or whatever.

You just need to keep in mind, you should not do it all the time. One helping of stuffing or one piece of cake does not cause the problem, repeated helpings do.

I plan ahead for weddings, graduations, family gatherings, holidays, etc. Catch an extra workout, lighten up the rest of my menu for the day, enjoy, and right back on plan.

Since September of 2011, it's working.

And I love stuffing!

I have to admit that I have a somewhat different take. While I agree that in the overall scheme of things, you have to find a plan that fits your life rather than making your life fit that plan. And yes, some treats and indulgences are going to be a part of life, and it's important to understand that and recognize that one treat does not equal failure. And sure, there's an argument to be made that like everything, practice makes perfect and you need to experience that to get good at it.

But having said that, you are only three weeks into this, and personally, I think that's kind of early to be deliberately cheating. There will always be temptations out there, and I'd personally rather wait for the really good ones, the ones that are truly irresistible (and worth it!), rather than "FORCE" myself to eat things that I had otherwise made a decision I wasn't going to eat at the moment.

I agree that this one meal isn't going to ruin your entire plan, but I just don't think it was the best choice you could have made, at least not at this point in time.

I think you are in no way at Day One again. There is no such thing as Day One, except your birthday, it's a long way to go one day after another. It's a general pattern you are creating and you have decided the pattern is going to be eating well, not going overboard. It's the average that counts, not the peaks and valleys.

Why not? She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it, and did. What a huge NSV!

Even saving up treats for 'special occasions only' can backfire if that's not what works for you. What if you want a cookie one day? Do you not allow yourself that one cookie because it's not your birthday? What happens when the next holiday rolls around and you then stuff yourself because it's a 'special occasion'?

I say congratulations on taking another step toward a more moderate, balanced, healthy lifestyle. You should be able to enjoy a treat or two GUILT FREE whenever YOU feel like it, not because it is or isn't an 'acceptable' time to do so according to others.

So, its January 23rd and you started January 1st?

Congrats for having 22 days out of 23 days on plan!!!

^Try thinking of it this way instead.

Now time to start another 22 days out of 23 on plan, right?

Thank you so much, everyone! I appreciate your honestly, advice and, best of all, support!!

I got up and did my workout this morning, and I've got my delicious, healthy calories laid out for the day. I am so relieved that I don't feel panicked today- like at Day One.

I hope you all understand how much you are helping me!!