Hi everyone!

I'm hurting big time. I can't stay on track regardless of what I do.

I have been off track for a week now and it is really killing me. I have made the committment to get back on track this weekend. I really want to do this, but I do not feel like I can at this point. The stress in my life is absolutely incredible right now -- more than I can ever remember experiencing.

Help!!!

Hi, Spinsky,

I'm with Lauren. Don't try to get back on track by doing it all at once. I often find that when I get totally off track, it really helps to pick one thing and do that for a week. Maybe I'll focus on water for a week. Maybe I'll focus on journaling. Or on exercising a certain amount. As I rack up those successes, a momentum starts to build. The next week I keep doing what I did and add one more thing. Maybe eating OP for one or two meals each day. Or maybe counting points, but not trying to stay within my range. Sometimes I find that I'm in the range anyway. It takes a while to get back to fully following the program this way, but I find that I tend to feel less overwhelmed and stick with it better if I do it this way. I can see my successes.

Also, when I'm simply not seeing my successes I take a page from my former life as a preschool teacher. I give myself stickers for various behaviors. It can be a real eye-opener to find that I'm getting stickers for eating all of the veggies, drinking water, and exercising. Those things count, too. There's so much more than eating within your range and seeing a particular number on the scale. I give myself rewards for inches or clothing sizes as well as pounds because I know that the scale often isn't the best gauge of our success. And sometimes it doesn't show up on the scale for a couple of weeks.

The last thing I suggest is that you take some paper and pen and write a stream of consciousness journal to try to figure out why you're so positive that you "cannot" get back OP. I know that a lot of people do get back after even a major time off and a lot of people don't. I also know that for me, getting back is often a matter of learning what's behind the setback and taking care of that. Then the rest falls back into place.

Good luck.

Lin

Lin,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thought provoking reply. I am certain I can get back on program just as I am certain I needed this week as a break.

Things are falling into place. I took tonight and got caught up on correspondance and paperwork for my organization. That alleviates that headache.

I, too, am a teacher and will definitely use the sticker method for a week. Thanks again for caring enough to take the time.

Kelly