Hw long to overcome a bad day

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8/29/12 11:19 P

Wow, that is what you call a terrible, no good day!!!

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8/29/12 10:36 P

Hopefully it is a better day tomorrow! Today my luck wasn't the best. I woke up early to go with my sister to Okmulgee which is a two hour drive or so. We get there and I manage to get in a two mile walk while she's doing her appointment thing, yay me. We left and I thought I'd get home early and do my Cardio Blast dvd. What a great day!
We got almost to the toll booth and my car overheated! My husband had to come rescue us. Ee finally got her back home and I sat at the house thinking this day stinks!
Then I decided to blow off some steam by shooting some hoops. All three balls are flat no big deal I just pumped them up. Then as I was about to take my first shot, I got stung on the butt by a darn bee! A black one (dirt dobber). So now I got a broke car and a swollen butt!

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8/29/12 10:01 A

Two times in my life I lost weight without any effort. It was because of a huge lifestyle changes. Changes that I did not control. I rack my brain about this, and wonder can I consciously make habit changes that will result in weight loss? Why did I lose weight those two times without any effort? Well, one was spending 3 months in Europe camping. So, that was because of an increase in activity, walking all over the place, not able to eat my favorite foods. The other time was when my husband left me. I was so bereft I only ate cereal, milk, and strawberries for dinner. Not a good way to lose weight. But, it is definitely about calories, because I just ate much less, had no appetite at all.

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8/27/12 4:01 A

Had a disgraceful day yesterday. I avoided SP like the plague because it puts accountability in my face, and I just didn't want to be good or accountable. I tracked hardly any food and there was no exercise to speak of. But today I am here; I am accountable; I will do better. If I make one bad day become two, it starts to become a habit, so I must nip it in the bud today.

Let's all enjoy being a little healthier and a little more alive today

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8/27/12 12:31 A

For me, it takes 3-4 days before I start seeing results in MY FAVOR after a bad day. I try not to have them, but the weekends are the WORST!!!!

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8/26/12 6:15 P

Just don't look back! Drink some extra water, get more activity, and do the best you can not to repeat it! One meal at a time!

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8/26/12 2:07 P

I've noticed that when I cut foods out of my diet, especially carbs, I binge. Which is why I don't cut out any food groups. I watch portions and calories. I allow myself all my favorite groups, but limit the amounts.
Cindi

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8/26/12 2:42 A

Thanks for your encouragement. I've had a bad day since 8-23-12; nonstop bingeing. Beginning now, I will shrug it off and be positive about my journey to lose 90 pounds. I will exercise and eat healthy so that I won't be called 'FATTY' anymore! Why did I binge when someone called me that? I should have eaten less, instead of eating more. Weird!!!

Edited by: DOWNTOWNDASHER at: 8/26/2012 (02:46)

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8/25/12 8:56 P

Thanks for the post, it's just what I needed to read because today is my BAD day. I know I'll bounce back and it helps to know that other people stumble too.

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8/25/12 3:41 P

Sometimes I just have to accept that I'm going to have a bad day - I try to mitigate things, and make it a bad meal rather than a whole day of I can. My big failing used to be chocolate bars and coke, with some salt & vinegar crisps, but since I started with SP, I find that now I can't eat the chocolate that I buy, or drink the coke - coz I know too much about the lack of nutrition :)
I've started a list of treats to use when things look like they may be bad - usually I just need time out, but sometimes its a bit more. The list doesn't include food!

Whatever happens - don't give yourself a hard time, accept things for what they are, enjoy it as much as you can, and look to the future.

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8/24/12 3:27 P

Thanks for the post. I think to have a day or two is normal and healthy. Fact of the matter is we all need to stop and enjoy something every now and then. Just have to remember it needs to be every now and then - not three days out of 5 of every week. I find that the challenge honestly. Again, thanks for the post. It RESONATED!

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8/24/12 3:11 P

last sunday august 18th myself and six female friends planned a surprise for a close female friend it was pot luck i brought and made fresh cold tuna, grated chesse 1 cut pepper macroni salad. one brought cabbage rolls, another chocolate mousse cake. monday 19th pizza one meat, one veg so i had 1 slice each kind 6 chichen wings this dinner. tuesday was better back eating properly grilled food. and friday 24 the same eating healthy.

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8/24/12 2:02 A

Last night I had 3 slices of Pizza Hut pizza, a beer, and a bunch of chocolate. It was my depression eating and I own that (sure tasted good though!)

No shame and no blame. Tomorrow, as they say, is another day.

Edited by: SCREAMINGFLEA at: 8/24/2012 (02:03)

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8/23/12 5:03 P

This was just what I needed to hear today! It's nice to know we are not alone! If I could just stop after I initially overeat and get back on track, I wouldn't have a weight problem. Why do we punish ourselves so by continuing to stuff ourselves after a slip?

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8/23/12 4:04 P

I found a quote that made me think of this thread that I just wanted to share:

“Stumbling is not falling.” ~Portuguese Proverb

I think this is one of the most important lessons we can learn as we try to lose weight and get healthy--one bad day in 10 is a minority. We are improving ourselves, and that takes work...we are human, and sometimes we fail. But that doesn't mean we're done fighting!!

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8/23/12 3:37 P

Fantastic thread! I agree with so many others, visualize the feelings I ultimately want rather than my current impulse. But mostly I just try to keep recording what I'm eating even when it's hundreds of calories over my goal. Because it helps me remember that I WAS full yesterday, and I don't NEED to be as full today. And I get back to my usual, regular, small, frequent meals, and it's okay again.

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8/22/12 9:19 A

Finally lost my "bad day" gain! Reinforces the desire not to have bad days!

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8/22/12 7:36 A

I had a rough patch last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The first two days I went over by a around 400-500 calories, but Saturday, I ate and drank 3100 calories! It was mostly carbs and a lot of salt and sugar. I felt awful Sunday morning. But 3 days of healthy eating later, I am back to normal. I'm no longer bloated and I dropped back down a couple of pounds. So I guess my answer is 3 days

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8/21/12 4:12 P

When I go over on calories I take a hard look at what I ate. Most of the time it is because I ate an apple, orange, banana, grapefruit, and some cherries. They all have "natural" sugar in them so they all have calories, but I enjoy eating fruit and so far my stomach can tolerate it.

I feel it's okay to go over with fruit or veggies as they are good for you to have. If I need a snack it Atkins Bars or Skinny Cow something and I limit those. I have not had a horrible eating day since joining SP (2 months), but I have had days where I went over on calories. Most of the time it's because I ate a big steak or more chicken breast than I should have. Again, I exercise every day so I need the extra sometimes.

Like when I mowed the yard for 3.5 hours, I had a nice steak that night and some mashed potatoes because I needed to put the energy back into my body that leaked out with the sweat! And I was still nackered the next day!!

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8/20/12 8:34 P

Great Sunday night, Monday morning thread! We can do it!

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8/20/12 7:17 P

a very good thread, no time to read it right now, but will come back to it.....

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8/20/12 7:16 P

Like others have posted, I just forgive myself and continue my journey toward better health.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Good luck and God bless.

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8/20/12 5:12 P

I had another bad weekend - had a BAD COLD so just laid around all weekend eating soup and drinking juice. Didn't count things, could barely talk on the phone let alone get online... so I'm up a few pounds, and still not feeling fantastic to go to exercise class tonight (kind of dizzy still). This sucks!

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8/20/12 12:58 P

For me, it's hard to commit to starting over the next day after eating a food item in excess. If I indulge at, say, 2pm, I just say, aww what the heck, and chow down all evening because I'll be getting back on track tomorrow. Give me two candy bars today because I'm dieting tomorrow...

Something that I have been working on is learning how to stop after the first splurge. Even if my calorie limit has already been met, I'll still make myself wholesome, well balanced meals for the remained of the day so I don't get hungry and want to binge even more. This may bring me over my calorie limit a bit but it is better than being depriving myself entirely and making impulsive-hungry-decisions.

Sometimes you just have to brush the Cheeto dust off your hands and get back up on that healthy horse.

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8/20/12 12:49 P

Lots of water, fibre, dandelion tea, and keep yourself moving! :) I get bloated a lot and gain about 10 pounds worth of water weight whenever it's time for the monthly curse, so these things really help me to get rid of it within a few days.

But eating-wise? If you slip up, DON'T beat yourself up over it. We ALL slip up!! Just put it behind you and get right back on track immediately.

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8/20/12 12:19 P

Had a few bad days this past week and it has certainly caught up to me. I've put on about 3.5 lbs whether it's from bloat or sticking with me from the binges, I don't know. I just got so frustrated this week since I have not been seeing results in the scale and I've been putting in so much effort. Now I've just set myself back. I know how much better off I would be if I just did not binge! But the discouragement is somehow able to beat me out and take over when that happens. I need to get back on the healthy track- I've been doing no good to my body.

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8/20/12 10:59 A

I had a couple of bad days last week, due to incorrect tracking and also overindulging! While I got back into the exercise and eating right, it is still hanging on and taking longer than I would have thought to get rid of those 3 little pounds. But I'm hanging in there and hoping that this week brings me back to where I was and below! I CAN DO IT and I AM DOING IT!

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8/19/12 3:11 P

My response depends on the amount of time I have to correct my attitude.
My typical solution is:
1. Journal my feelings at the moment.
2. Break down journaling to key issues.
3. Write down my strong points in one column, weaker points in the second.
4. What would make me feel better? What actions can I take?
5. Is it really that bad?

I also fit exercise into my day ASAP.
If I can do all this, then I can eliminate the bad in a few hours.

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8/19/12 11:23 A

Takes me about a week to overcome a bad weekend binge........sometimes less, sometimes more. :)

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8/19/12 9:44 A

GOOD FOR YOU, MEGAMINION!!!

CONGRATS, too, on your just reward of 1 lb lost!

You chose mind over matter and succeeded, you should pat yourself on the back. That is a huge accomplishment and one you won't regret

Edited by: CUDDLEY51 at: 8/19/2012 (09:45)

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8/18/12 6:53 P

last night I was in the kitchen looking around for something to eat. I was not hungry and I certainly was not looking for carrots to eat. I knew I should not eat more and I knew I would be disappointed in myself if I did. I was in the kitchen feeling sorry for myself and then I pictured getting on the scale this morning . I literally saw myself put the scale on the floor and step on . I didn't want to see the number and knew I had a choice .- I could stuff my face (and not get on the scale this morning) or I could get on the scale in the morning with my conscience clear, I went back to the living room empty handed and was rewarded with another pound gone this morning. Such positive reinforcement !!
Never give up.

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8/18/12 6:43 P

I felt terrible when i woke up this morning after my binge yesterday evening. But I soon remembered the really great feeling I had had after a successful day, I realized I wanted to feel that way again and told myself I could achieved again . This spurred me on and I go to bed tonight with a guilt free conscience having achieved it.

Remember how good it feels to be on track, analyze and learn from your mistakes, and believe you can do it.

Goodnight all..........

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8/18/12 6:41 P

LPPTOGO: Your comment about being selfish caught my eye. I so often feel that I am being selfish and then I feel guilty but I am coming to realize that taking care of myself is not being selfish. Putting ourselves first is necessary sometimes. We need to love ourselves first. Part of my journey is being able to stand up for what I want, what I need, We all need to do this. We need others to respect our decisions and applaud our efforts even when we fail.
Never give up.

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8/18/12 2:15 P

I used to track this and it took 3 days to overcome one day of a typical binge. Now though, I just don't look back. when I get up in the morning, it's all new, and what I did yesterday does not factor into my healthy lifestyle decisions for today, It is freeing, and I have been able to maintain goal.

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8/18/12 1:14 P

I came on here looking to find a msg about exactly this! Today was my bad day..yesterday wasn't so hot either! I have been doing so well and then went of a 3wk vacation and haven't been nearly as good as I was before I left. Today I had some serious binging on granola...this may be the first time in a year or more since I allowed it in the house...it was on sale and I gave in to it. And I consumed 6 servings or more today!! I ate it dry, with milk, with my dog. I know the reason..I was bored. Husband is traveling and it was rainy all day. I am feeling motivated now after reading all the replies. The best advice for me is to exercise tomorrow and get right back on track with keeping my food diary. It also helps that Sunday is the first day of the week...a perfect day to restart. There is no magic formula...but don't be so hard on yourself. A positive attitude will get you going and a negative one will have you binging again. Keep going!

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8/18/12 11:54 A

Take full ownership of your bad choices, forgive yourself and get right back on track again immediately. We all have those days whether we admit to them or not. YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

Judy

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8/18/12 10:44 A

Wow! Very well said!!! As you said, it will always be there. My husband is a wonderful man, but he loves junk food. He continues to bring it in the house, especially the chips (my biggest weakness). I told him to please take the large bag of chips off the top of the fridge, and put them where I don't have to see them, which he did. The way my health is improving and the way
my clothes are looking on me is all the motivation I need. Also, my long daily walks are helping relieve stress and giving me more energy. Feeling good about myself these days. I know that sounds self-centered, but if you knew me, you would realize how huge this is.

Thanks for your motivational message and keep up the good work!

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8/18/12 10:03 A

With me it depends. If I am giving into the excuses, playing the victim to my own bad choices & just looking to blame someone else for my poor eating choices well I might never overcome it on my own. I mean if I blame things or people outside of myself for the bad choices everything depends on the other people or situations to change. Not me I don't have to change I'm just the hapless victim who showed up & Grandma (who has never had a weight problem) has cakes & cookies out for the kids. It is Grandma's fault I park my derriere @ the kitchen table & pound down three quarters of a container of sugar cookies, a couple slices of cake, half a bowl of chips & dip while the kids go outside to play on the swing-set & THEN DINNER STARTS!!! She knows I'm on a "diet" she should not have bought that huge, delicious looking red velvet cake! She knows those sugar cookies are my weakness.... then even if I have restrained myself she sends all that junk food home with me!! "For the kids" so I wake up for the rest of the week & there is the huge, delicious cake sitting right next to the barely touched container of cookies....It goes on and on.
These things have been constants in my life for years so they are not going to change. I am the one that has to change. I guess that I am realizing that making a lifestyle change means I am going to have to learn to make the right food choices in "bad" situations. I only have control over my own behavior & nobody can make the right choices for me. So instead of parking myself @ the dinner table stocked with copious amounts of sweets. I sit on the couch in the living-room & ignore the sweets table like Grandpa does. Or I go outside & push the kids on the swing. Or go outside & read a book & watch the kids until dinner is ready. I know Grandma will take the offending food off of the table to make room for dinner...
When I put other people in control it can take weeks or months to overcome a bad day. If I admit that I am the only one in control of my own behavior I rarely go off plan & when I do, I end the bad choices with 1. Ok, I gave in, had a piece of cake, I'm done making bad choices.

Edited by: NOMOREGODDESS at: 8/18/2012 (10:07)

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8/17/12 7:29 P

This is such a good topic because it is so universal. Each of us has our own bad days- for some it is binging on anything everything. for some. it's desserts, sugar and fat all in one delicious bite, or maybe it's skipping the gym again (that's me today ) I have gotten so much better at putting that in the rearview mirror and moving on. We are human, we will stumble, we will consider giving up, we will be discouraged, we will feel sorry for ourselves and we will struggle. and then we lift our heads and put one foot in front of the other and carry on. Never give up.

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8/17/12 10:17 A

There is so much wisdom on this thread - truly impressive.

I agree that self-forgiveness is key in this journey and that without the mental part of this, the physical changes JUST. WON'T. STICK.

Thanks for the reminder that many of us go through this issue of overeating and that I am not alone. I feel lucky to be a part of this community.

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8/17/12 9:20 A

I love this topic. Sometimes I forget that I'm not the only one who has these thoughts and struggles. Usually when I get off track I really blow it and days turn into weeks, which turn into months sometimes. I'm working on shortening those slumps by focusing on my visual motivations (I have them posted everywhere) and my new mantra "be better than you were yesterday".

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8/16/12 6:58 P

I agree. It is really not difficult to get back on track the next day.(Espescially if you are committed to this site. The support and encouragement we give each other matters!!!!!!

Edited by: SCHEALTHNUTT at: 8/16/2012 (19:02)

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8/16/12 4:58 P

just get back on track the next day. new day new outlook

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8/16/12 4:30 P

It varies widely. sometimes I can fix it inside the bad day. Other times, it takes several days to overcome whatever difficulties I am facing.

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8/15/12 10:35 P

I took me a long to forgive myself for the "bad days" My bad days turned into weeks and months. I figured out I was only hurting myself. I was only letting myself down. I will have bad days, I will get thru them and I will start fresh the next day.

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8/15/12 6:55 P

I had a surprise when I got home from visiting our son for the weekend. Though I try hard to be mindful of my eating, it was hard as we ate out some and he was eating substantially after participating in a triathlon. I had gained 6 pounds of the 3 days, 3 days later I have already dropped 3 of those pounds and am not worried about the rest. Back on track and focused to get back to my maintenance weight. A hiccup on the journey to a healthier lifestyle.

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8/15/12 4:39 P

Yes, I've also been there and done that, and know I will again. If it isn't a chemical problem, such as not getting my meds in the mail, or being sick some way~ if it's a "bad day" because of my actions or lack of, I can get over it fairly quickly. I beat myself up a little for a while, but get over it and resolve to do better the next day. It's those longer, several day long downers that are really hard to "get over". I've found that my thoughts get more and more negative the longer the "slump" lasts. But lately I've been trying out the "affirmations" technique recommended by the free two-week coaching plan. If I'm really negative, I can't even think of some positive things to imagine. So I start writing them down. At first I feel like I'm being sarcastic as heck, writing how grateful I am to be healthy and feeling good, etc. But after a few minutes, I actually can begin to imagine how it will feel. I keep it up until I really have to stop for some reason, or I actually want to get going. Not a solution, but often an effective tactic, and it can be repeated later in the day if I start getting all overwhelmed or hopeless or something.

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8/15/12 9:21 A

I love all the great replies to this topic. I am not having a bad day right now, but I know where I will go when I have one.

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8/14/12 11:53 P

I try to tell myself I am building a foundation for a stronger, toner body and healthier lifestyle habits. So if I slip up and don't exercise or eat too much for a few days I just remind myself how far I've come and that the foundation is still there - I just need to keep building on it. Allowing myself a guilt-free day off is a good thing when my motivation is low works for me - but knowing I'm going to get back on track the next day. Also going for a big 5 mile walk is very therapeutic for me and it burns 400+ calories!

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8/14/12 6:40 P

I had a pretty bad 3 days over this past weekend and yesterday. This morning I woke up and said DON'T GIVE UP! I spent a lot of time on SP today reading articles looking at posts and just reaching out to the community of people that are also trying to lose weight to help me get back on track.

I also posted a new profile picture of myself. This picture was taken 2 years ago when I was at my ideal weight, and it was done by a professional. I just keep looking at that picture and saying I will fit into that dress again and look just as good. Visualize the results! Woo Hoo, I am on my way!

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8/14/12 6:38 P

I am having a "bad day" the day after I started. My boyfriend is thinking of breaking up with me. *sigh*. That really puts a damper on trying to keep my head in the game. Well, I guess I could look at it one way. I could lose some weight, and find a new spiffier boyfriend. :) Yea, if you don't laugh you cry right? But, even though part of me wants to go and buy a bag of potato chips and poor myself an adult beverage, I will keep on keeping on. Isha and I might have to go for a walk when it cools down.

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8/14/12 12:24 P

I love this thread because it happens to all of us! Just got through watching my coach trainer videos, and one of the things I like that she talked about was that sometimes, weighing yourself too often is a problem with motivation. I did the same thing last week - had a huge hormone swing and not enough sleep and had a really bad three day eating period. I've decided not to go near the scale this week, but hit the SP pages and just get back to the basics. Consistency is important - but think of it this way: if you do well at SP for 200 days out of the 365 this year, you are going to have some positive changes. So, if you've gone off for a few days - remember to look at it from the wide-angle lens. By sticking with your plan for a few positive days in the future, your body will even out and balance back. Remember, Two steps forward, one step back = progress!

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8/14/12 12:19 P

Just keep on keeping on.

I recently had a long string of "bad days" and much to my surprise, I lost weight anyway. Probably because I didn't totally give up.

I kept tracking my calories. I kept exercising.

Good luck- you can do this!

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8/14/12 12:14 P

This is an awesome topic. I fell pretty good Saturday night and into Sunday. Monday started a new day and I just went forward from there knowing that everyday cannot be perfect. I will weigh myself again on Wednesday and go from there. Thanks for all the great words of advice!

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8/14/12 12:06 P

Just move on! Don't turn one mistake into two mistakes. I don't even try to "make up for it" by extra exercise or cutting way back on the next meal or next day. That seems like "punishing yourself" and food choices should be as positive as possible. Just get back on your healthy eating plan and move forward.

If you have regular "lapses" you may need to look at what you are doing in your overall eating. Are you trying to make foods that you really like "off limits"? Are you telling yourself to eat ceratin foods that are healthy but you don;t really like them? And are you cutting your calories too much or not having the right balance of carbs, proteins and fats?

I found if I cut back too much or don't eat a good balance, I get really hungry after about the third day and then I felt like this just wasn't going to work, I couldn;t do it. But then I learned to eat just a few more calories for that day, or add some fats, or a better balance of foods, and I was good to go!.

Good luck to you!

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8/14/12 9:45 A

If you really indulged in say lunch time, just make sure that during dinner you make better choices. Whenever I indulge, I also track and personally, I increase my exercise routine (2 more exercise schedules planned for the week). It works for me, plus I love running, so I don't mind

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8/14/12 9:23 A

Just get right back on track! I had a really bad Sunday. On Monday just thought oh well better eat well ..... today I weighed in and I have lost 1.5 kilos in 3 days (previous week ate well the whole week and only lost 1 kilo). So having a bad day is not a terrible thing...just get back on track!

current weight: 158.0

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8/13/12 4:16 P

I weigh daily. And I have set my tracker and mindset so each meal stands alone. If I blow one, I pick up where I left off and start with the next meal. I also try to not snack, so my program is pretty much based on each meal. Remember if you let the bad day derail you the damage will be worst than if it was just a bad day or bad meal.
Cindi

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8/13/12 3:42 P

Not sure if recovered yet... afraid to get on the scale!

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8/12/12 8:43 P

When I have a difficult day I know it sounds cliche but I take a workout class kickboxing is usually a top choice. It beats being angry and frustrated I rather feel the burn. I know yesterday when I was thinking of all the trouble with my friends it made my punches in kickboxing much more intense kept my heart rate up, had a lot of fun because the teacher was wild and after I felt better and really proud that I took the class

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8/12/12 8:26 P

Another theory, if you eat one not good choice meals, you have to eat 3 good choice meals to make up for it. If you go overboard a whole day, try to eat well the next 3 days, and so on. It happens and will happen because you are human, and not a machine where the correct meal choices can be programmed into you. Enjoy that you are alive and able to make choices at all, good or not so good.

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8/12/12 5:24 P

I try to isolate that bad items in the day, and box them into bad minutes or hours instead of bad days. I don't let one thing going wrong spoil my day. I also look for good things in every day, or make some good things happen by taking some time to do something I enjoy. As soon as I started doing this, I noticed that I had a lot fewer "bad day." Bad days are only bad days because we label them as bad.

Enjoy the sun shine
Turn on some good music
Make something special for dinner
Take some time to read
Take a warm bath
Watch a funny movie
Take a walk
Do something with your kids
Take a moment to pray or read the scriptures
Do some deep breathing
Count your blessings--What is right with your life?

These are all ways to help turn a bad day.

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8/12/12 12:58 P

This might be difficult (I know it is for me), but try staying away from the scale for a while. If you know it's just water weight and it will come off, then who cares if it takes 2 days or 5 days? Just eat well, exercise, and be content knowing that you're doing the right things, even if it's not all the time. No one is perfect and life is too short to stress out about a bad day. Then in a few weeks get back on the scale - you might be pleasantly surprised.

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8/12/12 12:15 P

Reading scripture from the bible brings me hope, faith, encouragement, and inspiration. There is a wealth of wisdom on how to live and choosing healthy attitudes on how to cope with life in that great, old book.

If a beginner, suggest one starts with the book of Proverbs. There are 31 of them. It takes about five minutes to read one a night, and in one month you have finished it!

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8/12/12 12:28 A

put it in your rearview mirror

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8/12/12 12:22 A

Because I track my food religiously, I know today was a bad, bad day. I went waaay over at lunch. But, for dinner, I got back on the right track. If I mess up at one meal, I don't just give up, for that day. I try to get right back to my program.

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8/11/12 8:12 A

60 minutes of walking

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8/10/12 10:29 P

If it is water weight gain from eating out, it usually takes me about 2 to 3 days to get back to normal. Less time if I've been drinking adequate water (6 glasses per day) and more if I'm running low.

If I'm stressed and getting back into the old habit of sweets like ice cream (mmmmm!) for dessert, it can take me a couple of weeks to really reverse the trend. I'm kind of there right now.

But the key is not to give up! This is not a diet, it's the rest of your life.

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8/10/12 9:45 P

I tend to say out-loud to someone, "I'm having a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (just like the books says), and then I try to move on. Sometimes, just saying it out loud and then laughing about quoting a children's book (including the pouting face) is enough to break my beginning of a bad day feeling.

Posts: 1,059
8/10/12 6:29 P

If the bad day was about eating, let the next decision be your turning point. Get a glass of water and celebrate your decision to start fresh. If the bad day was about a difficult life situation, change your attitude by changing your focus to gratitude. Think of one small thing you have to be grateful for. When I realize I have something to smile about and be thankful for it brightens my whole day. Go from there.

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8/9/12 9:20 P

The ironic part of it all is that now that I've lost weight - people are giving me tips on loosing more weight... it is like the universe is pushing me to keep going!

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8/9/12 8:06 P

You might try tapping, aka "Emotional Freedom Technique" to overcome some of the sorrow of the more traumatic life events like death, sickness, abandonment, financial crisis.

Frankly... I feel I might be punished by something truly horrific if I don't appreciate what's on my plate... and that keeps me smilin and grateful to be alive.

: )
Mzzchief

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8/9/12 4:51 P

The minute I have the thought - "this is/could be a bad day", I try to isolate and execute upon ONE positive action... this changes the "momentum".
For example: already skipped my workout, having a challenging day, and didn't plan ahead for the fact that I am HUNGRY, driving in my car and "decide" to drive through to get some food. This is bad... but could get worse. So, resolve to make as healthy a choice as possible, all things considered. And THEN, as soon as possible - commit to meeting a friend for exercise, or out loud tell my family "I will be _________ from 5:00 - 6:00 today". Once I have commited out loud, it is much more likely it will actually happen. I also do something really easy, like drink a lot of water that day or eat a lot more vegetables that I normally would have - anything that "feels" positive to me.
If the day is already done, and it wasn't the "best", I thank God that His mercies are new every day, and apply that grace to myself. Most of us have challenging days and times. The next day is a new opportunity to make sure it doesn't turn into a 'streak'!

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8/9/12 2:04 P

IT DEPENDS ON HOW BAD THE DAY WAS AND WHAT CAUSED IT TO BE BAD. A BAD EATING DAY I CAN GET OVER BY THE NEXT DAY THE DEATH OF A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER - NOT SO MUCH.

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8/9/12 1:25 P

Don't beat yourself up, dust yourself off and get back to doing what you should. We all do this, we all fall off and we still have the choice to get back or to go down. Make that choice the positive one and you can overcome. Figure out why you had a bad day and come up with a way to combat it.

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8/9/12 12:18 P

It happens to all of us no matter where we are in our journey. For me, one thing that helped was to try and get back on track that very day (even if it was the evening) so I didn't let days go by which often turned into me absolutely giving up!

Posts: 2,106
8/9/12 12:04 P

Years. Just kidding. Life fluctuates. One bad day won't turn into a bad week, bad month, etc...unless you let it! Get back on the horse the next meal--don't wait! And use your treadmill, your sidewalk, your bicycle. Just do it!

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8/9/12 10:17 A

Don't be too hard on yourself. As so many people have mentioned, weight can fluctuate for any number of reasons. My advice would be not to weigh yourself more than once a week, as these fluctuations can be discouraging and misleading!

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8/9/12 1:27 A

start at once and forget about it. The little things matter.

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8/8/12 10:59 P

Don't let a bad day turn into a bad week, month or YEAR! I have done that on more than one occasion. Just forget about it and go back to your healthy eating. Don't skip a meal either thinking you will "make up for it". That just leads to more overeating later.

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8/8/12 9:09 P

I like to go for a long walk or run at dusk (my fav. time to be outside). It always clears my head and calms me down.

Plus you get the added bonus of burning some calories, and stimulating seretonin production which always helps outlook.

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8/8/12 2:44 P

Drink lots of water, more than normal by a few cups at least. Watch your sodium intake, do some walking to help pump the fluids up, and eat things like cabbage and cucumber (I like to add a few slices of cucumber to my water for a nice light flavor) or other foods that are natural diuretics. You should be right as rain in 1-4 days, depending on how diligent you are about getting all the water in and watching your sodium.

And now you know you are sodium sensitive and might want to track that regularly. That's the only thing I know of that causes water weight gain like that.

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8/8/12 5:26 A

I agree with most everyone has said, take it and learn from it. I make mistakes but feel much better about myself knowing what triggered it and learning how to make better choices the next time. Be patient and kind with yourself, you'll feel a lot better faster accepting your mistake instead of fighting against it. Next day, get right back where you need to be~~ and enjoy the process.

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8/8/12 12:38 A

No day is a bad day just a learning experience. Take it, learn from it and move on.

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8/7/12 11:54 P

start tracking from tonight through tomorrow evening and even things up! ;)

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8/7/12 9:22 P

I had a similar day today.....I went to IHOP ....Why?!?!? But I will definitely be right back on track tomorrow morning....it's the long haul that matters right?

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8/7/12 4:47 P

thanks for your kind words! :) your story is AMAZING! CONGRATULATIONS!

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8/7/12 4:00 P

skipping a meal will not help (as i am sure you already know this) it actually messes up your metabolism completly. A person is at their peak of weight loss when their metabolism is working at its best. If its working at its best a little syrup shouldnt hurt at all as long as its in moderation. For me anything sweet is a trigger so i dont eat sweet anything unless its yogurt. Your only human hunny try not to be too hard on yourself as thats what makes us wanna give up. Tell yourserlf your only human and you make mistakes and carry on. You can do it you deserve it!

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8/7/12 3:50 P

First of all for me if i eat something bad at a meal insted of eating bad the whole day i chose not to and i tell myself that i dont need to throw in the towel for the entire day as its easy to consume hundreds of extra calories that way. Accept you had a bad meal and move on the rest of the day normally. It usually takes me 2 days of eating proper after a bad meal and lots of water and daily excercise to get back on track with the scale. I dont weight myself everyday anymore becasue it became an addiction that only hindered me . The scale should never dictate your mood for the day i learnt that the hard way.

Pounds lost: 266.0

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8/7/12 3:30 P

reading all of these great posts was really helpful on a super bad day :) im an emotional eater & im glad some random support was there when i needed it

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8/7/12 12:09 P

We all have days like these. Just brush them off and get back on track. It'll all work out in the end.

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8/7/12 11:21 A

Forgive yourself. Realize that you enjoyed the food that you ate - whatever the reason. Treat yourself the way you would treat anyone else who "slipped up".

Think about what you would say to your best friend, child, or spouse if they made a mistake. Say those things to yourself, and mean them. Accept them. Write them down in your journal or even just on a piece of paper. The writing can make the words take hold in you, when you don't really believe you deserve to love yourself.

Then, get back on the horse, be gentle with yourself, and do what is good for you. For me, that is to log absolutely everything I eat - including the 1.5 quarts of Brownie Moose Tracks Ice Cream I ate in one sitting a week ago! Go forward from where you are. Leave the past in the past.

Hopefully next time you face a similar challenge with managing your eating, your strength will have improved, and you won't be side-tracked by your perception of "failure". It's not failure at all. What's important is that you are on the path to better health.

See your journey as wondrous, new and special, because it is. Just like any hero on a quest, you will meet monsters and those things that will try to distract you. What's important is simply one thing. It's that you never give up.

Put one foot in front of the other, and step forward into the future you are creating for yourself. The more you do this, the easier it will get. It has happened to me, and so many others. It will happen with you, if you persevere.

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

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8/7/12 9:39 A

Get a good book on emotional eating and read, read, read. Will give you something to do to break the cycle and motivate you to get back on track. Works well for me. Also, food journal religiously for a few days until the head is screwed on straight again.

Seriously consider mini-treats as you go along so deprivation doesn't grow too large and looming causing a major meltdown. Nothing says bender like "I haven't had a ______ in weeks/months."


Edited by: C_DONE at: 8/7/2012 (09:42)

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