Welcome to Wednesday everyone! I am just back from a lovely lunch with a colleague - outside in the sunshine!
Today started off really well for me: I woke up to a small loss, so happy to see the scale moving again! And this really adds some additional incentive to try to get through the upcoming weekend without eating far too much. And then I went for a morning run! I am still struggling with the concept of exercise in the mornings as I usually like to sleep as long as possible. But this summer when it was so hot, this was the only way to actually exercise. And it was not as bad as I thought it would be. It gives you a real energy booster for the day!
My self control mostly has become automatic over the 6 years since I committed to losing weight. I don't like how I feel at all when I overdo it.
That is a great acchievement - and I agree with you that overdoing often leads to actually feeling worse afterwards. It is amazing how much one gets used to a healthy diet after some time.
One of the things I love about WW is that there are no "forbidden" foods - as long as I plan so it fits in with my 26 points, it's good! That said, I don't write down my intake on Fridays - just mentally track, so that's a bit of a "cheat" for me. I may go over by a point or 2 on Fridays, usually with a glass of wine.
I agree, that is one of the things that make WW such a great tool to learn how to eat the right way. And you are doing well if you can have some more freedom on Fridays. I noticed that if I don't track what I eat, my mind thinks that this is the opportunity to just eat whatever I want...
My health cookies tanked, not sweet enough for folks, too many things people aren't used to eating like caraway and carob chips. I just found this recipe for cauliflower biscuits I"m going to try this week. So, the short answer to the question regarding self control is: I am experimenting with alternative recipes that I can eat, that are healthy and I always make sure to have healthy treats on hand.
I hate caraway (very popular in Germany, but not with me) and cauliflower, so I would not be all for your health cookies either. But I have noticed that I am starting to dislike regular candy more and more as it is just far too sweet. So, for that I would have liked the health cookies! I think your strategy of just making alternatives that are healthier, but still are treats, is a great one!
The concept of a cheat meal seems like a slippery slope to me.. because I'm fairly certain I'd go on a binge if I were to really give in.
Yes, me too! Especially if I go in with the thought that this is my "cheat" day, I would feel obliged to cheat as much as possible.
The key is to eat them as treats and not as daily snacks or indulgences. I love cookies, but if I make a batch I'll eat like 8 or 9 a day. Crazy. So instead, I make cookie dough, but make a few at a time, and not everyday.
That is a great strategy!
But long gone are the every day treats of sitting and having a dozen chips ahoy cookies.
When I was a teenager I spent some time as an exchange student in Denmark. And one thing that really impressed me there was that there was a tradition of "Saturday candy". It seemed that most families had a box of candy, but it only came out on Saturday evening. I think that is a great way to learn from a young age that a treat is only a treat if it is not your regular diet.
In my experience, being told I can't have something makes me want it even more, leading me to overindulge in it.
That is why so many of the crazy diets fail. If you only eat cabbage soup (was that a thing in the US as well?) for some time, of course you are going to stuff yourself as soon as you stop eating cabbage soup!
This is not the best question for me - I haven't reached the "self-control so you don't over-indulge" part yet!
It seems that your quotes came up in a strange order, but I am sure you are going to figure out what I am saying anyway.
Don't be too upset about not having such amazing self-control. I think very few of us have, or at least not all the time! I have a long history of weight loss and I think over many years I have become better at developing strategies to help me have better self-control. So, don't be upset if you are not perfect in that regard, but keep working on getting better at it step by step! And be proud about yourself when you choose to not eat a cookie or a piece of chocolate or so...
My "favorite cheats" list is WAY too long, but I will say that mashed potatoes are high on the list... So high that we had a mashed potato bar at the wedding
My sister would think that you have very good taste - she loves potatos in every way, but especially mashed. That mashed potato bar at the wedding sounds really fun, sorry that you did not get to enjoy it!
What I am concerned (for lack of better word) about is the post-wedding-post-Disney-funk I am in.
Very sorry that you are in such a funk! I hope you get out of it soon.
One of the things I learned about myself is that physical exercise really does help me get into a better mood and get more energy. The problem is that when I am feeling low, I don't want to exercise. But when I make myself to do something, I usually alwasy feel better afterwards.
So, as promised, I weighed in this morning. On wedding day (Oct. 24), I weighed in at 197 and some change, which was 2-ish pounds over my wedding-weight-goal, but down 30lbs from when I started. I am sad to say that today, I weighed in at 209lbs. That's up 12 pounds in just a week. Granted, it was a week in Disney World, with snacks and food and drinks at every turn, none of which I denied myself. There was LOTS of walking, but almost no water intake, and lots of soda, coffee, energy drinks, wine, and RUM. I am hoping that some of this added weight will shed itself naturally after a while back at home, but I know that it never will if I don't make some serious strides to change things. The few weeks leading up to the wedding were full of fast food and junk food because I just didn't have time or energy for anything else, and that is something that can NOT be continued if I want to lower those numbers again.
I am pretty sure that some of those 12 pounds will come off easily. And maybe that can be the perfect motivation to then keep on working on the rest! At least you should have more time to actually focus on yourself, your diet and exercise with all the wedding stress gone! Hopefully that will help you get some momentum!
Let's be our own cheerleaders this month. 
) the potatoes were cold and everything on the buffet line had already been put away for the night (yes, what should've taken 30 minutes took an hour and 45 minutes... 
). Last week was full of cheat treats and meals, though, so thankfully I'm only in WDW once every few years!
). I've lost a bit more than half of what I gained there..... and I've been eating pretty much within my daily target..... but the WHAT I am eating and the WHEN I am eating is off track.... like sugar-free pudding at 9pm last night.... and entire BATCH! I had the PPV left for it, but it really wasn't a healthy choice for 9pm! 
And I wasn't even truly hungry. I was having one of those "I could eat an entire batch of brownies" kind of night! So I gave in, to some extent (thank GOD I forgot that there was Halloween candy left!!!) and made pudding. It could have been worse, I suppose.
I allow cheat meals (I try to make them meals and not days), but sometimes I do this more often than I should. I do try to incorporate "treats" into my regular diet as well, though. I have learned that I am a dessert person. If I can't have my ice cream or cookie or whatever after dinner, I will eventually just eat a big bunch of it any way. So I try to build in some treats and not go overboard when we're eating out or doing other stuff. 
