Stopping Diet Slip-Ups Becoming Diet Disasters

I try not to classify foods as "good" or "bad". Food is food. A chocolate bar is not inherently "bad" the same as broccoli is not inherently "good". They just vary in nutrient quality. Classifying food as good or bad can lead to feelings of guilt. And guilt is not an appropriate emotion to have after eating.

I was speaking to a friend recently who told me she was on a diet. She said that she had been "good" all day and felt like she deserved a treat. It was as if she was about to commit a cardinal sin by having a cookie with her cup of tea. She felt guilty just thinking about it. That cannot be healthy.

The other thing I like to remember is that one meal will not make you fat. It's what you consistently choose to eat that makes a difference.

That's it, I overslept by 15 minutes, I might as well not go to work at all now."

This made me laugh for some reason
Excellent comparison

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Back when I used to "diet", I had so many "That's it, I ruined it" days. I would resolve to eat bran flakes with skim milk for breakfast, but after driving my siblings around on their 5 am paper route, I would decide to stop at Kwik Trip to get a donut and cappuccino for breakfast instead. And since I "ruined" breakfast, I figured I might as well just eat crap the rest of the day too. I think what made it different for me when I decided to make over my lifestyle was that I planned for the splurges I had. By planning them into my day, I didn't feel so tempted to cheat.

Although, I did have one "day from hell" that probably could easily have derailed me for at least a few months...I had made a pan of Rice Krispies treats with chocolate chips melted on top and planned to eat only one a day. However, I managed to eat half the pan over the course of the afternoon. I think I managed to survive that one by telling myself that it was just one day of bad eating and that I would just eat less the rest of the day and get right back on track tomorrow. The good thing that came out of that was that I never really liked Rice Krispies treats as much after that, lol.

Yup... the problem is people keep thinking this way until they've eaten about 50 cookies.

OOPSE!

It's why Lays Chips has one of the best slogans I've ever heard. "Betcha can't eat just one"

"just one"... that word is F***ing dangerous!

Well I haven't been that good lately - many slip ups. My biggest excuse is that I am not fat but the truth is I need to get into better shape - cholesterol is too high.

Long time ago I read that it is too difficult to break a habit (like being lazy!) and that the best thing to do is form a new habit (like going to the gym a couple evenings a week.)

So --- that is my plan. That and a mantra like "I choose to live well."

Years ago I quit smoking with a mantra "I choose to breathe."

Great topic - thanks!

Viveca

This is the one thing that was the key to me losing the last of my weight. I would mess up and then think: "Well, I'll start again Monday because I've messed up." Of course, Monday would never come. When you start letting go of your mistakes, you can let go of your weight.

In The Mind over Fatter Programme I talk about stopping a slip from becoming a dip from becoming a dive. It's so easy to indulge in black and white thinking and to think we have to do everything absolutely perfectly. Then when we don't we get what i call the 'what the heck syndrome'... as in ... what the heck, I've blown it, I might as well just keep eating today and I'll start again tomorrow - that turns a slip into a dip. But when tomorrow comes and the 'what the heck syndrome' continues and keeps continuing after that even it becomes a dive.

Nice perspective. It's always important to keep things in perspective. We're all going to fall off the wagon sometimes. Don't stress about it.

Great insight.

If you do let a few slip ups lead to a complete dietary face-plant, I read about a good trick on NPR last month: the twenty-four hour fast. It's not a trick to lose weight, but a way to get your body back on track, by allowing your blood sugar and insulin levels to even out. It helps break that cycle where the very act of overeating is what causes you to overeat even more.

I shrug it all off. Sure, weight loss is slow, but it keeps happening, and I'm not driving myself insane. I made the mistake of "dieting" once before, and when I finished, I gained back 50 pounds, so now, if it's not a way I can eat the rest of my life, I dont even bother to go there. One piece of cake or a cookie doesn't make one fat, unless it's the whole cake, or every day.

The main problem here is that people see Diets as something temporary when you should see it has a lifestyle change. It should be a way of living. The majority of the people gain back the weight because they think that once they lose the weight they can go back to there bad eating habits and that's were they commit the big error.

I love this! I used to never eat dessert before because I always thought it was "bad" for me. I recently signed up with Freshology and they give me a dessert everyday! It really helps take the edge off and makes me feel like I'm not restricting myself.

When a Slip Up becomes Disastrous I believe it reflects a basic lack of commitment to change. “Dieting” has to be a life style change you can live with long term, not a temporary fix that is prone to rebound and failure. You can recover from a Slip - just refocus and move on.

I repeat these words from the book, Grace on the Go: Quick Prayers for Determined Dieters:
"Failure is not the same as quitting.
Though I may have failed, I will not quit.
Strengthen me, Lord, as I start again." (And if you're not into words like "God" or "Lord" just say
"Give me strength as I start again."

I think it is important for people not to beat themselves up when they make mistakes. The great thing about eating healthy is that with each passing day you have another opportunity to do well.

Keep stacking up those healthy days and before you know it, the healthy habits are easier than the unhealthy habits.

Im on Atkins with a twist . Im not about the fat and stick to 40 or under ! And I need to stay at 30 carbs a day that drives me crazy at times . So I messed up today and had yum jello pudding with heavy cream ! I feel like I messed up and my weeks are gone . But your so right about its just a slip and just keep at it . So for the next 4 days Im going hardcore and then I will treat myself to another slip up :)