Successful vets

This is a great thread! Thanks to all those who shared their thoughts. You all gave me lots to think about.

You've witnessed the in moderation and what causes you to do dumb things. For me it's sugar if I have something early in the day like a piece of chocolate then I crave the crazy BS all day long. You likely have something that if you have it, then it somehow makes your brain go ape and it's a harder day for you. So keep that in mind when making choices.

For me it's about trusting myself. If I get to a point when having a reasonable piece of cake doesn't make my brain freak out then I will be able to have that. At this point a very small piece later in the day has not made me into a sugar monster but in the morning it will. So if a late work celebration happens and the cake they have is worth the numbers then I'll have it, but sometimes it's just not.

I'm not a vet but have lost 243 pounds and have been well under my goal of 202 pounds lost for awhile and have been mainly this weight since Christmas. Sooonit a vet lol.

But this is how I eat - 95% of the time I eat exactly on plan, including if I happen to go to a restaurant, any unplanned meals, anything. They are within my plans guidelines.

But for 5% of the time I may eat - never cake omg unless it was sugar free angel food with no frosting like I had for my birthday last week- but maybe I'll have have sushi, which is not in my guidelines because I don't eat rice. Or maybe I'll decide it's worth it to me to eat extra at a get together. What matters is that when I make that decision I then weigh myself daily and adjust accordingly. I don't allow myself to spiral into more bad decisions like I would have before.

I would say I'm similar to how Laura in Texas up the thread eats.

I have a treat several times a week.

Still working on Maintenance at a normal BMI for over a year now. Joined a gym recently and they asked me my fitness goals...it was weird to say I didn't want to lose weight. Dieting is an American pastime.

That being said, I am a believer in weighing everyday. For me it keeps my head on straight. There will always be fluctuations but too many days going in the wrong direction, makes me reevaluate what I am doing.

When there is a special event in my life, I am not trying to eat more, but will be eating foods out of my normal choices. If I choose them, I plan on enjoying them. No guilt. As Laura said, back on the wagon the next day...usually it is jus****er weight gain anyway and off in 3 days.

One thing I always say is celebrations are fine, but not everyday is a celebration. I know for people who work in offices- it is always somebody's birthday. You don't have to celebrate everyone's birthday with cake.

I also have what I call 'public foods' I can eat them in Public or when I have company- as in the realm of peer pressure I will control myself, but I can't have it in the house after the event or on a regular basis. I make my cheesecake sugar free even for company, it is delicious and I enjoy a piece...but if I do not send it home with someone, I will have another piece or two after everyone leaves, have it for breakfast and so on and so on. You get the point.

You have to know your own triggers too... What bothers me may not bother you.