O.K Confession, what would you do? Optimaly.

I was all gun ho about the 5dpt and did amazingly well my first day....until about 11:00 pm when I was lying in bed, a potato chip with french onion sour cream craving knocked me off my feet! Why I left them in the house after our party is something to consider! I was just gonna eat a couple *right* 8 hrs and half a bag of chips later happened. So for the first time in 10 days I snacked on them all night, ruining the effect of the pouch test. I feel like a failure, and I let down my two buddies I was doing this with,  and all those horrible guilt feelings have been bombarding me so that I've eating rotten all day today as well, and the familiar feelings of just wanting to give up have over come me a gain. I was doing so good not snacking during the day or at night that I really don't want this to re start the pattern. Any advice, or encouragement? Should I try the pouch test again? Or did that just totally throw me off? I did so great that first day and was so excited to see it to the end! It's 3:00 can I do the rest of today as day one, and tomorrow as day two and just finish a day late? Should I not do it at all? Just start over tomorrow? Or just go back to the three meals no snacking that i was getting the hang of up until I started the 5dpt?  Thoughts anyone? What would you do? Leslee

Ok, first things first~we're all human and we can't be perfect all the time, so cut yourself some slack and don't fall into the feeling guilty trap. That only makes things worse. You've been doing so well and sounding so encouraged and I would hate to see this mess up all the good things you had going.  I did the 5dpt 2x's successfully~after Halloween and again after Christmas. I have found since then that mentally it doesn't work for me, so I don't plan (at this time) to do it again. If I think down the road I need something drastic to make a change in my eating, I would consider it, but it really threw me off kilter when I did it. I have found with my gains that just getting back to "normal" eating works better for me for the long haul. The weight might not come off as fast as with the 5dpt, but I don't yo-yo as much. I'm not saying you shouldn't give it a try again~you have to decide that for yourself, but these are just my thoughts after completing it.  I guess I would encourage you to do what feels right for you and your body. Sometimes I shift my focus off of eating and on to exercise and that helps. Its so much trial and error and it seems like we are all works in progress. I just hope you can get back to feeling good about things again! Really, don't let this mishap get you down!!! You CAN do this!!!!

I'm kinda thinking I don't do well with extremes.. I'm a very extreme person, but I don't think it serves me. I think for now I will go back to focusing on the three meals, protein and veggies, no snacking, and keep cutting the alcohol out (almost out completely now, drank only Once since last thursday) and pick up the exercise. Thanks for your advice. Leslee

Hey you.... you start again... and again and again so that each time you get further along. Dont let some stupid little potato chip get in the way of your sucsess!!     Your beautiful and can beat those cravings down !!! You havent ruined anything... try again!! Hugs and power girl vibes!

Hey thanks for your reply, I think I'll put the pouch test on hold for right now and keep the focus on the basics that we learned from the start... thank you for your words of encouragement of not giving up.. I was close to just saying "forget this, I'll just eat drink and be merry"...so I think I won't do the pouch test right now, but I'll jump right back on the three meal a day, healthy foods, no snacking, no alcohol, exercising, wagon. I have this all or nothing mindset. "I ate lousy today, or I gained a pound, so I'm not going to exercise today." Weird huh? you'd think it would be MORE motivation to workout. But if I feel like I already "failed" then whats the point?" So even tho it was a crappy night and a not so good start to my day, I'm gonna pick myself back up right now, and not wait for tomorrow.  I still have a dinner to face, and time for an evening walk, I can succeed for the last 5 hours of my day! Ok. I'm pepped back up...phew! cause I was totally letting this depress me. Leslee

First of all - stop being so hard on yourself.  I sure you've heard this before -- you are your own worst critic.  A few chips, or even a entire bag w/sour cream  is just a small glitch in your goal. Don't lose sight of the finish line.  Finish up the rest of the day and  pick up tomorrow where you left off.  It's OK to just LEAN into things. Don't do 5 days; just do 3. The effect is the same. It will give your tummy a much needed rest, give you time to get back in touch with basics and it will give you a sense of accomplishment. and not failure.  As your 5DPT buddy, I want to encourage you to HANG IN THERE.

You're so cool! Thanks.. ok. will do!

alright hun ..stop beating yourself up ..so you're not ready ..so what..when you are, it will work :)  keeping my thoughts and prayers with you take care and hang in there ..you can do whatever you put your mind to  -hugs-

Thanks, I love people here!

First off. Forgive yourself and make peace with what you did...You aren't perfect, you have weaknesses and so do we all.

Then. if it was me and I had a craving for something I should have in the house, I have a little dog that helps me eat popcorn and all the bad stuff that I'm not suppose to eat (actually, i have four dogs that help me with this) and so I give them every other one as long as it's not chocolate. If it's chocolate, I leave it out on the counter so it turns so stale that I can't think about eating it. Yes, it's a waste...I may even find someone to give it to. So when I give each doggie one chip and my self the fifth one...They go away pretty quick. And I only get one fifth of what is there and the dogs LOVE me and follow me around looking at me with those big brown eyes when I take the bag out of the cupboard... Now the only thing I need to get over is not buying that stuff to begin with..