Which is easier?

It's great that you have found food logging as a wonderful tool for awareness. May you have continued success! Karen

Well in my case I have to take it day by day. I am on the road in a different town every night during the week and I can rarely plan my food choices ahead. You just have to deal. I have a stock of power crunch bars and the On-The-Go Tuna salad and Cracker boxes in my work bag so when I don't know where I'm going to eat, or am in a meeting, I grab one of those. Maybe you can do the same for those days- keep a stock of shelf-safe healthy options in your desk so when the day gets hectic, you won't get off track. I think the reason you ate so many small things that day is because you actually never felt like you ate and tried to make up for it. Michelle 294/138

It's wonderful that you have found that being prepared with the right foods is a way to stay out of trouble. I too have found that failing to plan is planning to fail. Actually the reason why I ate so many small things is because I let the old food relationship creep into my day. I have spent 5 years on the "awareness plan": writing down everything I eat/counting calories/fat, recording hunger level, creating a menu for the week, shopping for the items on my list, 55 minutes on treadmill x 6 days/wk, 2 days with trainer/wk. Protein bars are not and have never been a part of my life, however I do keep the tuna packets (no crackers!) and eat it right out of the bag. Continued success to you, Karen

Everyone has a "bad" day now and then. I'm guessing from your great success that you have had more "good" days than bad. Don't beat yourself up over this. Chalk it up to a learning experience and make today a "good" day. You look fabulous ! Congrats on your wonderful success !! Karen G

It's not a question of beating myself up...just a reminder of the life that was vs. the life that is...and that you can never remember where you came from! Thanks for your support. Karen

I am an aware type person. I have a routine that I follow. Sometimes I deviate but not often. My day is ruled by a publicschool schedule and thats ok with me. What happens when I retire?? kp @ goal

Good question....Your routine is sure to change. But it looks like you have a few years before you have to cross that bridge. Debbie

only 7 kp @ goal

Until recently I had been following the "take it day-by-day" plan, which has caused a considerable weight gain in the last 6 months (25 lbs). Enter New Years Resolution to do better, a few weeks of "healthier" but still not the best eating, and then this week I decided it was time to get serious. On Monday I started a back-on-track plan of no starchy or sweet carbs - just protein, veggies, a little fruit, some nuts/seeds, and that is it. But it takes much planning. The good news: I've lost 4.5 lbs since Monday, and that included eating a small portion of lasagna last night, prepared for my granddaughter's 2nd birthday dinner (how could I pass that up). What I DID pass up, though, was the wine, the wonderful homemade orange braided bread and the dessert - yes, the baby's Elmo birthday cake. I was so proud of myself - not just for making the right choices last night, but sticking to my plan all week. That plan included 30-40 minutes on the treadmill and some hand-weights. The best part is that I didn't feel deprived - well except for last night - I really wanted that bread! But just because it was there. The rest of the week I really didn't feel deprived. But I planned the week pretty much in advance, then planned each day's meals/snacks (or mini-meals as I like to call them). The other thing I did is to keep my pre-WLS picture in sight, on my desk at work, with another one on my frig at home. That was my MO woman sitting on my shoulder (I like that visualization). You guys have really helped me get my motivation together to get back on track. Wish me luck to stay there and turn around this regain and get back to my goal weight. Hugs, Betsy

Karen, You made your visualization so clear for me~"She will sit there forever, with her fat ass on my shoulder blade...unable to cross her legs!" You made me *smile* girl and I've honestly never though about it that way so I believe you've helped me gain a VERY important tool!!!!! I am a pretty planned out type of person. I eat alot of the same things over and over and I prefer to eat at the same time every day~I guess the organization of it all helps to keep my brain on the right track. There are those days when things just don't work out as planned or when my body has other ideas~I try to follow what my body's telling me for that day, within reason, LOL!!!! If it craves Oreo's I just gotta say NO!!!!! All we can do after "those kinds of days" is just wake up the next day and try to get back on track. We do the best we can from day to day. Tracy B 328/162/150