Three Steps Forward..One tiny step back.. Not giving up!

Dear friends,

I have some Bad News and some Good News.

First the Bad News: I just have to tell you that it's time for 'true confessions'. Sigh..  I was doing so well and have only gained back three pounds, but it's been a bumpy road on the weight loss journey the last few weeks.It all started when I accidentally bought the wrong protein powder for breakfast. I couldn't tell that it had more carbs than protein (and that was pretty low) by taste and hadn't read the fine print. For 3 weeks I drank that stuff and started finding myself thinking about food again.

You know..the good stuff like pizza, french fries, and cookies.  I would only eat a little..here and there..but it started adding up. To tell you the truth I was getting tired of healthy food. with no treats. Lesson learned. (Some of you have already said this before. :o).  All or nothing will get to you eventually!

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Then I  got a urinary tract infection. The problem..not enough water drinking  and having too much protein with not enough carb to balance it out.  I was getting lazy about my veges and skimpy on the fruit. Not a good combination!

So I took a  sabbatical from the protein powder and started working more on getting more veges back into the diet along with a small extra helping of whole grain something each day. I feel like I'm back on track and am so glad.

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I have to say the occasional indulgences didn't hurt me too much, but being too tired to weigh was a BAD thing..for me. I needed the accountability!!  So now I'm weighing again and focusing on healthy food. It really would help if the kids would quit baking cookies all the time and bringing home pizza. :o) (Can I blame it on them?! Tee.hee!

Oh well...now for the Good News!  After years of living on junk food, and then spending such a long time learning to change my habits by eating healthy food...some of the new habits have STUCK! That's why I didn't gain too much! To really have learned to eat better and not overindulge is wonderful!

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Here are the habits that have stuck:

• If I want some french fries or other bad carb, I just have a few--at the most, one or two fries. It's enough! I'm happy to have had the taste.  (Homemade fries at Aunt Joan's...that's another story. I ate a whole cupful!)
• When we eat out and we had to do that a  lot over the last two weeks, I almost always buy a salad with meat. And if I get a sandwich, I always throw away half or all of the bun. (On the road, I have to use half the bun to leave the meat and veges on.)  This is so important! It really limited the 'damage'.
• Keep nuts and/or fruit with you on the road. I just don't eat chips  like I used two.(except one or two)  I keep nuts and fruit stocked up and I buy it on the road at convenience stores if necessary. And we keep fruit on hand for easing snacking.  Even when Tim and I were at a hotel for the weekend, we bought a roasted chicken and a bag of oranges and nuts rather than go out for lunch each day. It helped so much--It's a habit!

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• If you are going to indulge on sweets...make it very small!  I've had icecream, cake etc...but only in very small doses.
• Starting out breakfast with protein and fruit is a habit I just don't break.
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These are the main ones and I know there are others. I cook differently now and it helps so much. I make salads for lunch almost every day.  These things have kept me from falling completely off track.

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How are you all doing? Have you been struggling like I was?  What good things have you learned about weight loss this summer?

Love,
Donna @ Comin' Home