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If you've had a bad day on your diet (or a bad binge or even a
bad week) don't despair. I know it's all too easy to beat
yourself up over it. You feel guilty for breaking your promises
to yourself and sabotaging your diet and more than a little
angry and depressed at your lack of control. But before you get
too gloomy and reach for the Ben and Jerry's which somehow
escaped you last night, stop and think for a moment. A bad day
or even a bad week is not enough to "break your diet" unless you
let it get you down. It's what you eat over the long run that
counts. It's eating more calories than you need day after day
after day that makes you fat not a one-off over-indulgence. But
what can you do if you really did go mad last night? What can
you do today to get back on track after you've come off the
rails? 1. Whatever you do don't weigh yourself unless you love
being miserable. Chances are you had a load of sugar and/or salt
last night and you'll be retaining more water than a camel
embarking on a trek across the Sahara. Consequently, you'll have
gained more pounds than you possibly could from the extra
calories you ate. So don't even think about stepping on the
scales for 2 days. 2. Every day, but especially today you should
aim for eating modest portions of healthy foods whenever you are
hungry, stopping when you are satisfied rather than stuffed.
More than ever today you need to feel in control. So no
starvation rations or you'll only set yourself up for a
hunger-induced "clear out the cupboard" binge later on. 3.
Normally it's best not to skip breakfast but if you are still
full from the previous day, it can wait. Just make sure you have
a healthy snack ready for when hunger does strike. 4. Take time
to enjoy your food today. Sometimes we hardly taste the food
when we are eating too much, we eat it so quickly, trying to
stop ourselves thinking too much as we shovel it in. Actually
taste everything which passes your lips today and put yourself
back in control. 5. Spend a few moments thinking about why you
temporarily blew your weight loss plans. What thoughts were
running through your head? What situation had you put yourself
in? What can you learn from that? How will you deal with those
thoughts, those situations next time because as sure as eggs are
eggs they, or something similar, will happen again. Be prepared.
6. Stay positive. Relax a little. Tell yourself "Yes, I broke my
diet but that's OK. I'm human. I'm not meant to be perfect. I'm
going to treat myself well, eating healthily as much as I can.
If I have the odd lapse it doesn't change my determination to
keep going." Build yourself up. Give yourself a little
(non-food) present. You deserve the best and you can do whatever
you set your mind to. The best way to get over a lapse is to
treat it like the insignificant blip it is and just get right
back on track! Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small
About the author:
Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach and author of "The Diet
Exit Plan". Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight
without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you
to know" at http://www.SimplySlimming.com TODAY!
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