Why oh why do I do this??? I swear, I can can stay OP for 3 days and then on the 4th day some switch is flipped and I eat everything that isn't tied down. It is no wonder I have been stuck on this plateau - it is all my own doing. I eat fine those 3 days, and earn my Ap's and all is great, and then that 4th day, I still plan, and earn my Ap's, but something happens that night and I eat literally all my flex points in one evening. Over the course of the week, I stay pretty much (key words - pretty much...) within points, maybe over by 10 over the entire week, but it is still over. I eat because I love the taste of the food not because I am hungry or unhappy - I just want the sensation of tasting. What can I do to stop. I get so depressed about this afterwards and I remind myself of how this feels, but still I don't stop.

Uki

I used to do this too! the good news is, I'm much better these days. Here's what I did (and I can't take credit-it's from the "diet survivor's handbook"). I realized that more often than not I was associating "healthy food" with "sacrifice." Meaning I'd eat salad with little-to-no dressing, steamed veggies w/o salt, ww dry-toast, etc. If I had anything with added sugar/salt, I'd feel guilty. Unfortunately, after a few days of this sort of eating, I'd find myself at a dangerous crossroads: I'd be fiending for something with taste and feeling overly self-satified with my days of strict discipline, then end up sabatoging my efforts!

here's what I do: Whenever I approach a meal or snack, I try to pinpoint what I'm in the mood for(salty/sweet/chewy/crunchy/smooth, etc). Then I break down possible options. E.G. - If I wanted "crunchy", possibilities could include popcorn, apples, chips, carrots, pretzels, granola, nuts, etc. Then I would visiualize each one. Believe it or not, the answer is apples/carrots just as often as it is chips or pretzels. Just try it! I find this really helps me. Hope it does for you as well

VERY nice reply Mandee!
I think we have been all in Uki's shoes at one time or another!
I do this: I go to a meeting onSat with good intentions of staying OP all week. After the meeting my WW buddy and I go for a clean WW friendly meal, both with desire to stay OP. We DO! But Sat night and Sun comes and my Flex points and sometimes MORE are gone(used up)! Soem times w/o counting or tracking! The rest of the week I am forced to stay OP inorder to 'make up for' the over eating.

I visualize what I want and sometimes I want healthy and sometimes I want not so healthy. Sometimes I can stay OP and other days I can not! I think you have a great suggestion Mandee.

JeanCat

Thank you both. I think what it comes down to is taking a moment to regroup before indulging. I don't think through what I want, so I wind up eating a bowl of this then a plate of that trying to figure out what I want. I think if I stepped back for a minute and REALLY thought about it, I could come up with what I really wanted in the first place so that I wouldn't eat the entire pantry.

Today was a better day. I promised myself I wouldn't mess up like that again today. I don't think I can promise to never do it, but I can take it one day or even one meal at a time.

we leave for vacation tomorrow and I have packed all kinds of good OP foods for myself to try to really stick with the program as best as I can.

Talk to you all when I get back.

Uki

We'll be here !
Have an OP time! :)
JeanCat