Day 17 - Social Suicide

One of the HARDEST parts about dieting is the social aspect.  Food is always tied in to the center of social events.  Bible study? Someone bring a snack.  An evening with friends almost always includes dinner and dessert.  My bunco nights, dinner and dessert there too.  Sometimes control is limited.  You can't ask someone to arrange their menu according to your diet plan (well you can, but it's a tad bit rude to expect them to accommodate you.)  

I have some great friends who keep me in mind when I'm coming and at least add an "option" I can have.  In my Growth Group (Bible Study) I don't know if it's been because of my diet (I don't think I have been that vocal there) it's been mostly carb friendly snacks.  But last night the woman who brought snack totally did not take my low carb needs into consideration!  Oh wait.... I was snack lady last night!  So it was ME who shot ME in the foot!  

First I picked up a couple little trays of treats from Trader Joe's. They hold a dozen different little cake pieces, one of my friends had served it at a Bunco, and I was pleasantly surprised to find if I could limit myself to one piece of 2 of the 3 options I could keep it to just 6 carbs!  6 carbs is a great option for a taste of something yummy and sweet. 

Problem was I got home and plated it and I felt like I wasn't bringing enough.  So I texted my hubby and asked him to stop back by Trader Joe's and pick up a little tub of one of my favorite cookies.  They are one of my favorites and I knew they would be a big hit.  I just didn't think about what a huge hit they are with me personally. 

But I had a plan - one or two little treats (~12 carbs) and a cookie (13 carbs) along with a dose of carb blockers which is good to block between 40-50 carbs.  A treat, a plan, and everybody wins... well, I win.  Or I could have IF I had stuck to the plan, but one cookie turned into one and a half... and then by the time we were driving into the driveway at home I think I topped out at 7 or 8.  I didn't just fall off the wagon, I jumped with absolute joyful abandon.

Now a whole new battle for me begins - the mindset pops up of "Well, I already blew it so I might as well..." I might as well what?  Take another day of cheating and eat more food that's going to counter meeting my goals?  Or take off till the weekend, we're celebrating my grandma's birthday this weekend which means my dad is making cake! (And people my dad makes CAKE!!!)  All of these temptations loom even larger since despite my fall, the scale was actually down again this morning and lowest it's been since I got back on track!  It's so easy to convince myself to do what I want to in my flesh rather than what I need to do for my own well-being (seriously people, my dad's cake...)

So I have to ask God to help me, and with that help we have got to run like mad and catch up with that wagon and climb back on!  I have to look at the big picture and remind myself that thin and healthy FEEL better than ANYTHING tastes (though the cake and last night's cookies do try.)  And dieting in social settings takes great planning and care.  Eat before you go (I do that a lot with Bunco); chew sugar free gum (that's a GREAT tool, though it's not always the most attractive); hydrate!  bring a bottle of water and sip, sip, sip away; BYOT - Bring your own treat.  Grab something yummy and low carb to snack on if you know you'll be somewhere where tempting food will have to be overcome. And finally, definitely do NOT bring your own favorite tempting weakness when you are in charge of snack, that's just never a good plan at all!

Weight: 191.6

Feeling: Pretty good, a little bit of pain in the shoulder, more than yesterday, but much better than a week ago.  The knee is a little bit of an issue.  I cut my trampoline run a little short last night because it was bothering me, but not enough I didn't at least consider getting back on to counter my carb failure... but I didn't.

Eating: Shaking head, lowers eyes in shame... darn cookies!  But I'm BAAAAACK in the SADDLE again... I'm BAAACK!!!  (Steven Tyler impersonation complete.)

Moving: Came home after falling off the wagon and stretched.  MY knee feels like it's a pop or stretch from feeling normal, but no such luck.  It didn't miraculously feel better.  In my mind I set out to run for 45 minutes to an hour after stretching (counter carb workout that I have NEVER done..) but I didn't even make my maximum goal.  About 27 minutes I stepped off because of the knee.  Worked up a great sweat though.  Hoping things will be back on track soon!

Thoughts: I am trying very hard not to be on a "diet."  Low-carb needs to be my lifestyle for health benefits (in my personal situation) and so I need to walk the fine line of grace to realize I won't get through life without ever eating carb rich foods, but also I can't let those meals, snacks or days be a slippery slope.  And I did make a commitment to try to be more faithful and focused for 60 days, so in that respect yesterday's choices were a failure, but it's not about how we fall, it's about whether or not we get back up again. Right?