THE DAY AFTER

So, you've started a new eating and exercise plan and it's going really well. You feel motivated, positive, and on top of the world! Nothing is going to stop you this time, you finally feel fully committed and you're starting to see results!

Then it happens... One night you feel antsy and in the mood to snack. You start looking around the kitchen, in the fridge, in the pantry. Then you see something that you've been CRAVING! You start to justify it, "just a little, I'll just have a little, I've been so good lately, a little can't hurt".

You start to eat and you have more than you had planned. At first it's no big deal, but then you start to think about your unplanned mini-binge and you start to feel guilty and defeated. "Well, now I've blown my whole day, I might as well have some more". The combination of your guilt and your urge to snack leads to an all out binge. You eat any and everything that looks remotely tasty and even some things that you don't really want. The eating becomes a blur, you're no longer eating for satisfaction, you're eating just to eat... ultimately you're eating to self-sabotage. "If I'm not going to do it perfectly I'd rather just fail completely". Through this process you start a cycle that ruins your diet and reinforces your feelings of inadequacy. "Tomorrow I'll start a new diet and this time it'll be different" you tell yourself. And so the process starts all over again.

So what is a person to do when then find themselves on a diet detour? What do you do the day after you've fallen off the wagon? I've had this question posed from several people and I've gone through this myself, so here if what I feel is the best option:

1) Take a deep breath and start going through your emotions. What were you feeling when you started to eat? What did you feel when you "gave up"? Once you can identify what you were feeling, jot it down in a journal. Next jot down what your response to these feelings was (what you did) and think about what you could do differently next time.
2) LIVE IN THE PRESENT! Don't ignore your feelings, but don't dwell on them either. Focus on where you are RIGHT NOW, not what you did yesterday or what you're doing tomorrow. "Right now I am starting a new day and I am starting it positively".
3) FORGIVE YOURSELF and don't try to "make up" for it today. There's ultimately no real need to "forgive" yourself... to err is human. Perfection is a moment, not a state. Slip-ups are a part of life, so instead of focusing on making up for them or repenting, just focus on making good choices TODAY! Nothing you do will make up for last night, but every choice you make in the present WILL influence your end result TODAY.
4) Tonight, don't give yourself the chance to repeat the carnage. When you wind down for the day, take a half an hour to meditate. Taking time for reflection after a positive day of eating can help you to appreciate your accomplishments. It can also help to reduce your anxiety.
5) If you still have the urge to snack in the evening, TAKE A WALK! Getting outside and doing something physical can help to clear your head, put you in a positive mood, and prevent mindless snacking.

And so the cycle is broken! On top of these tips it is GREAT to keep a food/emotion journal. Keeping track of what you eat during the day and what you were feeling at that time will draw connections you can see between your emotions and food. Before you know it, you'll be eating better and appreciating yourself more!