too much on the plate (m)

This season breaks me.

Decorating, shopping, wrapping, delivering, writing cards, cooking meals, entertaining, cleaning.  That's the core list.  This year, I had to add something else:  avoiding....as in avoiding foods to eat.

I was not successful.

My guess is that I am up 3 pounds.  Part of this was deliberate.  I set out to celebrate and not diet every day.  Let's say that accounts for 2 pounds.  The other part is that I was too busy to set aside the time required to stay on the program.

Here's what I've learned:

1. WW is going to be a way of life for me the rest of my life.  Given this, I must be realistic that there are going to be times when the temptation is high and my resistance is low.  I've been great for three months.  However, I found it extremely difficult to stay on plan this week. 

2. Being on a diet takes alot of time and energy.  Planning the meals, shopping for the right foods, cooking them and then eating them.  I did not make the time to do that this week with everything else going on.  Some days, I didn't eat until dinnertime.

3. To be successful on this diet, you need to put yourself first.  It is not in my nature to do that.  I tend to put others first, especially my family.

4. You need to be able to forgive yourself if you slip up.  This, I can do.

5.  Going off WW for a day and then saying you'll get back on tomorrow is not realistic.  Like an alcoholic having "just one drink", one slip-up can derail you.

6. I am far from "cured".  It was scary how easy it was to slip back into my old habits.

7. I have a long, long way to go and cannot afford these little "breaks".