Trials and Triumphs, and Cartoon Cats

Losing weight and changing how you think about eating isn't a linear process.  It's a little more Paula Abdul, you know "two steps forward, two steps back":

But you know, somewhere in that back and forth, you learn and you do find a way to slowly move forward.  Okay, so most people probably learn a lot faster than I do, but I've always been partial to learning the hard way.

Anyway.  Here are this week's notable trials and triumphs to remind myself yourself that this is a process and messing up is okay because there's something to be learned from it.

Trial: I went to a friend's BBQ on Friday.  It's always been pretty difficult for me to make responsible decisions at social events and I have been known to write them off as "special occasions" now and again, thereby justifying any binge eating I do.  But this isn't the first time that I have been presented with a social engagement since my journey has begun and so I should have learned something from the last one, right?  Well, yes and no.  The BBQ took place soon after work.  I left work a little later than I wanted to finish some stuff I was working on.  Then I hit the gym for a lift session.  By the time I got home, there was no time to cook something healthy to bring to the BBQ so the bf and I hit the neighborhood Whole Foods and grabbed veggie burgers, our favorite buns, and a bag of chips, because you have to bring something to the party besides your incredible wit, am I right? A BAG OF CHIPS! What was I thinking?! 

looks like a simple bag of chips, but it's actually real, active, kryptonite.

It's much too early in the process to be tempting myself with my very favorite chips.  Le sigh. I ate them, of course I did.  Them and a couple other chips that were on the table.  It was definitely a bit of nervous eating since I was at a party with a group of people I had just met. 

Triumph: That said, I didn't drink a single beer.  Instead, I brought tequila, fruit, and seltzer to the party.  So this was a bad party move because I ended up leaving the bottle there, but in the end I'm proud/happy with my decision.  I also didn't eat a quarter of the burger bun because I started feeling really full.  Stopping eating when I'm full is a new thing for me.  

Lesson Learned: I know that I could have defeated the chip temptation if I had made a plan before arriving at the party.  Next time, I will state said plan aloud in front of the bf.  Telling another person present would keep me honest and I know he would encourage me as well.

Final Thought: Although it wasn't perfect, I definitely ate differently than I would ever have in the past.  I enjoyed more conversations than food, chose a responsible drinking option, and stopped eating when I was full.  I'm counting this blip as a reward meal for the week and I enjoyed the extra calories/salt/fat with little no guilt.