Cheat Day - Confessing my sins (sorry for the long post)

Heading into yesterday I was 2.2 lbs down in about 9 days on the "blog diet". Yesteray was my cheat day. I didn't wake up and say "today is my cheat day", nor do I plan that Fridays from here on out will be my cheat day.

However, by the powers that be, yesterday was eat out day. I got in a run in the morning, burning about 450 calories and had a healthy breakfast. Then it came.

I had a work lunch at The Matador and had some chicken fajitas, not a devastating amount. Had my afternoon snack, all was good. Ended up at Dairy Queen with a friend and her two kids. Sometimes, no matter how much you plan around it, weather and schedules and line ups at restaurants result in fast food dinner. I had a grilled chicken combo, and enjoyed a few fries and onion rings. My friend ordered blizzards so I split a small one with her. This would have been fine, one evening out of an entire week doesn't kill you. But it didn't stop there.

We went back to my friend's place, put the kids down and popped in a movie. There was Chex Mix and Cheese Puffs on the table so I got into some of that. Eventually I got up and took it into the kitchen to get it out of sight, out of mind.

Around 10ish I went back to Kirkland to meet my friend's husband and other work guys that were out for the night. I had ONE drink. At this point, I still consider the night not great, but had I gone home and gone to bed I could have salvaged the day.

Well, one of my colleagues wanted to sober up before going home so we went over to a diner. Greek style lattice fries (don't ask) and chocolate mousse between the two of us later, I had officially gone OVERBOARD.

I woke up this morning feeling terrible about the wasted effort of the last 9 days. I stepped on the scale thinking the same thing I often think when I'm logging in to my online Visa card statements "Dear God, if the number I see isn't crazy, I will NEVER go overboard again". Insert overboard on eating (the scale) or on shopping (online Visa statement).

The number was bad. Up 2.4 lbs (IN ONE DAY). I had not only erased my effort but added 0.2 lbs. Now I know, I didn't ACTUALLY gain 2.4 lbs in a day and that tomorrow I'll come down a bit but I will not come down the full 2.4 lbs. I don't want to do this again. I don't want to spend the next few months taking 2 steps forward, 1 step back. I need to pull it together, and string together a few solid weeks.

I will cheat, it's normal and good for preventing the all out binges. But this is what it should look like:

Cheat --> Recover

Not:

Overindulge --> All out scramble to regain composure

So this morning, despite having zero desire to workout I went to the gym. I decided to take a circuit training class because I KNEW I'd have a hard time pushing myself. The class was fantastic. The instructor was hard core, and he had the BEST music I've heard in any Pro Club class ever. It was like my all time favorite playlist on steroids. A completely motivational mix of new and old school. His class (and his beautiful body) completely lifted my spirits.

Now I'm home, enjoying a coffee and making breakfast (well lunch, it's 12:31 pm). I'm heading back over to my friend's house to help with yard work today. I'm hoping that between the workout this morning and a day of picking up wet leaves I'll be back on the right track.

Coincidentally, when I logged on to my online Visa card statement this morning I was also freaked out. I knew it was coming, but I wasn't sure how bad it was going to be. I wonder if I can work on my financial diet in parallel with my blog diet?