Giving Advice

I've been reading several posts giving people advice that it's ok to splurge a little here and there, telling them not to worry about certain events, etc. I'm interested in hearing what people have to say about this advice...especially the people who have been very successful with losing weight (and keeping it off). Here's my take...

I tried living with that mindset for a while. I would do a really good job eating right during the week, and then we would go to dinner at my mom's house, or one of a zillion family birthdays would come up, and I would blow it. It stalled my weight-loss, and not only that, but I would feel like a failure afterward and fall off track for days, weeks, even months. I know that seems crazy, but it was how I lived for a long time.

Now my focus is changing. I'm enjoying eating healthy. I'm not trying to find reasons to have food that I really want, b/c I have it everyday. Sure, I like a treat now and then. I just had ice cream the other day. But...it was once since maybe a month ago, I didn't feel like I HAD to have it (I just wanted it), I measured out a single serving, and I promptly added it to my food diary. In other words, I worked it into my plan.

I hope that eventually, there will come a time where I don't need to worry about counting calories. I will have this eating thing down pat...knowing what kinds of food I should eat and how big my portions should be. I won't have to worry about going to a cookout or birthday party, because I won't feel compelled to eat the things that I shouldn't. I will want to eat right regardless of where I am, and if I have a few bites of cake, I won't feel bad about it...it won't make much difference one way or the other.

That is where I am with all of this. Honestly, it bugs me when people say that it's ok to have that or to not worry about counting calories for x amount of time, etc. I mean, maybe it would be ok, but do we really know that? What if it completely throws that person off the wagon for a month? What if they aren't strong enough yet to handle eating small amounts of junk "in moderation?" Of course, there are always exceptions...thinking about the lady going to the wedding with the amazing chef for example, or obviously if you know the person well enough to give them that kind of advice.

Anyway, I just wanted to see what others thought. I'm not talking about any one specific person, b/c I honestly can't even think of one specific person who has said it. I just know how hard this journey is and how every single person is at such a different place. I think that we just have to be really careful about what we say to people.