definitely one of the best things you can do is just have a plan. know exactly what you're eating and when you're planning on eating it. impulse snacks are rarely good choices. I plan out all my meals and snacks for the whole day as soon as I get out of bed, heck, if you plan on the oreos, and count the calories involved, you can still have them.

Thanks for your post!  I've been receiving yours and others posts and already I am better motivated!  Writing things down, and, also the past few days since I did write my first post, I've tried hard to stick to  the slimfast plan, eating what they tell me to eat.  I'm not at 100% at all since I'll do my own idea for dinner, but I have to say that I've enjoyed the healthy fresh fruit and veggies.  One fruit I ate:  instead of an orange, I ate about half a pomegranete.  OH my goodness--it was so good, and since it took some time to eat it satisfied me so much.  Coming to these posts which I just recently discovered has already helped me from sabatoging too much, and hopefully I'll kick the bad habit completely.  Today I ate 4 golden oreos, plus 2 small halloween candy bars--why?  Because I still have that bad habit, but tonight I'll have a nice salad w/ some chicken on it.  We can do this and stop sabotaging our success!!!  YES!!!

I AM A PERSON WHO CAN AGREE ON THAT ONE BUT I CAN'T DO IT LIKE I USE TO EVERY SUNDAY. I DON'T TRUST MYSELF RIGHT NOW TO EVEN TRY. THERE ARE GOOD THINGS THAT COME OF THIS IF YOU ARE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND I AM NOT. BUT WHEN I HAVE TO WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN FOR MY EATING COUNSELOR I QAM HONEST AS THE DAY IS LONG. MY QUESTION IS WHY CAN'T I BE HONEST WITH MYSELF. IT KINDA SCARES ME TO THINK THAT AT THANKSGIVING I AM GOING TO GIVE UP. THE LAST TIME I DIETED I GOT SO STRICT ON MYSELF I ENDED UP WITH EATING DISORDERS. I AM PROUD OF YOU YOU ARE SHOWING THE FAITH, CONTROL, AND THE POWER YOU HAVE GAINED OVER YOUR EATING WITHOUT GOING TO FAR. BUT REMEBER WHEN YOU GIVE SOME ONE ELSE THIS ADVICE TO COMPLIMENT THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO AS YOU ARE DOING. SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE FAITH IN THEMSELVES YET. SO ENCOURAGE THEM WITH YOUR STRONG HEART. YOUR WORDS CAN HELP EMPOWER ANOTHER PERSON.

THANKS,

WOE

THIS IS WOE, I DID THE SAME THING. I HAVE BEEN ON SO MANY DIETS THAT I HAVE LOST WEIGHT THEN TURNED AROUND AND SAID I DID IT. THEN OH IT IS OK TO CELEBRATE AND THE END UP MESSING THE WHOLE THING UP. SO CELEBRATE BUT GO ONLINE TO FIND FOODS THAT ARE COOPERRATING WITH YOUR DIET. I EVEN STARTED TAKING A LITTLE MEASUREING CUP TO PARTIES. IT WAAS ONLY ONE CUP, BUT I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO EAT AND HOW MUTCH TO EAT. I REALIZED THAT IF I WANT SOMETHING OFF THE DIET I WILL EAT IT  IN MODERATION!! THIS HELPED OUT ALOT. ALSO REMEBER IF YOUR GOING TO CHEAT ON YOUR DIET TRY TO HAVE JUST TWO SLIM-FAST ONE FOR LUNCH AND ONE FOR BREAKFAST. ALSO BEFORE YOU LEAVE EAT AN APPLE THIS HAS FIBER IN IT AND WILL TAKE ROOM IN YOUR STOMACH SO YOU WILL BE APT TO EAT LESS. IF YOU ARE AT A RESTRAUNT PICK THE LOWEST FAST THING. IF IT IS MORE THEN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO HAVE TELL THE WAITER TO  PUT HALF ON YOUR PLATE AND THE OTHER HALF IN A TOGO BOX THIS WILL PREVENT YOU FORM OVER EATING AND WILL GIVE YOU A GREAT LUNCH/SUPPER FOR THE NEXT DAY IF YOU ARE SINGLE OR IF YOUR A WORKING MOM. TELL WHO EVER IS HELPING YOU CELEBRATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO TRY SOME NEW STUFF ON YOUR DIET MENU. THE PULL SOME RECIPES FOR  MEATS, OR VEGETARIANS, FRUITS. YOU CAN MAKE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE FAT-FREE NOW AND DON'T TASTE IT. IF YOU ADD ALOT OF PEPPERS TO YOUR DIET HOT AND OTHERWISE THIS WILL HELP YOU WITH COLDS, FLU, VIRUSES. THERE ARE SOME PUNCHES INSTEAD OF WINE THAT YOU CAN DRINK AT YOUR PARTIES TO. JELLO SALAD IS A GOOD ONE YOOU CAN HAVE BASICALLY EVERYTHING YOU WANT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW SERVINGS AND FIND LOWER FAT RECIPES. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR FUN TAKE IT TO A HEALTHIER LEVEL. YOU WILL FIND YOU DON'T MISS ALL THOSE FOODS LIKE YOU THINK. I EAT LIKE THIS MAINLY, BUT I STOPPED BECAUSE I WAS OUT AND DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING BUT A CHEESEBURGER FORM MCDONDLD'S. IT ACTUALLY MADE ME SICK.

THANK YOU.

WOE

THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO PICK A CHEAT DAY IS WHAT I CALL THEM IS TO SEE HOW MUCH CONTROL YOU  HAVE OVER THE FOOD. THIS DOES WORK FOR SOME PEOPLE. JUST REMEMBER THAT PORTION CONTROL COMES INTO PLAY SO YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT STARTING THIS TO FAST. YOU MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT SABATOG. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SEE HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME ON THE JOURNY. IF IT IS EASY TO CONTROL YOUR APPATITE WITH DOING THIS , THEN YOU HAVE GAINED CONFIDENCE AND THE SLIM-FAST HAS DONE IT'S JOB. JUST DON'T DO THIS IF YOU ARE NA EMOTIONAL EATER. I AM AND INSTEAD OF HELPING ME I MESSED UP ROYAL.  THIS IS JUST ME THOUGH SO GIVE IT A WORL, BUT BELIEVE IN YOU.

DON'''''''T  WANT TO SCARE YOU AT ALL BUT THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO ME!

THANK YOU,

WOE

What a great idea, scheduling diet-breaking days. I'm going to try that.

Congrats on the 83 lbs!!

Thanks!  I started this journey on January 17th, 2009...and I feel great!  It has been less than 10 months and it seems a lifetime ago that I wasn't able to function...Before I could hardly walk a block and tonight I just finished walking 4 miles and wasn't even tired. I still have a ways to go, but I am going to make it...my son graduates next June and I am aiming to be at my goal weight for the occasion.  Stay strong and enjoy each day!  Hugs, SisterC

and holy cow, 83 pounds lost?!?! that is amazing! how long did that take?

I schedule my diet-breaking days months in advance. my last break was halloween, I was allowed to go off and eat/drink whatever I wanted and the next day I had to jump right back on the diet. also, if I broke the diet at all, even a little bit, during the month of october I wasn't going to be allowed to have halloween as penalty, so that kept me more focused than I would have been if I hadn't had that day to look forward to. I gained a pound and a half on halloween, and the following week was able to lose that pound and a half plus another 2 pounds. my next vacation day is thanksgiving, and then christmas. my goal is to lose 5 pounds by thanksgiving and then another 7 or 8 pounds by christmas, who knows, I might surpass.

having an endless diet in front of you is just discouraging so planning little vacations in isn't a bad idea, as long as they're one day, infrequent, and as long as you're dedicated before and after that day.