Facing my food demons.

This week has been particularly difficult week for me. It was a week that was due to be full of excitement as I was heading home to my parents for a few days, followed by a good friends wedding at the weekend. I had planned to stick with Filling and Healthy as it has been working for me and I have been consistently loosing since changing over from pointing. I was going to enjoy myself but try to stay on track as I didn't want to self sabotage when goal is creeping closer! I headed away to my parents on Wednesday and the week got off to a brilliant start. Lots of lovely chats with my folks, precious time with my niece and nephew and power walks with my big sister. I don't get home as often as I'd like, so time at home is treasured. I'm the baby of the family and I love spending time with my two big sisters and of course my Mum & Dad.  

I was really looking forward to the wedding, I had my little black dress all ready to go. I had planned out my travel arrangements and I was really looking forward to seeing my friend walk down the aisle. Life took a bit of an unexpected turn for me on Friday morning, and although I don't want to share the details, it knocked me for six. I went from feeling healthy, energetic and ready to dance the night away to laid up on the sofa, exhausted and just wanting comfort. I was relieved to be at my folks house when I feeling so unwell and my family did what they do best...offer TLC and cups of tea. 

My problem is, I am an incredible comfort eater. I have always been raised on healthy food. Good breakfasts, healthy lunches and filling dinners. But when I'm unwell, upset or dealing with something difficult..my instinct is to turn to food. I ate my way through my husband's ordeal with cancer and hence I ended up at weight watchers, again, after gaining a lot of weight. I have often fallen completely off the wagon when needing comfort, and then I have been too ashamed to climb back on. Of course, the result is then a massive weight gain when I finally break the vicious circle of eating to comfort...then eating because I'm upset that I've gained weight..

When I had this "health hiccup" my first instinct was to go and buy a load of goodies. Normally it would have been complete carnage. Anything and everything would have gone into my basket, and I would have mindlessly eaten my way through the lot. My gut was wanting to comfort myself through food, but my mind was telling me to tread carefully as it was a slippery slope into complete binge eating. I knew I should allow myself something, but I needed to be wise to I stay in control. So I went into the shop, and carefully selected some treats that I knew the PP value of, I bought a big bottle of diet coke and some nice gluten free bread too. 

I opted to do the Flex plan over the following days. This is where you can swap and change F&H days and PP days...all the while using your weekly bank of 49 PP. It worked a treat (excuse the pun). I was able to have my goodies without the guilt. I had some jellies, some chocolate and even a take away Gluten Free pizza. I gobbled up my weekly 49 points, but I stayed in control. I enjoyed my treats rather than mindlessly eating everything in sight and I felt better for it. I didn't have the overwhelming guilt I used to have after munching my way towards comfort. I enjoyed my chocolate and savoured my pizza, and didn't feel like I had let myself down on the food front. I felt I had faced my food demons and won. I weighed in last night and was delighted with my .5lb loss. I would have been content with a STS but a little loss gave me the boost I needed.

This is just one of the many hiccups I will face in my lifetime, and what this week proved to me is that I am making a life long commitment to my health. Weight Watchers isn't a diet, it's not a fad or a quick fix. It's a life long commitment to being healthy. It is about learning to deal with your food demons, and figuring how to concur them. It is a program that has the flexibility that allows you to work it into any situation...good or bad. It arms you with the tools to deal with whatever life throws at you. 

We can all do it! 

Gold cards for everyone!!