What a great feeling. . . to be in control!

It's been a long time coming. I could "be good" for a couple of days or so and then think I deserved a treat. And pretty soon I was indulging in treats even though I didn't deserve them. "Tomorrow" things would be different.

But I'm sitting here trying to explain how good it feels to NOT want a treat for a change. I had my breakfast over two hours ago and I'm feeling a bit hungry, but it's not enough to make me feel deprived. I think before I get on the treadmill I'll have a boiled egg or something, but I'm not at all tempted to try to find something to "cheat" with.

Why is that? I think I'm finally getting my groove back. The person who is committed to making the best possible choices and doesn't agonize over it until a binge results. The person who is not controlled by cravings—two weeks after the last treat—and not demoralized by guilt caused by poor decisions. The person who is not afraid of a little hunger now and then.

Wow. WOW! Truly something to celebrate. I don't think I've been here for many, many months. And it's not something I want to ever give up again.

This coming week will be challenge, but I know I can manage. I will be away from home and not able to cook my own food. And the past has shown me that being in this type of situation makes me more anxious and more vulnerable to emotional eating. There are times when you just can't find the right kind of food and you have to make choices. . . the lesser of two evils. I will take some food with me, but without a fridge or a coffeemaker available, I won't be able to stay 100% on plan.

And exercise will be a challenge too. I don't know if there is a fitness center near the dorm where we will be staying or if it's practical or safe to get up early in the morning to walk around. I will take my Pilates circle with me so I can do my 20-minute routine in the room. And maybe just walk around during breaks.

But I do know that I will take my card (listing the reasons why I want to lose weight) with me and read it over frequently and really make an effort to BE the person I want to be at all times.

Weight loss may not be in the cards this week. Indeed, it's not that important to me right now either, especially since the scale is broken :-(. I just want to maintain this feeling of being in control of myself. There's nothing else like it!