is it better start a diet even if u know your going to cheat

i was hoping to start the 17 day diet Monday but i realized Tuesday im suppose to meet a friend for dinner and drinks and the Friday im going to a concrete

so what do u think is it better to go on a diet and just do my best with whats going on or put in off till i can follow to the T?

I think you should just go ahead and start it. just jump on the diet and focus really hard on the other days. one high calorie day is not going to kill your diet...4 days in a row might though.

Do you actually foresee even 17 days ahead that will not be interrupted by life events and opportunities? Just do it. No need to wait even for Monday.

I think you answered your own question. You are letting life get in your way of your goals.
You have many choices:
1. Start now and hope for the best. Stick to your plan most days and accept that you will have off days.
2. Don't start and continue eating what you are and continuing gaining weight (I assume your goal is weight loss). You will continue to gain if you continue with your current habits.
3. Wait until you have nothing in your way to keep you from your goals --- you will be waiting for the rest of your life.
4. Start now and learn how to manage parties, stress, holidays, dinners... You will always have an event to go to - skinny people go to events all the time. They know how to deal with those situations.

If you want it, you have to go for it. If you want it, you have to make sacrifices. How bad to you want it? Are you willing to give up a moment of pleasure in order to achieve your long term goals? Are you willing to give up a fat filled dinner, full calorie beer, chocolate sundae, or whatever... in order for you to be successful? Are you willing to make a healthier food choice, drink a light beer, have a fruit cup or whatever in order to have long term success?

If you want to have long term success and if you don't want to get on the gain -lose - gain - lose... cycle, then maybe you need to find motivation and plan for success. Don't make a plan to fail! You can do this and you can do it now.......... or you can wait until it is too late. You are in control.


Hope that's not too harsh - and it's not for you personally.

Ok, this was probably way too harsh - I see you are only trying to drop 8 lbs.

NCNOLE...I think there are some other people lurking on this website that really needed to read that gem of information you put out there. that was beautiful. I wanna print that out and put it on my door.

I've been on a motivation kick lately - somewhere along the way, maybe a few months ago, I became super motivated. Not sure what triggered it, as I had been losing weight steadily for the past year, but at some point I decided I wanted this more than anything. I was tired of being morbidly obese - obese - and now overweight. I'm getting close to my original goal and plan on dropping another 10-15 after that. I have come to the realization that I can not blame anyone or anything on my past failed attempts and my continued weight gain over my adult life. I created the situation and I am the only one that can fix it! I'm gonna have to read this when I hit maintenance!!

I think it depends if dinner out is a seldom or frequent occasion in your life. If it's a rare treat then consider it a "planned" cheat. If you go out frequently then figure out how you can work dinner out into your diet by saving up calories and making wise menu choices.

To add to all this, a 17 day diet won't stick for the long haul. You need to find something permanent that works for you.

Yeah you don't 'diet' for 17 days, you diet for the rest of your life. its not really a diet per se, but a change in lifestyle. Change your lifestyle, and you will lose weight

Here's a thought. Count calories. Find out what you are allowed per day. On days where you know you're gonna want something out of the ordinary - COMPENSATE on the other meals. I do this all the time. If I know that dinner is gonna cost me a lot of calories, I will have a low calorie breakfast and lunch. If I know that I'll be drinking several beers one evening, I will make sure I have room for them in my food budget.

I've gone to concerts, many, I've been to parties, heck, I've even had a full Christmas dinner with EVERYTHING I wanted - without blowing my budget. It can be done. It just takes a little planning.

Good luck, and enjoy your diet. There is no need to NOT enjoy it. Life is good.

Moderation is the key. There are always going to be those special events in your life that you will not be AS good with your food. It is a choice. In order to be successful with your weight loss and maintenance, you have to understand that you can have your cake and eat it to...but not the whole cake. If you are going to a party, choose to have a meal you might not have eaten on a 'normal' day, but keep the portions under control and skip dessert or have a meal that you would have had on a 'normal' day and then have a dessert (reasonably sized). Have a glass of wine or drink, but not 2,3,10 of them.
Just a little note: if these 'special events' happen more than a few times per month, you might want to re-evaluate or choose which ones to allow yourself to wander off plan for.

Hope this helps.

Kimber

I have been faced with many situations similar to the one you are facing. I just adjust how much or what I eat. I also give myself a day to eat what I want. (Within reason) That helps with the cravings for off limits foods. You should follow what works for you and stay positive. Definitely use your calorie counter, for everything you put in your mouth. Good luck, if I can do it anyone can.

It all helps. 16 days of great eating is better than a future, possibly great 17 days that may or may not come to pass.

But I personally think you should not be focused so much on the 17 day thing. I know you're very very near your goal weight... but why not just clean up your eating in general? Thinking of it as a finite span of time that is your magic solution is a trap. I get the impression that this is a pre-planned type of thing, right? Otherwise, why 17... so I understand that there must be a specific, set food regimen involved - but I'm saying it doesn't have to be that complicated. Promise!

Just make your eating a little better as much of the time as possible, and I think you'll be amazed at how quickly each of those little choices add up to results. No 17-day plan needed.

I think this was already said, but you need to change your lifestyle. Going from diet to diet isn't going to help because life gets in the way. This week its a concert and next week it will be something else. That's life. However if you work on changing your smaller habits, maybe dressing on the side, or taking the stairs, these things will become a part of your everyday. So when you have drinks with your friends and you order a vodka tonic instead of a tequilla sunrise, you will already have made a positive choice and found balance.

Make changes that you can stick with, every day should be the day you start living healthy, not all days will be as successful as others, but like yoga, its a practice.