Bank Holiday Slimming

Bank Holidays

The next few weeks are a bit of a dieting nightmare not only is it Easter, May Day and Spring Bank, we also have a Royal Wedding to contend with.  The weather seems to have changed for the better, there is a smell of BBQ's in the air and the beer garden at the local is looking ever so tempting... and don't get me started on the easter eggs and hot cross buns.



'Oh go on then...' the bank holiday diet trap

Sometimes it seems really easy to forget why we are putting ourselves through a diet or 'eating plan'.  The constant planning and saying 'no' to unhealthy food and writing down everything we eat becomes a chore. When everyone else it enjoying the holiday without even considering what is passing their lips it is all too easy to say 'blow it' and do the same. You have a few naughty things, then stop counting syns but 'try' to make good choices. You forget what you have eaten and without even realising you are way over the weekly allowance.

Excuses, Excuses 

The problem with this is that especially at this time of year is that one bad day can so easily become a terrible week. When weigh day comes you either get away with it: a loss, maintain or a tiny 'acceptable' gain and you think "well that worked out OK, maybe I can do that again"; or you have a big gain which leaves you feeling gutted then the excuses start - "I wasn't that bad", "I only had what they had", "you can't diet on a holiday", "I am never going to do this", "I don't want this diet to rule my life", "I will be good next week".

Losing Control

Usually when that happens I go home thinking 'Its a new week I will start again' ... but what's that, oh another bank holiday, and before you know it someone calls and you hear yourself saying 'yes it would be lovely to come round for tea/out for drinks/join you for dinner' and then it's  'well maybe I will just start again next week'.  Assuming you are not so racked with guilt that you don't go to class (the worse thing you can possibly do by the way) you are almost certain to put on more weight and the vicious cycle starts again, worse case scenario you miss a couple of groups, you know you have put on weight and you can't face everyone knowing how badly you have done so stop going completely and decide being fat isn't that bad.

Do you want a new life?

I have been thinking about the meaning behind all the days off and celebration and wondering how it could be turned around to motivate the bewildered slimmer.  Putting aside any religious meaning, the main theme of this time of year is rebirth, from flowers to little lambs the world is coming alive after winter. Where there was nothing there is life, and I think for me at least, the idea of a new life; one without excess weight, low self esteem and fear of food is something really exciting.  I am trying to keep that in mind through the coming weeks and hopefully this year I will not fall into the bank holiday diet trap.