DAY 20: Derailed? Rerailed!

The task for Day 20 is getting back on track when you've ditched your diet for the day.

So far, so good this time, but I've definitely experienced the problem this step solves. Particularly the morning after a party, when there are leftover snacks waiting for me in the kitchen: I have a bag of potato chips for breakfast and then I figure, the damage is done so I might as well eat anything (and everything) I want.

Dr. Beck explains that a small mistake, like having a big piece of cake at about 500 calories, is better than a bigger mistake, like having that cake and adding a doughnut, ice cream, a candy bar, and a bag of potato chips for around 2,000 calories. Or worse. So it's better to stop at the cake and get right back on track with your diet.

Rationally, I know Dr. Beck is right. But when I'm bad, it feels like permission to keep being bad, so it's hard to put the brakes on the downward spiral a mistake kicks off. Of course, Dr. Beck has some advice:

• Acknowledge your initial slip.
• Recommit yourself to your diet.
• Draw a symbolic line; don't give yourself until tomorrow to get back on track. Instead, do it now and mark the line by brushing your teeth or some other distraction activity.
• Give yourself credit for stopping -- at any point.
• Watch out for feelings of failure and helplessness.
• Continue to eat normally (instead of fasting in atonement).
• Learn from your mistake.

More effective is this Get Back on Track Response Card to be read every day and again when I need it:

Get Back on Track

If I've eaten something I shouldn't, I haven't blown it. It's not the end of the world. I can start following my plan again right this minute. Just because I made a mistake doesn't mean I should keep on eating. That makes no sense. It's a million times better to stop now than to allow myself to eat more.

This Response Card will also help, especially because it addresses perfectionism, one of my downfalls (the emphasis is mine):

Sabotaging Thought: I'll never be able to stop myself from eating like this. I may as well give up.
Helpful Response: Okay, so I made a mistake. This was inevitable. It's unreasonable to expect myself to be perfect every single time. I'm not a failure. I can learn something from this experience to help me the next time.

So I've resolved that, when I make a mistake, I will forgive myself and restart my diet immediately by reading my ARC, Get Back on Track card, and other Response Cards.