Celebrating & Still Losing!

It's my birthday tomorrow and for some reason, maybe this is the same for everyone, but when it's my birthday, it turns out to be a week long celebration!

This is what the week looks like so far. The celebration started yesterday with goodies at work and dinner and movies with hubby, I don't have any anticipated goodies coming in today, hubby is making a special dinner for tomorrow and I have a couple of lunch dates scheduled for next week - Phew!!


My strategy is....Just because it's a special day or time, it does not give me license to abandon my plan!! My strategy is...I am staying focused!!

So far I have had success and here's what made the difference for me ~ careful planning.

Yesterday was the start of the celebration and this is what I knew ahead of time. We were going out to dinner and a movie.


So I got up and did my usual time on the Treadmill, except this time, I added an extra 10 minutes and ran a little. Made sure I burned at least 200 calories...Then I planned my usual breakfast, snacks and lunch, not knowing that there would be birthday pumpkin bars at work. So instead of bowing out of this delicious goodness. I googled the calories, for the pumpkin bars, and replaced one of my snacks. I was totally happy and excited that I could still indulge in my birthday treat, fit it into my plan and have it without guilt!!


Then it was off to dinner. I tried to google the restaurants menu calories, but nothing was listed. So I relied on what I know. Instead of ordering a fat juicy steak or a huge pasta bowl, I opted out for the grilled halibut, veggies and no bread. It also came with about a 1/2 cups of pasta. I tried to resist, but it was just too wonderful! The flavors of everything together was amazing! Then of course, they found out it was my BD so they served a complimentary Creme Brulee. Now normally I would not be happy to do this, I would want my own, but I decided to share my delicious sugar with my hubby. He got the lions share of this deliciousness, but what I was able to get to my mouth was amazing!!!


After dinner, we were off to the movies. For the first time in my life, I went to the movie theater without buying popcorn, soda, or candy. It felt great to be satisfied and filled up enough, that not even the smell of the popcorn was enticing enough for me to overindulge!


Here's what happened next. So hubby and I are sitting in our seats in the theater. We are not eating or drinking anything. (Well I did smuggle in some bottled water ~ I know....bad, bad girl!!) Anyway, we are sitting there, the previews had not started yet, and all we could hear was paper ripping, chomping and chewing all around us. It was the most disgusting sound ever! Then the smell of popcorn, not the good popcorn smell, but this, I don't even know what you call it smell, came over the room ~ it was awful. I had to cover my nose with my shirt to help keep me from wanting to hurl. So I am sitting there looking ridiculous and I'm observing the people all around me. They were talking and drinking and cramming their popcorn and candy into their mouths so fast, it make my head spin. Hey I'm not judging....I used to be just like them. But as the outsider of this thing, looking in, it was gross and disgusting. Hubby and I both noticed this and were wondering how we had never noticed this before. I said, it was because we were just like them. We did the same thing. We were so busy with it, we did not even notice what we were doing or how we looked to others. Kind of like when you eat garlic with your spouse, you can't smell it on each other. But if one person eats it and one doesn't, it is offensive to the other person. Know what I mean?


Anyway, the group finally ingested their goodies and the theater quited down. It was a great movie and hubby and I had a fantastic time!!


Here's the real point. It's a celebration week. Yes, there are foods coming at me, some expected, some not. But each day I plan to do what I usually do ~ Keep meals within my calorie range, allow a smidgen of indulgence, continue exercising and getting my water in. Status Quo!


And you know what. If you stay on your plan, you will get your reward. My reward came to me today with another pound lost. I'm at 221!!!


I am finding that life can still happen and I can still lose weight!! The key is careful planning and staying focused!!!

What about you....Are you still losing weight during your celebrations?

Keep focused!