Stumbling doesn't equal falling

It was my wife's birthday yesterday and I made her some "healthy" carrot cake.  It was pretty good, too.  So good I had a couple of pieces, with ice cream.  And a few pieces of chocolate.  Hmm, perhaps that was a bit too much?  I didn't plan for this cheat meal, although I should have seen it coming.  

So am I a failure?  Is all my progress wiped out?  Did I lose all my self-control?  Am I headed back to the old, fat version of myself?  The simple answer to these questions is NO.

See, the human body is pretty forgiving.  Consistency is far more important than a bad meal or two, even a bad day or two.  We are all human, even me ;-)  No one is perfect and we all have good days and bad days.  So what should you do if you have a bad day?

• Look at how far you've come.  If you've been consistent in eating right and exercising for a period of time, take inventory of what you've accomplished.  Value it, cherish it, and don't give it up.
• Remember your commitment.  I have a "rock bottom" moment to look back on, and that motivates me to keep moving forward.  Do I really want to go back to being fat, taking multiple medications and potentially wearing oxygen at night to combat sleep apnea?  NO WAY.
• Consider each day a new beginning.  I know, it's a commonly overused phrase, but it is true.  What happened yesterday can't be changed.  But you do have control over what you're doing now, what you do today and this week.  
• Don't beat yourself up.  So you slipped.  I hope you enjoyed it! You should never feel like such a slave to your exercise and eating goals that you can't enjoy yourself once in a while.  Your goals are what give you consistency and your commitment to them keeps you on track.  But you can be a little flexible within that framework.  
• Think about how you feel.  If you way overdid it, reflect on how that makes you feel physically.  Chances are you have some kind of physical reaction - headache, indigestion, lethargy, brain fog or something else.  Perhaps there was an emotional reaction too - perhaps it made you feel sad, depressed or worthless.  Think about how you feel and let that help you fuel your resolve to remain committed and avoid such feelings in the future.  If you didn't really overdo it and suffered no side effects, don't sweat it.
• Learn from your failure.  Think about how it happened, and what you might need to do better in the future to prevent it from happening again.
• Get rid of the temptation.  In my case, the rest of the cake (with my wife's permission) was taken to the neighbor's house as a gift.  If the temptation is removed, it's harder to keep indulging.  
• Be consistent.  If you're on track with your goals more than 80% of the time, you'll continue to see results.  After a fall, try to pick yourself up quickly and have a really good day or two to get back on track. Plus it will help you feel better anyway.

Here are some good quotes to think about:

You make mistakes. Mistakes don't make you.
- Maxwell Maltz

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough. 
- Og Mandino

Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.
- Swami Sivananda

Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.
- Wilma Rudolph

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

And finally, remember that stumbling doesn't equal falling unless you let it.