Dunkin Donuts? Check. Popcorn? Check. Buffalo Chicken Tenders?? Okay, You Get the Point!

All right, so this isn't exactly the kind of menu I usually follow so close to my Weight Watchers weigh-in (which is on Wednesday evenings), but I got to spend the afternoon with someone I love very much, so it's hard to feel too icky about it. Plus, of course, I'm all about the school of belief that "cheat days" are acceptable on occasion, but after pizza and movie theater candy over the weekend, I'll be glad to get back to a healthy schedule tomorrow. Wow, did I just say that?? I think there's something about seeing it all typed out in front of you that makes your eating habits feel even more real. Imagine that :)

Anyway, after my morning work shift, my mom and I had about 40 minutes to kill before I headed to the dentist for a few fillings. Dunkin Donuts happened to be on the way, and while I know that a corn muffin and bottle of Gatorade don't equal a daily Breakfast of Champions, it's okay to enjoy once in a while. Later this afternoon, I ended up taking an unexpected trip to the city to meet my sister Kerry, whom I haven't seen or talked to much since the 4th of July holidays (busy schedules are the culprit, as usual). It was nice having some time on a weekday to just talk and be together, and after popcorn and a viewing of Friends with Benefits, we stopped at a bar for a drink and buffalo chicken tenders. When days like this happen, I try to just enjoy it as much as possible, pay attention to my stomach, and stop when I'm full. Continuing to eat, despite being uncomfortably stuffed, is an issue that helped me become so overweight in the first place, and I admit it still happens sometimes, but not nearly as much as it used to.

As for exercise, my ankle has been acting up for the past two weeks, also, which has cut my normal running schedule in half, but I think this is a good thing for now, because I am in the process of learning how to balance exercise and "the real world" more realistically. There have been so many days (most of them, actually) where I catch myself worrying constantly about how much I'm going to work out, and how I will manage to catch up when other plans/commitments get in the way of that ideal schedule. When we feel ourselves getting overwhelmed and obsessing too much about things like this, it's important to remember what we've learned about ourselves and what positive changes we have made in our lives. Indulgences are going to happen, no matter who you are, so it's best to just focus instead on how you'll handle the days following that. Focusing on fruits, veggies, and low-sodium food during the week makes you feel better about yourself, and being more disciplined gives you something to look forward to when the weekend (or whenever you generally like to treat yourself) rolls around.

Question of the Day: What's your favorite form of exercise--something that make you feel particularly energized and "back on track" after a weekend splurge? Feel free to comment if you want :)

Thanks for reading, and have a good night! Here's to health, happiness, and most of all, BALANCE!

Here's a fun picture of me and Kerry on our family Vegas trip from last month. It was awesome hanging out with you today! Love you lots :)