Every Day in May

Okay, so when it comes to weight loss I guess the very basic problems are eating and exercising.  Well, I feel pretty good about adding exercise into my life.  Even when I don't make it to the gym every day at least I always go outside for a walk or a run.  Having a dog helps.  On the days I don't feel like moving, Marley is either looking at me with sad dog eyes or barking at me.  Either one works.  I was laying on the couch soon after I came home from work yesterday and I just wanted to take a nap.  There was no way I was going to do anything that night.  Of course it's difficult to fall asleep when you're constantly worried Marley will come up and lick your face (that wakes you up quickly).  Once I was outside walking I instantly felt better.  Go figure, it actually gave me more energy.  Getting outside is definitely becoming more of a habit.  A lot of days I don't even think about it.  I may need to step it up a little but for the most part I feel good about the exercise.  My biggest problem is the other half of the equation - food.  I felt great when I came home from the trip in May.  For most of June I was eating meals (no binging) and feeling good - mind & body.  It didn't even seem like a struggle until...slowly my bad habits started creeping back in.  I get home from work and the last thing I feel like doing is making dinner.  I hate dinner.  I think partly I just hate eating alone.  When I don't make a meal I spend the whole night walking back into the kitchen looking for something that isn't there.  Once dinner starts to fall off the schedule the bad habits tend to move into my work day.  A few afternoons I head to the gift shop to get some tootsie rolls or peanut butter M&Ms.  I know how this works...I've been here before.  I would start drinking pop more and more until I was having it every day and every lunch would include chips (and possibly a cookie...or two).  Not too far after that the drive through at McDonald's would look pretty tempting for breakfast.  Of course after eating all these empty calories I wouldn't have any energy and I'd feel guilty so I wouldn't want to work out because "what's the point".  Honestly it happens like this all the time.  It doesn't matter how great I feel or how much weight I've lost, this slippery slopes starts the same way.  I start to give up a little bit and that gets easier and easier to do.  So how do I change this?  I'm still at a good spot.  I'm still at the top of the slope, I'm just feeling a little wobbly.  Can I fix this if I just go home and make dinner like a normal person?  Is there an easier way?  Did I mention I hate dinner?