Have you ever jumped on the scale after a vacation and wanted to scream because you've gained back the five pounds you worked all summer to lose? Don't fret, it happens to the best of us. Backsliding is a natural part of any behavior change. Our intentions are good, but our choices may not be. The important thing is to forgive yourself and get yourself back on track. Otherwise you may find yourself giving up all together.

To help reduce the risk of backsliding it is important to focus on what situations might contribute to your urge. Are you bored? Lonely? Frustrated? Anxious? Stressed? Or is it the fact that your among friends and it's difficult to say no to their food offerings? Do you feel you are being deprived and you'd rather be heavy and enjoy what you eat? All of these situations can place us at risk for making poor food choices.

So what can you do to help yourself? Be aware! If you know you have a potluck dinner to attend tonight and the urge to overeat will be strong, try eating some raw vegetables and drinking water before you go. Better yet, prepare a healthy dish and share your recipe with your friends. If you tend to sit in front of the television and snack, try reading a book or taking a walk instead. If you come home from work frustrated and want to grab the first food in sight, make sure you have a basket full of fresh fruit waiting in your kitchen. You can also turn to friends and family for support. Give someone a call if you feel tempted to make a poor food choice.

Don't deprive yourself of your favorite foods. Deprivation only sets you up to fail. If you love chocolate chip cookies go ahead and prepare a batch, bake a dozen to share with the family and freeze the rest of the dough for another day. The key here is to eat smaller portions of your favorite foods less often, NOT to give them up all together.

Backsliding will happen despite your best efforts. Don't dwell on it. Forgive yourself and move on. Keep a positive attitude and you survive the backsliding and learn from it at the same time.

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