Challenge 1: Eating Out

Last night after having a great workout at the gym, I was driving home and became dead set on getting teriyaki. I came up with every excuse in the book why this could be a good decision. I went to my favorite establishment (Ichi Teriyaki) and all the lights were out and the sign read CLOSED. You'd think this was a clear sign that would make me think twice, but instead I was just annoyed and drove 5 min south into the parking lot of another teriyaki restaurant that was open.

WHY was this a good decision at the time in my mind:

1. This could be my "free" meal of the week.
2. I don't want to cook. I'm too tired.
3. I haven't had teriyaki in FOREVER.

HOW to avoid this:

1. The idea of having a "freebie" meal or night out, can almost become obsessive and even toxic. I focus on this one meal to get me through the week of clean eating. Instead, I should try not to be so restrictive, and if I do eat things that aren't necessarily clean, then I need to realize it's absolutely okay to induldge a little. The point is letting myself have a small amount of treats, not the entire cake.
2. I had literally just gone grocery shopping the day before and had a fridge full of food. To plan ahead, I am going to start cooking more meals on the weekends because we all have busy days and late nights, and cooking is the last thing we want to do. Hence the reason beind all the fast food restaurants! If I have food in the fridge that is already prepared and only needs to be reheated, it makes the decision to go home and eat a whole lot easier.
3. Justifying how long it's been since I've had a specific food is obviously fulfilling a craving. Honestly who cares how long it's been? "Forever"? I highly doubt it.

WHAT I didn't think about:

1. It crossed my mind that I might regret it, but I didn't really think about it, and even pushed those thoughts out of my mind and became obsessed with the thought of eating teriayki.
2. My goals. I didn't think about my vacation that's coming up with my girlfriends. I didn't think about the beach and how I sooo strongly wish to wear a bikini. I didn't think about how I want to reach my goal of 130 pounds. Instead I focused on a fleeting desire that was inevitably followed by guilt.
3. Eating out is expensive! Think about all that money I'll save that can go toward something I really want versus food that I'll eat and then just poops out! Kind of a waste haha. Or, save money toward a favorite restaurant, a new one, or a fancy, aka pricey, restaurant that I've been wanting to try!

WHEN is it okay to eat out:

1. For me, I want to plan ahead of time for that meal out, and not let it be a spur of the moment decision. Because that tells me a couple things: I did not plan ahead of time, I am satsifying a craving, or I'm just being lazy.

I write every single day in my food log the many reasons why I want to lose weight, and then I REWRITE them every day and add a new one as a daily remind why I'm on this journey. They're not in any particular order, but to answer 'why' I want to lose weight on that very day. If I'm having a temptation to eat out when it's not planned ahead of time, then I really need to read and remember those very reasons until it becomes forever clear that all those reasons why I want to lose weight, are far more important than eating out on a whim.