The weight loss extravaganza continues, and I'm trying to be a bit more reflective about my mistakes this time around so that I can actually learn from them and try harder next time rather than wallow in misery that I failed somehow. It's the start of day #3, and here's what I've learned in the last couple days:

1. I may have to reconsider my relationship with coffee. This one makes me a bit sad, but looking over my food log and how I spent my Weight Watchers points yesterday makes this one seem like an issue. I became a hardcore coffee drinker shortly after I started teaching. I have students in my classroom by 7:30am each morning, and I like having coffee to give myself a caffeine injection. Unfortunately, I don't really like coffee--I like the fat free flavored creamers that go in the coffee, and I like them in large quantities. Yesterday, I decided that coffee tastes tolerable to me with 3 Tbsp of that stuff, which is 1.5 points. I suppose that's reasonable once a day, but when I go back in the afternoon to make another pot of coffee to have while I curl up with a book, it's just not worth it. I burnt 4.5 points on coffee yesterday, and that seems like a huge waste for liquid calories. 

(Note: I'm drinking coffee as I write this. *sigh* I'm not entirely ready for the breakup yet...babysteps...but I'm not going to make another pot of coffee today. This is it...)

2. The second helping of dinner is never as satisfying as the first. We cooked one of my favorite meals last night -- Teriyaki pork with pineapple and red onions over rice. One serving of it was 9 points, and it was delicious. I went back and helped myself to more, and afterwards, I felt like crap. I was too full, and I felt guilty for overeating and wasting all those points. I would have been much better off having a zero point soup as a side or waiting a couple hours and having a small dessert.   

3. Water with slices of orange in it tastes way better to me than plain water or even water with lemon. I haven't had any problem drinking 64+ oz. each day, and I've averaged less than one can of Diet Coke these last couple days (an accomplishment given that I was drinking at least 3 cans/day before). 

Overall, I feel like I'm on the right track still. I'm definitely being more aware of what I'm putting in my body, and even if I make mistakes, I'm not beating myself up for them as much as I would have in the past. I can't let my perfectionism hold me back from accomplishing this goal. It's just too important to me.

I think you are exactly on the right track!  Realizing all that stuff about yourself is what you are supposed to be doing.  You cannot overcome until you see your mistakes and shortcomings.  That's too bad about the coffee.  I too love coffee, but fortunately I drink mine black.  And remember, you can put crystal lite in your water or something to flavor it and it still counts as water!  You can also count 2 servings of your diet coke as water on WW.  Hang in there!

it is such a good thing when you realize (for yourself) where you need to make changes... i have never been a coffee person - i was always more of a mt. dew person.... i basically had to stop cold turkey... and i can have one every now and then and i am okay....

as for 2nd helpings at dinner... i do that too! and my biggest reason for doing so is because DH eats such large helpings that i feel like i need to eat it all - so that i get my share! it's tough...

as for water - i make a large bottle (about 36 oz. of water) and put in one of those crysal lite packets (for bottled water) in.... it give the water some flavor - but it's not overpowering - so i'm still drinking mostly water...

i wish you all the best in 2009... WW is a great plan! you can do it!!