Today is my 25th birthday, and I am fretting about whether or not to go out to dinner. I have done extremely well with my diet, and I haven’t eaten anything inappropriate even in the face of emotional adversity. But it’s my birthday, and I want to go out to dinner. My plans are very specific: tonight, go to Sunflower and get my favorite dish, which is soy protein chunks done up kind of like Chinese food. At home, maybe a little bit of alcohol - like a little bit of kahlua, maybe, if I have any at all. This weekend, one piece of cake. (It will be ginger spice cake because that’s what my sister-in-law wanted, and her birthday is also today - she’s exactly two years younger than me.)

It sounds to me like I’m being pretty reasonable. One meal out, possibly a small drink, and one piece of cake. But I have been so rigid on the Diet to Go menu for two weeks that I’m scared to go off. I’m losing weight very well. Is this going to kill my diet? Will I only lose half a pound this week instead of a pound and a half? (Or whatever.) I’m just not sure what to do! Part of me is tempted to just eat tonight’s bean burritos at home, but I know A was also looking forward to going out to dinner with me. I’m scared of breaking the rules.