Cyclical emotions

I have to be real today about how I am feeling. I seem to follow a pattern in how I think and feel about my weight and body image. Each month I go through a period of acceptance and optimism where I know I will achieve my goals and I am accepting of the process and the patience it will take to get there. Then I seem to slide a bit into a more passive attitude where I feel my body is just ok and that change will come even though I feel I am plodding along towards my goal. Before I know it, all of a sudden I am despondent over how I look in a mirror and I have lost all my optimism and feel that everything I am doing is a waste of time.

Usually these cycles are monthly and I am not a GYN but have to think it has something to do with the various hormone levels throughout the month.

It is frustrating! I love the way I feel when I am accepting of myself and where I am and realize that the work will pay off and I will get there. I am willing to be patient with my body and lose this weight slowly and healthfully without eliminating food groups or drinking protein shakes. I feel capable and confident.

I have started to notice the change just yesterday. To start, I could find nothing that fit right yesterday and everything I tried on wasn't comfortable. I kept telling myself, these are the same clothes you felt great in last week. Than I worked out later in the day and it was dark out and I could see my reflection in the windows and I just kept fixating on the flabbier parts of my body. When I got done, I put my kids to bed and in the mirror in their room, I saw myself and thought "You look so fat". What happened to those thoughts where I could see past the flab and notice the developing muscle tone - GONE.

I realize this pattern and I guess that is the first step right. I also realize that this is usually the period where I am most prone to binging. The negative feelings tab my subconscious which says - chocolate will make it all better or how about 3 bowls of cereal after dinner. I need to be prepared for this and not jump off the cliff.

Dealing with these emotions in a new way will help me continue this process of permanent change and permanent weight loss. Any ideas?