My first non-loss of 2009

Hmmm...I should warn you that this will be a long post...but all my posts end up long. I should probably only warn you if it is gonna be short, so you don't think something is missing :-)

On 3/3 I weighed in at 312.5. On 3/13 I weighed in a couple days late from my normal Tuesday weigh in because I was out of town and weighed 307.1 (loss of 5.4). Today I weighed in and weighed 308.5. Yes folks I gained 1.4 lbs. This is the first time in 09 that I have not lost. Not only did I not lose, but I gained.

I wish I could say that I ate well all week and was faithful in my exercise every single day. I wish I could chalk it up to my body not cooperating or water weight gain or some other thing that I don't really have control over. But I can't. Not without lying.

There are several factors that contributed to this gain. All of them controllable by me, which is what makes me not disappointed or discouraged, but rather pissed off...at myself. I let circumstances play too huge a role in my decisions and clearly my choices have consequences.

1. On Saturday I went to a baby shower where I ate the food provided. I didn't really overeat here, but I didn't make the best choices of what was laid before me. Then I added cake to the mix and ice cream. At the time, I was ok with things here because even people who are healthy eat unhealthy things at times and are ok. It is taking it to extremes that is unhealthy. I had 3 bites of cake and probably the same of the ice cream and decided I was done.

2. Later I went to a a Euchre party at my Aunt's house. My plan, since I had already eaten alot at the baby shower was to grab Subway on my way...and not eat the party food. Well, I couldn't find the Subway, so I got really frustrated and just went to the party trying to convince myself I wasn't really hungry anyway, and I can just not eat anything there. That plan fell apart within minutes of my arrival. My uncle made me a Yummy drink (pineapple juice and rum....and Yes I do drink on occasion)

A strange dynamic happens for me at this house. They all think I am the "good girl". I don't drink and I never do anything wrong. Yeah right! I am human people! But seriously they have this image of me that I don't do anything wrong, so if they see me with a drink in hand, they are quite shocked and comment on my goodness, whatever that is. So for some reason when here, I feel like I am always trying to show them how not good I am. I know strange, right? Who doesn't want to be perceived as good? Well, when it is almost pedestal like, I don't like it...and I try to keep jumping off the pedestal.

So the conversation throughout the night with various people at various times was...how "good" I was and how much weight I have lost and how good I look. So I ended up drinking more than I "should" which just helped me to toss my good intentions towards eating out the window and eat while drinking...and while amongst my inner circle and on this blog my weight is talked about often, it seems different somehow and all the talk about how "good" I look was actually wearing on me after a while.

All that to say, I made really poor choices for a large variety of possible reasons. I have no idea what I consumed this day in eating...but my drinks alone were at least 900 calories...by the time I was done. That is HALF of my allotted calories for 1 day...so I am POSITIVE i was over..by ALOT.

3. I was excited about possibly hitting my 50 lb marker and being able to check that off my goal list. I realize 50 lbs is a lot and it is 1/4 of my total goal and is a big deal!! I also know that in any given weight loss attempt I have never made it beyond 60 lbs. The last time I stopped losing weight, in hindsight, it was comments about how good I was looking that sent me over the edge. Back then I had not even begun to look seriously at my sexual abuse issues beyond knowing that it definitely has had an impact. So as I approach 50 lbs, the comments are starting, and there are fears about whether I have what it takes to go farther than ever before...and to finish what I started. But because of my past I have to question whether there is any self-sabotaging going on. I have been thinking about this all day and I am still not sure. But I cannot ignore the question. Part of me thinks that on some level yes, there was some self-sabotaging. If it was, I don't think it accounted it all.

I am not giving up! I am not discouraged! I am pissed off! This time IS different. I am asking myself hard questions in the face of this gain. I am not avoiding reality or making excuses for why the scale says what it says. The scale has served its purpose this week. It has given me feedback about the realities of the choices I made. By listening to the feedback, asking the questions, not succumbing to despair, and letting people in to where I am at...it just proves that I am different. I am growing in health...physically, mentally and spiritually....and that my friends is what I am after. Whole health.

I will leave you with a quote from Aaron. He said this to me in November via email, which ironically was the last time I think I had a gain and I was discouraged because that time, I had done everything right. I found it this week before I found out I gained and actually used it to encourage someone else. It is fitting and timely for this as I continue to pursue whole health, despite my gain.

"This journey is about more than just weight! It is about a wholly healthy you (spiritually and physically). If you made good eating choices, were diligent about hitting the gym, and humble before God this week and still gained a little then no worries. Weight is one measure of progress, but your heart is a truer one." Aaron