I got back from the West Coast late Monday night. I had a WONDERFUL time making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, all while exploring a couple fantastic cities I had never seen before. I made a concerted effort to get my steps in while I was out there to counteract the ridiculous food indulgence I participated in, and even though I fell short for 3 of 8 days and I only made it to the gym ONCE in the past 10 days, I'm labeling the trip a success in the weight-loss chronicles.
When I weighed myself Monday night, I fully expected to see my first weight gain since I started this mission in late March. Instead, what I somehow saw was a two-pound loss. (Thank you, surprise Seattle hills!) I mean, I ate pretty well in terms of meals: most meat was salmon, I had a few salads, and I ate as close to normally as I could -- with the exception of the bacon EVERY MORNING at breakfast. It was the desserts, though. What I REMEMBER is splitting a decadent piece of chocolatey something with 3 people, a Snickers ice cream bar, an Oreo ice cream bar, half a piece of tiramisu, half a serving of panna cotta, a piece of lemon coconut pie, gelato, more ice cream, a square of fudge, a Godiva chocolate bar, more ice cream, and whatever else I'm forgetting. Of course, there were also the endless treks across Seattle, the seven flights of stairs, and that 3-mile hike up a proper mountain in British Columbia. So, as with all the other components of the weight-loss experience, it all comes down to balance. This week, the scales definitely tipped more towards the consumption than the burn, but because that has not been the norm in the past 5 months, my body was like, "Relax, girl. I got this."
I love you, body.
Digression: I also got a couple of affirmations during the work part of the trip. Someone I only see at the conference I attended (read: annually) said when she saw me for the first time this year, "Every time I see you, you look different. You're thinner and you changed your hair." (It's funny, everyone thinks I've gotten a hair cut because I've been wearing it down more. No, guys; I haven't had a hair cut since May. If anything, it's a hair growth. Does a thinner face make your hair look shorter? Life's little mysteries.) Someone I work with but haven't seen since winter said when she saw me the first day of the conference, "You look so GOOD! You've lost a ton of weight, right?!" Then, she proceeded to ask me how and started telling me that she was going to try and lose some before her wedding next year. She brought it up with me again later in the trip. Since I've been back, two people have made a point of letting me know that they've noticed, too. One has told me two days in a row, very pointedly so I'd know exactly what she meant by her comment, "You look good. Really good." The other is a few months pregnant and said to me, "Are you disappearing, lady?" to which I responded, "I'm having a reverse pregnancy." That's four people in a little over a week. I guess the fat's out of the bag. (OHHHHH!)
Anyway, I also rocked a dress I bought online and was too tight to wear 3 weeks ago, but uh... I think I made it work.
Again: I love you, body. My "work for it, and it will work for you" mantra is in full effect. (And yes, that's a bra on the floor behind me. Whatevs.)
So, after a week where I was sure I was going to gain enough weight to knock me out of contention on my two pending 4-week DietBets, I'm now poised to win both. I have a weigh-in for my Transformer bet (which I have to be careful not to disqualify myself from through losing too much) over this upcoming weekend, when I will be in Atlantic City. At the top of my packing list? Scale. Oh, life on a mission.
I'll have another rambly post tomorrow, or possibly the day after, about another pretty weird part of what life is like these days. For now, it's all good news. I hope the same is true for you guys!