Up and Down, Up and Down

Image courtesy of WW

One of the hardest things when you are trying to watch your weight is travel. There's nothing like a cross-country (or even cross-state, if you are heading for some soul food at home) trip to swing your eating schedule and throw in new temptations everywhere you look. I don't like feeling deprived while I am experiencing a new place, even though the WW mantra is that you don't have to deprive yourself of anything as long as you keep things in moderation.The "moderation" part is where I struggle.

Something else I have noticed is that it isn't just going somewhere else that can derail you. Sometimes it's just a matter of not leaving where you are and getting stuck in a rut.

In advance of last weekend's wedding (pictures to come soon - it was a fabulous time!) I was so busy each day that I was honestly forgetting to eat lunch. Let me swear to you, I have never said those words in my life. I find time to eat. If I was busy in the past, I'd find time to at least chug down a Slimfast or grab a Zone bar. Not exactly health-central right there, I know, but oh well, at least they are more well-rounded than, say, cookies from the break room!

Last week, though, I was an insane person, and the afternoons sped past. I hadn't gone food shopping since my last trip out of town, so I hadn't brought in food from home to have at my desk. By the time the clock was striking 4:30 each day, I had realized I missed a major meal, but by then was too close to dinner to eat anything substantial without ruining evening plans. Needless to say, I lost those last few pounds over those few days before slipping on that little bridesmaid dress. It fit like a glove!

And then, guess what? Surprise: I instantly gained those few pounds right back as I ate and drank my way through the festive weekend. Ugh.

I hate rollercoastering on the weight loss journey, but it is something that I find myself accidentally doing all. the. time. Five pounds here, five pounds there, up, down, shorts too tight, dresses too loose. It's killing me. Can't I just reach goal weight and stay there for once? 

At work today, I sent out a congratulatory tweet to an online contact about her recent five-pound weight loss:

I then realized how silly that sounded if I didn't actually do something about it. So I clicked through to WW online, added up my points and sent this out:

This whole rollercoaster effect is why so many people try and ultimately give up on trying to lose the weight. But that doesn't mean I can't keep trying! Those shorts that are a bit too tight right now (aren't shorts the worst? I feel like they are the first thing to show if you have gained any weight - there's not much room for forgiveness!) fit fine last year when I wore them, so why can't they again? If that means I need to hit the gym more often at all and skip that dessert here and there, then fine. I am not depriving myself of food -- if anything, I am instead depriving myself of my clothes and I hate that even more.

Are you a serial rollercoaster, too? What are your tips for turning things around when you find yourself going back up those rails again? In the meantime, I'm paying attention to the things I eat and drink again, so expect to see me less at those Happy Hours and dessert parties while I get things back under control :)