Hey ladies
I'm at work so I can't see the pictures you guys posted, so I'll have to check back again from home this evening and see what I'm missing!
I'm back at work today, and things are okay. It's nice to have the pressure of an impending deployment/non-deployment (depending on the day of the week and which way the wind blows apparently) off of my shoulders. Since I also had a little semi-meltdown my leadership is being extra gentle with me... haha. I suppose I don't blame them, but I don't feel like I'm nutty. I just needed a breather from work and now I've had a bit of a chance to take a step back and am feeling less stressed.
Of course the hard part comes next; working with a therapist to develop some strategies for dealing with stress, keeping my eating under control (why of all things did THAT have to be the stress-reducer for me??), continuing to transition out of the military... yada yada. It's nice to know that I'll have less work to handle in the office though, and that I will be able to spend the holidays with my husband.
Tomorrow night my BFF flies in so that on Friday we can head up to PA to spend the weekend catching up and doing that dang photo shoot. Ugh, I feel SOOOO not ready to be photographed in my undies (or less) but I am committed to it so there is no turning back now. I just have to do my very best to stay OP with my eating while driving all day Friday and Sunday, and being out in PA Saturday. My plan is to hit the gym on Friday before we hit the road and to do cardio/abs/etc. at the hotel during the weekend.
After that, I'll be back at work Monday and then leaving AGAIN to fly out to Colorado to meet up with my hubby for Turkey Day. Once again I'll be battling with traveling and keeping my diet on plan; flying Tuesday, driving Wednesday, Thanksgiving on Thursday (Um, yeah... eating my face off that day)

driving on Friday and flying again on Saturday. Gaaaaahhhh!!
My plan is to eat well except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and EITHER our Unit Holiday party OR New Year's Eve. So... that's 3 days between now and the end of the year. 3 days in the next 7 weeks... I think I can do that. It's going to be hard, but I really need to get myself back on track... if for no reason other than just to prove to myself that I can.
Things were OK with my husband this past week. He is the most amazing, loving, supportive person I have ever known... BUT, I just don't do a good job of explaining what I'm feeling right now. It's hard to try to talk to him about my recent struggles with eating from stress because he's one of those people that has absolutely zero emotional attachment to food. He can take it or leave it and really doesn't give food much thought. He doesn't understand that for some reason when I get stressed I turn to food (like so many of us do) and doesn't understand that I feel powerless right now. Each day is a struggle.
Hopefully next week during our road trip for Turkey Day I will be able to have some uninterrupted time to find my words and explain it a bit more.
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Mottainai - It sounds like you had a rough couple of days but you aren't beating yourself up over it too much, so that's great! I can totally relate to all of those things you mentioned; the weigh-ins (whether good or bad) being a trigger and the idea of timelines being triggers as well. Perhaps it's a good idea that you are choosing to stop weighing for a while, but that doesn't eliminate the timeline pressure you've put on yourself. What is your plan to shake that mentality? Thats a HARD one, I know.
Right now I am dealing with the holiday pressures. I know it sounds rediculous, but when I know I have a Treat Day coming up (like Thanksgiving for example) it's so easy to just think "well, I'll get back on plan AFTER Thanksgiving" rather than being extra diligent until then. When I know that I'll be indulging at a party or special event I sometimes even have trouble sleeping and think "I might as well have a midnight snack..." LOL crazy huh?!
Krampus - Congratulations on NOT gaining during your vacation! I don't think I've managed that one yet... hahaha. I usually put on a couple of pounds but generally it's mostly water and any damage is undone in a few days. I don't think I've ever come back straight away and not been up, so that's pretty impressive to me!
I'm so sorry about your dealings with your friend. It's hard when things like that happen, but good on you for realizing that it's a toxic situation and not fretting over trying to save it. If she comes back around and apologizes later on down the road, great, but it seems like you have a full happy life with or without her. Her loss if you ask me.
LockItUp - You mentioned that you wanted to celebrate your weight loss milestone with food... did you? You mentioned being a bit bloated but I might have missed why. Either way, I don't think it's at all weird to want to celebrate such a huge milestone with some treats. Food is good! It's meant to be enjoyed and it's one of lifes greatest pleasures! As long as we can indulge and get back on plan there is NOTHING to feel guilty about. You know that I normally have planned Treat Days where I really tuck in to some great food and I DO NOT feel guilty about doing that.
... it's only when I DON'T plan on it and do anyway that causes a problem... LOL
Turbo - You put hot dogs in your Kraft Mac n' Cheese? Are you SURE you aren't an American?

I'm so glad you enjoyed your birthday and actually took some 'me' time. Too often we get pulled in so many directions by other people when the spirit of the day is to do what YOU want to do!
How is your hip feeling?
Kakers - It sounds like the dance competition went really well! Any more fun events coming up in the near future? You seem to always have something going on.
Leila - Mmmm, Mexican and booze... you are a braver woman than I for actually weighing after such an event! I'm not hopping on the scale again until this time next week! hahaha
Chickie - Is it weird that I am jealous of your kids because of that party?? You sure put a ton of work into it!
I'm terribly sorry if I've missed anyone and that I didn't do a great job on personals... I just had a lot to catch up on and frankly, I really have to pee! hahaha