Hi Kate:
Just wanted to tell you I know how you feel. My personal opinion is the pounds come back on way quicker than they used to and the slightest change results in weight gain. This summer when I felt I was watching and attentive but trying to relax things a little bit I was also surprised by the scale.
The positive thing I learned is staying away from the scale is not an option for me for more than a week.
Good luck
I've loved your posts too and wondered where you went! Welcome back!!
It sounds like you're taking a lot of lessons from these 8 months, which is such an important part of this process! Thanks for posting, because I really like to hear about how people deal with maintanence... I know I'm going to have a lifetime battle with all of this and want to prepare myself for the good and the bad...