So, I went to visit my boyfriend in Alaska. I told myself I had the week off, because trying to count calories while on vacation is just. . .well, it's a giant pain in the butt. I also figured, hey, I'll lay off the scale for a couple of weeks afterwards.

Well. I step on again, and it's 10 pounds up after one week. And, really, I know that's not possible, strictly speaking--I mean, I was off-plan, but I wasn't utterly unreasonable--and that I'm currently right at the TOM that I tend to retain the most water, but still, 10 pounds? Really?

I mean, I'm not changing my ticker, because odds are it's mostly water weight, and also I'm stubborn, but still, it was only a freaking week. How unfair is that? Sigh.

I'm back on full plan as of yesterday, and I feel much better, but still. Jeez. I can't have a freakin' week of vacation?

Yep - totally possible. 1-2 lbs of that weight may even be fat!

Most of it of course is water. Most of it will come off just as fast as it went on.

I am thinking about a new signature.

"Live by the scale, die by the scale."

The important thing here is that you didn't let a week turn into a month.

I'm sorry to hear that. It most likely is just water retention from TOM. You might have had a lot of sodium on vaca too, that would help hold water. Just keep going you are doing great.
It will come back off.

I can easily go up that much just from traveling. It really does a number on your body. It'll come back off quickly, just drink lots of water and get right back on plan and you'll be fine.

Yep... Totally possible. But, most of it is water, don't despair. It. Ight take a few days to trickle off, but it will.

Do you put on makeup while on vacation, shower every day, etc.? Losing weight isn't a diet. It's making permanent lifestyle changes that we practice every single day wherever we are.

Or not. If the so-called lifestyle change is really permanent, there is nothing wrong with being a bit more lax for a couple of weeks, occasionally. It's only a problem if you don't return to your plan once the vacation period is over. You do have to accept the consequences of such a vacation period - a little bit of gain that will take a corresponding few weeks to undo - but if you can cope with that, you don't really have to "practice every single day" so rigidly.

A lifestyle change doesn't mean you can't have fun on occasion. It just means you have to understand and learn how to handle the consequences of going off plan. As long as you are aware that you have to undo the things you've done and can live with it, live it up. Have fun. And then get back on your plan. Vacation is about getting away for a while. Not going somewhere else to do the same thing you're getting away from.

You probably should have waited another week to weigh in.

<<It's making permanent lifestyle changes that we practice every single day wherever we are.>>

Well yes, but occasionally indulgences are part of the "new lifestyle" for most of us. If I had to apply a rigid consistency to my food choices every single day for the rest of my life, I would choose to be overweight. For me, part of the enjoyment of travelling is sampling the local foods, and I fully intend to keep doing it!

Freelance

Having the flexibility to sometimes indulge is what makes my plan sustainable. I planned for this week; I was just surprised at the extent of it. I'm not entirely new at this . I was just sort of frustrated.

That being said, yeah, I should've waited. More'n half of it's gone after two days anyway, so yay!