To make a long story short, my Mom has been having a lot of scary health issues. Between leaving town for 2-4 days a week, stress, and our routine totally changing, I admit I had been horrible about staying on plan. We've also had so much fast food and restaurant food because we haven't had time to cook or be home. Between Ihop (yes, pancakes!), Culvers, Dairy Queen, and TGI Fridays, I was 100% sure I'd be back at my starting weight.

So I refused to weigh myself, not wanting to see the damage, but I finally decided to own up it and I only gained 3 pounds!! I know it's weird to be happy about gaining 3 pounds, and silly, but usually when I go off a plan, I gain back everything I lost plus some (I'm certain dieting is why I weigh so much in the first place). Even though I haven't lost anything for nearly two months, I'm still about 14 pounds from when I originally started. It makes me eager to get back on plan starting now! I'm going out of town again this week, but now that I know I haven't undone everything, I'm going to use portion control and eat salads at restaurants!! This is my wake-up call that life-style changes are exactly that. I'm setting a goal to lose weight this week despite wherever I eat!

I know this post is rather pointless and silly, I'm just so happy and needed to share with someone! I have a long way to go and lost over a month, but it's great that the three months of work wasn't completely wasted!!

Samantha, your post is not pointless and silly, it is completely understandable.Good luck as you continue,

Pointless and silly... definitely not!!

First of all, congrats on facing the scale. After being bad, that's probably the hardest thing to do. And for me, the first step backwards includes not facing the scale, especially after bad eating.

Even better, congrats on not gaining so much!! That's really fantastic. It means you managed to maintain regardless of how horribly you ate. I like to check restaurant menus before I got out, or I ask for a nutritional guide when I'm there, and make my selections using that.

I hope your mom is doing better.

Not silly at all. My "off plan" periods now mean I maintain or lose just a little, which I see not as a failure but as huge progress from going off plan & gaining lots. It shows how much your attitude towards food & eating has changed for the better. Great job, Samantha!