So, I weighed myself this morning, mostly to see if what I feel is reality, because, if I’m honest, sometimes it’s not. It was.

The scale says I have gained back everything I lost January-May. Nine lbs that I worked really, unbelievably hard for. I’ll be honest, I’ve been pretty spun up the past couple hours, asking a lot of questions and really giving myself no concrete answers. In a lot of ways, this is completely out of my control, and, as I’ve shared, I don’t want to live my life strict and regimented and in bondage, in ANY area. So, I have goals, and they are realistic and healthy, but I want to achieve them in a way that is not a diet, not a short term burst of effort, after which I’ll return to “normal”, but a sustainable lifestyle. How can I face this frustration with forward motion? For me, that starts with asking some questions.

Ok, so what are some possible reasons that I have gained weight? (Liklihood on a scale from 1-10)

• My period is coming sooooon (8/9)
• Sodium intake over past week or so (7)
• Hormones still jacked from early May kerfuffle (7-9?)
• Overtraining on bike this month (7-can’t help it, I’m having such fun!)
• Turkey sandwich for lunch most days for last few weeks (6?)

What am I feeling most immediately concerned about?

What am I going to wear on vacation that I can feel comfortable and confident in?

I really need some progress to encourage me to not give up and stay in bed and become depressed.

If it is hormonal, how long, and what can I do to fix it?

There is going to be Olive Garden and Birthday cake tomorrow! Waaaah!

What can I do, starting right now, to hopefully get things back on track?

• Lots of water and veggies
• Be really mindful of not overtraining on bike-if a second ride, make sure to stay at a lower intensity, and recover intentionally.
• Make yoga happen!
• Take this week off from sandwiches for lunch? Maybe wait until this is sorted to reintroduce them and watch carefully if there is an effect. *
• Be extra aware of sodium and sugar intake.
• Make a plan for lunch rotation of tasty healthy foods!
• SLEEP

What are some realistic expectations from doing this?

Sodium/muscle soreness related water weight should come off

Sleep should allow better recovery

I just feel better when I eat fewer starches, period.

Exercise performance should improve faster if not overtraining

What can I not control?

• When my period comes
• How fast my body responds

What can I do to make it ok if weight/fat/inches don’t fall off before vacation?

Get a few comfortable flattering knit dresses and skip shorts?

Just rock your swimsuits and have FUN! Fun is beautiful!

What am I going to do right now to continue forward momentum toward my goals and not let this funk last longer than the morning?

• Core and arms workout before jumping on my bike.
• Yoga after the bike while the kids eat lunch
• A NAP after I eat (salad with chicken and watermelon gazpacho)
• Serve fruit and veggies with our Breakfast for Dinner tonight!

*I’m not abandoning Intuitive eating at all-but I am going to pay much closer attention going forward to the messages my body is sending me about what I’m eating. I don’t know for sure if sandwiches aren’t great for me or if this is totally unrelated. I’ll figure that out, eventually. I know I haven’t been over-eating by a long shot, but maybe my body really does respond better to occasional bread than daily bread.

Okay, y’all. I’ve spent the entirety of the last 2.5 hours marinating and fuming and questioning-time for some action!