Weekly weigh-in: Right where I want to be

Last week's weight: 173.2
This week's weight: 171.6
Difference: -1.6
Total weight lost since January 2010: 100.2

I was disappointed with last week's weigh-in and now I'm pleasantly surprised this week. That just goes to show, once again, that I am on a journey for life and I shouldn't get too upset from week to week.

After gaining nearly 5 pounds during my vacation to Asheville, I set a goal of getting back to the 100 pounds lost mark before heading out for another vacation on July 4. And I did it! There's something about being at that point that makes me feel better about letting go while on vacation.

Of course, I'm still going to try to make smart choices, but I'm also not going to worry about eating s'mores over a camp fire or having a few beers. I'll probably gain 5 pounds again. So what? This is how I imagine the rest of my life being ... gain a few pounds, lose a few pounds.

To reach my ultimate goal, I want to lose 20 more pounds. But I'm realistic about how long that might take because my goal is to do it while enjoying my life. A year? Two years? Does it really matter how long it takes? I'm a size 12, which is the smallest I've been since the seventh grade. I eat healthier and I exercise more than I ever have in my life. And I feel good.

So I think I'm right where I want to be ... for now.

Weekly weigh-in: Disappointed

Last week's weight: 173.4
This week's weight: 173.2
Difference: -0.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.6

I tried really hard this week, so I expected to see a better result on the scale when I weighed-in yesterday. I was diligent about tracking my Weight Watchers points and I exercised six out of seven days. In fact, I barely went over my daily points allotment and I earned far more activity points than I used. Why didn't the scale reward my efforts?

Feeling frustrated, I went a little overboard yesterday -- using 18 of my weekly points in one day. I didn't even eat anything worth it (well, except two mini cupcakes). Instead, I wasted those valuable points on snacking simply because I was disappointed with the number on the scale.

As usual, I feel bad about it today. So I've spent the morning searching recipes and making a plan for the weekend that should keep me from repeating yesterday's mistakes. But it won't be easy. All I can seem to think about our foods that aren't good for me.

Weekly weigh-in: The right direction

Last week's weight: 175.8
This week's weight: 173.4
Difference: -2.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.4

After two weeks of gaining, I was thrilled with this morning's weigh-in. I'm not back to where I was, but at least I'm headed in the right direction.

One of my biggest fears is that I won't be able to maintain my weight loss ... for the rest of my life. I'm trying to be reasonable about gaining a few pounds here and there, especially when I'm on vacation or celebrating special occasions. But I'm really happy to see that I can lose those pounds.

This week has been particularly difficult. For some reason, I've wanted to snack a lot. I've tried to stick to healthy snacks, though, so I think that helped with the weight loss. I also exercised a lot this week, and that always makes a difference.

My goal right now is to lose at least two more pounds before the Fourth of July, which is when I'll be on vacation again. I won't feel as guilty about splurging if I go into it having lost 100 pounds. I'm also getting my head wrapped around the fact that I'm a size 12 and as long as that doesn't change, I shouldn't worry too much about a few pounds.

Weekly weigh-in: Back to basics

Last week's weight: 171
This week's weight: 175.8
Difference: +4.8
Total weight lost since January 2010: 96

As I expected, letting myself eat and drink pretty much whatever I wanted while on vacation in Asheville showed up on the scale. I gave myself 5 pounds grace and apparently I needed it. And don't forget I gained a pound the week before. That means I'm up almost 6 pounds in two weeks. Yikes.

I am slightly panicked, but I'm encouraged that between Walmart and Harris Teeter I spent $100 today and bought nothing but foods that are good for me. I have three different recipes I'm trying tomorrow -- mini egg white frittatas, lowfat moussaka and stir-fry chicken and veggies. That should keep me busy tomorrow and it should ensure that I stay on track this week.

Planning ahead is going to be extremely important this week because I'm working nights. I'm a little worried that the vending machine (or even fast food) will get the better of me. I'm going to try to resist. The good part about working nights is that I am much more likely to exercise before work.

So I'm going to try not to let a couple of bad weeks (especially since vacation was so worth it) bother me. I just need to do the right thing for the next few weeks and I'll be back where I was in no time ... by July 4, I hope, since I'll be taking another vacation then.