Weekly weigh-in: A breakthrough?

Last week's weight: 172.8
This week's weight: 169.8
Difference: -3
Total weight lost since January 2010: 102 pounds

I don't really know where to begin. This week has been overwhelming in so many ways. On the down side, my stress level was higher than it's been in months, I barely got a single night's good sleep and I felt hungry a lot. On the up side, I was diligent in my food choices, I exercised almost every day and by the end of the week my body seemed to be adjusting to the decreased amount of food.

I'm elated by a 3-pound loss this week, but I'm just a bit skeptical. Regardless, I feel like this was a breakthrough week. I had several opportunities to do the wrong thing, but I made smart choices. I'm really proud of how I thought through everything I ate and drank. For example, one night while out for dinner with friends, I wanted pizza. But I ordered a salad. I used very little dressing, yet I really enjoyed it. Sure, I would have liked the pizza better, but I would have felt so guilty for eating it.

I don't know whether the number on the scale will stay as low as it was this week. It doesn't matter. I know that mentally I found the strength to truly assess my choices. Even today, as a new week begins, I'm proud that I turned down munchkins from Dunkin Donuts. I did splurge a little at lunch and dinner, but I'm only over my daily Weight Watchers points allotment by a few points.

Oh, and for the record, I don't want anyone to think that I'm losing weight because I don't eat. That's simply not the case. I'm just eating less than I used to. Just to prove it, here's what I ate yesterday: cereal for breakfast, salad with a few bites of meatloaf and pork barbecue for lunch (I got it from a local salad bar), cut up mixed fruit for snack, string cheese for snack, veggie frittata for dinner, a peach for snack, a FiberOne brownie for snack and a Weight Watchers popsicle.

I'm hoping this week's weigh-in finally helped me cross the 100-pounds-lost mark for good. I know it won't be easy to maintain the weight loss much less lose the last 20 pounds, but I feel prepared and I know I can do it if I just set my mind to it. Plus, a quick trip to mall after work gave me a bit of a boost ... I can almost fit into a size 10. That's unbelievable!