This past week has been quite the roller coaster, full of ups and downs. The good news in this is that I’m still here, sticking to plan, despite the return of old head games.

This week started with the big challenge I mentioned in last week’s blog: an annual wine festival we attend. Despite my anxieties regarding my mobility at the event, I did better than expected. There were mishaps, but they had little to do with my weight — such as being stung by a yellowjacket wasp. Other than that, my biggest weight concern turned out to be guilt: my (grown) daughter and her best friend were also visiting, and they stayed with me much of the day, which I enjoyed and appreciated — but I also felt like they were limiting their activities on my account. I don’t like the thought of limiting other people’s enjoyment of an activity. I’d much rather they go do what they intended to do; I accept my limitations, and while I’m not crazy at all about them, they’re mine and shouldn’t be anyone else’s.

Regardless, it was a good weekend; gorgeous weather, great surroundings, and time spent with people I love. These are all great reasons not to let myself be a hermit, which I often do.

After a weekend traveling, eating foods that aren’t on plan (although not overly so), and not drinking enough water, I expected a water weight gain — and I got it, to the tune of 8 pounds.

21 lb. Weimaraner Puppy — I’ve lost him!

Now, I know why it happened; I expected it to happen, although it’s always difficult to know how much of a bounce a change in diet will cause. I knew that not only would I be dealing with water retention issues, since my body retains water very easily, I’d also be replenishing glycogen stores, which would create more of a water gain. Returning to increased water take and restricted carb levels would take care of both, but it would take a few days.

Regardless of that logic, the moment I saw an eight pound gain on the scale, my Inner Walt kicked in and started whispering in my ear, frustrating me over the gain. Maybe you won’t lose it. Do you realize that’s almost half the weight you’ve lost to date? Maybe you didn’t work hard enough to keep the loss. You did something wrong – obviously.

When this negative crap starts, my mood sours and I just want to give up, which is dumb. It goes against all logic, but I’m hardly the only person who lets small frustrations get to me. I’m glad to say that I haven’t given in, even if the weight gain did wreck my mood for much of the week.

It’s times like this that I have to remind myself of the positives; that I can tell my clothes are fitting better, that perseverance will pay off, and when I’ve lost more weight, these water weight bounces won’t be as mentally devastating. I did stay on plan, and as a result, lost the water weight — and another pound. I’m now down 20.6 pounds; my counter says 21 and I’ll let that ride, even though my stupid Inner Walt is telling me I don’t have the right to claim .4 lb of the 21.

I consider the week a success; my loss may not have been as great as I would have liked, but it’s still a loss, and more importantly, I’m still in the game.