You know what they say about a plan? The only reason to have one is in case something better doesn’t happen. As we all know, my plan is to lose 100 pounds. In my perfect world, I’d lose 2 pounds a week at a steady pace and achieve my goal easily by the end of this year.

Low and behold, this week something better happened. I pretty much stayed the same, gaining 1/2 pound and losing 1/2″. A solid BM will get me back to where I ended last week, and I’m trying really hard not to get bummed after last weeks triumphant beginning. This journey is a long one and everything isn’t going to go as planned.

Reasons I think the weight didn’t come off this week:

• I stopped going to sleep by 10:30 and resumed some previously bad habits. Along with a little help from my sleep companions, the ZZZ’s flailed.
• Not eating enough food. After going on a sushi bender on Saturday I freaked out and stopped snacking. Bad idea.
• Didn’t drink enough water. Last week I was really good about sipping on water all day long and this week I slacked.
• Birthdays and weight loss are not good friends. Porter’s 2nd birthday was a blast, but I’m glad it won’t happen for another year.

Now, here are the things I learned this week, which turn out to be just as important as losing pounds and inches:

• I have enough energy to POWER through dance class. This has been the hardest for me since I started dancing again late last year and I’m ecstatic to finally have enjoyed a class again.
• I wouldn’t have come to this conclusion without a little help from my friend Chelsea. She said, awhile back, that when she eats sugar she becomes less nice and more irritable. This was exactly the case for me. My patience, listening skills and temper have been much better and more pleasant since I stopped eating sugar and refined foods. My two year old doesn’t know it yet, but it’s made his life a lot happier too.
• Because of the last point, I’m having a great time being a mom. I have more energy to play, patience to read books, better attitude in the early AM, will power to resist the television and more love in general. I’m feeling like a good mom, which you may or may not understand, and that’s a big deal.
• I get what can best be described as a cramp in my foot when I don’t eat right, always have. It has now left my body.
• I’m still optimistic. I know what needs to be done and I’m not going to be flung off course by a week that didn’t go as planned.

And now for the numbers:

	Last Week	This Week	Difference
Weight (lbs)	252.5	253	+0.5
Left Leg (in.)	31.5	Same	0
Hips (in.)	53	Same	0
Waist (in.)	46	Same	0
Chest (in.)	47	46.5	-0.5
Left Arm (in.)	17	Same	0
Neck (in.)	15.5	same	0

TOTALS: Gain 0.5 lb lost 0.5 inch

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