Has it really been 10 days since I blogged last? I guess in truth, I have been avoiding this, but it's time to get honest. After my last blog, I had 4 days until the starting weigh-in of the next biggest loser contest. Well, without boring you with the details, I got myself involved in a project Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings that afforded me an excuse to not exercise. Actually, two of those nights, I could have if I had just planned better. But I didn't. I also was home alone those days as Steve was visiting family. I found myself with the thought that I would take the days "off" since my next weigh-in would be a starting point again, no harm or foul if I weighed more than my ending weight last round. I justified it by thinking I had been SO good for 12 weeks, I deserved a few days off. Well, I paid for it. After not exercising those days and eating basically anything I wanted (well....not anything I wanted, just didn't say no to things in front of me) I faced the weigh-in expecting to have gained a pound or two. Yeah...if only! I gained 4.2 pounds!! What??? Seriously??? Okay, you have to remember that through the first 12 weeks I always had a loss.....even if it was a small one. Giving myself permission for a small gain for the one week between contests was one thing, this was too much. I gained back almost 1/5th of what I had lost. OUCH!!! Guess that showed me. While it has no impact on this next round of the contest, it does mean having to lose those 4.2 pounds over again. Dang it! Guess that also means I have to take down my "25 pounds lost" icon.......sniff, sniff.

Okay, so get over it Lauri and make it right again. So, what have I done since? Well, that was last Thursday evening. Friday morning we left on a camping trip. Once there, we decided to go fishing, so everyone climbed into cars to drive down to the lake. NOT ME! I insisted on walking, and actually had a friend walk with me. Afterwards, I absent mindedly climbed back into the car when we were done, then realized as we drove across the parking lot, so made him stop to let me out so I could walk back up the hill. I behaved myself with food.....only one exception. As everyone was roasting marshmellows and making s'mores (sigh), I took one marshmallow and nibbled on it...no roasting, no chocolate, no graham crackers. Not great, I know, but at least I avoided the other ingredients. Next day a friend and I went on an exploration walk. So, I did get in some exercise and stayed pretty much on plan with food. Monday night I went out and did my two mile walk/run. Definitely could tell I've been away from the running too long. Last night I met a friend and we went to an indoor track. Running was much better. One of these days I will be able to run a mile without stopping, but that is still a long ways off, probably. But instead of walking two, running one like we did before, we walked two, ran two. (A lap is only 1/12th of a mile, so still a small feat.) It felt good and it was an improvement. So weigh-in is tomorrow evening. Not having a decent scale at home, I don't know where I stand. Any chance I could lose in a week what I gained in a week? It is extremely windy today, very high gusts, so I think I will go back to the indoor track tonight. I will update after my weigh-in tomorrow night. Cross your fingers!