Life Running Over: Ups and Downs

I've been a little M.I.A. on here--sorry 'bout that.

Last week I was in Vancouver visiting my family and working without my computer

so keeping up on the blog was a bit of a challenge.

But I'm BACK.

Also a challenge? Celebrating two birthdays, catching up with friends and family and not gaining weight. Whenever I go back and visit (about every 2-3 months and during summers)

I either gain weight or plateau. It isn't that I stopped running. I didn't--I stuck to my training schedule.

It's that there are so many good restaurants there that I don't have

in Spokane. And so many friends and family to go out to dinner with.

And my momma's home cooking

(which is actually pretty healthy, it's just so dang good I eat too much).

Needless to say, I gained a few pounds. And not just last week, but the week before.

I think I new what would happen on my visit so I threw in the towel before

I even started. 7 pounds in all.

But you know what? I don't feel horrible. I had a great visit, my clothes still fit (even my "skinny" clothes) and now that I'm back home I'm back on the eating right wagon.

I've already lost a little over 2 pounds by rigidly sticking to my weight watchers

and I know the rest will come off with a little bit of focus.

It's nice to know that my weight doesn't control me; that the number on the scale, while important to me for my journey and my health, can fluctuate but not ruin my life.

I'm still less than 10 pounds to my next goal weight and they are the

HARDEST flipping pounds to lose!

But I'll get there.