My journey continues.  My surgiversary as an 11 year veteran of weight loss surgery approaches on 5/28/15.  I can’t believe it has been that long.  Why does my body still think it weighs 424 pounds when I get up from a chair sometimes, or when I am hiking on uneven surfaces?  Will it ever just “get” that I now can move freely, and easily, 100% of the time?  Oh well, that’s a subject for another time.

Today I want to chat about personal accountability.” I alone am responsible for my successes and my failures.” Not my surgery, not my doctor, not my friend who “made” me go out to Happy Hour, nor the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America who just had their 5^th Annual Meet & Greet in San Diego at a hotel surrounded by great restaurants and watering holes.  Not anyone else, just ME.  There I said it.

Before the event I headed off to San Diego with all of my travel foods packed ( protein powder, shaker bottle, jerky, and protein bars), and when I found that I had a refrigerator in my room I went and picked up some Greek yogurts and some string cheese.  I was all set.  I also was responsible for the food served at the event so I knew the protein and calorie counts in all of it.

So how did I come home and step on the scale this morning to find a 4 pound weight gain?  It really wasn’t difficult.  As a matter of fact it was quite easy...Hmmm, let’s review:

• Left home Wednesday evening immediately after facilitating a class and drove for 4+ hours.  Dinner was a protein bar and some jerky
• At about 11PM after checking in to our hotel for the night we ran across the street for some late night protein (extra calories here!)
• Each evening included at least 1 cocktail, or 1 glass of wine.
• Sunday was the worst with a margarita, then chips and guacamole
• Somehow I also thought that a cup of tea, and then a Quest bar before bed was somehow okay
• Monday morning brunch was Maryland crab cake over spinach topped with a poached egg.  At least I had them hold the Hollandaise.
• Back home Monday evening and I made sure to get our luggage out of my car and head quickly to the market to get some of “MY FOOD”.  Dinner was baby spinach, cucumber, tomato, 2 tablespoons feta crumbles, sliced olives and 2 ounces of smoked salmon with 2 tablespoons feta dill dressing.  Whew, back in my groove again.

What was I thinking?  Did I really expect that a drink each evening and guacamole and chips would not have me gaining weight?  Then add in that I worked out each day as planned, however it was for 30 minutes, not 45-90 as per my regular routine.  YES.

I knew that by making the choices I did I would show a weight gain at a time when I was working on losing.  It was okay for me.  Today is day one of me being Back On Track.  It’s 6:30 PM and I have eaten 609 calories, 72 grams of protein and drank 78 ounces of water.  Dinner is mahi-mahi marinated with garlic and sea salt and roasted asparagus.  I swam for 50 minutes this morning, and have my food planned for the week,

I will see the scale move back to last week’s number, and then keep going down.

I have no shame about choosing to have a cocktail, or the guacamole and chips.  I have no time or patience for that emotion in my life.

I made some choices, I owned them, and now I am making other choices. 

I alone am responsible for my successes, and my failures.

I had a wonderful time at the Meet & Greet.  So many familiar faces and so many new ones, great speakers, great parties, and we were raising funds to save lives at the same time.  What could be better?

Update... With my daily accountability I have shed the gain, and am moving full speed ahead.