Nothing Gained, Nothing Lost

Just got in from a nine-hour drive from Orlando, including a trip to Raleigh-Durham International to pick up Skyler (who flew in with the coaches and team); a pit stop at the house to unload the van; then dropping the van off at Enterprise; stopping by the bank to get cash to pay the guy who came by twice a day to take care of Tanner – yet Tanner still manager to knock every pillow off every couch and leave pounds of dog hair in his wake; swing back by the house to pick up Sky and drop her off at practice (no rest for the weary), and now back home.

Finally.

It was a weekend of breaking just about every eating rule I’d made for myself, including TWO different buffets. So of course, one of the first things I did when I got home was jump on the scale. Then jump off. Then jump on again. Then strip bare and jump on yet again.

Conclusion: By some miracle of the universe, I don’t believe I gained. I didn’t lose, either.

I’ll know for sure in the a.m., which is when I usually weigh myself. But after accounting for clothing, it being late afternoon after little sleep and a long drive (read: water retention), I figured I broke even. Not the result I wanted, but better than I deserve.

For starters, it was my first time dealing with a “vacation rental,” but the townhouse was fab. It was new, immaculate and beautifully furnished. I did not want to leave.

My daughter stayed with her team and all 8 million other cheerleaders (I’m sure that’s a slight exaggeration; but that’s what it looked like) at their specified Disney resort. My son, hubby, mother, brother, sister-in-law and I stayed at the townhouse. Everything was there except food, so it’s not entirely my fault that there were so many things to eat.

It is entirely my fault I ate what I did. But let the record show, I only had one piece of the chocolate cheesecake my sis-in-law bought, and none of the ice cream. I was responsible for the morning muffins, but also the fresh fruit.

Now, about those buffets … I love seafood. I would eat nothing else if given the option, and there I was in  lorida. Long story short, my mother and I pretty much strong-armed everyone else into going to an expensive seafood buffet. Even though I’d sworn off all buffets, I had to make an exception. I mean, they had whole lobsters on there.

Last night, we picked up Sky and had dinner together at Golden Corral, a place that would satisfy everyone’s different tastes. Me, I had all vegetables – green beans, broccoli, three-bean salad and mac ’n cheese (hey, I needed some carbs).

But I also did a lot of walking, and worked out in the pool. That helped, along with the unseasonably hot temperatures over the weekend.

Most importantly, though, it was the first time in several months I was actually able to relax somewhat, and I guess I translated that into relaxing my diet as well.

But I’m back, and back on track.

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. ~  Frederick Douglass

Leslie J. Ansley is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur who blogs daily for TheRoot. She lives in Raleigh, NC.