Expect The Unexpected

During the first few weeks of the month I was becoming much more comfortable with my exercise program. It was feeling more routine, and the positive mental aspects were all coming back to me. Daily exercise was becoming a more habitual experience, and my food intake was spot on with the program. I also found myself becoming less concerned with how the scale was reacting. I wouldn't call it a "plateau", though it seemed that my body was still adjusting to regular physical activity. I was on the right track, but I knew there was a monkey wrench just waiting to be thrown into the mix. A holiday. And not just a long weekend at home, we're talking out of the country. My dear cousin was having her wedding in Mexico, and though our extended family is spread all over North America, we all remain quite close. Save for a few exceptions, the entire family would convene in Cabo San Lucas for a week of food, drink, and much celebration. A wonderful combination, but not conducive to any form of weight-loss program.

I arrived with the best of intentions. After the first evening, I rose bright and early to hit the gym. My Aunt and Uncle from Salt Lake City were also there, also trying their best to keep their routines intact. I felt great as I rocketed through an hour-long session of weights, bookended by light cardio. Unfortunately, my first visit to the gym was also my last. Though I was up early enough every morning, all it took was a day or two before my gym routine was replaced with a much less strenuous activity: Lounging Around. That's not to say the entirety of my days were spent horizontal. There was a fair amount of walking, swimming, and playing in the waves. Activities that are deceptively vigorous.

Meal times were sporadic at best, but always well stocked. My Aunt from New Brunswick was at the helm for the most part, but as the week wore on, we became more independent with our daytime meals. Everyone was operating on their own schedules, and this tended to work better. All of the food was stored in the "adults" room on the other side of the resort from the "cousins" room. I stocked our own fridge with a few quick "heat and eat" items in case of late-night emergencies, but they weren't very popular or necessary. Needless to say, we were well fed. But not having snack items in our room was quite the blessing. I found myself eating much less than usual, and the calorie intake from the daily meals (by my estimate), was enough to sustain my requirements. I wasn't keeping a daily log of my intake, but found myself mentally flagging possible trouble spots. For example, one breakfast offering consisted of eggs, pancakes with syrup, and fried ham. I had some eggs on toast, followed by a single pancake (light on the syrup), and some fresh fruits and veggies. Not the heartiest of meals, but by skipping the "big ticket" items, I was able to smartly avoid the high calorie options. This is how I operated through the week. There was always a lower calorie option that I could load up on, while still being able to sample some of the more decadent options. (Avocado and paneer, FTW!)

As I arrived home sunburned and exhausted (3 flights and 1 overnighter - both ways), I was more than a little curious to see how much damage I had done. I honestly expected to have put on no less than 5 pounds, attempting to convince myself that would be an acceptable margin of gain, though I'd done everything I could to prevent such a thing from happening. I'd already gone through the entire month without ANY loss, so a gain at this point would be crushing. I eased both feet on the scale the morning after arriving home. I closed my eyes and looked downwards, and as I slowly squinted them open I expected the worst. DOWN 2.2? Come on now. That can't be right. I reset the scale and try again. Same result.

Wow. Expect the unexpected, I suppose. :D

I'd like to extend a HUGE thanks to my Mom and Grandma for making this trip possible, and a special thanks to all my family for making it a memorable one.

And to the newlyweds: Cookies & Cream.........Reese's Pieces.