Stepping on the scale

I did it. It took me a couple days, but I actually did it!
I stepped on the scale after Thanksgiving!

and..........

My weight is the same.
WHEW!  I was very worried.  I don't believe I ate too MUCH food (portions), but being at my mother-in-laws (MIL), I didn't have all the types of foods I would normally have available, and therefore ate what was there.
My MIL is a carb addict...and I know this because I have seen her eat, I have heard her talk, and I recognize my own addiction in her. 
And she has admitted that she would be unable to give up bread (or alcohol, but that's another story).  And I see the look in her eye when she says it...she shares my carb addition. 
It's not chocolate for her, it's breads and rolls and buns and crackers. 
Yep, I totally get that.

Anyway...back to me.
When I returned, I had some carbs to finish off (another sign of my addiction - I cannot just throw carbs away, I have to finish them off).  Then Monday I went to 2 shakes, one meal, and two protein snacks.  I'm doing the same meal plan today.
It helps me get OFF the carbs again.

So, what do you do to "recover" from a food holiday?


(ps...I did bring some of my own food to eat, I wasn't totally at a loss for low carb foods.  But I never quite know what I'm getting into as some seemingly "safe" foods are made "unsafe" by her.  For example, she puts sugar in deviled eggs-something I would have NEVER expected and therefore cannot prepare.)

Vacation is over

We are sitting in our vacation condo drinking coffee on our final morning of our vacation...
sigh...

It has been eight glorious days of rest and relaxation, and I suppose I'm ready to go home to my regular routine.
But...I know my eating has to be reined in, and, being a food addict, that makes me sad. 
I'm willing to rein it it, but I know it's hard.  REALLY hard sometimes.

But I'm willing...and that is the first step.

So on the drive home I'll open my laptop and plan my meals for the week.  Then when we get home I'll go shopping and get my meals cooked for the week.  And it will feel good.

But for the next 10 minutes, I'm just going to sit here and allow myself to be sad.

I'm baaaaack!!

It took for-EVER but I'm finally feeling better!  I had the worst cold I've ever had, and the cough is still with me.

I have very very mild asthma, but it has really been affected with this cold and I have used my inhaler every 4 hours every day for the last three weeks!  I've never used that much inhaler since I got asthma 8 yrs ago!!
Anyway...I'm better now.

And we are currently on vacation.
We're in a resort town in northern Minnesota.  It's beautiful as the lakes are sheets of glass, the skies are quite blue, the leaves are browns and reds and golds (past their prime but still very pretty) and you can see through the tree trunks to see wildlife.  It is my favorite time of the year!

However...it is not the best time of the year for resorts. 
Everything is closed.
The golf is closed.
The fishing charters have stopped.
The amusement parks and tourist stops are closed.
The only thing open are gift shops...and only half of them are open.
So we spend our days hiking in the woods and shopping.
It's not a bad vacation-life....but we are starting to feel like we're missing out on quite a bit of the items one should see when in this area.  And we're starting to get bored...

Now to the food.
Yuck.
No wait, the food here is delicious...but I find myself doing waaaaay too much munching!  And not on items I'm happy to be munching! 
Too many carbs.  Too many smaller meals instead of three defined meals.   Not enough protein.
And I feel stuffed. 
We are spending a bit of time in a swimming pool and therefore in swimming suits...and I feel like I LOOK stuffed.

I really have to get back on track and actually lose the 20lbs I KNOW I need to lose.

I have started and restarted and restarted losing these same 20 lbs about a million times.
I am able to start and stick with it for awhile...but I would love suggestions on how to STAY on it past the first five days...