One of my best friends has moved from the DC area to here (Seattle area) this past week. She drove herself halfway across the country and I flew to Sioux Falls SD on Tuesday 8/16 to meet her and road trip with her the rest of the way. We drove about 550 miles each day and travelled through five states (South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Washington). Of course, good food is always an integral part of a fun road trip, and we had our share of good food along the way. We had a couple of truly memorable meals (Silk Road for dinner in Missoula, MT, and Gordy's Sichuan Cafe for lunch in Spokane, WA), as well as a variety of munchies to nibble on during the long drives between stops. With long drives (very little exercise) and more food than I normally eat, needless to say I was not expecting to lose any weight -- particularly since I have again been in a several week long virtual weight loss stall. Yesterday was also a big eating out day -- my friend and I had lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, then met my mom a few hours later for afternoon tea (I had about half a scone and a little shortbread cookie, with some delicious peach-apricot tea), and then a few hours after that DH and I went out to a fantastic Vietnamese restaurant we'd never tried before and I had a variety of delicious bites. So, with all this eating out and road trip munching I've been doing, it was a really pleasant surprise to see I've lost .4 lbs. this week (nothing to brag about for sure, but to be lower than last week, with all the food, that was cool).

Of course I have been pondering the paradox of eating more and losing weight. I do think maybe when we are on such a generally low-cal diet, it's probably a good thing once in a while to increase the calorie uptake to shake up the body chemistry a bit. I am wondering if maybe my body is starting to really hoard fat .... I keep thinking to myself that the "easy" weight loss is over, and I really do have to work harder to lose every pound now. I was losing 8 lbs. a month like clockwork w/o exercising, but once I hit the five month mark my weight loss started really slowing down, and I've been exercising regularly (4 days a week) ever since June and still not losing 8 lbs. a month anymore. I do know that at my current height/weight/age/activity level my body needs about 2,000 calories a day to just to maintain, and even on my worst eating days ever I know I have not ever eaten that many calories. Most days I am eating around 1000 calories -- even yesterday, with all that food (and yesterday was a huge eating day for me) I am sure I didn't even get to 1,500 calories -- so it is a mystery why I am not losing more weight (should be losing 2 lbs. a week). It is something to ponder for sure.

I am exactly 30 lbs. from my goal weight now (I weigh 162 and my goal is 132). As I mentioned, my weight loss this month has been dismal. I still have 5 lbs. to lose for my Labor Day goal and am not so optimistic I will hit it. I am also 3 lbs. from having a BMI of under 30 and it seems like I will NEVER get there ... but I've been in this spot before, and eventually the weight does come off and then I'm onto the next goal.

I had a great walk this morning and am now headed out to the garden to work for an hour or so. I hope that when I check in here next week I will be able to say I am closer to my Labor Day goal!