The week of the metaphorical "step back"

As the title suggests, I was not the most diligent of "pledgers" this week.  Despite the many steps forward I feel I've taken, I'd call this week an overall "step back."  Considering my most recent weigh in (down to 209.8... a total loss of 11.8lbs!), I think I'm being a little rough on myself... however, I'm well aware that the next 30 lbs will not come off if I keep this behavior up. 

It all started on Thursday night.  Actually, it started Wednesday night when I couldn't resist the temptation of a McDonald's hot fudge sundae... But hey, of all the things I could eat at McDonald's, a hot fudge sundae is definitely the lesser of many evils. Well, perhaps my pledge vacation really began last weekend when I drank more than a "moderate" amount alcohol and decided to get some late-night, slightly drunk food... I'm often left unsatisfied with such dining escapades, but that was definitely not the case last weekend.  I had the most delicious tacos known to woman, leaving me with the lasting imperssion of drunk-food as an ever-satisfying experience.  Not good.

Anyway...back to Thursday. I went out to dinner with my dear roommate Sean and his wonderful sister Jessie as well as her equally wonderful boyfriend Joe.  We met at this east-African restaurant, and since I'd never been before I'd decided I could go "all out."  And go all out I did.  Not only did I get a beer, I also opted for the combo platter rather than the normal, single portion.  Guess who ate every crumb or dollup of her gravy/curry-esque "slop" (for lack of better descriptors)?!  I sure as hell did.  I also ate the majority of the spongey sourdough tortilla of sorts it was served on... I apologize for the very rough and improper (yet hopefully non-offensive) terminology.  I wasn't really suffering from eater's remorse, however, as I know the occasional "step back" will happen.  But I did feel a little guilty about the fact that Jessie and Joe treated... what doll-faces!

Speaking of Jessie and Joe, I actually met them in the middle of a GAGAerobics session.  I was likely on the floor doing one of my many abdominal exercises, but  observers unfamiliar with GAGAcise could easily mistake such techniques for birthing methods.  And, per usual, I was sweating like an 8th grade boy at a roller rink... for those of you who haven't been to a roller rink in awhile, that's pretty damn sweaty (yes, I was just at a roller rink last weekend).

Back to my pledge-deviation.  Well, not only did I eat too much African cuisine on Thursday night, I then decided to get some frozen yogurt.  And by some, I mean a copius amount of it.  Sure, frozen yogurt's not all that bad for you.  But once you add some Twix pieces, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs and cookie dough, your once healthy treat has become no more than a vehicle for chocolate. 

The week of the metaphorical "step back" continued on Saturday night.  AJ, one of my best gay boyfriends, was having a housewarming party.  There was much wine and hors d'oeuvres involved, and once again I was not holding back.  Deciding I could drink as much as I wanted lead to the decision that I could eat whatever I wanted.  AJ and his roommates Jon and Tiffany are quite the little kitchen warriors, so I was unable to resist their pesto pizzas, tomato tarts, quiches, cheeses and LITTLE SMOKIES!  And Jon may have single handedly destroyed The Pledge of Glory with his lemon ricotta cookies...  seriously, these were the most delicious non-chocolate cookies ever.  I had not one, not two, but three of them.  It seems I had triple portions of everything I ate that night... the Jackie of yesteryear was back.  It was actually a little frightening.  It was as if I was getting this high from knowing I was cheating on my diet... I kept eating not because I wanted to, but because I knew I wasn't supposed to being so.  I guess that's how dieitng goody-goodies "rebel."  How pathetic.

Just as my food choices had been lack-luster, so was my exercise routine.  I took the whole weekend off from GAGAerobics, and this likely had much to do with my pledge-deviation.  Just hearing the music is enough to motivate me.  So yesterday when I GAGAcised for the first time in what felt like forever, I was instantly back on the wagon.  It's a new week and a new opportunity to kick some Pledge of Glory ass.

Here's hoping that, unlike my dream last night, I'm able to refrain from competitive cupcake eating contests!

"I just wanted to take a moment because we lost a little monster this week... Jamey, I know you're looking down on us and you're not a victim, you're a lesson to all of us."  -- Lady Gaga (when dedicating her song "Hair" to Jamey Rodemeyer, a bullied gay 14-year-old  who recently took his life)

Love. Peace. GAGAerobics.

Jackie