OHHHH SARAH!! I so wish I had seen your note earlier. It's my bedtime, and with the schedule you're keeping I hope you are LONG asleep now!

Firstly, we know for CERTAIN you didn't gain 3 pounds this week - although there's not a one of us who can't empathize with the brick you must have felt to your head when you saw it. That's not reasonable Sarah and it's easy to confirm that. 1 pound = 3500 calories. To gain three pounds you would have had to eat 10,500 calories OVER the number of calories you are allowed daily this week. You didn't do that, did you (you little devil??) Your calorie deficit in fact shows you should warrant at least some sort of loss, even if it's not what your goal was. DANG IT! we all crave the reinforcement of that "number!!!" There are SO MANY healthful measures, and that is the damned one we're ALL hung on.

Secondly - your work schedule is insane. You might have had a larger sodium intake than you realized which caused some water retention. Did you know also that water retention is prevalent not only in women, but moreso as we age - and even moreso in those who sit for an extended period of time. Even if swelling of your feet and ankles is not noticible, you may be retaining. Do you wear dress shoes at that home job of yours? I'd likely be wearing my slippers. (Might be fun to fool with a tape measure. Find out too how much just one pint of water weighs. Imagine one pint of water dispersed over your body....you wouldn't even notice it.) Do you have regular bowel movements?? (I worked in the medical field and know all the "sizes" and descriptive words for every BM you've had in your lifetime.) This is sincerely though also a consideration when we have those unexplained jumps. Think "ounces." If you use a kitchen scale you might have a reasonable ballpark idea of what "4 ounces" in mass looks. Having irregular bowels throws everyone off, from newborn to geriatric. You may now never poop again that you're not consciously "measuring." HA!! Ask me anything about poop!!!!!!!!!!!

Why are you stuck at that desk?? (This is what made me want to answer before going to bed.) You touched my heart. I suspect you are overtired, overstressed and a little emotional. As a 63 year old person I can better address this question than anyone. You're "stuck at that desk for 10-12 hours a day" and still behind because you haven't quit. I don't know one person who "works at home" - no matter what their age or job description - that isn't getting screwed, who lives in fear of not meeting some impossible quota and who is overstressed. Every single one of them works three times harder than they would in an "office" seat. Maybe it's a financial necessity that you work. Maybe on most days you love your job and don't WANT to retire. Maybe (like my husband) you're scared. Dale turned 62 last month (and me 63.) Financially, he can retire and we will be "comfortable." Not rolling in dough, but "comfortable.") He's fearful of "taking that step" and I keep my mouth shut. He'll know when it's time. This will be my 5th year off, and I have never once looked back. I loved my job working with children and had the best boss in the world. Every day was interesting, fast paced and gave me an opportunity to learn something. Some days my heart got broken and I cried buckets, but the good days far outnumbered the tragic. Honestly, lots of times I came home literally praying in the car because I was so lucky.........I'd do that job for NOTHING!!! I haven't missed it once. I have maintained friendships with several of my patients moms - and more than several of my now grown patients. Who needs work??? I am fulfilled in other ways, and some of them even focus on ME!! From the bottom of my heart Sarah, part of the "stress" I've talked about includes the fact that we lost 6 friends last year. It has caused me many many sleepless sand regrets. "If only I would have" has pretty much been my mantra. You know what? That job doesn't seem so spectacular anymore. If you don't HAVE to work, what price tag would you put on your stress? How "alive" are you on days off. Working 10-12 hours a day, I don't suspect you have too much free time on weekends for "fun stuff." Just food for thought girlfriend. I've learned it the hard way.........and the time for "choices" is lost to me. I'm trying real hard to make better ones these days.

You're doing fine!! Stay on course and the results will show up eventually. Don't let it get you down - THAT is the hard part, eh???

So by the time you're weighing in, I'm going to be sleeping.

G'nite. Angels on your pillow.