I REALLY SHOULD HAVE WORN STRETCHIER PANTS

Today was the celebratory day of shopping for my self and a friend (who I now know is an avid reader of my blogs ; P) who completed a loose 10lbs in one month challenge.  She succeeded, I came up 4.5lbs short.   The deadline for the weigh in was last Wednesday and, thanks to over consumption of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread and an orgy of pies, I didn't exactly hit the target.  I thought I'd generously give myself an extension to Friday, but due to some serious water retention from forces beyond my control, the scale was not my friend.  Will check again next week, but will have a blow torch handy if the scale is not in my favour.

In light of my somewhat dismal failure at the weight loss challenge, which was my idea by the way, I said I was not going to buy anything other then a new sports bra.  Do you know what it's like for a woman to be in a mall full of clothes and say "I'm just looking?"  It's like trying to hold back the sea, and the sea, she's very angry.  Before I knew it i was standing in a change room with what seemed like a rack full of clothes, like I just said "bring me all the clothes, I will wear them!!"  Actually it was two shirts and one dress, but still...

My typical experience with shopping has been this:  If you have money and you want to find new clothes, there is nothing but hideous things that don't fit and make you look like you squoze yourself into sausage casing.  If you have no money and you don't need to buy anything, you'll find an entire wardrobe that is perfect.  My other typical experience with shopping is that I hate the mirrors in the mall.  Is it the lighting, the angle of the mirror?  I know I didn't leave the house looking like bozo the clown after a night of binge drinking and a pizza eating contest, why do I look like that now?  Today, as any other day when I was "just looking,"  the shopping mall stars aligned.  The store mirrors made me look fantastic, the clothes didn't look like I was trying to squeeze myself into a child's size and there were oh so many wonderful shirts, dresses & jackets to choose from.  So I shopped.  I did show some restraint, but still I flexed my plastic muscle a little bit more then I would have liked to.  But I have to admit, it felt pretty damned good to be comfortable in my skin and wearing clothes that didn't make me look like a dump truck, so even though I splurged more then I should have, I don't regret it.

What I will regret is the feeding frenzy that happened post shopping spree.   Both my friend and I have been working hard, and eating clean (with the exception of the Thanksgiving weekend) and so when we got to the restaurant, in spite of my best intentions, the food monster in me was unleashed.  There was poutine, and nachos, and cheesy garlic bread and wings and some kind of mexican tuna concoction.  Our whole table was covered in plates of food.  There was enough for another 4 people to have joined us.   The servers kept trying to clear the plates even before we had emptied them.  I think its because the other patrons were starting to get uncomfortable.  And we ate as though we had never had food before, and after 4 weeks of eating very healthy, it was almost like I had never had food like that before.  I am so full it's disgusting.  I just got home, I can't believe my pants didn't explode on the ride back from the city.   Fortunately for me, I'm starting a 3 day raw cleanse on Monday and boy do I have something to cleanse now.

Here's to hoping your Saturday night is as full and robust as mine was!

Cheers,