"It's okay. You're on vacation!"

I'd like to dedicate this entry to a certain someone who is probably reading this because he's bored at work right now. Thanks for encouraging me to keep writing, even if it's just to say that I've got nothing going on whatsoever.

Having said that, these last few weeks haven't been all that exciting on the diet front, but that all changed this weekend. My Midwestern family and I hauled ourselves to Arizona to attend my cousin's beautiful resort wedding, an event I had been looking forward to for a long time. I wasn't just awaiting yet another legendary family party. After two months and two weeks on Jenny Craig, I knew this would be my first big test. Could I put my knowledge to work and eat sensibly amid three days of alcohol, Indian food, and wedding cake? It was a challenge that made me both nervous and excited. I truly felt I was ready to win.

The story really begins at the airport on Friday morning. It was the first time I had seen my parents and sisters since starting the program 19 pounds ago. I was anxious to find out if they noticed a difference in me, especially in the smaller-sized clothes I had just bought. I wasn't disappointed. They couldn't believe the progress I had made up to this point. I also got a positive, encouraging reaction from cousins, aunts, and uncles who hadn't seen me in awhile, either. I can't even begin to describe how amazing that felt.

Now, even with all of this motivation to keep my eye on the prize, I have to confess that I wasn't a very good Jenny client this weekend. I started off fine eating my Jenny breakfasts and fruit in the mornings, but by the time lunch came around, I was scarfing down sandwiches the size of baseball bats and creamy Indian food filled with delectable butter and cheese. Yum. I admit, I did feel a little guilty. I promised myself I wouldn't, but it had been months since I pigged out like that. And one reaction kept creeping up from people around me all weekend: "It's okay. You're on vacation! Enjoy yourself!" Indeed, I was on vacation, and I definitely was enjoying myself. But I'd made a personal vow to try to stay on track as best as possible, which totally didn't happen.

So now the question: did I pass or fail my big exam? Regardless of the fact that I clearly fell off the wagon, I'd say I passed. This weekend, I proved to myself that I don't need food to have a fantastic time. I chose to eat all the goodies around me because I wanted to enjoy them, not because I felt emotionally obligated to chow down, or because I was bored. The bottom line is that I still feel amazing about myself, and I have every intention to get reorganized and continue working on my eating habits. The reaction I got from my family was more than I could ever have wanted, and that has me more motivated than ever.

I started this program for a reason: to change my lifestyle. That takes time and a lot of practice. I won't give up, and I won't let one weekend of indulging alter everything I've worked so hard to achieve up to this point. I probably won't weigh myself for a couple of weeks, but I certainly won't feel incredibly guilty about enjoying myself for a few days.