Backsliding

I've become complacent lately.  My cardio workout has become very irregular, I'm not right with my foods.  I've had Chinese, Mexican, almost all my favorite danger foods.  The only thing that has stayed consistent is my strength training routine from out of my Biggest Loser book.  I know exactly why this is happening.  In order to cope with some very stressful things in my life, I've thrown my weight-loss goals under the bus.

What was so stressful?  In a word? Fulbright. I am Russian Language student.  To put it sappily and poetically, the study of Russia is my all-consuming passion.  I applied for the Russian Fulbright program which would allow me to live and teach English in Russia for a whole year.  I started this application process a year ago.  I has been very rigorous.  I don't know how many times I was told by my professors and advisers that my application had to be PERFECT. I was competing against the best and the brightest.  There are only twenty spots available in the whole country and if there are any speed bumps or in your application they will throw you OUT.   All that hard work and stressing out last fall paid off.  Two weeks ago I was named a Fulbright finalist! Hooray!

The next step in the process was a telephone interview.  In Russian.  With a real Russian lady from Moscow.  In preparation for this interview I threw all of my energy into preparing for it.  In addition to that, I used that stress as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted to "keep my stress down".  In a word, I was self-medicating with food, something I used to do all the time, something that has led to my weight gain.   Now that my interview is over (and I think I did really well!!) I'm having trouble getting back on the wagon with my eating and I'm feeling the consequences.  I'm up 3 pounds in the last two weeks.  I've been doing strength training throughout though, so I'm hoping that some of that three pounds is muscle.   One thing I know I can't do is use my strength training as an excuse to eat irresponsibly because I'm "burning calories" and "upping my metabolism".  Even if those things are true and I can't be in the letting things slide mindset.  Today will be spent climbing back on the wagon.  Gotta get back to bid'ness.