Check-in

I'm back from the Fall Turn Off week. We did really well with TV, that was easy. I didn't fare as well with the Internet, though. We'll have to do it more often. Our evenings at home were much better when my husband or I were not glued to the computer. We went for walks after dinner twice, played Go Fish with our son and did puzzles.

Here's the scale update: grumble grumble grumble. I somehow gained a pound this week. Despite staying on plan and eating right! I exercised 3 times and went for 4 walks. Granted, the walks involved a 3 year old, so they weren't strenuous, but still! This set point is so frustrating for me! I'm not feeling as motivated. Yesterday I really wanted to eat eat eat bad things. But, I didn't.

I've been struggling with being sucked into that dark pit that is Sweden for me. I've been having a bit of a pity party for myself as we're now approaching my 5 years here mark....and one to go. Also, the whole Lehman thing is making me feel like our move next year may be in jeopardy. My husband works in that sector, and it will be really difficult to move without a job. Especially given the projections for Wall Street job market next year--not good. My dryer broke down on Wednesday, so I've been having to dry things in my sauna because no repair man felt like taking care of us. (that's the way it is here...no one wants to work more than 33 hours a week, so they don't) He's coming today, but it's been a huge inconvenience, and all our stuff is stiff as a board. The washing machines here are tiny (and take 2 1/2 hours), so I have to do at least one load a day to keep up.

Since I'm allowed (smile) to use the television this week, I'm going to dig out my Pilates dvd and work that into my exercise week. Maybe not just riding the bike will help move the scale.

I'm also going to go back through my blog entries and see if there is any pattern to my sadness and lack of motivation. I'm suspecting it's the week after TOM...and that it's linked to the scale. I'm certain that the scale drives my frustration to some extent. But, I also know that I need to weigh regularly, or I tend to not think about it and start eating badly. Then the exercise dwindles and you know the end of that story.

My brother and his girlfriend are coming for a long weekend a week from Wednesday. Yesterday he asked us to compile a schedule for their time here. rolling eyes. He's anal like that, and doesn't like to end up sitting around wondering what to do. Anyhooo, my point is that all that planning is making me think about how much I'm going to have to be "out with the Swedes" when they're here. I tend to do better when I'm not getting slapped in the face with it here. "It" being the way people are so unfriendly, judgemental and generally contrary to everything I believe in. It's like whenever I go out I get deep reminders about how miserable I am here and how I really can't do anything to rid myself of it completely-seeing how my husband is "one of them". Now, my husband and I have many similar values, morals and such. And, he agrees when I complain about rudeness, taxes, people never looking at you, etc. But, he just does not understand how difficult it is for me to be here, and I don't think he ever will.

Goals for this week include:

• 4 workouts, including 2 pilates
• clean eating
• trying to be nicer to myself and in the moment
• be more grateful
• be kinder to my husband

I hope everyone has a good week, I'm looking forward to visiting every one's blogs again. It really does help me stay motivated!

Update: the dryer-guy came and can't fix it until Friday. Ugh...!!