#FAIL

Week after week, us Winos have been very good at reporting a variety of progress -- mostly encouraging news from the battle lines, but challenges as well. In order to stay true to, well, truth, I am compelled to share a recent development: OUR WORST WEIGHT-IN YET.

This past Wednesday, we all predicted little movement on the scale -- like we knew we'd been bad. Four of us Winos consistently weigh in together at Wednesday evening Weight Watchers meetings and often bet what the cumulative total of our loss will be. An early predictor of our impending defeat was detailed during our back-and-forth email guesses that afternoon of what our total loss would be: 3.5 lbs; 2.8 lbs; 2.1 lbs…..if only!

Instead of posting even a little bit of a "loss" towards our Backstreet Boy goal, our group actually gained 2.8 collective pounds last week. Epic Wino #FAIL.

After the weigh-in disaster, I asked the Winos what actions were haunting them as they looked back on some of their choices that might have made an impact on their week's number. "An entire chocolate chip cookie 6 inches in diameter"; "A huge deli sandwich the day after a decadent dinner"; "I didn't resist the cheesecake. (And, in fact, may have had 2 pieces.)"

For me, a couple stand-outs came to mind. My biggest #FAIL this past week was not eating enough before I went to my bi-weekly weight training class. By the end of it, I was so famished I was seeing stars. So that I wouldn't pass out during my bus ride home, I bee-lined it for a nearby taqueria. It crossed my mind to text my fellow Winos to tell them what I was about to do (order a burrito with the works), so that they could talk me out of it and offer better choices and encouragement. Instead, I ignored my inclination to get them involved and I went for it. I logged the points after nearly finishing it (and a side of chips), and felt it weighing me down the next day.

A final reality check occurred Thursday morning. Upon awaking to a fresh week's worth of points, I found the bag of pita chips I'd had a little party with right before bedtime. My punishment: logging the points in the next day so I would have to deal with the consequences of 2 unneeded servings of pita chips during this week. Guess what those pita chips amounted to: half a bottle of wine. #FAIL!

Five of us Winos will be together celebrating this Saturday night. We’ve already mapped out some very nice Weight Watchers choices and scheduled in dance party time to burn some calories. I am also bringing a measuring cup so we can accurately count our wine intake. Not trying to be a killjoy….just trying to get us back into the negative numbers so we don't encounter another Epic Wino #FAIL. The real #FAIL : I'm already half-a-bottle's worth of wine behind for the night.