Ever since Chicago 6 weeks ago, I seemed to have gained eight pounds. Completely negating the 4 pounds I’d lost during taper.

Once I started enjoying running, I had stopped looking at the numbers on the scale (or clothes sizes). I appreciated both as side effects of something I liked doing. But every extra pound counts in running. Every extra pound is extra impact on my joints, every extra pound slows my already slow pace even more.

I’m not really sure what is going on here, or why.

• Yes, I admit that I binged and ate a lot of crap food after Chicago. “Celebration”, I called it.

• Diwali with its tradition of eating sweets was around the corner. I got 3 boxes of Jalebi (to give away, was the original idea). But I only had the chance to give one of them. And I’m SURE I ate atleast 1.5 of the remaining 2 boxes. 

• Just when I reined myself in, Halloween came around. The downside to living in a really nice neighborhood – lots of really nice candy. And lots of my favorite KitKats!

• When all the KitKats found a loving home in my stomach, the Savannah marathon rolled around. And with it, another mini celebration with my husband on his achievement.

• For various reasons, one of which is the onset of cold weather, my water intake has reduced. Luckily, I don’t like the taste of coke or other carbonated drinks, so water hasn’t really been replaced with anything else.

Whew! I guess I know what is going on. Just don’t know why.

In the back and front of my mind, I know I’m indulging in a tad more than acceptable decent eating behavior. I know this when I reach for that Nutella (which in my opinion, is the tastiest vilest spread EVER), or have that sugar/carb/crunchy craving immediately after a meal.

It seems to have taken on as an addiction. A potentially self-harming one, in which I’m watching myself from the sidelines. It doesn’t help that I have a husband who loves food, and who likes to snack and doesn’t like to watch what he eats.

So – with a number on the scale scaring me, I am hoping that this is my wakeup call to get back to what made my running body happy and gave my running mind its mojo.