Same as it ever was

For five consecutive Mondays the scale has given me the same report. It's just information, and I pretty much know what it's going to say on Monday morning, based on the daily weigh-ins which are now part-and-parcel of my morning routine.

I went to a couple different BMI and ideal-weight calculators this morning, hoping I could be done, but knowing I'm not. Each time I filled out my personal stats and clicked the "Calculate" button the result was the same: I'm still a couple points above the tippy top of normal BMI, and I'm still 13.5 pounds above the tippy top of a normal weight for a woman my age and height.

Still, it's been easy to maintain this weight the past month.

This week will be challenging, and will include another cheat meal Thursday night. First time pizza has been on the menu since last winter, but that's what I hear we're having for dinner Halloween night. (I'm going to be at my son's home, helping to pass out candy while he and his wife walk my granddaughter through their neighborhood.) There will be salad, as well, and I might take some chunks of cooked chicken with me for a topping, and skip the pizza.

Or I might not. Having been gluten-free since April, I'm a little concerned how my body will react … and really not too interested in experimenting! Then again, I don't want to make a big deal out of my food, and I told my daughter-in-law not to do anything different just because I'm on a paleo plan.

So, decisions, decisions.

I've made one decision, and that is to begin another Whole 30 on November 4. Because of this week's trip and next Saturday's fancy-schmancy dinner, it would be silly to start today. The only things coming up in November are a houseguest for three days, who will be totally on board with anything I cook, and Thanksgiving. We're eating out, at a lovely buffet which I have successfully navigated in the past. No reason to think I won't be able to again.

This Whole 30 will end on December 2 (making it a Whole 28), unless the dinner I'm going to that night is compatible with the plan.

I'm a little disappointed to have run into a weight-loss roadblock this month. I'd hoped to continue losing at least a pound a week. Having a month with a big fat ZERO in the loss column isn't what I expected to happen, but I guess after six months of steady losses I shouldn't be surprised.

It would be more unusual to continue moving down and reach my goal without leveling off at some point. And it's been good, in a way, to know I can be satisfied with this way of eating whether I'm losing or not. I've haven't once considered going back to bread and beans and dairy, oh my.

Honestly? I'd rather have – mmmmm – bacon.