First off, I admit this post is probably going to sound kind of whiny. But I'm really frustrated with losing weight right now, and since this is the place to talk about it, I'm gonna vent here if that's OK.

Ya know, I probably started this weight loss thing at the exact wrong moment.

Thanks to some changes here at work, my entertainment beat expanded to include the arts, and suddenly I had to balance all of my entertainment sources (the Arena, all local musicians and venues) with my new arts sources (theatre groups, art galleries, the symphony, etc.). I had to balance the coverage and put them all – and I mean ALL – of them into one tiny newspaper section a week.

My first "season" was last fall, about the time I'd finally found my grip on weight loss. I was losing consistently and was having fun... til work happened. If you notice, many of the major A&E events happen in the same month – and a lot of times, on the same weekend. That makes for early mornings and late nights for me, which I don't mind, but it means I'm sluggish at the gym, assuming I have the energy to go at all. My mind stays squarely fixed on my one section, even when I'm not at work, so it's hard to get to where I need to be mentally to lose weight (and trust me, weight loss is 90 percent mental, 10 percent physical). I guess I get too wrapped up in work, really.

So lately I've been carrying some kind of energy drink with me to the gym. It gives me the energy to work out, but I don't know, it feels like I'm cheating, somehow. And even if some of them are kind of yummy (I forget the brand, but the cherry limeade in the silver can is pretty rad), you know that stuff can't be good for you, somehow, some way.

I love it when my A&E beat is busy – mostly because it means cool stuff is happening in Tupelo, and no one can complain that we have nothing to do here – but at the same time, I am SO ready to get rid of these remaining 31 pounds. I'm ready for things to be a bit more tame so I can focus on my health again.

Til then, I'll keep on keeping on, when I can. But it is awfully frustrating.