Thanksgiving at grandma's

chapter 3: giving in

It was 11 o'clock in the morning and Lauren stood in her bedroom still undressed. She had spent the last hour laying in her bed and trying to ignore the aroma of bacon which had made a comfortable place in her room. Her will power was only so strong though, and pretty soon Lauren gave in to her grumbling tummy. With no reason to dress up she grabbed the first pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt she could. Before throwing them on Lauren caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. At the first sight she appeared the same fit girl she was when she had arrived. Her thin waist, toned arms, and defined midriff were all there as she had left them. Lauren was relieved to see this, and with no apparent consequence to her over eating she felt more comfortable to go and eat more. With an increased confidence Lauren joined her family at the table with a growling tummy, and she was more than happy to sample her grandma's homemade cinnamon rolls. She had to admit that no longer worrying about what she ate felt freeing and was miles more enjoyable. It was that morning Lauren decided to give up on her diet, and that there was nothing wrong with taking a bit of a break. Aside from the fact that there was literally nothing to do at her grandma's house except for eat, the food was so good it was impossible to resist no matter what. Lauren reassured herself she would be at the hotel in a few days, and any weight she gained would be quickly lost at the gym. When dinner time came around later in the day Lauren for once was no longer counting calories. Feeling comfortable in her excuse of hitting the hotel gym and no longer feeling the need to watch what she ate, Lauren was glad to oblige her grandma when she asked her for seconds. If Lauren had taken a really good look at her reflection earlier in the day, she may not have been so keen on giving up her diet. Too afraid to make a closer inspection Lauren failed to notice the little bit of fat now on her hip or the slight loss of definition around her lower stomach. It was only a pound or two and hardly noticeable, but it was a start.

- 4 Days Later -

Lauren's mom came down the stairs into the family room looking for her daughter. Lauren was there sitting on the couch doing what she had been for the past few days - watching TV and wearing an old crop top and the usual loose fitting sweatpants  (she hadn't touched her jeans in days). Lauren was feeling peckish between meals, and had with her a bag of potato chips which she was mindlessly munching away at. "Pack your bags, Lauren! Were going to the airport!" Lauren's mom said with a big smile. Both more than ecstatic at the news they cheered in excitement. "Ughh, I cannot wait to get out of here. Laying on the beach sounds like heaven right now", said Lauren as her mom headed back up the stairs to begin packing. Her mom laughed, "I sure hope my bikini fits after how much we've eaten." Lauren laughed at her sarcastic remark, she had been noticing her mom letting back a little more than usual with the food and the wine. She saw the humor in it until Lauren noticed her mom's usage of the word "we've." Her chewing of the potato chips slowed down to a halt. It was then Lauren's realized, like snapping out of a coma, that she had been pigging out just as much. A rush of guilt surged over her. Lauren looked down, deciding to take a quick peek at her bare stomach, something she had been subconsciously avoiding for the past several days. Lauren did not see a flat tummy with a hint of a six pack, but instead the beginnings of a roll of fat which folded by her belly button.

Lauren was alone in her bedroom with the door locked behind her. She had stripped out of her clothes and now wore nothing but her underwear as she stood in front of the mirror. Lauren had been avoiding this mirror like the plague and for good reason. Her panties now pinched at her hips, and her belly had grown soft from the sedentary and indulgent habits she had developed, and it showed little signs of its previously defined state. Lauren turned to the side, disgusted at the little pot belly she seemed to be forming. 'How could I let myself go like this?' She thought to herself. Atop the dresser in front of her lied her favorite pair of pants. They were a black khakis which opened up at the ends like parachute pants. Lauren had bought them a size too small on purpose, making the accentuate her skinny waist and tight little behind. She had made a personal goal for herself to one day fit into them, and when Lauren finally did it was a very proud moment. Lauren slid her feet through the skinny legs of the pants. She could feel them get tighter the higher she pulled them up and they got stuck at the widest part of her hips. A few jumps up and down and Lauren managed to squeeze them up to her waist. Without even buttoning them she could already feel the fabric straining at her thighs. Lauren saw in the mirror how belly just sat there, pushing the zippers apart from one another. She new she couldnt button them even if she tried. Lauren took them off with heavy guilty, packing them deep in her suitcase not be worn till she lost weight. Next to her was a scale. She was terrified to get on, but forced herself to do it. Lauren anxiously waited as the numbers flashed on the little screen. "125?!" Lauren said allowed to herself, almost in denial. She had managed to gain 7 pounds in 6 days. It hit Lauren like a ton of bricks that she really had spent the last week lying around her grandma's house and gorging on her food. Her little honeymoon with food was over. Lauren didn't want to take a single bite until she hit the gym.