To Scale or Not To Scale?

Okay everyone, I have a question I would like to ask you and to get your opinion on...

At the end of this week, my tour has a good amount of time off.  We have four weeks off, during which I will spend the majority of time at my Mom's house in Kentucky.  After our time off, our tour flies to Japan for three weeks where I will be in Tokyo for two weeks and Osaka for one week.  After Tokyo, we again have five weeks off, during which I will be in New York City and New Zealand (can't wait to visit my little sister in New Zealand!!)

I know you're wondering... "Okay, but what's the question?"

I'm wondering if I should pack my scale with me to have during the time off and Japan or have it go into storage for three months?

Here's the thing...  I've gained a bit of weight since we've been here in Toronto.  It's partially due to my back and being afraid to really exercise.  The other part is I've been craving all sorts of horrible food since I've been here, and I have been caving to the cravings.  I've gained about 7 pounds in the two and half weeks since I've been here.  I know that during the breaks I can most definitely lose this and then some.  Not to mention I'm actually thinking that I might lose weight while in Japan because I'm actually not a huge fan of fish, and I'm worried about how much I'm going to find to eat while over there.  My boss told me the last time he was in Japan (his taste in food is very similar to mine) he lost ten pounds.  Now, I'm not counting on it, but it's in the back of my mind.

I'm afraid that I'll be neurotic about how much weight I'm losing during my time off if I take the scale.  Like constantly measuring myself and beating myself up if I'm not losing it fast enough, or if I'm not losing enough.  I would like to relax during this time off, and while I do have certain goals that I would like to achieve while I'm there, I don't want it to be all that I think about.  If I don't pack it and it stays with my stuff and goes into storage with the other stuff from the tour, I think that I will be a bit more relaxed about it but I'm worried I might be too relaxed about it... Plus, not really having an idea where my weight is during the almost three months could drive me crazy, not to mention my calorie goal for the day would be a guess.  I wouldn't know my exact weight and therefore wouldn't necessarily be eating the right amount of calories for the day.

You see what I'm saying?  I'm afraid of the two extremes...  Neurotic and obsessed if I have it, or completely slack off and go crazy without it.

I know that without trying too hard I will lose some of this weight, because I'm pretty sure some of it is water weight from the amount of salty crap I've been eating.  I just feel swollen.  I'm definitely looking forward to having a full kitchen again and cooking for myself.  I know that because of that alone, I will be so much better about my eating habits.  Not to mention I need to watch how much money I spend over the breaks and the best way to do that is by cooking for myself.  Also, I need to be sure to keep up the running while I'm home.  My official training for the half marathon begins after my second break when the tour starts back up in Orlando and I need to not be starting from scratch.  I would like to be at the point where I can easily run four or five miles, like I used to.  So, I know that I will lose weight, but will it be enough is the question...

I just don't know...

While you guys ponder what I should do, I'll give you the update from my chiropractor visit.

I have a weak ass.  Literally.

According to her, because I have a desk job and sit for the majority of the day my butt was not used to working the way that I was demanding it do when I got back into running.  My glutes were not functioning properly thereby straining my lower back to compensate.  She also thinks it might be the combination of that and the crappy hotel bed from the hotel I'm in.  She gave me acupuncture in my lower back and attached some electrodes to my butt and made my glutes contract on and off for about 10-15 minutes during my visit.  It made me laugh just lying on this table with my butt half exposed being literally shocked into submission.  She gave me an exercise to do every night and told me not to run during the rest of my time here in Toronto and that I need to ease back into it.  (I think I over did it while I was in NYC and did that four mile run as well...)  But, my back has felt better since my visit and I am doing what she said.  I have one more visit with her before I leave so I'm hoping that I will be okay for a while.

Okay, that's its for me for a few days.  Before I leave from Toronto I will post my official weight, so I have a starting off point for the beginning of the break, with or without my scale.  I have a goal to lose 20 or so pounds during the next three months.  I NEED TO DO THIS!!  I need to know that I can still lose weight and not just the same ten pounds that I've gained and then relost during this past year.