Check-in ...

Hey Girlfriend!

I have about 20 minutes before my stamping class starts (immmm why aren't you here???) and have been trying to post for DAYS but … well … it's pretty non-stop once my feet his the ground these days!

Just wanted to check in.  I HOPE this post doesn't set me back, like it did last time I had happy reports. Fingers crossed.

Weighed myself this morning as I felt a bit of a shift in my tummy roll … 192.2 pounds.  So that's down a total of 11.6 in about 6 weeks.  Pretty good!  I'm really happy with that.  Yes, I lost about 10 the first week … but I never trust that first week or two.  I know that now after 6 weeks it is truly a loss of fat, not just water.  So I'll take it!

I have to say I am SO proud of the healthy choices I've been making more and more regularly.  I usually have an apple mid morning as a snack … usually have one yellow pepper and 3 mini cucumbers with my lunch, or as an afternoon snack … and I have cut out the evening snacking (at least for the last week or so).  Last night I was SOOOOOO proud of myself!  I was peckish at bedtime, as I often am … I grabbed about 7 little cubes of cheese I had in the fridge.  I maybe ate 3 - the rest went to Koda.  I then went to Alicia's room to put her clean laundry in her room.  Uh oh.  There on her bed was her huge bag of Halloween candy.  Oooooo - chocolate!  I rummaged through it, spotted a Crispy Crunch.  Yum! … oh, nope, Coffee Crisp … and then I stopped and mentally bitch slapped myself!  WTF was I doing???  I didn't even WANT it … it was just there and I could "get away with it" … I walked out of the room and gave myself a high five.  No, one little 60 calorie chocolate wouldn't have hurt per se … but I'm pretty sure 1 would have resulted in 3 (cause once I get that taste in my mouth it' too good to resist!)  It's like an alcoholic trying to have just one small glass of wine.  It just doesn't work!  So no, 150 calories likely wouldn't have hurt either.  What WOULD have hurt would have been the mental bashing I would have given myself.  Bashing avoided!   Yay me!

Today/tonight similar case.  I was actually hungry around 2:00 pm.  I and a shake for breakfast and a bar at 11:45 … but I was HUNGRY … so I made 2 eggs with extra egg white.  I worried a bit about my calories for the day and then slapped myself.  Doesn't matter if I have 1200 or 1500 calories today.  I've made healthy choices!  I had a healthy taco salad for dinner.

I'm sitting here now drinking a cup of tea.  It's my "go-to" when I feel "weak" … or think I might sneak something not-so-healthy.  I craved sweet after dinner.  I had a Japanese orange instead of chocolate (yes, I COULD have had one of the isagenix chocolates but haven't had a Japanese orange in almost a year so that's what I chose!)  The tea really helps me.  When I feel my mind mentally going through the pantry thinking what I can have I turn on the kettle.  IT distracts me for 2 minutes while it heats … and then it takes me 15 minutes to drink it.  By the time I'm done I'm full and the cravings have passed.  Mission accomplished.

The healthy choices are getting easier and easier to make.  I don't have to actually stop and think as much anymore - I reach for the apple or the kettle more automatically.  Things are changing.  My mentality is changing.  I fell like I am really starting to reprogram my diet mentality into healthy mentality.  Oh sure, last week I just HAPPENED to have 7 piece of baguette (!!!  7 … because 8 would have been ridiculous!!!)  BUT .. the next day was a new day!  I had no guilt, no "hangover" - started anew.  In the past I would have sympathy eaten for another week … or month … before getting back on the wagon.  It really is like quitting smoking.  I tried to quit for YEARS.  I'd quit, take it up again, 9 months later quit, take it up again, 6 months later quit, take it up again, 4 months later take it up again … and so on.  Every time I would try to quit it would be less and less time between attempts … and then one day I had enough and was "done".  It appears thats the way this healthy living is going too.  If and when I have a little blip I get back on the horse right away and don't sabotage my progress.  Woo hoo!  I hear that's also the way "thin" people think (and/or women in France).  Overeating on one occasion is not a catastrophe - it's life! … and they roll with it.

So there you have it … my ramble for the week.  I'm doing great, I'm feeling awesome and keeping my eye on the prize - healthy living without having to think about it 24/7!

Gotta run - hope you're well.  TTYS Girlfriend! xo


Tam