Shall we breakfast in Ireland?

When I looked up the number 31 today, I found this at the top of the list:
http://www.number31.ie/
Claims the best breakfast in Ireland...ROAD TRIP!

I am majorly annoyed today...it's been 6 days and no weight loss.  I'm starting to get discouraged, so I started reading up on stalls and now feel even worse! It's all about "starvation mode" and VLCD is a bad idea for a long time (but what is a long time? nobody says) because you gain it all back when you start eating normal again, slows your metabolism so you will get even fatter, etc.  Yikes! I certainly don't want any of this going on! I'm not experiencing any of the symptoms of starvation mode other than stall (no muscle loss, weakness, headaches. etc) Sometimes over-reading on the Internet can be a bad thing-take a breath!

I can't imagine anything more depressing than doing this whole routine and then gaining it all back.  It would mean I didn't learn anything from the experience nor change any of my habits.   I've tried to be real honest with myself on this blog while going through this.  I am using this as a jump start to a whole new way of dealing with food, break my sugar and carb addiction or at least get it back in check and get some confidence/success in the weight loss arena.   I certainly wouldn't try to eat like this for any longer than the 40 days.  If you remember, I just wanted to make it to 25!    It's not easy-the food can get real boring, the temptation is all around you, drinking alot of water and peeing all the time is annoying, and like with quitting smoking, something is always trying to get you to give in.  BUT, like when I quit smoking, I had to get to the point where no matter how hard it was to stay quit, I had to because going back was going to be more painful and depressing than sticking it out.  I think I am there with this-can't go back now...yay! I've been trying to get right with food most of my life.  It doesn't hurt that people are watching and reading to keep me honest either, so thank you again for your support-it means soooo much!

7:30AM we did the "Princess Work Out" aka we showed up, what more do you want? ha ha, Tami and I walked, Elipticalled (new verb) and pumped some iron.

8:45AM  teen boy forgot lunch and I ran out of coffee and other stuff, so off to King Soopers before work. 

10AM  ate 1/4 cup raw almonds. I think I was hungrier than usual because of work out.  I haven't done any super strenuous work outs since starting this program, so it's time to get back on it. Research and those who have successfully lost have informed me to be patient and mix things up a bit to get past the plateau...worth a try! 

12:30PM was warned too late that exercising today might have been a bad idea due to low calorie intake and it using my muscle to burn ...oh cripes! live and learn continues...

1:30PM lunch was a 1 yolk, 4 whites omelet with sauteed onions and salsa, Melba toast and 1/2 grapefruit.

3:30PM  wasted the afternoon watching bad movies on Netflix.

7pm baked pork chop, salad, bread stick and strawberries.  Didn't eat my chocolate square, but I'm worried that the exercise and almond snack are gonna back fire on me. Well, tomorrow is another day.

30 days in the hole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdXjm8pZMws

A little humble pie anyone?

It feels like prison but not hard time, just a white collar country club crime!  Today is day 30 and I've been stalled for 5 days in a row now (frowny face)  I can't end this phase on this kind of note, so I'm gonna go the distance to 40 days.   My immediate goal is to get to the next set of numbers-I'm only 2.4 lbs away. After that I'll take what I can get and go on to Phase 3 for 21 days.

7am made teen boy sit with me at the computer to look at his grades...I've been avoiding it because of past bad news...pleasantly surprised this morning!  He is passing and nearly excelling in almost everything AND the 2 he is not are easy to clean up quickly!  What a relief from the opposite last trimester.  I'm very proud of him and told him so-especially since this has been mostly his doing...yay!

8:30AM It's Coffee Tuesday!  I see a Vente Passion Tea and all my fave girls in my future

10AM  Only 1 radio show to do today-everyone who was sick yesterday is not today. 

1:30PM  lunch: beef patty with "pistard and muckle,"   red cabbage slaw, bread stick and cinnamon apples

3:30PM  Drove with teen boy for 30 minutes.  It's so nice out-doors and windows open and got a little weeding done.  Glad to hear that the people across 4th with the tiny little barky dog, haven't bothered to train it and still leave it outside all day to be lonely. 

4:30PM  Scarlet Canary is back in the basement practicing, so I can't hear the lonely little dog anymore.

7pm BBQ chicken breast, radishes, Melba toast and an orange.  Had my 1 square of dark choc treat (I do that every night in case I failed to mention)

I was very good and stuck to my protocol today-no sneaky of anything, I hope that means a break through tomorrow. 

Today we celebrate!

Funny how your perspective changes and adjusts!  I had what I thought was a pretty bad day eating yesterday, but the scale sez otherwise...no gain, no loss, maintain! 

On day 29, after a pretty big meal last night I'm no worse off!  This makes me happy because as I get nearer to ending this phase and onto the maintenance phase, I was worried about how easy it would be to gain it all back...I can totally do this!  Now that I've had my "binge" I hope can go back to being really strict on the program until the end.

4am  up early because I got the call  yesterday that AM show producer Chris was sick, so off to run the morning show.  Have to work on Big at 10 anyway so I'm just a little early!

9:30AM...oh dear, co-worker Jeff fell ill so I get to do his Bear show tonight.

12:30PM lunch taco salad, bread stick, strawberries

2pm the song "I hate myself for loving you"  is going through my head because I gave in to the peanut butter bread (the 45cal  low sugar version, not the hubby's slathered french bread version)  ...and I'm apparently still a good Catholic underneath: guilt guilt guilt!

3:30PM Yay, my massage date is finally here!  This plan says not to get a massage because of the oils put on the skin, but I'm saying whatever to that.  I'm  pretty sure moisturizer on my skin is not what got me fat in the first place!  I haven't had any headaches or neck stiffness even while doing videos, so it has to be my diet change...hopefully Denise will notice the difference as she's rubbing me down.

5pm  What a nice change to get a massage for the pure joy of it-it felt like it lasted 3 hours-ahhhh!  The best part is Denise didn't have to stand on me to get the knots loose.

Observation: Another benefit to this program is I don't have knee pain from an ice skating injury a couple years ago.  I hyper extended my left knee falling and it swelled up real bad and hurt for a few weeks but healed nicely without chronic pain.  This winter I noticed it started aching pretty regularly  again and it made me mad.  It went away since starting this mostly sugar free regimen.  I was kinda figuring out on my own that sugar was screwing with my system and causing my most recent issues-being "addicted" to sugars and carbs, weight gain and not able to lose anything, headaches and muscle tension.  Then I started reading articles that confirmed that, like this one: http://articlesunlimited.holisticnetworkexchange.com/inflammation_sugar.html

So although the weightloss is an awesome  part of this "extreme" plan, I think it will be the other health benefits I've noticed and now appreciate that will keep me making right choices once I go back to "normal eating."

7pm tonight's dinner is cucumber salad, talapia, Melba toast and orange.  Watched "Heavy" and discovered I am grateful to be my size and only wanting/needing to lose 50lbs not 200-400'

28 days later...

WHINER ALERT!  I'm having one of "those" days...

ya know the kind where no matter how much positive stuff is going on-there is no perspective or balance?  You can't find it/refuse to embrace it/wanna be a whiner/it's not good enough/I'm just gonna be butt-faced kinda days!  I'm sick of the scale not moving for 4 days now, I'm tired of this diet and having to "think" about it all the time, my clothes fit better but I see pictures of myself and I don't look any better, I've come so far and yet still have so much to go, I can't go back to the way I was but I'm frustrated where I am...WAH!   OK, just had to get that outta my system.  Moving on...

10am  scanning in cute pics for a grad video...Sara's mom is gonna cry her eyes out!

12:30PM making more Scarlet Canary t-shirts for the gig tonight.  I like the red and black shirts much better.

1:30PM  lunch.  The band was loading out to get ready for their gig and Josh said, "oh man  it smells so awesome up here!"  Really? it's cooked seasoned burger, radishes, a bread stick and cinnamon apples.  I tell him it's my "diet food" and he says, "I'll eat that" umm, no ya won't I've been waiting all morning to eat!

3:30PM off to Denver to see Scarlet Canary play with about 87 other bands at Cervantes.

5:20PM Scarlet Canary takes the stage and kills it-good crowd reaction!  Sold and gave away all the t-shirts! note to self bring a merch table next time.

7:30PM  Dinner at Cinzetti's.  This is gonna be bad...Italian buffet!  Actually I did pretty good-trolled the entire buffet to plan my dinner to get the most out of every bite.  I didn't eat anything I didn't think I would love, small portions, no bread other than veggie pizza, stayed away from pasta and with the meats and salads (altho the salad was covered in delicious dressing and bacon), but splurged on dessert-a little taste of gelato, a canoli and some choc lava cake...totally worth it! Well adjusted about the scale tomorrow (for now), just hope I didn't do permanent damage.

see Scarlet Canary gig pics here:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/album.php?aid=347059&id=671055983  my son is the drummer

27 dresses

A total chick flick and one of my fave movies! 

6AM  even though I know I had a "non protocol" day yesterday, still the eternal optimist when getting on the scale.  Actually optimism and scale aren't usually in the same sentence for me, so that's new and fun!  Weigh In:  same to waffling down 1.2...hanging on the edge of a loss-I am renewed in my efforts to be really good today!

9am  Must stop playing with button templates!  I'm  pretty computer savvy about most things, but these stupid templates are really not all that user friendly!  If anyone knows how to use templates in Open Office or Adobe Photo Shop please share-there must be an easier way than what I'm trying to do.  Walking away...

9:15AM getting ready for work and decided to see if there was any more inch loss.  Not much but I will take it!  2 inches off my waist 1 inch off hips,  1/2 inch off each thigh.  Tightest jeans now downright comfy but no need for a belt yet.

10-12  busy morning with my radio show and a couple of live broadcasts to maneuver through

1:30PM  lunch time.  My usual cat food, lettuce, bread stick and  strawberries.  Just so you know, lettuce is extremely boring without anything on it.  I looked in the work fridge and found a few dressings, but have no idea how long they've been in there so yeah...no.  If I go down after eating something nasty at the radio ranch, no one will find me until Monday!

2-4PM Double duty again-running  Chris Kelly's live broadcast on KISS and wouldn't cha know he's at a brand new frozen yogurt shop in Greeley "with all the Rocky Mountain Chocolate factory toppings available."  fml

5:30PM Watched my husband slather butter and peanut butter onto a thick piece of french bread, almost had one myself.  Since it was too early to eat dinner, I gave myself permission to have a piece of peanut butter bread but it had to be a slice of Sara Lee 45 cal wheat and 1/2 serving of peanut butter ONLY!  yeah, not as appealing so I passed.  Went a few rounds with a bag of Doritos-ended up eating 3 chips.  Not gonna lie, these tasted much better than the potato chips and it was real hard not to take the bag and eat mindlessly in front of the TV.  I think being tired was why I struggled.  I actually realized that in time and pushed through it.

7pm dinner was hamburger with fried onions and mustard, cucumber salad and strawberry smoothie.  No, the smoothie wasn't as tasty as it sounds...it was strawberries, ice, water and a couple drops of Stevia.  I think I'll just eat the strawberries how they are-more satisfying and save the stuck-on-the-side-of-the-glass seeds for someone else. 

There are 26 letters in the alphabet and...

waaaaay too much other stuff related to 26!  go here to see it:  http://www.wisdomportal.com/Numbers/26.html

Happy Friday-today is day 26. 
6AM  Weigh In: down 5 lbs!!!  April Fools! (darn it)

6:45AM  making teen boy's lunch and I realize how easy it is to just pop a pepperoni in my mouth - one for me, one for the sandwich...I didn't do it but had to remain conscious of the fact that at any moment I was gonna because it was such an ingrained habit to munch my way through preparing meals...argh! Still need some "re-education" here!

observation: Since starting this diet, I've picked up what I call some "weirdo picky eater" tactics.  When I explain some of these habits to others, (i.e peeling every bit of white stuff off my grapefruit or orange, cutting up everything so tiny so it seems like more, doing surgery to remove fat from meat, piling up things I can't or shouldn't eat off to the side of my plate, etc)  they don't seem concerned or think it's weird at all!  Maybe it isn't really.   

I feel funny about "acting picky" now because growing up I was not allowed to be a "picky eater."  You eat what you are given, no hiding ham fat in your napkin or feeding the dog your beets.   "You eat what's on your plate, there are starving kids in India/Africa, we work hard to put food on the table-you will not waste it..."  (feel free to insert your favorite parental line here)  That's fine, I get it. Guilty of using a few of those on my guys when they were little. 

Gotta love the mixed messages:
Finish your plate

Do you really need that 2nd helping?

Don't let a man see you eat like that!
You can never be too rich or too thin
Guys like girls with some meat on their bones
Why aren't you eating?  
Even a well meaning compliment such as, "It's refreshing to see a young girl with a healthy appetite"  could make me think, " they are completely horrified by my obvious cow-like trough feeding frenzy??"   Why all the angst and guilt heaped on food?  It's just supposed to be food!
disclaimer:  these are quotes taken out of context, borrowed from others and made up for example purposes only...if you see yourself in here, it is purely coincidental.

10AM off to work

1:30PM  lunch out 2 days in a row I'm so lucky!  Joyce, Pam, Jen, Tami and I went to Bent Fork for lunch.  I had a fancy diet tea (ginger peach) and the strawberry, Gorgonzola and chicken salad.  I am certain the sugared walnuts are not on my plan but it was only about a T. I walked around the mall first (not really meaning to!) honesty alert:  tortilla chip with a bit of artichoke dip too.

4:30PM needed something sweet so I had some strawberries and a piece of dark chocolate.  I'm probably going to regret doing that so early in the day. It pisses me off that I still get the "need" for something.

7pm yay! hubby grilled burgers and brats  had a burger and some asparagus.

8PM  oh crap! did it this time, took a bite of a brat before even thinking while putting away dinner.  Old training-can't waste it, so finished it. Dang, this is harder than not snacking in front of TV!

In the year 2525...

...if man is still alive, if woman can survive...

Radio friend Tim Dunbar was honoring the 62 year old 45 today on FB, so in honor of that, a real 45 with plastic thingy in the middle.

Today was the date that I was originally gonna go off the diet, BUT I had another loss this morning so I'm sticking with it to either 30 or 40 days. (40 is the max allowed each time)  Weigh In:  down 1.4 for a total of 17.8!  Almost 18 lbs...this is very fun!

5am  Up early to go to work at Macy's today...all my black clothes are baggy now, yay!

11am  I think diet conversations are generally pretty boring unless  you are dishing with other dieters and discussing the somewhat crazy things you do and eat!   Co-worker Jeff and I were discussing lost poundage today, but my fave Jeff  line from yesterday after I said, "Amazing what I can do when I put my big girl pants on."  was  "But now your big girl pants are falling off!"  ha ha, thanks Jeff!

1PM lunch at the Tavern.  delicious salad with chicken, grilled veggies and red wine vinegar as dressing. They put almonds on it-I'm OK with that.  If you order this salad ask for the veggies hot.

3:30PM  driving with teen boy around neighborhood, out on 4th, through a school zone successfully and the back way into Walmart(!), parked 5 blocks away from store entrance (but who doesn't need a little exercise right?)  got dinner fixin's, navigated back out of parking lot, drove on 47th and then safely back into our neighborhood.  He is getting very good and brake and gas-smooth!

7PM OK, tonight I am jealous of dinner!  We make our own version of Panda Express Orange Chicken and that's what everyone else is having with rice and veggies.  I made my little grilled chicken and pile of lettuce with Melba toast as croutons (that works good!) and No Cal dressing.  Orange and chocolate for dessert.

8:30PM why are the kids selling those candy bars again?  Sara sent one home for me and I ate one square...dark choc and almond-I'm certain there will be punishment for that on the scale tomorrow.

I have people ask me how I can go to the store and buy stuff knowing I can't eat it, it being in the house to tempt me, making separate meals, etc.  I look at it this way-this is real life-full of temptations all the time.   I'm living my life while I do this, not sequestered away in some safe environment void of temptations.  I am beholden to no one-no Doctor monitoring me, no weigh ins in front of anyone, no advertiser paying me to do this. (although they should have-I'm rockin' it!)    I own this-the more I face it and triumph over it, the easier it will be when I go back to regular eating. Am I nervous about that?  you bet!  BUT, I think it will be OK.