After A Short Break - Back To Cycle 1!

I am back on cycle 1 starting today. I took a short break - was sick with my chronic illness (Crohn's Disease) and working on getting myself better. Now that I have been feeling better for a good week now on my new medication it's time to get back on the wagon. I weighed in this morning at 187.2 (a total weight loss of 41.8 since I started this journey on Jan 17) and am anxious to see some more results.


I know when I originally started, I lost 11 pounds the first week. I don't expect to see such a drastic loss again but know the first week always provides the best results in any diet. I am ready to see my numbers continue to go down and am excited to be back on the wagon and continuing my journey.


I'll let you all know how it goes!

Newest progress photo

It's been so long since I've enjoyed showing off photos of myself. I took this last night around midnight so my hair could look better but I am continually amazed at how I look - and how I already need smaller jeans! People tell me all the time how skinny I look but when you see yourself everyday, you don't always see what they're referring to. Sometimes I still look in the mirror and see the fat version of me. 

I am feeling skinny but know I still have about 25 pounds left to go. I think I should set a start date for Cycle 1. My Crohns is still acting up and I am having a flare so it should be after I get that all sorted out. So, stay tuned because later this month, the adventures continues and restarts with Cycle 1 - exciting!

Another 10 pounds down since my last post!

I have not posted in a month and in that month, I have lost another 10 pounds and am down to 189. I have officially lost 40 pounds and feel FANTASTIC. I still would like to lose about 25 more but I am really happy with my progress so far and how easy this lifestyle has been to stick with. I am now only about 5-7 pounds heavier than I was on my wedding day. It feels amazing to be able to go into a clothing store and try things on without leaving empty handed because nothing fit. Things fit and look good on me now - do you even know how good that feels?!? I can wear "normal" sizes again and am fitting into my old size 14 jeans!

I am still following the plan but a bit more liberally. I take weekends off - but even with that I don't go so far off plan that I go nuts. In reality I say I take weekends off but I am really still following plan. I am gearing up to start over with Cycle 1 (after a very extended Cycle 3) and am excited to get back into things whole hog so to speak. I love the energy I have and that I can now run around, play with and dance to silly songs with my 19 month old son. I can actually keep up with him and we play so much more now.

I can't say enough how great this feels. I love looking and feeling more like "me" again. Here is a new photo comparison of me:

I think I look like a totally different person now - and I love it!!!

Never fear - I'm still here!

I am midway through cycle 3 now and still consistently losing weight. Not as much as with Cycle 1, or even 2 but I am losing an average of 1.5 pounds a week. Every week there IS a loss which is encouraging. I am being more loose with the rules but still losing. I am sure if I was much more diligent I'd be losing more than 1.5 a week.

However... I am down just about 30 pounds now and feeling great! My weight starts with a ONE again!!!!!! That has not been the case since before Donovan was born. It's so exciting to see that on the scale.

My Crohn's is flaring a bit so this week I have had to do bland foods (and done some easy to digest white breads) and no fruits/veggies but I am hopeful it'll pass soon and I can get back on track. Even with that setback, I still lost 2 pounds this week which is fantastic.

I actually look forward to eating this way and really do feel better about myself and my body. It feels so good to have more energy and to be able to run around and play with my son. The Crohn's thing is definitely hard to manage when there is a flare because the foods that don't bother me are no-no's on the plan. Things like white rice, white breads... anything super easy to digest. The only saving grace is that I don't feel well enough to eat a lot of it so it's OK. Also... I am finding I don't like the taste of those things as much! I'd prefer to eat my wheats,  fiber one cereal and oatmeal - more flavor!! My flare seems to be toning down though and I should be back on track this week.

Here is my progress so far!

Week 2 on Cycle 2

and I am down another 4 pounds! So that's 6.6 MORE pounds gone since starting Cycle 2 and 21.6 pounds gone since I started this diet 28 days ago.

OK, I LOVE this diet. I really do. I love that the weight just keeps coming off. I love that I feel better and look better. I love that I am fitting into clothes that have not fit me since before my son was born in September 2009. To make myself feel even better I look at my total weight loss since I checked into the hospital to give birth which means I have lost an amazing 58 pounds since September 7, 2009. So about 36 pounds I lost myself and then kind of, gave up I guess, until I found this diet. I kept making excuses for myself and saying that it didn't matter since we're just going to have more kids anyway. One day, I saw a photo of myself and realized, it was NOT OK. It was NOT OK to be a big as I was... it was NOT OK to not care. The day in December that I saw the 17 day diet on TV I just knew it was for me and I was ready to make the change and make it work.

Now... I have so much energy to keep up with my active toddler. We dance, we run, we play and I have the energy to do it all. It's a beautiful day here in DC today, 70 degrees! We went for a walk and I ran around with my son and didn't even get out of breath. It felt good to go out there and just have fun with him.

The best part is, I'm not done yet! I enjoy the foods I am eating now and I enjoy all the positive changes I see in myself. My goal weight is only 40 pounds away. It's so close I can taste it. I may make it there before I get pregnant again and I may not. I am OK with whatever happens because I do not plan on going back to my old ways. Who knew oatmeal actually tasted good?! I really do plan on embracing this healthy eating. Even when I am pregnant again (with more calories for the bambino of course). I just feel excellent that if I were to get pregnant now... I weigh less than I did when I got pregnant with my son. It's good to be at a lower starting point. And I definitely do not plan on gaining another 50 pounds with my next pregnancy!!

Now, I haven't been perfect on this diet. I've had a piece of chocolate here and there and last weekend - went all out. We had company and ordered Chinese food and drank wine. I indulged and I indulged too much. Let me tell you... the next day was not happy. My digestive system rebelled and I felt horrible. It was like my digestive track was saying "what the hell do you want me to do with this crap?" I can't believe I still lost 4 pounds this week, even with that night. The only thing I could think about was how much I wanted some fresh veggies and to be back on plan ASAP. That's how I know for a fact I am not only ready to embrace the change but... that's I am not in the danger zone for cheating.

In the past, a cheat day meant a mindset change. "Well, I cheated yesterday so what the hell... let's have that pizza today!" Now, while the cheat evening was fun and I don't think I regret it... all I could think about was getting back on plan. I also don't think my body has ever really felt so bad after a cheat day. It made me not want to do it again, at least not anytime soon. It also was not hard for me to jump right back on the wagon and follow the plan again. This never would have happened to me before and since it is now... I know this change is here to stay.

First week on Cycle 2...

and I lost 2.6 pounds this past week.

Not as good as my weeks on cycle 1 but still a good loss for a week. I hope once my body gets use to cycle 2 I'll lose more in a week. This week I have actually given oatmeal a REAL try and found I actually like it. Getting to eat a few carbs and starchy veggies is a nice thing to be able to do. It's still a daily challenge to eat right and not cheat. I won't lie... there are days I cheat a little. I have been good about not going nuts and honestly, I don't want to. I like the changes I am seeing in myself and really do want to keep it up. When I think about cheating big time I find that I feel it won't be worth it... why sabotage myself after all this hard work and 17 pounds gone? I want to see those numbers keep going down and I am just STEPS away from ONEderland. :)

The other thing I am finding is that it's also a HUGE challenge to exercise. I need to find something I like to do and am having trouble there. Then, when I do find something I like... the arthritis in my knees, or ankles, acts up and they swell up and hurt (like right now). I haven't been able to exercise in days because my knee is the size of a grapefruit. I really am not sure what to do. I want to do everything right on this diet and this is going to be my biggest challenge.

I hope I keep seeing that scale number decreasing... it really does feel awesome. Tomorrow is a carb day and I am looking forward to my morning oatmeal and some peas with my lunch!

No brown rice sushi?!?

I looked forward to my sushi all week and was terribly disappointed today when I could not find a place to make it for me. I've seen it at Whole Foods but didn't have a chance to get over there today. It was a HUGE disappointment and put me in a bad mood.

However, I did get to eat some carbs today and actually ate oatmeal! I have tried before and have never been able to choke it down. I got Apple Cinnamon and it was not too bad... I could eat this! I also had brown rice with dinner. Not the same as white rice but it was still not bad. I feel more satisfied with these foods today - feeling like I was able to eat more was a good thing.

During cycle 2 you alternate the new foods days with cycle 1 days so tomorrow is a cycle 1 day for me. I still want my sushi and did post on the 17 day diet's facebook page about this. I was told a cheat such as that is fine every once in a while and to simply exercise more on the day I choose to do it and do not overindulge. So... I see some sushi in my future! Makes me happier than I was most of the day today :)

I took a whole body photo to compare to when I started... not totally happy with how I look but you can see I am making progress!!

Cycle 1 comes to an end..

My official Cycle 1 weigh in will be tomorrow but as of this morning, I was at 206.4 which makes my loss an amazing 16.2 pounds in 16 days! I see myself everyday so it's hard for me to notice the change but I compared two photos of myself and was amazed to see how much thinner I look already!

What an amazing change in a mere 16 days! This diet has been hard but I am very proud of myself for sticking with it so far! I am excited for Cycle 2 and the introduction of more foods - hooray for variety! I will admit... chicken and turkey every day has been especially hard these past few days. I was QUITE bored with my food options.

I am seeing some other changes in myself. My clothes are bigger and I definitely have more energy. I am embracing all these fruits and veggies and healthy eating. I don't miss the bad things as much as I thought I would. I mean, I do miss them but it's not like an overwhelming desire to go out and eat a pizza, you know?

Tomorrow starts Cycle 2 and with that a treat! I have gone 17 days without sushi (no rice!) and I can get it with brown rice which is terrific! I have never, ever looked forward to a meal so much. It's going to be such a treat to be able to indulge in one of my favorite foods. I am so happy with my progress over these first 17 days - on to the next 17!

A few days at the same weight

Since I've hit my short term mini-goal, my weight has stayed steady. A little frustrating but I am still down 14.2 pounds overall and that's a terrific thing to have happen in a short 13 days. 


Lately, I've been having a harder time. As I get to the end of Cycle 1, the LAST thing I want is another meal of chicken or ground turkey. I have never been so sick of these things in my entire life. We usually tend to eat more chicken in this house than other meats but, when you're told it's all you can have, it can get old fast. I am counting down the days until I can have beef, pork and even a few carbs (sushi anyone?).

I am finishing up day 14 now and I still feel good about my loss I just do wish i was still seeing my hard work on the scale. I have probably lost inches but I never measured myself in the beginning so I have no idea what I may have lost. I *think* I know what my waist measurement was before so I'll have to measure and see if that number has gone down.

Looking forward to moving forward and trying Cycle 2 in a few more days!

Met my short term weight loss goal today!

It feels SO GOOD to have made it to my first mini-goal! My first mini-goal was to make it to the weight I was at my very first OBGYN appointment when I was pregnant with my son (who is now almost 17 months old). I was 208 at that appointment and I met that goal this morning. 14.2 pounds are GONE from my body and that is amazing seeing as I am JUST starting Day 12 today. So that's 14.2 pounds gone in 11 days. AWESOME!

We are trying to get pregnant again and I wonder how much more I'll lose before then? My next mini-goal is to get to 199. It's been a while since my weight started with a 1 and it would be great to see that again!

If I will get there before a pregnancy or not - who knows. I am just happy that if I do get pregnant again soon, I am no worse off than I was when I was pregnant the first time... I am NOT starting at a higher weight and THAT feels good. The only difference will be that this time, there is NO WAY I'll be gaining 60 pounds in my pregnancy! Pregnancy is NOT an all out pass to eat everything you want. I learned my lesson the hard way there...

A good day

As for today - I did well! My loss was not as good as other days, it was a disappointing .2 but I have to look at the big picture and remember I have lost 13.2 pounds in a mere 10 days. That is an average of more than a pound a day and pretty freakin amazing.

I'll tell you, I didn't think I looked any different, until I saw a photo of myself today. I took my son out to play in the snow and realized that my face is SO MUCH thinner. I just LOOK thinner and that was a motivation boost for sure. One look at these photos...

 

...was enough to keep me right on track today. No double chin and my body, even under the winter gear, actually LOOKS THINNER! I am still far from the goal I wish to accomplish but I am happy that I am well on my way to being the healthiest mom I can be for my son. I do NOT want him to grow up with a fat, lazy mom. I want him to be proud of me and to see me as a role model - not as an example of what NOT to be.

I did not have even one small cheat today and feel satisfied with everything I ate. I am now enjoying some herbal tea (no sweetener or anything) and settling in for a relaxing evening with my husband. What will tomorrow bring? Hopefully a nice new loss so I can add to my 13.2! But, if not, I am happy with how I am progressing so far - it feels good to be making this lifestyle change!

13 pounds gone in 9 days!

My loss today wasn't as good as other days but a .4 loss gave me 13 pounds even.

It is snowing here, fairly hardcore. Usually on snow in nights I curl up with a hot chocolate, a glass of wine or bake some sort of hot treat - cookies maybe? There is an open bottle of wine on my counter and it is so tempting to pour myself a little glass. I'll be honest, not sure if I'll make it the night without this temptation, I'll let you know tomorrow. The thought of seeing the scale go down even further is a lot of motivation though. I am a mere 1.6 pounds away from my short term goal. To be able to hit goal #1 in a day or two is HUGELY motivating. But... will it be motivating enough? Time will tell.

I bet a lot of you think I am like, superwoman with this diet. It's been hard and the temptations have been many. I am doing my best and have had a few little cheats here and there. I have been known to eat a rold gold pretzel or two in a day. It hasn't happened everyday but it's happened here and there. All I know is that one small cheat would satisfy a craving for me and allow me to continue my day without a problem. While I do not think everyone following such a drastic change in diet can do this... it's working for me because I do overindulge or pig out. It's easier than I thought to not just take the whole bag of pretzels and chow down.

Alright... well, hopefully I'll do well tonight and stay on track. In the meantime, check out the yummy dinner I made: ground turkey soup with tomato, pepper, onion and spinach. YUMMO

Did well today - even eating out!

First thing's first... I met Steve for lunch with a co-worker of his and we went to Ruby Tuesday's. I was worried before meeting him - would I have to cheat today? Would I be able to avoid temptation?

The menu looked so good and I'll admit, I REALLY wanted a lot of what was on there. But, I am proud to say I stayed strong and got the salad bar! I only put things on there that were on plan and although there was no fat free salad dressing, I chose one of the low fat ones. Not as good but definitely better than the burger or chicken fingers I was eying. I won't lie... I DID take one bite of Donovan's chicken finger. One bite, it satisfied the craving that was there and I didn't want any more after that. I don't feel bad for doing it and I feel like it helped me stay on course and not do anything I would regret later on.

I actually really enjoyed that salad too! :)

My scale step today: down another 1.8 to make a total of 12.6 pounds gone in 8 days. AWESOME.

I can't believe I am doing so well with this! It feels good!

Week 1 down!

And my official weight loss for week 1 is... drum roll please...

10.8 pounds!!!

I feel so terrific about my progress this week. It's AMAZING to have lost close to 11 pounds in one week. I know this rate of loss won't continue but I am hoping for an average of a 1/2 pound a day from here on out. I am a mere 3.8 pounds away from my short term goal which was to be the same weight at my first OBGYN appointment with Donovan when I got pregnant again. At least that way I would not be starting at a higher weight with pregnancy number 2. I am not pregnant yet and I feel that this goal is very achievable before I do. It would be awesome to be even lighter at my first OBGYN appointment with OldenBean #2.

Obviously when I do become pregnant, I will no longer be following the 17 day diet. I will, however, try to stick to the main ideas of the diet and continue to eat healthy foods and a lot of vegetables and fruit. I want to keep my weight gain to a minimum the next time around - there is no way I want to gain another 60 pounds with a pregnancy!

Anyway, until that time comes I will be continuing on this journey. I am down 7 days and have 10 days left on Cycle 1. I am excited about being able to introduce some healthy carbs again... brown rice is calling my name!

Did well saying no to temptation today

I had a long day at work and had little time while there to eat or drink anything. Knowing this, I got up early made myself a terrific breakfast and packed a snack of tea, sodastream fizzy water and an apple. It was not easy getting up extra early (I am NOT a morning person) but it really did give me energy to face most of my time at work!

I worked a long time and was really very hungry when I left. I needed to make a quick stop at Target to get some yogurt and lettuce. There is a Target in the mall so I walked over there. I had to pass the pretzel place. It smelled SO GOOD. I really wanted to stop - what would one pretzel hurt? But no, I just kept walking by. While the temptation was there and it smelled delicious... it was not as hard as I thought it would be to just keep walking.

I ate my apple on my way home and once home I had another snack of yogurt and made a salad for lunch. I made a great dinner with ground turkey and have been drinking tea of some sort most of the evening. I feel good and have had no cravings like in past days. I think this MAY be getting easier!

The scale step today was not as good as past days but looking at the overall - still impressive! I was down another .4 pounds to make my total so far this week 8.8 pounds. I am now only about 5 pounds away from the weight I was with my first OBGYN appointment with Donovan. I am feeling good!

Water, water and more water

I'll admit, the hardest part of this diet (besides the no carbs) is drinking so much water. I am NOT a water fan. Never have been... don't expect to be. It's a daily challenge that I never seem to win. I drink a lot of herbal tea throughout the day but not a lot of straight water - something the book stresses. I try but I just can't seem to do it. Crystal light is what I usually do but it's a no-no in the first 17 days. Today I may have found a solution. I was given a SodaStream. This thing ROCKS. Water tastes SO MUCH BETTER when it's carbonated. Plus there are some flavors that make it taste like flavored seltzer. I tried one of those tonight too but I would be totally OK with straight seltzer or adding a little fresh lemon. I really do think this will help me with my water intake and I'll let you know how it goes.

OK, my scale step today: down another 1.2 for a total loss of 8.4 since I started this diet on Monday. AMAZING. I am excited to see what my "official" week loss will be when I weigh in this coming Monday. Seeing the loss happening so fast is so motivating and I really hope I can keep it off. I've even been told I already look like I've lost weight. And... my pants feel better too! I was SQUEEZING into my jeans and it was not comfortable. They feel a lot better today :)

Tomorrow is going to be a challenge. I work on Saturdays and tomorrow is an extra long workday for me. I plan on a nice big healthy breakfast and will go to work with an herbal tea AND a sodastream bottle (1 liter). I'll even bring some cut up veggies as a snack. I'll eat lunch when I get home. It'll be a late lunch but that's OK. It'll be a hard day as I work at Gymboree in the mall and usually I treat myself to an Auntie Anne's pretzel at the end of my shift (sometimes even the yummy lemonade too!) I have to remember - that is one of the many reasons I am overweight right now and it's NOT worth it. I am not even going to go near that part of the mall tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Today I was bad and didn't have any snacks because I was on the go most of the day. I did eat three healthy meals (although no probiotic serving as I am out of yogurt!) Here's the lowdown:

breakfast:
scrambled eggs with salsa
green tea
orange

lunch:
salad (FF ranch and chicken)
green tea

dinner:
turkey lettuce wraps
green tea

Today was a better day

I did cheat a TEENY bit and had one hershey's kiss. I am not even sure why - I just needed a little taste of chocolate and once I had that little piece and walked away... I felt fine. No more craving for chocolate. I definitely had moments where I wanted to eat something on the no list or really just wanted to eat something, ANYTHING. However, I tried very hard to really think about it. Was I hungry or bored or what? Once I would realize I wasn't actually hungry, it made things a lot easier.

OK, so my scale step today told me more good news. I am down another 1.2 pounds making it a 7.2 pound loss since I started on Monday. I will admit, after 2 days of seeing a 3 pound loss each day, the 1.2 was disappointing at first and then I remembered that 1.2 in a day is AWESOME. I mean... people have weeks where they don't lose a pound. I really am excited to see what tomorrow brings. 

This is not easy... but I am really doing it! I REALLY hope I can stay the course!

OK, here is my menu from today:

breakfast:
greek yogurt
1/2 grapefruit
green tea

lunch:
chicken veggie soup
green tea

snack:
celery
tea

dinner:
baked salmon with asian spices/spinach and scallions - see photo
broccoli
green tea

Moody Much?

I don't know if it's the lack of carbs or sugar... or just the extreme eating change but I am MOODY. I was kind of moody yesterday but I am like a dramatic teenage girl with PMS today. I hate being this way but I assume it's due to hormonal changes because of the diet and it'll regulate itself out. It had better or my husband may go nuts.

On a good note, I was down ANOTHER 3 pounds today to 216.6. I am shocked that I have lost 6 pounds in 2 days. I wonder how long the weight loss will keep up at this pace? Can't possibly be that long, can it? I know it'll slow and I'll even have days where I don't lose but that's OK. Even if I lost nothing else this week, 6 pounds in a week is amazing! I am going to TRY not to weigh myself everyday - we'll see how that goes.

My food today was:

breakfast:
scrambled eggs with salsa
1/2 grapefruit
green tea

snack:
apple
tea

lunch:
salad with chicken (ff ranch)
green tea

snack:
yogurt, tea

dinner:
chicken and veggie soup - see photo
green tea

Wanted a carb today, ANY carb

Yeah, only day two and I'll tell you... I wanted a carb like nothing else today. I gave my son a snack of goldfish crackers and man.... those things have never smelled so good! It was HARD. I said "One won't hurt anything, right?" I thought about it and REALLY wanted to give in and eat it. But I know, and I am sure you do too, that there is never such a thing as ONE cracker or ONE chip. It seemed like everywhere I looked in my kitchen there were foods I wanted. Bread, crackers, eggo's, pasta... all sorts of things. But, I stayed strong and stayed the course. After the first 17 days, on Cycle 2, I get to introduce more foods and even get to eat a few carbs again. I have never in my life been so excited to see brown rice on a list of foods to eat. I wonder if my favorite sushi place can make my rolls with brown rice? Oh I hope so! I don't think I can go without sushi from there again...

I stepped on the scale this morning, just out of curiosity. I was down 3 pounds to 219.6! 3 pounds in a day! I have had weeks where I haven't lost that much. Now, I know it was day one and an extreme eating change for me. I know that I won't see the scale move like that every day but man... THAT was encouraging! It made me feel so good about myself. AMAZING what a day can do. I have the habit if starting things and not finishing them... it's a BAD habit I think I've had my whole life. But, I really do think I can do this though and I really am ready. If I see weeks of good weight loss I KNOW it will keep me motivated and on plan. This diet says it WILL do that for me if I follow it. So... enough is enough... I am SO SICK of being overweight.

Because I know you are curious, today I ate:

breakfast:
greek yogurt
green tea

snack:
apple, tea

lunch:
salad with leftover chicken (oil & vinegar)
green tea

snack:
blueberries, tea

dinner:
ground turkey lettuce wrap with veggies - see photo!
green tea


I know this diet is good for me and I know there will be hard days and easy days. I know there will be days when I slip and I know there will be days when I follow this to a tee. The good thing is I am TRULY motivated. I WANT to lose weight and I know if I follow this, no matter how hard, I will. 17 days without a carb won't kill me - will it?

My pee is clear

Yep, that's right. I have drank my weight in water, green tea and "teavana" today so I have been to the bathroom  oh, about a million times. I don't think I have EVER been this hydrated. It's been a long time at least since my pee has been clear and we'll leave it at that.

Day 1 has gone quite well! My day consisted of:


Breakfast:
2 eggs scrambled with veggies
green tea

Snack:
apple, white tea

lunch:
salad with chicken (FF ranch) - see photo!
green tea

snack:
greek yogurt

dinner:
chicken with veggies, pepper, oregano, rosemary, thyme, olive oil
green tea

I REALLY don't want to post my weight but in the interest of full disclosure (and this will keep me accountable) my starting weight today was... gasp... 222.6. Ugh, that number makes me feel like crap. Especially since BEFORE the holidays, it was around 213. The book and the forums for the 17 day diet on TheDoctors.com have been quite helpful today.

I feel good about my day today and even have a NSV (non-scale victory) to announce. While waiting for my oil change, the waiting room was filled with doughnuts and cookies that looked pretty damn good. They smelled good too. It was a dieters nightmare in that room. It was tempting. I sat there with my tea and stared at them. I think a cookie actually said "eat me". But, instead of sabotaging myself I took one of the very nice looking apples that was also on the table. I ate my apple, drank my tea and you know what - felt AWESOME about my choice. It tasted good and I didn't feel deprived. Once I had that apple... I was full and had no desire to eat anything else in the room. It was HARD but I did it and felt good about it after. I have had energy today and actually FELT good.

Day 1 down, 16 to go on cycle 1.

The diet starts tomorrow!

I have read and am ready for Cycle 1: Accelerate. I am ready to lose weight and actually try to lose it this time instead of, like, cheating and saying I'll do better tomorrow.

Cycle 1 is about protein and veggies for the most part and no carbs and no alcohol. It's going to be a LONG 17 days but I can do it... it's only 17 days and then I get to do something different for Cycle 2. And who knows... maybe I really will feel good and energized like the book says I will! That would be cool. Once I get to the last cycle, I get to reintroduce favorite foods and even have a drink a day. Actually I think I can start the drink a day in cycle 2... although I do not need a drink EVERY day. But, it will be nice to drink my wine club wine again.

This cycle is also asking me to REALLY think, not only about when I am hungry but when I am FULL. I tend to eat way too fast and I know that's why I overeat a lot. My favorite quote from that part of the book:

Hunger Meter

1. I'm a little hungry; my stomach feels as hollow as the promises of a politician.

2. I'm so hungry I could eat the lining of an empty Spam can...

Fullness Meter

3. I'm starting to feel full. I'll stop now so that I can save on my grocery bill.

4. I'm so stuffed I'll have to waddle over to the couch to collapse.

I have been at #4 more times than I'd like to admit in my life. I think it happens every single time we order sushi (which anyone who knows me knows that's a LOT). I also end up at #2 a lot as well. Especially now with Donovan in the picture. I tend to focus on him and his needs all day and then, all of the sudden it's 3 or 4pm and I am dying of hunger only to realize I have not had a single thing to eat ALL DAY.

I won't lie. This past week has been filled with junk food, ordering out and eating more than a couple cookies. I stepped on the scale this morning (the first time in about 2 weeks) and have gained 6 pounds! I know a lot is water weight but it's still weight! I am SO READY to see that scale go in the right direction. I do want to eat better and feel better.

I CAN do this.

Day 2 of the book learnin :)

I am on Chapter 3 today but wanted to share my favorite exert from Chapter 2. In response to weighing in at the doctors office:

Not too many people like to weigh themselves. Doctors know this. After patients step on the scales, they think it is giving them the weight of a completely different person, like Hulk Hogan. Since we won't let them weigh naked, they tell us to subtract two pounds for their shoes, one pound for their jewelry and three pounds if it is after the big mac and fries they had for lunch. Some people strip off this stuff faster than a Lexus left on a city street at midnight and step on the scale again. But doctors' scales do not lie. Patients have to accept the truth. Their bodies, without consulting them, have been converting doughnuts, pizza and ice cream into fat.

How many people have been here? I always take my shoes off and then tell the nurse that my scale at home tells me I weigh less and that I must have on my "heavy jeans". I tell them to deduct a couple pounds and honestly... does that 2 pounds make a difference? NOPE. It's still a number higher than I want to see. No matter how many people tell me... well, you have an excuse, you have a baby! It's not a good excuse. Plenty of people have kids and get their figures back. It's my own fault I gained that much when pregnant anyway. Pregnancy should never have been an all out pass to eat ice cream everyday - was I REALLY craving it? NOPE. Did "the baby want it"? NOPE. It was my excuse to eat whatever I wanted "because I could" without thinking of the consequences. Now, it's 16 months later and while I have lost a lot of the weight I gained - I was no skinny minnie when I got pregnant so... I'm still fat.

I'll read Chapter 3 today and it explains Phase 1 of the plan. I may be ready to start this before Monday after all!

I got the book in the mail!

And thus, my 17 day diet adventure begins. I have started reading the book and plan to start this diet on Monday, January 17, 2011. I picked this date for a couple reasons.

1. I need to go grocery shopping for the foods that fit the plan.
2. I need to rid the house of a lot of the crap foods we have - maybe eating some of them?
3. I really do want to read and understand the plan before I start.

Perhaps I'll end up starting sooner but for now, the 17th is my planned start date. A great date too - start the 17 day diet ON the 17th! Seems like a plan meant to be.

My favorite sentence so far in Chapter 1: "You've got to stop eating unhealthy crap." To which I say... really? You mean the unhealthy crap is why I am fat? NO WAY dude... no way. :)