Day 4

[After hours of trying to get a picture where we were all smiling, we just got goofy and giggly.]

I had no problem staying awake last night, and no problem sleeping when I finally, blissfully, fell into bed. I didn't want to get up early this am though, I'll tell you that! I do love my sleep.

I was down 1.8 lb. this morning. That's a total of 4.9 lb. in 3 days on the VLCI. I'm just tenths of a lb. away from having gotten rid of my loading gain, which disappoints me. I know that sounds crazy considering I released almost 5 lb. in 3 days, but most people get rid of that in the first couple of days. I know it will be gone tomorrow, but I was hoping for today.

Today I have two appointments at the wellness center and then I work at home for the rest of the day, preparing for a presentation I will give to some nursing students tomorrow. I have some web work and some preparations for jumping back into school next term. It's going to be a busy day, but mostly at home. I hope to get some yoga in, too.

12:30 pm

About an hour and a half ago I had my apple, and then more coffee with stevia while I was working on some computer stuff. I just had steamed cabbage again and my chicken breast with a grissini following.

Some people complain about not having enough variety with this program, but for crafty cooks, there's plenty of variety. You can use spices as long as they don't have sugar or starches. I just tend to be boring and don't mind repetition. I also don't like seafood, fish...and I have an conscientious objection to eating veal. I have a hard enough time not thinking about eating adult animals, let alone babies.

Which brings me to the thought I wanted to blog about: the "Can I have..." or "I don't like..." complaint that some people have.

In a perfect world we could eat anything we want, whenever we want, in any amount we want. I've never lived in that world, even when I was fat, and while I know there are some people who do and never worry about what they put in their mouth, I know it never will be me.

Steamed cabbage is not my favorite thing to eat, frankly. I'd much prefer a bagel and cream cheese. However, streamed cabbage is not torture for me. Shrimp would be, so I don't eat it, even though I could.

I really, really love cream in my coffee. I don't love it with just stevia. But I do love coffee...so I'm willing to take it as I can get it for now.

This is only perhaps 6 more weeks out of my life. No, I won't be able to have a bagel every day when I'm done...much as I would love that. But I know enough now to know if I do have a bagel, I'll need to walk 6 miles at 3 mph to burn it off. I'm not likely to want to do that more than once a week. I know that I can have cream in my coffee every single day and it doesn't put the pounds back on. I learned that through this program by weighing myself nearly every single day for the past year. So, next month, I'll be putting cream in my coffee.

I could lament how unfair that is and how it sucks to be me, or I can deal with the fact that my body is just that way. If I want to keep it where it is, I change some stuff.

This protocol is not magic. It IS a fresh start and an opportunity to learn about yourself. It's very affirming to finally know that for all those years, it wasn't that I wasn't trying hard enough (or feeling crazy because I KNEW I couldn't try any harder, but was being told I just wasn't)...it was that what 'everybody knows' was wrong for me. Once I found what was RIGHT for me, it was easy.

Having daily motivation in the way of pound or two off in the scale, or having clothes fall off my butt is fantastic, but having a new sense of control and having my sanity back so that every waking moment isn't spent hating myself for failing is even better.

For people who really want this to work, who are ready and willing to work IT, it works.

6 pm

Wow, my afternoon shaped up to be busy! I needed a piece of sugar-free gum to keep me going, but I just had my chicken and lettuce and I'm too fun to eat the grissini and apple! I'm sure if I get a chance before bed I'll get that in.

Tomorrow also got busy really fast. I'm at three different locations back to back. Typically, I'd take cucumber as my 'easy to transport' veggie, my apples and my chicken. I only have 1/2 a cuke though. I'll have to take the rest and hope I can stop at the store (or my honey does!) to have my veggie when I get home tomorrow night.

I also tend to drink coffee-regular in the morning and decaf in the afternoon-but I'm not seeing that happening. It should be an interesting day!