Day Four

12/31/2009 Day Four
I was up super early today but feeling terrible to start with, almost a hung-over type feeling. Off to the airport and drinking water all the way hoping that my bladder will hold through all the travel today and that the airport won’t be too crazy. There has been a lot on the news this week about extra security so I headed in extra early to ensure I made it home for Christmas Eve. Everything was fine-they said the delays were mostly for the international flights. Sigh of relief that my plane took off and landed on time and I was home by ‘noon! Ate a mozzarella cheese stick and some almonds for breakfast as I was driving out of St. Louis to airport and once landed, stopped at McDonalds for Grilled Chicken and bacon salad with extra plank of grilled chicken-I was famished!
I completed some shopping in town; I am on the hunt for the perfect planner for 2010 which is sort of an obsession for me. I already have one but I am not convinced it is the right one, I know the right one when I find it…sounds crazy but I feel that I have to have just a certain feel (texture and weight to my hand when open), a usability (certain layouts—i.e. month/year and contacts with lots of pages for notes), and with looking at the thing constantly to keep all my appointments in order, I don’t want to get sick of looking at it So I am on the hunt and by the time I get home (around 2 pm) I am completely worn out and so I take a nap since I do plan to stay up for New Year’s Eve.
A near mishap with the diet occurred when I awoke rather groggy to my brother banging on my front door and bringing me a late Christmas gift. After a brief greeting, he flew away to a New Year’s party and for some reason when I turned back into the kitchen I saw all the Christmas goodies in their tins on the counter and immediately went and started to lift the lid on one from my Aunt. YIKES!! Thankfully my brain suddenly kicked in alarms and I slammed the lid shut with heavy breathing and elevated heart rate-WHAT WAS I THINKING??? It was like I was on auto pilot or something. Wow. A near miss but I am thankful it was not a disaster.
You are probably wondering WHY I don’t have the stuff out of my house, well; it is not entirely my own domain since my sister shares with me. My 120 pound sister who never gains weight and works to put it on because when she is stressed or even just working the pounds just fall off of her…in other words, she can eat all this Christmas stuff without incident.
I decided an action was necessary though and promptly emptied out the largest gift bag I have left from Christmas and filled the thing with cookies , fruitcake, candy etc. and when she got home told her to take it to the car and keep it at school where she teaches. She was happy to oblige.
We made a wonderful taco salad (mine minus chips and beans) and it was very satisfying. We talked and scrapbooked the New Year in on a very cold evening and I was glad to see 2009 fall behind me…”out with the old on with the new “, I say! Happy New Year and Good night!

Day Three

12/30/2009 Day Three
Today was relatively uneventful although I have noticed that my mood has continued with irritability and my mouth seems to have lost its filter…God help!  I offended several people today and had to apologize and grovel. Normally I am not so irritable and I will be glad when my system adjusts. Right now I just wish I could go to a monastery or some secured locked unit away from people or where speaking is not allowed…it would be better for everyone. Unfortunately, I do not have that option and my job required constant speaking so, I prayed for an extra measure of grace. God is faithful and I made it through the day without offending anyone from the ‘noon hour forward. LOL.
I also had another small victory today. I ate out at a formal sit down restaurant for the first time and had dinner. Dinner was eaten at the Outback with blooming onions blooming all around me with their splendiferous carb laden odors. Ha! I was victorious with salmon, steamed veggies and a wedge salad minus the carb laden vinaigrette dressing. I feel fabulous about this small achievement, really, I do! I also completed drinking the remaining 16 ounces of water I needed for my quota! No ice tea is really another major victory since I was use to drinking 32-44 ounces a day…that’s probably where the headaches came from which I am still having and taking Ibuprofen once a day is minimizing.
Happy to report I survived day three with victory! Good night.

Day Two

12/29/09
I had more of those sick moments with weakness, headache and irritability today but no time to focus on those since I had to pack and fly to St. Louis for work the next 2 days. I was proud of myself for packing cheese sticks, nuts and beef jerky (with less than 3 carbs) in my suitcase to ensure that snacks happen and I don’t get too hungry. The weather here in St. Louis is much better than Oklahoma’s and I got quite a bit of walking in through the two airports but probably not the 30 minutes…closer to 20 min. Breakfast was a low carb yogurt and I did drink two cups of coffee with 1/2 and equal-I love my coffee and 2 cups is my max so, I was so happy to learn that with this plan I did not have to give it completely up. Mid morning I had some almonds. I am drinking more than I am use to and my bladder protests which was somewhat frightening due to the plane ride today. I had to use the restroom in turbulence and “at my own risk” according to the stewardess who did not want me to use the restroom but it was either that or spring a leak! Thankfully I made it without incidence. Once landed and in rental car it was about 1:30 pm and definitely time for a lunch. I stopped at McDonalds and got a Caesar salad and added another chicken breast…I didn’t know you could get those plain for only $1.50 which is great! I felt much better and went into work happy and with over 3/4 of my water down! Had a mid afternoon snack of almonds which I LOVE. I actually ended up drinking 88 oz today but I needed it with all the flying and extra activity…I usually end up dehydrated when I fly. I had to turn down the other corporate ladies invitation to dinner-just don’t feel strong enough yet but hopefully soon! I don’t want to see those bread baskets anytime soon though. For dinner though I was famished and drove through Arby’s for a grilled chicken salad and ordered a turkey bacon ranch wrap but waited until I checked into the hotel and could get on the internet to check the carb content of their wraps. Way too many carbs so the wrap went in the trash-ouch! I put the contents of turkey, lettuce, tomatoes and a little cheddar in the salad. Noted that the dressing they gave me also had over my 5X5 carbs so, I tried the whole thing without any dressing and it was surprisingly filling and good. I will have to bring dressing with me next time. I just finished some late evening peanuts and more water and now I am winding down and not feeling too bad. Had to take some more Ibuprofen for my headaches but hopefully tomorrow I won’t need. I still did not get in the supplements yet but will try to shop for those tomorrow. Some activity but not as much as I think I need. Also, I packed my green tea packets which I am going to try tomorrow-replace 1 of my cups of coffee with the tea and see how it goes. Maybe eventually I will replace both cups of coffee but for now that’s a “no”. Goodnight!

Day One

12/28/09
The begining of my new begining! Corny I know but I am practicing my "positive thinking" here! :) I believe all my previous attempts met with less than success because I reversed the proverbal "look before you leap". Due to this fact, I strategized for the past 2 month and feel a sense of peace that this plan is more likely to meet with success than any previous...the plan is threefold:
1. Faith in Christ and reliance on His promise: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
2. Following the lifelong eating plan outlined in "The Metabolism Miracle" by Diane Kress. She has a balanced and wise plan for my "Metabolim B"...it was encouraging and brought hope back to my heart since I thought I was the only one with this metabolism!
3. Exercise...beginning gradually and eventually 5 times a week for at least 1 hour.

This blog will be my attempt at accountability since, I travel nearly 100% of the time and keeping routine schedules and contact with people is always a struggle.

Day One:

I started the morning excited and literally shaking with fear!
Breakfast was scrambled egg and I started my 32 oz bottle of water.
Snacked on some chicken breast lunchmeat about 2 hours later and made it 3/4 of the way through my bottle. Lunch was pecans and a cheese stick because there is NOTHING in the house. So, I finished up work around the house and got myself semi pulled together to go shopping. Threw a mozz cheese stick in my coat pocket and went out into the cold. We just had a blizzard here which is why I haven’t gotten the food in that I needed. I copied most of the MM page regarding allowed foods so I am prepared. I was inspired to stop and Curves and join…hope it’s not too much too fast but they have an awesome New Years deal and I think that being a women’s gym and a national franchise it will eliminate the two main barriers I have had to exercise. That was the MOST depressing thing ever…I have all my stats written down there so, for now, I will not repeat here but I plan to get a copy of the measurements…one that I do know is the weight and it is the highest it has ever been in my life (thank you ever so much Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners). I am weighing in at over XXX and I want to die. I plan to Google addresses for the closest Curves to all my facilities. After Curves sign up, went to Wal-mart and it was c-r-a-z-y out there…what was everyone starting a diet? I guess we all were just locked up with the blizzard and itchin’ to get out of our houses. Anyways, the parking lot was FULL and a mess with lots of piles of dirty and melting snow which was creating large puddles. My parking lot angel was looking out for me though and I was able to get a close space. I know, I know, I am supposed to park out and walk but not until these puddles and snow clears! Shopping was the pits and I started to feel really sick while in there…headache, shaky and extremely cranky. By the time I got home with all my items, I was ready to chew someone’s head off and my poor sister and dogs bore the brunt of my insanity. I tried not to chew them up completely but my responses were definitely clipped and my patience thin. I cooked up chicken breasts rubbed with buttermilk ranch dressing mix and my sister fixed up a big pot of cauliflower. It was the best meal ever and I took some Ibuprofen since my headache was getting much worse. Finished up my mandated 64 ounces of water too! So proud of no so lil’ me! LOL The next 3 hours were filled with scrapbook activity and I completed about 8 pages of Christmas pictures until I was so tired and shaky I went to bed with a small snack of chicken lunchmeat before bed. I completed most of the requirements except for the 30 min of physical activity and the supplements but I am working on that…will start that next week is the plan and will try to get the supplements started later this week. I need to buy a few of them but most I have….good night!
PS: For the curious, I will post my stats soon so you can watch my progress but will probably do so in inches until I can gain enough courage to post the actual #’s.