R2P2D19 – 168.5

Weight: 168.5

I was surprised this morning.  I got on the scale and it said 168.  No way!  I was really hungry yesterday, couldn’t seem to get full and I ate way more than I should have.  So, I was even expecting an increase!

Being that I always weigh more than once, I got fluctuating numbers, between 168.5 and 168, but I got more 168.5’s than 168’s, so went with the higher number.  The way I look at it, if it’s true weight that I’ve lost, then the scale will reflect it tomorrow as a solid number, and if not, I haven’t deceived myself.

I wonder if being so hungry is an indication that I’m starting to get to a point where my body says it’s done this round.  And then I go an drop a pound!  Or, it could be TOM factoring in.  Either way, this 21 day round was a good idea.

Counting today, I’ve got 3 more days left of shots, so at the most I’ll get rid of 3 pounds to make it to my original goal.  That’s what I kick myself about, having cheated the past couple of days, although most of the cheating has been because I was really hungry.

Looking towards the next round, though, cheating affects whether or not I make my actual goal weight, if I “only” lose 10 pounds on Round 3, from where I am today, then I fall short of the goal by 3 pounds.  I’m also trying to keep 3 pounds in perspective; it’s not like global peace is at stake, and neither should the entirety of my self esteem be based on those 3 pounds.

That is rather like life, though…one decision affects something else way down the road that we don’t know about until much later.

R2P2D18 – 168.5

Weight: 168.5

Good!!  Yay!!  I didn’t mess up too badly!  Woo Hoo!  That’s a pound down from yesterday!  I was worried that eating cereal two days ago was going to derail the rest of the round.  Even yesterday I didn’t exactly follow protocol.

I was really  hungry by the time I ate lunch.  I had:

• 3 ounces of shrimp with garlic and cooked it using some coconut oil (off protocol)
• a WASA cracker with about a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter (also off protocol)
• a huge Romaine salad
• most of a home grown tomato

I figured I’d have the rest  of the tomato and leftover Romaine for a mid-afternoon snack if I needed it.  I never did get hungry in the afternoon.

For dinner I had:

• leftover salad with tomato, added more Romaine
• 6 ounces of Tilapia
• plain WASA cracker.

While the fish is on protocol, the amount should be 3 ounces.  The filet got thawed before cutting it to a smaller portion, and I didn’t want to waste it, so I ate it.  Isn’t that one of the ways we usually get into this mess in the first place?

Because I knew I was over on calories, by quite a bit, actually, I didn’t have the second fruit.  My carb and fat count was pretty low, though, so I was hoping that would work in my favor.

I also wanted to make sure to get enough fluids, thinking I would counterbalance the carbs from cereal; while I did have my two bottles of water, I had several glasses of herbal iced tea.  I strive for counting water only, so I didn’t think I’d gotten enough.

I can really see a difference in the mirror, too.  And I’m finding that I don’t mind looking at myself, even finding a pleasing aesthetic in my female form.

What new possibilities exist?

R2P2D17 – 169.5

Weight: 169.5

Yesterday, I was really craving carbs, not just something sweet.  I broke down and had a bowl of cereal...then my stomach started to feel bloated almost right away.  Yuck. 

And feeling...I don't know...sort of disappointed, but...conscious...not really self sabotage, I was trying to listen to my body and see what its telling me, but still wondering how this will affect the scale.  Even though I ate off protocol, it wasn’t like I went hog wild with a food frenzy, although I could see where I could have gone down that road.  It wasn’t about filling an emotional need, so there wasn’t that component of a “frenzy”.  I got full, though, and the cereal satisfied the craving and I really didn’t want to eat anything more.  Can I blame it on upcoming TOM?  Oh, just looking for a scapegoat….

The good news this morning is that I’m full, where I have been rather hungry the past few days and having to either drink a bottle of water, cups of tea and coffee or use my Metamucil trick.

I’m just hoping that I don't pay for it over the next week, which is the last of my round.  Sigh.

R2P2D16 – 169

Weight: 169

WOW!!  That's what I said when I first got on the scale this morning because it said 168.5... but I could never get that back (remember, I always weigh several times) and so I'm going with the higher 169 weight for today's official weight, but I expect I will get 168 tomorrow.  I'm really glad the peanut butter didn't hurt!  Of course, it helped that I didn't go overboard with it either.

R2P2D15 – 169.5

Weight: 169.5

Wow, I can’t believe how good it feels to finally see a “6”!  I don’t remember seeing a “6” since high school!

I put on my skinny jeans and my new top, which I’ve been avoiding wearing since I washed the skinny jeans and then saw a bit of a muffin top.  Today it is much smaller, and no one noticed, even me, because I was working from home!

Still, I have been a lot more hungry today.  I used my sugar free orange Metamucil trick at 10am, made it to lunch at 12:15, but after even a half hour later, I was still hungry, even with picking another bite off the chicken in the refrigerator.  The nuts in the pantry have been calling my name, but I’ve avoided them.  So, I decided, very thoughtfully, to indulge in a tablespoon of natural, chunky peanut butter, after having waited that half hour.  I sure felt better…as in satisfied and not hungry!

I just hope it won’t backfire on the scale tomorrow, that was the part that was “thoughtful” about my action.  Will I be disappointed because there’s no “6”…?  Will I stall?  I just wanted some more protein!

I only have six more days left of shots, so the amount of weight I can get rid of is pretty limited.  So far I’ve only gotten rid of 8 pounds in 15 days; I think other people lose faster than I do.  Hopefully, I’ll still make it to at least 166, maintain that on P3, and then on to lose the rest of it.

R2P2D14 – 170

Weight: 170

Yay!!  Finally a whole pound down!

While my calories and carbs seem to be up, according to SparkPeople’s nutrition tracker, I avoided the chocolate Stevia all day, for the first time since I got it last week.  I'll try that again today and see if my progress continues.

I also had broccoli for the first time on this round, and it sure was good!  While it's not on the original protocol, my doctor said it was fine to eat.  I had decided though, to try following the original protocol more strictly, hoping to have better progress, so I have avoided it.  I had been concerned that the carbs might be too high, but then I looked at the nutritional information for zucchini, which IS on the list, and it is much higher than broccoli.

So, dinner consisted of grilled ground bison, broccoli, and my multigrain wasa bread.  Pretty good for Monday night football!

Later, for my evening snack, I had a frozen strawberry and iced tea slushy with cinnamon and vanilla Stevia.  Yum!

Seven more days left on this round and am hoping to get rid of at least 5 more pounds.  That will put me at my original goal, which I’ve had for many years.  However, I have recently adjusted it downward, based on how much fat is left in my tummy area, and the fact that I'm not lifting weights anymore, so don't have the lean body mass that I used to have.  It's not about the number, it's about being healthy.

R2P2D13 – 171

Weight: 171

Anther half pound.  That's not as exciting as last night's Broncos vs Cowboys football game but at least its forward progress…and that’s how you make touchdowns!

I wish I knew what exactly caused the slowdown, which started on Day 5, which isn't very far into the round.  I start getting anxious that I'm not making enough progress, and that that I need to go for a longer round.  My doctor was pretty certain about our approach when we set up the plan, so that's what I'm going to do.  Just have to remind myself that it's OK and I don't have to have it RIGHT NOW!

I’ve been going over my food logs and think that maybe I am taking in too many carbs, but I'll have to go over last round’s data to compare.  I realized yesterday that I've been eating snap green beans, which I didn't realize are not on the protocol, so that could be part of the problem.  While they are healthy, they are not on the approved list of foods, and Dr. Simeon was very specific about the allowed foods that would work.

Onward and downward!

GO BRONCOS!!