Still here July 9, 2009

I’m still plugging along.

In case anyone was wondering.

My weight stays around 158, give or take a couple of pounds.  And it only stays in that range because I continue to renew my commitment to this lifestyle every single day.

It’s not easy.  In fact, lately, I’ve become plagued by Crazed Addict Fatgirl even on days when I make up my mind to refrain from over-indulging.  It’s almost hard to remember what it was like to be so committed to my new ways that I did not WANT to eat junk food or pig out with no restraint. 

I do know that after I got going and stayed committed for several days in a row, Crazed Addict Fatgirl’s lying voice got much fainter, much less powerful.  But it’s been several weeks since I’ve had more than one “good day” in a row.  I think that’s definitely part of the problem.  My old mindset of using food for entertainment – of deliberately seeking out unlimited amounts of the fattening foods I enjoy – is so easily resurrected.  All it takes is a few days of caving to Crazed Addict Fatgirl, and I start to absolutely CHAFFE at any sort of restriction when I try to “get back in the saddle.”

Yesterday was a great case in point.

My resolve is the strongest throughout the morning.  It tends to wane as the day wears on.  Yesterday afternoon, I found myself sitting around, toying with the idea of going to Chick-Fil-A for lunch.  I actually prayed that I’d be able to resist the temptation.  I needed to go out to the store, and it’d be way too easy to swing on over to where Chick-Fil-A is located.

I went ahead and had a Slim-Fast instead.  I knew that I’d feel too full to be enticed by large amounts of fast food once I’d had my shake.

I went to the store, did my errand.  As I was getting back into my car, I realized that I was NOT satisfied with just the Slim-Fast.  I still was not going to go to Chick-Fil-A, but I suddenly remembered the bag of barbecue potato chips that I’d bought a week or two ago.  Immediately, I knew what I was going to do.

And this is where Crazed Addict Fatgirl comes in.

A part of me really did NOT want to eat a bunch of chips.  But then a larger part of me totally did, and Crazed Addict Fatgirl came and took possession of my thoughts.  When Crazed Addict Fatgirl is in residence, she has me convinced that wolfing down as many potato chips as I can stand will not hurt me.  I actually get this weird giddy rush of excitement as I contemplate how much fun the over-indulgence is going to be.  I feel a sort of bizarre “high” about it.  I’m carefree and full of anticipation, and at that moment, I utterly do not care about eating healthy foods, eating well, keeping my weight within a good range, or fitting into my clothes.

It’s really strange.

So I came home and ripped open the chip bag, poured a huge glass of Diet Coke, and sat down to zone out and eat.  I think I put away half the bag before getting sick of the taste.  At one point, I realized that I was almost not able to eat the chips fast enough, so great was my weird urgency to keep the barbecue flavor inside my mouth.

Strange strange strange.

I didn’t really feel too bad afterward.  Sometimes, especially after having too many potato chips, I actually feel sick, but not yesterday.  Later, I felt regret.  But in the moment – it’s crazy. 

It’s Crazed Addict Fatgirl.

I’m pretty sure I will always be plagued by this…CREATURE.  I do know that her voice gets fainter if I don’t indulge her bizarre whims.  I do know that if I could just resist her possession, if I could just distract myself from her lures, she does lose power over me.

These days, I have a much more heartfelt sympathy for those “loser” alcoholics or drug addicts who keep falling off the wagon.  I know what it’s like.  My thoughts lie to me…and I choose to believe their lies.  I eat the foods that trigger more lying thoughts…which puts me right back into the out-of-control cycle, where I feel powerless to resist food.  It’s definitely an addiction.

I’ve been cleaning out my closet, and I am NOT tossing all my fat-chick clothes.  Instead, I’m putting them in clear plastic bins down in the basement.  I hope that with my daily renewed commitment, I never will need them again.  I do continue to eat my fruits and vegetables, and I do exercise intensely just about every day.  But my addictive personality - the part of me that slips so easily into the habit of using an over-indulgence of fattening foods for entertainment – puts me at real risk of being fat again.

I need to quit lying to myself.

I need to put Crazed Addict Fatgirl in her place.

I need to remember that once I get past the first couple of days, it’s REALLY NOT THAT HARD to exercise portion control.

I’m heading out to my parents’ place for a two-week vacation, and in a bizarre way, I’m actually thinking that it will be easier to get back into a groove over there.  My mom and dad have been complaining greatly of money woes and aren’t doing nearly the dining out and the self-indulgent eating that they’ve done in the past.  When I was out there last time, it was easy to fend for myself and just have a Lean Cuisine for dinner, and dinner is when I struggle the most.  Dinner, and stupid junk food snacks like potato chips.

So I’m still here.  Still committed.  Still plugging along.  With a renewed commitment to quit listening to lying Crazed Addict Fatgirl.

Regrets June 26, 2008

I have to say, I really REALLY regretted indulging in that garlic bread last night!

Almost more than any of the rest of my “binge moments,” last night’s garlic bread fiasco made me miserable.  I really overdid it, to the point where the bread sat like a brick in my stomach.  Twice in the night I woke up with a heartburn feeling, almost enough to make me nauseous.

To top it off, when I forced myself to weigh in this morning, I was back to 163.  I’d gained almost 2 pounds from that over-indulgance.

Definitely not worth it!

I really need to remember this feeling the next time I am tempted by the desire to binge. 

It’s been so great to go to the swimming pool and feel like I look reasonably good in my swimsuit.  Today when a bunch of the snooty moms showed up at our neighborhood pool, I suddenly realized that I looked just as good as any of them.  For years, I’ve struggled with intense feelings of inferiority, bogged down by those extra 25 pounds I used to carry around with me.  I used to feel so ashamed of myself.  But now, although I’ll probably never be what I’d consider “model thin,” to where I’d want to wear a bikini, I at least feel like I don’t stand out horribly.  My figure is OK enough.  I’d say I probably look as fit as most of the other moms, perhaps better than some, definitely worse than others.

(And yes, I realize how “high school” this sounds.  But hey, it’s the truth, the reality of where I live.  I can’t change the fact that these other women are like this – but at least I COULD change the fact that I used to be fat.  And now, despite how juvenile and immature it is for a middle-aged woman to be concerned about being judged based on her appearance, at least I’m feeling like I can participate in the world around me.  I feel like I’ve managed to put myself on the playing field.  So, “high school” or not, it’s still an accomplishment!)

I don’t want to lose this accomplishment.  I don’t want to slide back into old habits which will eventually lead me to being out of shape and fat again.  Binging on garlic bread is simply not worth the price.

Reality check May 27, 2008

I go back and forth in my thinking.  On some days, I almost can’t congratulate myself enough for having stuck with my new habits for over two months and lost 20 pounds.  It feels like a huge accomplishment, given the problems I’ve had for years with making commitments and then quickly giving up.  I also feel like I’m “almost there” in terms of how I look.  I can wear a lot of the clothes that haven’t fit in years, which seems like another huge accomplishment.

But…

Well, today I tried on one of my favorite swimsuits.  I hadn’t put it on since last summer, when it was shockingly and shamefully ill-fitting, to the point where I hardly appeared in public in it.  (I’d keep my cover-up handy and immediately slip it on when I’d get out of the swimming pool.)  Now, it does fit a lot better than it did last year, that’s for sure!  BUT…I don’t look nearly as svelte in it as I thought I would.  I have some very obvious saddle bags on my thighs…and back flab.

I’m going to have to work out harder, that’s all there is to it.  And keep focused!  I can’t afford to lie to myself and think it’s OK to slack off now.  I’m only halfway to my goal.  I’d really like to look GOOD in my swimsuit (well, as good as my semi-middle-aged body will ever look) and not just “better than my old fat slob self from last year.”  Yes, I’m happy that I’m not as bad as I was last summer, but I was just surprised at how far I still have to go.

The reality check of my swimsuit was very helpful, actually, in helping me to maintain my self-control.  Today while I was out doing some shopping, I had a strong impulse to get Chic-Fil-A for lunch.  And not just a salad and 6 nuggets, either, but a full-on meal with fries (I could smell the fries as I passed by and they wafted my direction).  I immediately put the thought out of my mind.  Crazed Addict Fatgirl was nowhere to be found.  I cannot afford to listen to her lying whispers for even a moment.  Our summer vacation is in less than 2 months, and I’d really, REALLY love to look better in my swimsuit than I did today.

Keeping it together over a long weekend… May 27, 2008

I’m in sort of a groove and not finding it terribly difficult to keep going.  I weighed in the other day at 167.8, which is the lowest number I’ve seen so far.  My size 14 jeans, which used to be so uncomfortably tight that I’d NEVER wear them, fit well now, to the point where they feel sort of baggy when I’m walking around.  Another 10 pounds, and I will actually NEED to get some new clothes, as even my old “skinny” clothes will be too big.  That alone is enough motivation to keep me on the “straight and narrow.”

But the thing is, it hasn’t actually FELT like the “straight and narrow” – my plan, my new habits, haven’t felt terribly restrictive.  For the most part, I’m enjoying feeling better, feeling healthier.  I have a lot more energy than I used to.  Also, I’ve hit that mindset where it feels more like a game to figure out choices that won’t interfere with my plan.  As it was in days of old, years ago, when I was at my lowest weight ever (which for me, being six feet tall, was in the mid to upper 140s…and I was downright skinny at that weight), I find that if I just focus on incorporating two servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit into my food choices each day, the rest sort of takes care of itself.

For instance, yesterday we went to PF Chang’s, my favorite “Chinese” food restaurant ever.  (“Chinese” is in quotes because Chang’s isn’t exactly straight-up traditional Chinese food…it’s more “Asian bistro.”)  My favorite dish at Chang’s is Kung Pao Chicken.  Prior to starting my plan, I actually made myself sick one night by eating an entire platter of Kung Pao Chicken ALL BY MYSELF.  There’s something about the spiciness that just gets to me.  I find it incredibly addictive.

Well, yesterday, we went to Chang’s, and I had the Kung Pao Chicken on my mind.  So I decided that I would have some.  But first, I ordered the “Buddha’s Feast,” which is their steamed veggies.  I ate almost the entire thing, as it was mostly asparagus tips, a few pieces of broccoli, a few carrots, and some mushrooms.  (I ended up sharing a lot of the veggies with my kids, who kept asking for more – and why would I ever want to tell them “no” to vegetables???  I’d have to turn in my “Mom” license!  )

After all those veggies, I found that a small spoon of Kung Pao Chicken was more than enough, along with a small spoon of brown rice.  I probably had about a quarter of what I’ve eaten in the past.

Now, the Kung Pao Chicken is still an extremely high-calorie choice off their menu.  I wouldn’t eat it every day, or even once a week.  But since we don’t go to Chang’s all that often, it was OK to “indulge” a little.  And oddly, as I keep finding, a small amount is more than satisfying.

Saturday I did have an evening of some bad choices.  But they were rather deliberate bad choices, as I had a terrible hankering for Caesar’s salad.  I made a special trip to the store just to get some fresh hearts of romaine, which I then chopped and mixed liberally with creamy Caesar dressing, a bunch of fresh croutons, cracked pepper, and grated parmesan cheese.  It was fabulous.  I also made garlic bread, and Hubby grilled steak.  I ate large portions of everything and had a small glass of white wine.

The next morning – yesterday morning – I actually weighed myself and discovered that I’d gained a pound, up to 168.8 from 167.8.  That was enough to make me settle back in to my better habits. 

But I think a planned indulgence – as long as it is not more than once every couple of weeks – is not so bad.  At least it keeps me from feeling totally crazed and deprived.

But getting back to adding in veggies as a diet trick…well, it really does work.  Today I grabbed a bag of cut cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots and a container of ranch dressing to take with us on our outing to the museum.  When we stopped at Chipotle, I got my customary two chicken tacos lightly sprinkled with chicken, black beans, green salsa, and a very little bit of cheese.  Because I’d eaten that bag of veggies beforehand, I couldn’t finish the second taco.  The whole lunch was very satisfying.  It felt like just as much of a treat as a giant full-sized burrito had ever felt, and I didn’t end up feeling sick or bloated…and I was wearing my newly loose size 14 jeans.

Most excellent.

I’m going to keep plodding along.  I keep telling myself that I will get some new clothes once I hit the 150s.  I’ll need them by then!

Friday May 24, 2008

Well, it was another one of those “just keep going” days.

I was tired today…it’s been a long week…and again I just didn’t feel like exercising.  So again, I didn’t.  But I stuck with my plan.  I had a moment this afternoon, after the kids got home from school, where I just wanted to throw off all restraints and go out for a nice dinner…to someplace where they serve really good bread…and I’d just eat all I wanted and perhaps order a good glass of wine…sigh…

But I didn’t.  Instead, I made my Lean Cuisine and some steamed green beans.  I did have dessert once again, one of those Mrs. Smith’s Heavenly 100′s brownies.  They are really tiny.  Initially, I thought I’d made a stupid mistake for buying them.  But they’re dense and rich and very tasty, and each tiny nibble is pretty satisfying.

So that was my little treat tonight.  That was it.  No restaurant meal, no bread, no wine.  I keep telling myself, I’m only halfway to my goal.  I can’t start caving in again whenever I feel like it.

The truth is, I’m a little depressed.  I had my hair cut recently, and I utterly, UTTERLY HATE IT!!  The stylist, who is normally so good, so skilled, lopped off at least 4 inches more in the back than I’d requested.  I kept sitting there, saying very tentatively, “That feels REALLY short…?”  And she kept assuring me that it wasn’t, that it would all even out.

It didn’t.

I used to have long, shoulder-length hair.  I now have hair that’s bobbed to a cute chin length in front – that part is OK – but is sculpted in a bizarre Dorothy Hamill wedge straight from the 70s in the back.  I cried at the salon, and I feel like crying now, several days later.  At first, I was philosophical about it.  It’s not like I could tape 6 inches of hair back on.  I might as well hold my head high and accept it, right?

But lately, especially when I catch the glances of friends who are seeing my new ‘do for the first time, and I see their looks of shock and sort of pity on their faces, I’ve been feeling terrible about it.  Here I’m giving my body a makeover, and I go and totally screw up my hair.  I’d use even more foul language, except I’m a Christian and I do want to honor God with my words.  Let’s just say I really $#%&#@ it up. 

Losing twenty pounds has made me feel much better about myself, but cutting off twenty inches of hair (well, that’s an exaggeration) has sent me into the doldrums.

I’m going to continue to try to forget about it, forget that I look like I have some bizarre helmet head, forget that I could have essentially had any style I wanted, and I sat there and got butchered…

Wait, that’s not helping.  Heh.

[Pulling myself back together...]

Anyway, I’m feeling slightly depressed tonight.  I’d hoped that a new hairstyle would have gone with my “new” figure, but instead, I feel like I took two steps backward in the looks department. 

I’m just trying not to let it get in the way of my continued focus on fitness.

Plugging along – as usual May 21, 2008

The title of this post just about says it all.  The past few days, I’ve been plugging along as usual, working out and sticking with my Jenny Craig-esque food plan.  I haven’t felt particularly hungry or tempted to stray.  I weighed in the other day and was at 170.2 – the 160s are so tantalizingly close!  Soon I will have lost 20 pounds, and I don’t want to mess it up at this point.

Right now I’m just a tad bit restless.  American Idol is on, and I ate dinner pretty early this afternoon (right after 4:00, because I was so incredibly hungry from working out so hard).  I know there are chips and salsa left over from Saturday’s party, and I keep thinking about them – chips and salsa, and maybe a huge glass of Diet Coke.  I have to be honest – I miss the pleasure of sitting here in front of the TV, combining the fun of food with the fun of a good show.  (Although I have to say, this year’s American Idol has been oddly bland…I hate that little wimpy David Archuleta with his femmy, whispery voice and gigantic caterpillar eyebrows.  David Cook has so much more power as an artist and performer…I’d buy his album in a moment.)

But I’m not going to cave.  At least, I don’t think so.

Here’s what was on today’s menu:

South Beach bar (140); yogurt (100); mixed fruit (grapefruit and some peaches) (120); Slim-Fast Optima shake (190); broccoli (100); turkey dinner (460); milk (90); prunes (200).  Total:  1410.

Saturday April 20, 2008

So today I attempted to get back in the saddle after last night’s total cave-in.  I did have a few moments of regret this morning, when I made myself get on the scale and see the damage I knew our huge Outback meal, the cheesy bacon fries, and large glass of wine had caused. 

I was right – the scale showed 180.4.

So yes, I had some regrets.

I decided the quickest way out of this was to just continue on as though nothing had happened.  When we were out shopping and the family wanted to eat at Red Robin again, I found it next to no trouble at all to order the “Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wrap” again and limit myself to just two fries dipped in a bit of ranch.  I wasn’t able to get as many fruits and vegetables in, but I figure that saves some calories.

So, here were the tallies:

South Beach bar (140); Whiskey River Chicken Wrap (oh no!  I just consulted that website, thedailyplate.com, and I discovered – to my dismay! – that the Whiskey River Chicken Wrap is NOT low-cal at ALL!!  It contains 1,074 calories!  That original entry was wrong!  I cannot believe it.  I might as well have had a cheeseburger for the same amount of calories.  That is SO WRONG!); broccoli (70); milk (90); Lean Cuisine (310); prunes (200) (I had extra prunes because I thought I didn’t get enough food today, when I was still laboring under the 400-calorie Chicken Wrap delusion).  Total:  1,884.

Wow, I am so disgusted that I trusted thedailyplate.com.  A cheeseburger would have been 980 calories, FEWER than that flippin’ Whiskey River BBQ Chicken Wrap, and I would have enjoyed it more!  Unbelievable!

(Sorry for all the exclamation points, but I am really upset about this.)

Oh well.  Tomorrow is another day, and at least now I know not to go back to Red Robin anytime soon!

Wednesday April 10, 2008

I just keep plodding along.

Today I slept in and didn’t feel like taking the time to exercise.  Since I haven’t given myself a day off for awhile, I decided to skip my workout.  Foodwise, I did all right, even when I took my kids to lunch at Chick-Fil-A.

Here was today’s menu:

South Beach bar (140); milk (90); banana (100); side salad (60); honey-roasted sunflower seeds (80); dressing (50); 8 nuggets (260); broccoli (100); Lean Cuisine Cannelloni (240); milk (90); yogurt (100); half a brownie (190).

Total:  1500

I ate more today…should have given the brownie a pass, but I’ve been feeling a little overly-restrained.  I felt justified in indulging myself.  I really need to work on keeping my focus.  I haven’t come this far just to throw it away and gradually add more calories to my diet.  I’ve put in a lot of effort, and I’m not going back to my old ways.

Sunday night March 31, 2008

Time for a quick update…

Through the past 10 days or so, I’ve remarked several times that the tide had turned in my thinking.  This has been true every time I’ve said it, but I keep bringing it back up because at each turn, I feel like it’s grown MORE true.

Momentum is a crazy thing.  Now that I have some, I almost can’t remember why I couldn’t get myself in hand long ago.  It wasn’t for lack of desire, that’s for sure!  I’ve made several attempts to change my eating habits over the past several years, since my last successful attempt on the Jenny Craig plan back in approximately 2003.  Back in 2003, after having an on-again, off-again relationship with JC until finally petering out, I weighed somewhere in the 160s.  This isn’t my “perfectly slim” weight (that’d be 150), but it was a decent weight for me.  We took a cruise, and in the videos of me in my swimsuit, I don’t look too bad.  I was also comfortable wearing skirts that hit above my knees.

But gradually, the weight crept back on.  I can remember a few years ago growing very alarmed when the number on the scale hit the mid-170s.  I went on the Atkins plan and stuck to it religiously for a month.  I’m telling you, I don’t know why, but that plan did NOTHING for me, and I even exercised faithfully throughout, jogging at least two miles almost every day.  I think, after one month, I’d lost maybe four pounds, and I just felt weird.  I can’t explain it, but I was having issues sleeping, and I constantly craved bread and all the other things I couldn’t have.  I know the Atkins plan has worked for many people – my husband lost 35 pounds on it and felt great – but for my body chemistry, it did nothing.

Over the past three years or so, after that Atkins attempt, I’ve watched with alarm as my weight crept higher and higher.  Periodically, I’d be overcome with disgust over how I had “outgrown” various clothing items, like my favorite slim-fitting capris from three summers ago.  (I noticed, to my horror, that the side zipper kept coming unzipped, and that I couldn’t seem to pull them all the way up, as they were getting stuck on my fat thighs!)  Or, I’d go to a meeting at my kids’ school and be envious of the slim, stylish moms and also intimidated by them.

So I’d get motivated and try to do something about my weight, but it seemed like always, after one or two days of thinking about it, I’d hit a wall and cave in to Crazed Addict Fatgirl.  Or, I could never quite get all the componants together for successful weight loss.  For instance, I’d have no trouble exercising, but then I’d throw it all away and wolf down a huge dinner.

So I’ve been trying to figure out why this time has been different.  Why have I been able to gain momentum?

Part of it, I honestly think, has to do with this blog.  Although I don’t get more than 25 or 30 hits per day, there’s that knowledge that a couple dozen anonymous strangers have been reading my words.  Especially during the first day or two, I thought of how foolish I’d feel to have to delete the blog and admit that I couldn’t keep to what I’d promised myself.  Plus, seeing the words in black and white – seeing a stark record of what I was admitting that I wanted, which was to slim down and be fit again and be able to wear nice clothes again and feel like a “normal-sized” person again – was sobering.  Crazed Addict Fatgirl somehow could not quite overcome the existence of this website.  Even when she yelled loudly at me that it didn’t matter and I could just cave and eat what I wanted, I had to admit to her that I’d published my desires in a way where all the world could see.

And then…well, then, there’s just momentum.  After the first few days, I felt a lot better, and I could tell that I’d lost a little.  This motivated me to stick with it.  When I’d gotten through a week, I realized that it simply was not that hard.  I could do it.  And now, it’s been two weeks.  I’ve lost 6.5 pounds, and I’m not going to quit.  I’m getting into that mindset where I do not want to cheat.  I want to choose healthy foods and get my fruits and vegetables in.  Actually, when I eat all my fruits and veggies, I’m honestly not that hungry for anything else, as evidenced by the party yesterday.  I’d had a big plate of cauliflower and carrots before we left, and I was able to just nibble a couple of crackers instead of going crazy over stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip, and all the other really fattening, tempting things they served as appetizers.

Finally, if I could give one word of advice to someone pondering making yet another commitment and wondering if you can stick with it – MAKE A PLAN.  And commit to sticking to it for at least a few days.  This is the magic of plans like Jenny Craig.  The menus are all pre-printed, the food’s in your freezer and pantry, and it just gives you this sense of security that all the decisions have been removed for you, at least at the beginning.  I did this for the first several days of this dieting attempt, and wow, it was incredibly helpful.  I had several Lean Cuisine entrees in the freezer, and I had my fruits and veggies and lunch items, and I knew what I was going to have when.

I’d also say, plan three meals and two snacks.  Eat at least two different fruits and two different veggies each day (make one veggie a high vitamin A veggie, like carrots or broccoli).  Get your calcium, through nonfat milk and nonfat low-sugar yogurt.  Yogurt, actually, is another thing that I think does something to your digestive system which takes away your appetite.  At least, it works for me. 

Choose foods high in fiber, too.  Those dried soups from Safeway’s “Eating Right” brand are amazing.  They contain something like 12 grams of fiber per serving.  After a cup of the black bean soup, at 180 calories, 12 grams of protein, and 12 grams of fiber, I seriously won’t be hungry till dinner.

Those are some tricks that I’ve learned.  Make a commitment, make a plan, and make yourself accountable to someone.

If you’re reading this, thank you!  Because you’re MY “someone” today.

the weekend March 30, 2008

As usual, weekends are more difficult.  I’ve been pretty good with staying in my food prison, but I had an evening of parole last night.  We went to the party for my husband’s boss. 

I’d tried to make provisions for Crazed Addict Fatgirl, by eating very lightly the rest of the day.  I had a bowl of cereal, a banana, a plate of carrots and cauliflower, and a cup of split pea soup.  At the party, I only nibbled on a few appetizers (a few crackers, a few slices of salami, the least fattening of all the options).  I had perhaps a half glass of wine.  Dinner was a piece of grilled chicken, literally a bite of caesar salad, and a bite of potatoes au gratin (both were terrible – the salad had no flavor, and the potatoes were as crunchy as a piece of celery, literally not cooked).  So I felt like I did well last night.

Today, though, we went to Olive Garden.  I’d thought I was ordering the minestrone soup, which is a very low-cal choice there.  But no, I made a mistake and ordered Pasta Fagioli soup instead.  Phooey!  So instead of having 190 calories, I had something like 550.  Blah.  I did restrict myself to one breadstick, and then I loaded up on salad.  Oh well.  I did try.

For the rest of the day, I’m allowing myself a Slim-Fast shake and some vegetables.  That’s it.

This is difficult, but it did feel so good to be able to wear some pants that hadn’t fit in a long time.  At last check, I’d lost 6.5 pounds.  That’s not bad for two weeks!