R1P2D17/31 - Milestones are no longer Millstones around my neck

November 2, 2011

Day 17/31

The first thing I'd like to do today is thank God.  I hope you are, too.  It's a new day that He's given you and me.  I don't want to waste it with a bad attitude.

This time last year, I was preparing to get my tonsils and uvula removed.  Today was the big day.  Among other things, I looked at it as a drastic way to lose weight.  Which I did.  I got down to 3.1 pounds less than I am today (hooray, I lost 1.2 pounds this morning!).  Of course, one of the big differences with that is, it came back on (and then some) because I didn't plan, prepare and consume the right foods.

You know what this diet is like?  It's an encouragement.  All other diets will tell you to do the three things I just said (plan, prepare, consume the right foods).  BUT, they don't all have these encouraging results.  I'll tell you what ... being surrounded by grilled cheeseburgers, brats, hotdogs and all sorts of yummy cookout treats every day Friday - Monday ... normally, I would have caved by, at best, Sunday.  And caved in a BIG way (eating a BUNCH of stuff).  If I fall, I fall HARD.  But, I didn't.  Why?  There were 2 lights at the end of that denial tunnel.  One, is that this phase changes by November 21 (at the latest).  And the second light is the biggest ... the scale.  I want to stick with the plan (which is really satisfying) to see the scale go down as much as possible in Phase 2 (the only weight-reducing phase).  I'm on a mission.  Which, obviously, I have chosen to accept.  But, the difference is, with all of those other weight-loss programs (or made up programs), the scale doesn't move.  For example, I unearthed a spreadsheet I had made in 2005 when I was doing WW, showing my progress.  I started in January.  By AUGUST, I had lost 12 pounds.  Now, I was really trying for a while.  But, what I saw was a major see saw.  Planning was hard, the food wasn't real (SMART ones and other pre-packaged foods are easy but NOT satisfying to me) and the weight was slow going.  Nothing kills my motivation like working hard and seeing little to no benefit.

So, that's it.  I have 1.7 pounds to go until I hit 25 pounds off (next milestone ... hopefully hit by Friday when I see my Dad for the first time since starting this ... I wonder if he'll notice?), 2.2 pounds to go until I'm in a new decade (another milestone I hope to hit by Friday) and 3.1 pounds to surpass my lowest weight I've been at since August 2005 (milestone #3, I hope to hit by Sunday).  Those are do-able goals.  I'll check in to be transparent about how they are going.

Oh, the last thing.  I had two of my friend's husbands and one of my friend's daughters say that they can see a difference in me.  All three of them know I'm doing this, but it's still pleasing!  I'm not showing the tell tale signs of losing weight (droopy skin that you'd expect with almost 25 pounds off), but I am smaller.  I can't wait to measure myself in the middle of the month to see what inches have come off.  Woo-hoo!

Again I'll say it ... thank you, Lord, for leading me to the HCG diet, and giving me the strength to make it through, joyfully!