Buckling Down

On May 18, I started on a new journey, one that I hope will end with a healthier and happier me.

I began a diet.

I had been working out and sort of trying to lose weight for about a week before that, but May 18 is the day that I started writing things down in a journal.

I have been doing one of two Leslie Sansone walk videos 6 days per week. I also have been trying to reduce the amount of food I eat and increasing the amount of vegetables I consume.

As of this morning, I have lost 7.5 pounds.

I am beyond proud of myself.

I find myself deciding NOT to have a snack because I don't want to undo all the hard work I've put in during my work out.

This is, of course, slightly more difficult for me because of the gluten allergy/Celiac thing, but it is not impossible. I have been cheating on the gluten-free diet slightly by having SOME wheat during the day, but I have been working to find gluten-free alternatives for the gluten-full things I've been eating so far. My current quest is a gluten-free breakfast bar that isn't (much) over 100 calories and you know, tastes GOOD. One that doesn't require me to surrender a child as payment would be nice, too.

I've been eating the Fiber One bars, which are very tasty, but alas, are not gluten-free (damn those oats).

For lunch, I am having either a salad, or a small (2 oz) dish of chicken salad with rice chips and some form of vegetable.

I've changed from sugar in my iced tea to Splenda and haven't really noticed the difference. I also have had a couple diet root beers and have been ok with them. I'm not a big fan of diet soda and so I tend to go without, but the diet root beer has answered my fizzy drink craving a couple of times, which is nice.

For dinner, I am having whatever gluten-free entree I prepare, but I am trying to moderate my portion sizes. That means less meat and more veggies. I have been trying to remind myself to take about half of my normal serving of whatever main dish we're having and twice as much veggies as I would have previously. It's hard to remember to do this when I am about to gnaw my arm off from hunger, but I am trying.

I have also pretty much cut out all snacks. If I get hungry during the day (not if, WHEN), I have a glass of tea or water (BIG glass). If I'm still hungry after that, I have a snack, usually a 100 calorie pack of some kind. The good news is there are Smart Food 100 calorie packs of white cheddar popcorn. Those are very yummy and have just enough popcorn to embed at least one kernel in my teeth. There are also 100 calorie packs of Cheetos, which I will eventually get, too.

I was really hungry this morning at the grocery store (which, DANGER Will Robinson DANGER) and so when I stopped to get the girls their cookies from the Wegmans Cookie Club I grabbed one of their Fruit Flats for myself. It was very tasty and only 70 calories! It filled me up enough to get me through the rest of my shopping trip(s) and home for lunch.

I am hoping to lose about 30 pounds and get myself closer to my "ideal" weight. I am 5'4" (really 5'3.75") and I don't need to be carrying this much weight around all the time. I have lost the weight before (and, now that I think about it, about the same amount) and I know I can do it again. I have all the tools and now I have the motivation.

I WILL lose this weight.