Down To The Wire - SCAREY!

Ok - I have 9 days left to achieve my weight/fat loss goal. I made it through SEVEN days with no sugary, sweets or treats. NONE! I even skipped the 1/2 tsp. of sugar I started putting in my coffee. I feel great about it! The first 3 days were really tough - only the after dinner hour, but what a fight to beat down the craving. I feel free and wicked in control. I even went to a huge street festival in New Hampshire Saturday night (28,000 jack-o-lanterns) and did not cave into the pumpkin whoopee pies or the apple cider donuts. I love that stuff too! BTW - the above picture is the top part of one of two 50 foot towers of Jack-o-Lanterns erected at each end of Main St. in Keene New Hampshire. Very cool!

Anyway - I can tell you this - removing treats and wine from my diet has made all the differnce in accomplishing my weight/fat loss goal. I stalled in the middle of my 9 weeks because I stopped paying attention and I kept giving myself permission to have a sweetie here, 5 pieces of cake there (YIKES!!) - it just doesn't work that way. This worked. Carving those empty calories completely out of my day wiped out the craving. And afterall, isn't it all about the cravings and the saiety? If you are feeling unsatisfied, you will try to fill that emptiness. If you don't crave, you don't need to worry about eating more calories because you don't ingest them.

It is very freeing, because eliminating high, empty calorie food from your diet allows you to eat more of the nutrient dense food you should be eating, which is great because if it tastes really good, you are free to have more without guilt! And guess what? I am back on target. I am down 3.5 pounds and I am happy in the new jeans I bought.

Now granted, it is only 3.5 pounds. But that's ME! I have way less to lose than some people. I still went through the same gyrations and setbacks anyone else could possibly go through. I still had to make big changes in the way I eat to get where I wanted to be. The point is, everyone experiences these ups and downs along the weight/fat loss journey. It's not a straight shot. It is sometimes painful and very often triumphant. Some weeks you lose nothing or even gain (remember my 3 pound gain in week 3?), other weeks you make great strides. Those of you who want to lose 20, 30, 50 pounds, just stay the course.

This is a lifestyle change, not a short term project. Yes - I made it into a short term project but it doesn't end on Halloween. The journey continues. Because if it didn't, you would be back where you started in no time and possibly you would be in a worse situation. Stay tuned.