Goodbye (or good riddance) to the Holidays!

Like most of you I'm sure, I enjoyed the holidays but I'm glad they're over.  Being home and not in a routine is more difficult on this diet than being at work and on a schedule.  The food temptations were there, but I was able to resist and kept reminding myself, "I've eaten all this before".  I mean it's not like I was at a French bistro in Paris. 

People asked me all last month, "Why are you starting this diet during the holidays?" and saying, "Oh, isn't that going to be so hard during the holidays?".  Are the holidays really all about the food?  Isn't that the kind of thinking that got me to this size?  These are the questions I asked myself during Christmas and I had a few realizations.  I realized that some of our traditions are about food.  There's no way to deny it; like making Christmas cookies and Christmas dinner, and drinking hot cocoa or spiced apple cider by the Christmas tree or while watching a Christmas special on TV.  But, at the crux of all these activities it's really about being with friends and family and making a memory.  So, I made the Christmas cookies with my daughter (I doubt she'll remember years down the road that I didn't eat one), we sat around the Christmas tree and watched all our favorite Christmas specials on TV (I don't think anyone noticed or will remember that I was drinking a shake instead of hot cocoa), and we went to our friend's house for Christmas eve dinner to start a new tradition and I mingled with my friends while drinking a steaming mug of formula soup.  I don't remember what we ate Christmas day and I don't think anyone else does either, but I do remember the kids being happy with their gifts and getting to spend time with my family, at home, together.  So, all in all no one's holiday hopes and dreams were dashed and most traditions were kept, and some new ones were started. 

Going to the Movies

Hands down going to the movies was the hardest thing I've done since I started this diet.  The holidays paled in comparison.  I parked my car and walked up to the theater and was immediately bombarded by the smell of freshly popped popcorn and melted butter.  It got worse as I walked into the theater and practically ran past the snack bar into our auditorium.  My daughter and I found seats just as the previews started along with the accost on my senses: seeing snack bar commercials with the popping popcorn and overflowing cokes, smelling popcorn and nachos, hearing crunching and chewing of said nachos and popocorn, feeling the empty cupholder at the end of arm rest, and tasting the unsatisfying fluidity of my shake.  The movie was good but I will be glad when I can see it on video without the distraction of the good vs. bad angels arguing on my shoulders throughout the entire movie.  "Go ahead and get some popcorn.  It won't set you back THAT far and besides you've earned it", said the bad angel.  "NO, don't do it!  It WILL set you back entirely OR even further.  You've done so good so far so DON'T blow it!", said the good angel.  Lucky for me I listened to the good angel so I'm not kicking myself today.

1st Weigh In

Today was my first official weigh in (I have to try and avoid the scale in the house - no unofficial weigh ins allowed) and I lost 7.5 pounds.  Yeah!!!!  Everytime I weigh in they do a body composition analysis that tells me how much water and fat I've lost.  I won't bore you with the stats but I will say that it wasn't all water weight.  The weight loss is very motivating after a difficult weekend of cooking and watching everyone else eat.  I'm not hungry, but man food sure does look good.  After the weigh in and a visit with the doctor I had a group meeting (kind of like AA).  We did an outdated relaxation exercise and talked about how to get through the holidays.  I benefitted more from the talking.  The people were nice and we are all in the same boat.  The take home message: Do what they say and you WILL lose weight.

Fight the Power!

Today marks the fifth day of the diet and last night I had an epiphany while I was watching my husband and children eat Moe's for dinner and suppressing the overwhelming urge to jump on my son and steal his taco:  I am in control!  I have taken back the power food had over me (or I allowed to have over me if you want to be snooty about it).  I choose what goes in my mouth!  I no longer have to give in to the pull of food and I don't have to deal with the guilt afterwards.  It's awesome!  I feel like I am back in control, not just of what I eat, but of my life.  Ironically, as completely rigid as this diet is, I feel completely free.

Carb Flu

Well, I've officially passed into the feeling like crap portion of the program. From the title of the blog you can see that some people refer to it as the Carb Flu because of it's flu like symptoms: fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, nausea, etc. I however refer to it as the Wrath of Meals Past. I am getting my comeuppance :(.

My Own Personal Dam

As if I needed further motiviation I got some more last night.  After playing in the bath with my 18 month old his father took him to get ready for bed and I waited in the tub for the water to drain.  After all the water (that I could see) was gone I went to stand up and about 1/3 of the tub of water started draining from behind me.  It was stuck behind me (very securely I might add) because my HUGE ASS acted as a dam!  My first thoughts simultaneously were, "Wow, I need a bigger bathtub and wow, what a big ass I have".  Hopefully, this diet will change the latter.  Feel free to share any of your embarassing fat stories. :)

First Day - All liquids, No Solids

Let me preface this by saying, I have never blogged before.  That is the only disclaimer you will get.  As you can tell from the title of my blog (and my before picture) I need to lose some (don't laugh) weight and my target is 135lbs.  I have been 135lbs once in my life and let me tell you it wasn't for long; hence the illusivity.


Today is my first day on the UAB EatRight Optifast diet.  The first 18 weeks are completely liquid (shakes and soups - you get bars after 6 weeks, but who considers a diet bar a solid?); which I just realized renders all the plastic forks and spoons in my desk completely useless.  Damn. 


So far today I've had 2 chocolate shakes and one of the soups.  They really don't taste that bad (I can't bring myself to say 'good') but they tasted better at the sampling session than they did today.  Go figure. 


I sought out this program when I found I didn't qualify for gastric bypass surgery.  I've tried other programs like this before, but the maintenance program provided by the EatRight program differentiated itself from other programs in a big way.  I think I will finally be able to lose the weight and keep it off for good.  Also, at your first visit they do a body composition analysis and tell you your body fat % and let me tell you, I am practically a SOLID!!!!  You could spread me on toast!  After that I was committed.

http://main.uab.edu/Sites/eatright/programs/