Welcome to the end! Let the "strategic cheating" begin!!
This is where Dr. Mike breaks it to you -- you're going to be on some kind of diet forever. Not like that's any kind of surprise -- anyone who's ever dieted knows that this is the case. But let's not call this a "diet". A friend of mine says she prefers to call it a change in lifestyle -- because that's really what it is -- a new way of living.
Day 58
The "official" number is 130! Woot! That's 17 lbs gone -- permanently. I had hoped for 20, but when one doesn't do the exercise consistently, one has to accept the smaller number. But I am thrilled to death with the results.
The plan going forward now is simple -- Cycle 4 for 17 days and then reevaluate. If that number stays the same, then I will likely continue on the same path and then do the whole project again after Christmas because, let's face it, that is the most evil time of year for food/diets, and I have a particular weakness for the cookies and fruitcake and wine. If the number goes up, well, I guess it's back to square one for a while...
Day 59
I celebrated my success today by putting two bags of baggy clothes in the donation bin after work -- so tired of holding my pants up with a saftey pin. Now there's no turning back -- I have next to nothing to wear now so it's off to the mall with me this weekend.
Here's how the "strategic cheating" in Cycle 4 works. You "behave" during the week but get to take the weekends off! What??? Let me explain...
During the week (Monday through Friday lunchtime), you follow your favourite of the previous three cycles and then on the weekend (Friday dinner through Sunday dinner) you get to eat what you like -- within reason, of course -- really, there should be no excuse for lapsing back into your old, bad eating habits if you've followed the diet properly -- those bad habits are what got you in trouble in the first place, so be careful. Dr. Mike recommends no more than three of your favourite meals over the weekend -- and NO BINGING!
I've decided that I have to follow Cycle 1 through the week since apparently I can't be trusted around carbs -- scientifically proven last night by my consumption of an entire box of KD all by my onesie. I have paid for it all day. Way to go, dummy...
More on Cycle 4 tomorrow...
