Day 14 (Accelerate Cycle)

A good friend asked me last week if I was sick of chicken/fish/vegetables yet.  My response was, not yet...

What a difference a week makes.  I'm glad the cycles are only 17 days long -- if I had to live like this for the rest of my life, I'd be stopping this project right now.  I can't believe how much I've missed toast.  Cycle 2 allows some grains and starches and it starts for me on Thursday -- I'm already planning oatmeal with breakfast and a small potato with dinner.  I'm ridiculously excited because I'm really tired of salad -- no matter how you dress it up, it's rabbit food...

Today's menu:
Breakfast -- 2 (extra large equivalent) egg whites* topped with 1 Tbsp salsa (yummmm...), 1/2 grapefruit, coffee, probiotic supplement
Morning Snack -- nothing...
Lunch -- nada...
Afternoon Snack -- zip...
Dinner -- Dr. Mike's taco salad (this was freaking fantastic!), green tea, probiotic supplement

* Free Run Simply Egg Whites from Naturegg


Well, you'd think I would learn, wouldn't you.  By the time dinner rolled around I was hungry enough to eat my shoes.  It's a good thing I work full-time -- the staff room seems to be the only place I eat a proper meal.  When I'm at home all day there always seems to be something that takes precedence over eating.  Of course, you can't eat if there's no food in the house, so that was my excuse today -- can't eat until I buy groceries.  I'm a fantastic procrastinator...

I had a really nice visit with my sister and her husband today and found out some interesting information about the caramel colouring that's found in dark soft drinks -- apparently there is quite a bit of research to prove that it is a carcinogen.  I know, if you look long and hard enough you can find research to prove any point of view, but I have posted a link under "Interesting Articles" in case you're interested in finding out more.

Then I remembered about some information my mom sent me regarding Aspartame poisoning.  We're not artificial sweetener consumers at my house because I really don't like the taste, so we're not consciously exposing ourselves to this stuff.  However, I thought it was very interesting that the symptoms of some serious illnesses and conditions (like MS, fibromyalgia, depression and ADHD) are often misdiagnosed and can actually be attributed to aspartame poisoning.  That's not to say that these conditions aren't real -- they absolutely are, and I know people who live with them every day.  I've posted a link under "Useful Links"  that will take you to a website for more information.  And, just for the record, I'm sticking to real sugar...

Weigh-in #4 is tomorrow!  It will be interesting to see how/if my missteps this weekend will have any impact on what my friend Scale has to say to me...

Day 13 (Accelerate Cycle)

Busy, busy day today.  First, I was up an hour early to get preparations for the daughter's birthday finished -- balloons and streamers up before breakfast.  Then a full day of work where it was really, really busy and then home for the celebrations...

And chocolate cake...

Yes, I ate a small piece of birthday cake tonight and now I have a headache.  Is that from the sugar?  Or the fact that my system hasn't seen any carbs that aren't fruit for nearly 2 weeks and doesn't know what to do with them?  Or maybe I'm just overly tired.  Not sure -- all I know is, I need a Motrin and my pillow...

Today's menu:
Breakfast -- 2 poached eggs, 1/2 grapefruit, coffee, probiotic supplement
Morning Snack -- 6 oz peach yogurt with 1 peach diced up and mixed in (this is quickly becoming my snack of choice -- never thought I'd enjoy yogurt this much...)
Lunch -- skipped it (bad, very bad, but I was so busy I couldn't get to it...) -- drank LOTS of water instead
Dinner -- restaurant meal!!  Went to Tony Roma's -- ordered one of their new grilled chicken dishes (came with a very small serving of pineapple salsa and lots of broccoli) -- avoided the bruschetta appetizer that everyone else was sharing & ate the tomatoes from my son's burger as "dessert"

Eating out isn't forbidden, but Dr. Mike cautions you to be careful.  Since restaurants tend to serve overly big portions, don't feel obligated to finish everything in front of you -- follow the Hunger/Fullness Meter.  Also, keep in mind the cycle that you're on and order accordingly -- no starches for me yet, so instead of the rice that would normally come with the dish, I ordered double veggies (as recommended by Dr. Mike) and the meal was fantastic!  Restaurants are very aware of dietary restrictions and most will have side dishes that fit what you're allowed to have.

My parents joined us for the evening and my mom noticed right away that I've lost weight!  I didn't think it was that noticeable yet, but I guess it is to someone who doesn't see me every day.  That gives me even more incentive to keep going, because I want to be able to see the difference.  I still see chubby when I look in the mirror (or at the photos taken tonight).  I know the clothes are fitting differently, but I don't "see" the change yet.  But that will come!