Goodmorning!
It's almost 4 AM. I'm on vacation from work, and STILL I can't sleep in. Wife is fast asleep, but the cat is up, snuggled up in my lap as much as she can, trying to make it harder for me to type. After all, not a bad way to start the day.
I'm mostly up because my stomach is hurting. Sorry for bringing this up, but it's all part of the weight-loss journey, I think, and something that I am trying to analyze on. And something that we don't always like talking about.
The big #2.
I haven't had one for DAYS now. It seems to happen a LOT more sporadically after I started the "2 meal solution" feeding plan. It doesn't happen to the point that I have had to take a laxative several times, including this morning. This is something I do NOT like to do, as I think it shouldn't be necessary.
I like this way of eating, I feel that it's much more efficient and fits my plans and schedules a lot better than "normal eating" (whatever that really is).
However, I also feel that the drains have been backed up quite often, and that is quite annoying. I sometimes go for 4-5 days without really going #2.
Of course, I have tried all the "known" remedies. Prunes, teas and all that jazz, but it doesn't really affect me, and it definitely doesn't change anything.
Still, I'm surviving. I just don't want to get addicted to laxatives, as I hear one can get. That's not the place for me. :)
...
So, AFTER the laxative, I'm down a measly 400 grams today. Honestly, I'd have thought I had dropped more. Fat% is down to 6.1%, which is nice and indicates more weight drops to come. That's always good. Today, I'm at 82.3 kilos, and there is absolutely NO CHANCE that I'll reach anything like a new low or even a satisfactory weigh-in tomorrow. That's ok.
I feel that it's been a rough week when it comes to counting calories. Looking back, I really haven't done all that bad, but still. I feel that it's been a struggle, and I feel that I've been stumbling through the week in regards to my food.
Today will be no different.
Wife, Daughter and I are going out tonight. Tonight is our "town festval outing", and we've booked tables at a local BBQ. The menu is BBQ beef and turkey, roasted potates, potato salad, salads, and desserts. All comes with beer.
There are plenty of things to make wise choices from, but it's a $40 ticket to eat there and there is no chance that I'm only gonna do a little of this and a little of that, just to sample. Not at that price.
I will, however, eat focused. I don't want to be overly stuffed going home. I will do a very light lunch (and of course no breakfast, as always), and basically use ALL my calories on dinner. This will give me much more wiggle room to get out of it all in one piece.
It's a day that I'm equally looking forward to AND dreading.
...
Yesterday, I did great. I ended up having just a little over 1500 calories of my 2100 allowance. Well, when I say 2100, it's somewhat a modified truth, as I save up 200 for Indulgence Day. So, essentially I'm allowed 1900 if I want to stick 100% to plan.
Still, I made it just fine and with NO slipping anywhere. No candy, no ice cream, no chocolate. Just like I should be doing EVERY DAY, but haven't as of late.
I do see that the foods that I did have yesterday weighed me down a bit. One of the things I had was a MASSIVE large home made smoothie/shake. No sugar, but lots of fruit and protein powder. I was hungry for something delish, and this was a great choice, even if I didn't see results.
...
I did great on the exercise yesterday. Check out my
Fitbit stats. I was working the gym last night, and I was so tempted to do my workout. It was DEAD there, and I could have easily done it without disregarding my work and without my workout getting interrupted.
I chose to NOT do it, as it was my recovery day. Also, I know I won't be going for a workout through Saturday and Sunday, so I figured it'd be better to go Friday, to spead it out a little. Otherwise it'd be a three-day rest period, and that makes me restless, to be honest. Weird. I must REALLY like those workouts, huh? Hey, that's a good thing.
...
So, speaking of results... I don't expect to see ANY change tomorrow, because of the dinner tonight. Not only don't I know what is truly in the food - the salads and mixed dishes in particular. I can ballpark it, but that's about all. And of course, I expect the food to have a LOT more salt than what I'm used to.
I hate this. I hate that they always stuff the food with salt for "added flavor". It really annoys me. A lot.
It makes dining out really hard for me sometimes. I know I can go places and be perfectly fine on the calories, and still gain massively overnight because of salt. Why oh why must they do this?!
Of course, one COULD just opt to not go out and eat, right? Right.
...
So, this morning we'll be heading to the gym. It's 5 AM now, and there are still a few hours until they even open. I might end up going for my walk first, while Wife is still asleep. It'd be a good way to spend the time until she wakes up. And then again. I can't get to my clothes as I don't want to wake her up. Dammit. I'll have to wait.
It should be fairly easy to get my steps in today. I seem to be walking and moving quite a lot these days, and if we're gonna be in the streets to look at the festivities, then we'll also get to walk a little extra there. I think it's just a matter of generally being active. The long walk might not even be necessary today.
Still, I like the walk. I like the way it clears my head. I like the alone time where I am just me and the music, book or what ever I listen to. Or just me and the wind.
...
I'm working at the gym this afternoon. Days are REALLY slow there right now. People have other things to do - enjoying summer. That is totally understandable. It gives me a very quiet day up until we go for dinner. At least, that's what I'm expecting. This will also give me a chance to do some steps on the elliptical, maybe 30-60 minutes. This will be good for me, as I could choose to skip my walk and spend a little more time with Wife.
...
Tomorrow will be the next food challenge. The wedding we're attending. It's a pot luck wedding, and there is NO telling what foods will be there. The good thing is that more than 60 people will be bringing dishes, so it should be easy to find SOMETHING that I find acceptable. Again, I will go for a more than reasonable lunch, to make room for dinner.
There will be no Sunday weigh-in, as I am not gonna be sleeping at home. Maybe that's a good thing. :)
...
Sunday I will make damn sure that I am 100% on track, and I will have to REMAIN on track from then on and until at least the 9th, when I go see the surgeons. I need to make sure that I am as light as possible for that meeting.
It's not really a requirement from them, but it's a requirement from ME. I want to be showing off from my best side. I want for it all to look good. I don't wanna go in there with a much stronger/fit body than last time, only to have gained fat/water along the way, having it look sloppier than it usually does. NO way, Jose.
The worst thing is that I am running short on time on this little project. It will take full focus for the (almost) two weeks that I've got to do this.
Of course, I'm not just gonna pig out today and tomorrow, and the start compensating Sunday. I will have to be a little focused these next days, going through the challenges of dining out and all.
I'll have to register my foods. I'll have to do right. It's in no way an impossible task. I can do this. The big challenge is to stay away from sugars. I did so just fine yesterday. I can keep doing it, when I put my mind to it. It's hard to do in the beginning, but I seem to get a better grip after a few days (unless I fall in instead!).
We've all seen how hard headed I can be, both in good ways and in bad ways. Let's count on the stubbornness to come help me reach my goal. :)
...
Today, I'm thankful for:
- the option to go back to sleep later.
- Coffee
- A 400g drop in weight, even if I was hoping for more.
- A fun night out tonight.
- Working the gym this afternoon.
- Wife
- Kitty Cat for keeping me company through writing this journal.
Have a great weekend! Life is good!
