Really Getting Close

I apologize for my delay in posting. We are weathering side effects from Hurricane Sandy, including the flooding of our basement, which took out our hot water heater temporarily. All is dried now, but it has been a stressful week. Also, work remains a constant stress and for the first time in my life I had a urge to "stress eat" -- this is a new phenomenon for me, that I managed with a lot of gum chewing and coffee. Things appear to be back under control and I'm grateful for that.

I'm thrilled to report that I lost 3 lbs. (!) at my weigh-in this week, putting me at 13 lbs. more to go until I reach goal! I am now very comfortable in a regular size 12 (no more women's section!) and on my way to a size 10. To give some perspective here, I started at a size 22W -- and was creeping into 24W -- and have dropped all the way down to where I am today. A wonderful place to find myself. I have lost 67 lbs. and I feel fantastic. The "pickle a day" has raised my sodium level back to 134, and I'm relieved about that. So all in all, I'm happy as a clam!

I am continuing with my one meal out a week, and we have settled on one restaurant in particular where I order a salad of spinach, dried tomatoes, red onion, and 4 oz. of chicken, plus a side of roasted brussels sprouts. The dressing is a citrus vinagrette. I truly enjoy it, and I know I could prepare it myself, but it's nice to have someone else do it for me. My husband is thrilled we are going out again and I am eternally grateful to him for putting up with my restaurant "ban" for months.

Transition will soon be coming. At our clinic, you do not start transition until you reach goal. At that point, you begin to slowly phase food back into your diet. Menus are given, and I can tell from hand-outs they are giving us that the meals emphasize lean protein, vegetables, brown rice/wheat pasta/quinoa, etc. Also required is breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner -- a pattern that I had all but abandoned years ago. This is going to take some time to get used to, but I am going to embrace it with same dedication I have had to my product consumption Phase I. I love the new "me" and I want to stay this way!

I am so very glad I decided to embark on this journey. It has been worth every minute, every dollar. Optifast works if you work it!