Oh yes. Memorial Day weekend. Let's see ... what does that traditionally mean? Picnics and dinners out and fatty food staring me in the face. Oh joy. Last year, I was on Optifast product for the three "decadent" summer picnicking events in the United States: Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, and I was successfully compliant. But this year, I'm now at goal and in maintenance. This year, I must navigate these traditional eating overloads. This year, I must be "on guard." And this is a first for me.
I entered this weekend at a low for me, 155 lbs., which wasn't a call for celebration. Oh no, this was a "green light," to start in on the eating, which began yesterday (Friday). It was also my birthday, so out my husband and I went to one of the best restaurants in Columbus. The first thing my eyes targeted on the menu was a pork belly appetizer. To many, that might sound very unappealing, but to me, that is something I have never had, and I wanted it. Plain and simple. Now pork belly is almost straight fat -- and I have absolutely no problem with that. Supposedly it melts in your mouth and I could almost taste it in mine. But I knew if I ate it, it would just be a transfer from the pig's belly straight to my mine.
So I did something I never thought I was capable of: I passed on it. I said "No."
Now, don't get me wrong. I did indulge in other things. But what we did was split several small plates between the two of us, so I got "tastes" of the gourmet food. We made sure one was a salad, and I included a cup of soup that had legumes and Swiss chard. I didn't want to gobble up everything myself, because then my husband wouldn't get anything. And when the dessert menu came, I looked at everything, and nothing really appealed to me. So I said, "Honey, let's skip it." Folks, I have never, ever done this before.
I weighed in this morning at 157 lbs., but I have learned that this is from the salt intake from the dinner last night. They use quite a bit of salt (what good chef doesn't?) and I've been charting my weight cycle over these four months of maintenance, so I know what to expect. So I'm not freaking out. Can you believe it? I sure can't! I'm actually relaxed right now. The sun's out, though the temperature has dipped down to the low 60s. Which, actually, is great weather for walking, so I will do my 2 mile "streaking" this afternoon in comfort.
But all this does not mean I have relaxed my "guard." I woke up this morning craving a big stack of pancakes with a ton of butter, soaked in maple syrup -- but I had my oatmeal instead, and threw in a few pecans and a 1/2 a banana and a little bit of maple syrup. That did the trick. I am learning. I am learning! Listen, if I can do this, you can too! You know I love food -- the good stuff, the fattening stuff -- but we can manage this and successfully maintain. It takes some focus, and getting a little creative when cravings hit, and in some cases just flat out saying, "No!" We can manage this. You can manage this. I promise.
For all those Optifasting through this holiday, know that I am thinking about you, cheering you on this weekend. Come on over to the Facebook Optifast Chat Support page if you need support. I'll be there. Remember this weekend is about relaxing with family and friends. That's what it's truly about. Not pork bellies. Have a wonderful weekend. Cheers!
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