A photo I took of the Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum |
Not only that, but I had my measurements taken for the first time since starting Ideal Protein and I've slimmed down a total of 51 inches!! The biggest reduction was off my hips, which are 9 inches slimmer!
I was concerned that I wasn't going to show much of a loss this week because I went on vacation with my mom and husband this week. We drove to Fort Worth to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and then went to Dallas to see a glass art installation by Dale Chihuly.
With hotel stays, restaurant meals and limited access to water I knew dieting was going to be a challenge. Luckily the two hotels where we stayed offered a breakfast bar and I was able to mix a chocolate protein drink into my morning coffee for breakfast, which is what I do at home. (I packed my trusty giant-sized coffee mug and mini-whisk with the protein packets to keep me on track.) The other meals were mostly in restaurants and I stuck to menu items that were as true to the diet as possible.
I do admit to having a sample of some really good flan at a Mexican restaurant and a couple of tastes of other "forbidden" food at a world-famous restaurant. I didn't want this trip to be about my diet, nor did I want to pass up the experience of trying foods that presidents and national celebrities have enjoyed.
Even so, my biggest desire was to keep from losing any ground - I was determined to show a new, smaller number on the scales at my next weigh-in. To keep myself in check, I took small samples of the things I wasn't supposed to eat and filled up on "legal" foods.
We did a lot of walking when viewing each exhibit, so I was able to justify the sampling by telling myself I was walking off the "bad" stuff. Even with the exercise and more "good" food than "bad," there was a part of me that wasn't buying it and thought I might be kidding myself.
When I got on the scales this week I was shocked at how well I did! Seven pounds is awesome progress - on or off the program!! Not only that, but most of my loss was in fat mass!
What this experience tells me is that when I am back in the real world and off the diet, I have gained the decision making skills to choose foods that aren't going to pack the pounds back on my body. I will be able to maintain my new and improved shape and health!
As I type today's blog I am wearing a bra size I haven't seen on my body since I was in my late 20s. Yesterday I realized the latest batch of clothes I bought to wear to work are all starting to hang loose on my body and I squeezed into a pair of jeans that haven't seen the light of day since 1998. The miracles keep happening!
The biggest miracle of the week was that I was able to enjoy two very physical days that involved stairs, long hikes and hours upon hours of standing. This is something I was incapable of doing back in July. I would have made some kind of an excuse not to go on this adventure and would have missed out on two very meaningful, life-enriching experiences.
The life I am living right now is sweeter and richer than any dessert I could indulge in ... and it gets better each and every day!
Sounds like an awesome trip! Congrats on the big 7-0!
ReplyDeleteFreaking awesome. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteThanks, y'all! I am so blessed to have you both in my life!
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