Prognosis: Positive!

It's been a week and 2 days since I started the "Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salad" diet so I thought I would post a progress report. Prognosis: Positive! I've actually lost 10 pounds! That's the most I ever lost in one week on any diet. Oh man how I wish I could lose a pound a day and after a month just be done dieting, forever, haha! I know that's not how it works. The first week is probably a lot of water and the 7 day diet was sort of a kickstart diet to rev up my body's metabolism. It worked. I feel quite energetic, more so than I've felt in a long time. I've also been sleeping through the whole night, that is when the spooks don't bother me.

I also have been exercising daily. Every day I ride the bicycle. At first my goal was to do five miles a day - now I am doing ten miles, even if it's not all at once, and I'm hoping to get up to fifteen. Every other day I also either lift weights, do a dance routine, or some other aerobics. I haven't even bothered with the Wii since it really aggravates me. I had received the exercise game that has the camera but it's so inaccurate. It'll tell me I'm not moving my arms or my legs right when I know I am. Meanwhile if I sit on the bed resting while it does some ridiculous yoga pose it tells me I'm doing a great job. I could see why my son mocks the technology behind the Wii. I wish it wasn't below Arctic temperatures since I would probably be out walking, but that's not going to happen right now.

I think eating every four hours is working well for me as it's keeping my blood sugar in check. That was one of the problems I was having. I'd be so hungry and feel so weak that the only thing that would give me energy was to pop something sugary in my mouth. Since I've been on this diet I haven't had any sugar and instead am using agave nectar. It is a great substitute and I highly recommend it, there's no disgusting aftertaste like most sugar substitutes have, it's all natural, and it's not heavy like honey. I've not had any bread the last week and I haven't really missed it as much as I thought I would. This week the diet introduces it back in but on a limited level. Saturday night was the first night I had steak and it tasted great. My family laughed at my portion size, 3 ounces, but it filled me up.

One of the drawbacks of this diet is that I think I've hurt my right hand from all the preparation that goes into it, or, I'm developing carpal tunnel syndrome. This diet requires a lot of peeling, slicing, cutting, chopping, mincing, grating etc. of fresh fruits and vegetables. My hand first started hurting from that freaking slap chop thing. Now I noticed that where the knife rests a "lump" has developed and the bottom of my hand looks swollen. The pain radiates up my lower arm and when I went to pour out the water from the pot of potatoes I thought I broke my wrist. I've also been doing a lot of pencil pushing, calculator crushing and typing for the end of the year shop shit, so that's not helped either. Good thing I'm not a tennis player.

It's been hard to hang around my husband though. Although he eats most of the meals I prepare, unlike my kids who are about to stage a mutiny (my daughter even introduced her brother, who was always opposed to even trying it, to the joys of ramen noodles), afterwards he snacks. "I'm so hungry," my husband complains. The sound of the peanut shells cracking and the wine glass hitting the table annoys the shit out of me. When he takes out his platter of cheese, the smell is too much for me to endure. I do miss my fresh mozzarella and blue cheese slabs. I can't sit in the same room so have been spending time in my office, riding the bicylcle, or I just go into the bedroom, watch tv and fall asleep. They tried to get me to go out to dinner last night, but I refused. I really want to make more progress before I allow myself some leeway. Do you know how hard it would be for me to go to a regular spot and not get the usual Bloody Mary, wine or sake? It was the same way when I quit smoking. I needed to avoid anyone who could tempt me and now I am no longer even tempted. In fact the very smell of smoke now sickens me and when I pass a smoker in the supermarket or on the street I can smell them even if they're not smoking right there and then. I have apologized over and over to my family for all the years I exuded that sickening smell. I just never realized it. Anyway, right now it will be harder to say no to that Bloody Mary or three when I'm out than to a cigarette, so why should I even put myself in such a position? I'm suffering enough, damn it!

But you know what, it's a good "suffering." I'm really not deprived of food, just eating the right type of foods. I'm seeing results and I feel positive. I no longer have the pain in my lower back. I'm not as hungry as I first was and I really do have more energy. My family is just going to have to deal with me eating healthier. What a lousy role model, eh?