post the first: what i look like, what i'm doing, what i weigh

this blog aspires to be straightforward. i started a new weight loss plan this past monday april 25th. today is sunday (day 7)and my first weigh-in day is tomorrow morning. i fully expect to post a 7 lb or more loss, and i anxiously await updating the weight ticker at the header.

356 is the biggest number i've ever seen on the scale, and as they say, i will NEVER see that number again (on a scale, while i'm balancing upon it, anyway).  looking down at those digits kind of took my breath away. i'm super familiar with seeing a '3' on the scale, but a 3 and a 5 was something new and bile-inducing.

356 is five pounds more than the last time i stepped on the scale, which was at the very end of February. at the end of Feb i started working with a trainer (more on that later) and as of April 25, despite working out over 40 times in two months, i was UP 5 lbs. now i do not blame my trainer, nor will i use the 'building muscle' excuse. i gained because my eating has been off the charts.

so seeing 356 set off some serious alarms for me, and i reacted by starting a new diet plan. what i've been doing for the past week is drinking 3 ready-to-drink high protein/lower carb shakes during the day, and enjoying a balanced dinner in the evening. it sounds a little bit like ad copy, but it's how i would describe it to anyone. right now the choice to drink fixed calorie shakes rather than prepare and eat a healthy breakfast, lunch, and snack can be explained by the convenience factor as well as the 'i'm over it' factor. i work about an hour from my home, and i'm there 9 hours a day, so there's the convenience. the 'i'm over it' factor refers to my general failure to stick with the many many MANY food plans i've started in the past 25+ years.  i truly wish there was a pill you could take in the morning that would make all food taste like sand so that you would eat only what you need to survive and not be bothered with tastes, cravings, insulin resistance, and everything else that goes along with eating when you're a food addict. since that pill has yet to be invented,  i started researching Lindora, Medifast, Optifast, etc. and  for the first time, the idea of just checking out and removing a good chunk of food anxiety by doing shakes during the day just...made...sense.

so all week, beginning Mon 4/25, i've had three protein shakes during the day and a dinner at night that's heavy on protein and veggies but usually includes a small serving of rice or starchy veggies. i got my shakes at the grocery store or gas station and paid about $10 per day for the shakes. i did have a few beers on Friday night and drank wine last night so i'm a little nervous about how alcohol might affect my week one weight loss tally, but i'm pretty confident that i will be happy tomorrow morning.

i'll be back to share.