Day 3

It is the morning of day three and I have lost back two pounds. I was not doing as well as I wanted with my food but apparently I am doing well enough. I struggle with the evening, but I find if I keep busy and have exercise in the evening I do better. I took some allergy medicine at night that made me drowsy, and made me do that weird night eating. But I had strawberries instead of cereal, which used to be my night eating food. I cannot take sleep meds, or anything that makes me drowsy, without having night eating. It is as if it lowers my inhibitions and I succumb to cravings that may even be produced by the meds. I can take melatonin, which helps aid sleep, without that effect.

My exercise has been wonderful. Monday I walked at lunch, had a gym workout after work, and then a brisk walk in the night after the heat cooled down. Yesterday I had a short walk at lunch, and then dance class - an hour of learning to waltz - in the evening. Learning to waltz used far more muscle than I thought, and had an aerobic impact, too! Plus it was fun! I work my abs every morning and sometimes in the evening. I did an upper body workout this morning. My upper arms are very challenging right now. So I am targeting them. The muscle response is not what it used to be when I was even just a few years younger. So I will work harder!!

I am enjoying ways to add exercise while having fun. Tonight I may go to the botanical garden for walking after work. If not, it will be a gym night. In fact, it could be both. I'll see how I feel. There is music at the garden at 7:30.

Food has improved because I am planning. I sketch my food intake every morning. I have some flexibility. I need to make sure I do not under plan and shoot for too little food because it sets me up for off plan snacking and last minute choices. I like to have my stomach empty before the next meal. Some stomach growling is a sign I am actually hungry, and not just wanting to eat. It takes time to adjust to eating less, I recall from past successful weight loss, and the urge to supplement the day's food will leave me if I hang in there and don't give in. But I need to make sure I am eating enough and at steady intervals. This will lesson the impact and keep the craving down.

So, I am off on an adventure of new activity. The dance class went better than I though. Being coached by my Saturday night date was helpful. The teacher was very sweet. I was the only true beginner so she let me pick whether we started with waltz or cha cha. I picked waltz because I had more practice. This weekend my "coach" will prep me for cha cha, I hope! We plan to see each other on Saturday or some time over the weekend. I am taking this Summer dating scenario slow. Much, much slower than my Spring romance.

Today's menu includes salmon, fresh greens, Greek yogurt, scrambled eggs with hot sauce, chicken breast and veggies.

More will be revealed....