Trotting Right Along

Almost 70 lbs lost!!

I had a very good week last week! Lost a total of 6.6 lbs, which is my second biggest loss yet! The week I lost more than this was my very first week on the diet back in August. This was week two of round four, so I am pretty excited! Had to go on a business trip over the weekend and eat out numerous times, stay overnight, and not be able to drink my water. I was still down .6 lbs both yesterday and today! I really believe the key for traveling and eating out is to be prepared. I took "allowed" foods along with me in a cooler with ice packs so if  I couldn't make the right choices whenever we ate, I would have something to fall back on. Naturally I took more food than I ended up eating because part of the time I was able to eat from the restaurant or the catered food at the meeting. But, I'm so glad I took it because then I didn't come home feeling guilty because I didn't eat right.

Some days I seem to need more protein than other days. I rather felt sure that I would "feel" like I needed more protein when I was away and surrounded by food, so I allowed myself to eat a little more protein. On the road Friday, we chose to stop at Subway for lunch. That's a really easy place to eat! I ordered a veggie salad with all of  my "allowed" vegetables on it. Then I got one of my little baggies of pre-grilled, pre-weighed chicken out of my cooler and put it on top. Had them put a little vinegar on top for dressing, although I had taken lemon wedges along just in case. I also could have just ordered a salad with grilled chicken from Subway but I chose to use my own chicken since I knew it was the right number of ounces. No problem sticking to it for that meal! :) 

That evening at our hotel, we ate dinner at the restaurant there. I have learned that eating out is all about choices and asking questions and making small requests of the waiter. I have never had a waiter or waitress act frustrated with me because I'm asking. I always tell them I am on a very restricted diet and they are without fail very helpful. This particular menu choice was an 8 oz prime rib with mashed potatoes and Chef's vegetables. I asked what the vegetables were. They were brussels sprouts, carrots, green beans and asparagus. I must have frowned a little because the waiter quickly said, but you can get all asparagus, for instance, if you like. Perfect!!! So I told him I would take that, but no mashed potatoes. "Would you like extra asparagus instead?" Perfect!!! I chose to drink water, because I like to drink water, but I could have had unsweetened tea. I also had a cup of the most wonderful decaf coffee. I cut the prime rib in half and asked him put the rest in a box to take with me.  So, another successful meal! :)

2-4-2011

The next morning I knew there would be pastries and doughnuts and other “bad” foods to tempt me so I ate a cup of fat-free cottage cheese before I left the hotel room. Then I got a small plate of  “allowable” fresh fruits and coffee for my breakfast at the meeting. The nice thing was they had pitchers of ice water on the tables in front of us so between that and coffee, I was good to go for the morning! At lunch they served us salads, which was fine. But then they came out with chicken baked in a pastry with cheesy filling and carrots on the side, which was nothing I could have. That’s okay! I went out to the car and got another baggie of pre-grilled, pre-weighed chicken I had taken along and took it back in. Asked them for another salad (they were very small) and poured my chicken on top, squeezed lemon on top and was fine. On the way home, everyone wanted to do fast food because we were ready to get home. That’s ok. I ordered a hamburger with mustard and pickle and took it off the bun. I had a bag of celery in the cooler so that was my supper and I was fine.

I tell you all of this to let you know that you can still stick to your diet with a little preparation and the mindset that you can make healthy choices. Remember, the 500 calorie phase is only 21 or 42 days, so it’s temporary! It’s not forever! And the weight you lose and the healthier you feel in that time-frame makes it all worth it!

So keep trotting along – you’ll get to your destination faster if you don’t slow down or back  up because you haven’t stuck to the protocol!