Maintenance, Day 9

So far, so good. 

I just got back from two days in Michigan (I work from home on the east coast for a company based in Michigan, and they scheduled a company-wide meeting for Dec. 21st just as a big "MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS" to those of us with kids and/or, you know, lots of shit to do this time of year. I was very nervous about the trip to Michigan and how I would handle food at the bagel-and-pastry breakfasts, sandwich lunches, and corporate dinners. But I did some thinking ahead of time on how I would handle it, and I did okay. I did eat 580 calories of trail mix one day over various layovers and snacks, but I didn't go over calories that day, so I guess it was okay.

I continue to play it a little fast and loose with the first three week food protocol, which basically says you can't have anything but phase two foods in greater quantities and different combinations. I am trying other things in small quantities and finding out what works and what doesn't. For example, I've been doing loads of eggs, nuts, nut butters, cheese, and dairy, and so far it's working fine. I've had sweet potatoes twice, and I've had corn once, but no white potatoes or flour yet.

I'm definitely eating low(ish) carb, high(ish) fat, and perfect protein. Here's my chart for the last week from Spark People:

NUTRIENTS:	GOAL	16-Dec	17-Dec	18-Dec	19-Dec	20-Dec	21-Dec
Calories:	1,870 - 2,220	1,460	2,207	1,708	1,698	2,144	1,914
Fat:	47 - 82	81	159	78	94	132	112
Carbs:	238 - 344	108	98	163	114	101	123
Protein:	60 - 186	84	100	102	119	150	123

 Here's my weight chart--I've stayed solidly within two pounds of my last HCG weight (198.2). I've been over and under my calorie target range; I just sort of eat what I want but track it so that I learn what 1500 or 1900 or 2200 calories feels like. I do think I need to try and get over 1800 on more of a regular basis now that I've maintained successfully for awhile. The whole point is to reset my body so it thinks it takes more calories to maintain this weight. I don't want it to think it can maintain this weight with only 1600 or 1700 calories a day; I'd much prefer my body think it needs 2100 to maintain this weight. 2100 calories is a lot of really good food. I suspect it goes fast when you're eating shit, but when you're minimizing carbs, it goes a long way, even eating high-fat foods like nuts and cheese.

Day	Date	Weight	Calories Range = 1870-2200)
Day 1	12/14/2010	198.2	967
Day 2	12/15/2010	198.6	1437
Day 3	12/16/2010	198.4	1460
Day 4	12/17/2010	197.0	2207
Day 5	12/18/2010	198.4	1708
Day 6	12/19/2010	199.2	1697
Day 7	12/20/2010	198.8	2144
Day 8	12/21/2010	-	1914
Day 9	12/22/2010	199.0	2288

A couple of interesting realizations along the road:

1. Diet drinks taste bad. I am supposed to wait 3 weeks before any fake sugar, but I was traveling, needed the energy rush, and so I had a Diet Cherry Coke. It was AWFUL. Now, I love(d) Diet Coke. I could drink it by the gallon. But I also know it's terrible for you in about a thousand ways, so it's good when you realize things that aren't good for you don't taste good.

2. Knowing something tastes bad is not enough of a disincentive for the likes of ME, at least not yet. After realizing Diet Coke was disgusting, I had another the next day, and then a small cup on the plane. WHY? I have no idea. Because I could? Because I remembered how much I used to like it? So I still need to work on this.

3. Sugar really sets me off. One morning, a colleague brought me coffee with french vanilla International Delight in it, which has sugar in it (or maybe high fructose corn syrup). I love coffee with vanilla-flavored creamer in it, and unlike the Diet Coke, the coffee did not disappoint. But I was CRAVING sugar the rest of the day. How weird is that? I mean, there can't be THAT much sugar in that vanilla creamer, but it was enough to set me off. Not only was I craving sweets and candies more than I have in weeks, I was HUNGRY all day. So it's a good reminder on a few fronts: 1) I should stay away from sugar awhile longer 2) it's not a disaster if I don't, and 3) I still need to pay attention to the difference between hunger and cravings.

4. Travel really sets me off. Work travel, which I do 8-10 times a year, has always been an excuse to throw any eating regimen out the window. I deal with the stress by eating, and now I have a habit of eating certain things whenever I'm in Michigan. That psychological pull was very strong this week even when the desire to eat wasn't there.

5. I can't get complacent. This has been mostly easy. But just tonight, we were having dinner with friends to make graham cracker houses with our collective 18 billion children. I ate a jelly bean here and there, had a beer (which makes no sense, because I don't even care about beer, so why waste the calories on it?) and had a huge amount of frito pie, which was the dinner option available (turkey chili with shredded cheese and fritos). I barely went over my calories today, but I ate until I was overfull, which is something I haven't done since I started this diet, and which I thought was behind me, at least for the short term. I don't want to do that anymore. I want to pay attention and be guided by the way I feel rather than the taste of the food.

Anyway, I mostly feel like things are going okay. I'm glad to have the work trip behind me. Not to worried about Christmas, or at least the FOOD part of Christmas.