The success continues!

I have somehow happened upon a winning combination. This week I lost 5.2 pounds for a grand total of 9.2 pounds lost this year. How on earth did I lose more in the second week?? While my likely unattainable goal was to lose 50 pounds, my realistic goal was 25 and now that is down to less than 16 pounds.

I've dieted tons of times and with the exception of right after weightloss surgery, I'm not usually that successful even at the beginning. Why is it different this time? I think there are a few things:

1. I put the weight on really quick while being quite stagnant and honestly, eating and drinking totally irresponsibly. Making a 180 switch like that can produce results. 
2. Also, at least half of this loss was simply holiday bloat.
3. I'm more committed. I'm actually making difficult choices that I wouldn't have made before. I'm limiting lattes and wine which is a big deal. Last night I ate responsibly at a Tex Mex place where I really wanted something drenched in cheese and sour cream.
4. I have decreased my portion size. This is a biggie for me. I tend to eat long past when I know I would be satisfied. It is truly a problem that I will always have to work on. 
5. I have an accountability partner that I like to message with good news. Ha! It is good motivation.

Along with all of that, I had a surgery that truly helped me with the physical issues regarding weight loss. Pre-surgery when I dieted, I was always starving. My entire focus would be how to get as much food in my body within my allotted calories. I don't have to do that anymore. As long as I am reasonable, I can eat normal food. I have been easily able to stay under my calorie budget when I stay away from the liquid calories and unhealthy snacks. My focus now are the emotional obstacles.

As a reminder to myself when in the future I want to remember what I was doing now when inevitably I'm no longer doing it, I want to put in a few sample days.

Sample day (yesterday):

• Breakfast - Coffee with coffeemate. Snap Kitchen prepared breakfast scramble.
• Lunch - Snap Kitchen chicken thighs (3/4 serving) and cheesy cauliflower grits along with 1/2 cup of ready to serve white rice.
• Afternoon snack - 1/4 cup of mixed nuts
• Dinner (Tex Mex restaurant) - 1/2 salmon cobb salad and two glasses of red wine.
• Exercise - none

Obviously my dry weekday January has gone to hell in a handbasket. BUT, I am making myself log and what I have found is that I'm still staying within my calorie counts. AND, I'm not doing it every day.

Another sample day (Monday):

• Breakfast - Coffee with coffeemate. Snap Kitchen breakfast platter.
• Lunch (Tex Mex restaurant) - Appetizer ceviche, about 1/4 salsa and 10 tortilla chips.
• Afternoon snack - Apple & 1/4 cup mixed nuts
• Dinner - Snap Kitchen prepared beef lasagna
• Exercise - Jazzercise

The Snap Kitchen meals are a little pricey, but they are perfectly portioned and that makes for healthy choices when I'm too busy to prepare good things.

My parents are coming on Friday so it will be difficult for us not to enable each other. But I'm going to get some healthy fun recipes for my dad to cook (he loves to cook) while he is here. Plus, we will be busy with unpacking and moving stuff, so there won't be as much time to sit around and snack.

Fingers crossed!!

Hugs!