We went on our first checkup after starting the injections yesterday. It almost seemed like the nurse and doctor were cheerleaders . . . lots of positive encouragement, including a high-five from the doctor. A little weird. Anyway, I have lost a total of about 7 inches (from about 9 measurements).

This morning I am down 5 pounds since yesterday, and more than 17 pounds total. I think the huge loss yesterday may be due to heat – I was in the heat quite a bit yesterday. I drank quite a bit of water, though, so I shouldn't have been too dehydrated.

Haven't really had cravings in a couple days. It seems that when I'm busy and not around food, I don't have cravings. It's when I'm idle and around food (birthday party, etc) that I get cravings. I have noticed that the days that I have intense cravings are the days I don't lose much. I don't know if there's a causal relationship there or if so which way the causation lies.

Still, 17 pounds in a week and a half is incredible.

I also pulled out a physical assessment I had just over a year and a half ago. I am now 5 pounds less than I was back then. That sounds good, except that I know I lost 15 pounds after that assessment. That means that in just over a year, I had put on a total of 27 pounds. That in itself is depressing.

I'm hating this diet.

I've been fairly active for the past couple days – going to the zoo, several birthday parties, etc. I also have had incredible cravings. I'm not hungry, but I can't get food off my mind. It doesn't help that I've been at birthday parties and the zoo, though . . . food seems to be EVERYWHERE.

I've been getting more tired than I think I should, and have had a slight headache off and on.

I lost 2 pounds this morning, but only 0.4 the day before. I'd better loose something tomorrow, or I don't know if I can go on . . . today was miserable, so I had BETTER be getting something for it!

A Little Weak

Maybe I've gone overboard.

Yesterday, I had that apple at noon, and 2 cups of lettuce and 100 g of scallops at 6 PM. Because I had a fasting blood draw this morning at 10 AM, I ate nothing else, and didn't eat anything this morning.

After the blood draw, I went back to work, then went on a walk at noon (still having eaten nothing). By the end of the 1/2+ mile walk, I was barely able to stand. I got an apple and a can of tuna at the grocery store, ate the apple on the way back to work, and ate the tuna at my desk.

It's been an hour, and I'm still feeling weak. My eyes are closing, and my legs feel like I shouldn't walk far.

I have a piece of Melba Toast here at my desk that I'm going to eat, then I'll have more to eat in a couple hours at home. I think I'm going to eat the full 500 calories for a change today.

The movie went fine last night . . . no cravings whatsoever. This morning, I am down another 4.2 pounds, making my total loss since day 1 more than 7 pounds (and more than 11 pounds since completing the gorge 3 days ago!)

A Challenge

I have been doing very well today. I have already drank nearly 2 quarts of water, and have had only 1 or 2 cups of coffee. I ate an apple an noon and have eaten nothing else. I have not been hungry at all. But I am still having cravings . . . perhaps not quite as bad as yesterday, but they are still there. Around lunchtime, I could TASTE a Subway sandwich. It was incredible how real the taste sensation was.

Because I'm not getting hungry, I'm starting to wonder if I have to eat anything at all . . . what if I ate nothing for a day? I may try that and see what happens – or at least see what it would take to make me hungry. It almost seems like I've been given some kind of Superhero resistance against hunger. It's starting to feel almost weird how little I have to eat.

Here is the upcoming challenge – we are going out to a movie tonight. Although I always try to resist the concessions, we very rarely do not have popcorn, and it is usually me who gives in to the smells. And we always have soda to drink. Tonight will be a challenge. I wonder if the butter wafting through the air in the theater violates the rule against applying oily creams or lotions to your skin. Perhaps I really CAN gain weight by just SMELLING theater popcorn. I'll soon find out!

Second Day Weight Loss

This morning's weighing shows a loss of more than 3 pounds since yesterday.

I was a little hungry this morning. A cup of coffee and about ½ quart of water later, and the hunger is gone. I'm also pretty busy at work this morning, and that helps.

Second Day of VLCD

Day 2 of the VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) has been a little weird.

I have not been hungry all day. Didn't eat anything until noon, and even then wasn't really hungry. But I have been CRAVING food ALL DAY!!! It's not a physical craving . . . my stomach does not feel hungry, I'm not weak or lightheaded or anything like that. I just really, really want good, juicy food. It's a mental craving, and I can't kick it. At lunch, I went for a walk. On my way past the first ripe blackberries I've seen this year, I actually picked one and nearly popped it into my mouth before remembering. This evening, I was driving past the mall and caught the faint whiff of a steak grilling in one of the restaurants. It was a very faint and far off aroma, but my mouth started watering bucketfuls.

I had a conversation today about how it is easier to stop something cold turkey than it is to cut back. I think food is the same way. In some ways, it seems easier to simply say no to everything than it would be to analyze each and every piece of foodstuff individually and decide whether it is "too much".

I did better with water. I drank only 2 cups of coffee, and have had just over 2 quarts of water. Because it is very warm (it got up to 90 today), and I have been outside a bit . . . going for a walk, and playing a band concert in the park . . . I should have drank more. But I did better than yesterday.

I have had 407 calories, made up of:

• 100 g Chicken Breast + 1 Apple at noon
  
• 2 Cups Lettuce with Apple Cider Vinaigrette around 6 PM
  
• 100 g Steak + 1 Large Walla Walla Sweet Onion around 10 PM
  

I've got to add that I am really loving that Apple Cider Vinaigrette. If I get nothing else out of this diet, I have discovered a new favorite food . . . Lettuce with Apple Cider Vinaigrette.