Two Weeks Tomorrow

I've been told I'm a blog tease. And also that blogging is dying. What to do??! :)

So almost two weeks in. I weighed myself yesterday--funny that I've decided to weigh myself weekly at my therapy session, for some reason they have scales in the bathroom! I find that weird, but since I don't have one, it forces me to weigh in weekly at the same time, which is supposed to be good.

When I first used that scale, it was tipping over 165. I remember because I didn't want to admit it was over 165 (let alone 160! yikes!). Yesterday, I couldn't make it tip 165. I think I've lost about 3 lbs, which is great. (I know you can lose and gain more than that in water, etc., but I think that's considering.) I would like to lose 2 lbs a week. My sister (who is a consummate genius about all things) told me that's the fastest that you can lose weight healthily.

I have, however, been eating the most amazing foods! Some lovelies that I made in the last few days...

The BEST tabouli I have EVER made/tasted. I've made this many times, and it's always...meh. This was sooo good.
I followed this recipe more or less (supposedly from Moosewood Cookbook). It included chickpeas and cucumber, which I've never put in tabouli before. I also added chopped green olives, because I loved tabouli with olives from my days in France (and deliciously bad for you pre-made tabouli, which I'm guessing was made from coucous and not bulgur).
For the first time ever, I used way more parsley than bulgur, which is how it's supposed to be apparently. Oops. I also kept the dressing separate and dressed it right before eating, so it didn't get soggy or go bad quickly. It was so good I called it crack. Added a little feta too!
I think it was also so good because of the delicious Trader Joe's olive oil I bought...it's way better than the last stuff I had.

Tonight, for lunch for the next couple days, I made a chicken salad with avocado, lime juice and cilantro. The creamy part is mayo and greek yogurt. I am eating the whole fat kind because apparently (sorry I keep saying "apparently") you can eat all the fat you want if you quit carbs. At least I'm choosing to believe that. I'm going to eat it wrapped in giant pieces of greenleaf lettuce.

One thing I was not expecting: until a day or two ago, I was feeling nauseous all the time. I would also feel hungry right after eating. I spoke to my mom about this, thinking I might be going crazy. Mom is on a mostly paleo type diet for health reasons, and she told me she had a similar reaction in the beginning. Turns out refined grains are super addictive and make us release happy chemicals in the brain--if you stop eating them you actually go through withdrawal! And your body has to re-learn how to get energy, when you stop giving it the easy sources: pasta and bread. The feelings I've been having even have a name: it's called the "low carb flu"!

I definitely am not giving up carbs forever. I went out for pizza last week at one of my favorite places, and did not regret a single bite. I have to be able to still live, if this is going to be sustainable. One thing I felt good about: I didn't eat the mac and cheese my friends ordered for an appetizer. There will be a time and place for me to splurge on mac and cheese, but it won't be when I'm about to pig out on pizza.

I've been great about drinking. Two beers that night, and the other night after I had hiked for 3 hours (!), I told myself I could have two but I only really wanted one so that's what I had.

I am feeling really good: light and clean. My exercise has been kind of random in nature but daily. I notice a change already. Not huge, but things are happening!

Things just keep comin' up Milhouse, as I say. The other day I went to a weekly appointment only to have the guy at the front desk tell me I've been overpaying my copay every week and have $160 in credit. Free appointments for a good while!

And the best news of the week: TWO Etsy sales in the last two days! Sometimes nothing happens for a while, but then they do...sold two earbud pouches. Better start making some more!

I can honestly say I'm really having an easy and fun time sticking to this health plan. I hate to call it a diet, especially when a meal is a cobb salad with pancetta, avocado, and homemade blue cheese dressing!

A girl I work with is on some kind of prescribed diet, and she said the other day something like "Ooh I get to have a hamburger bun tomorrow!" That's exactly what I never want to be like. If I want something I'll have it. And work out more. Or something. I am not going to let this ruin my life--I'm only trying to make it better!