No pain, no gain

Time to drop something else. Sugar, this time. Like the first two, this won't be an issue with me as I don't indulge much anyway (aside from occasional cookie binges). Caffeine, a week from now, will be a different story, although it's the coffee I'll miss rather than the caffeine, as I drink a half-caff blend, and only one cup per day.

What I have noticed, however, is how much the mind/body tends to crave whatever it knows it can't have. Not a news flash to any of us, I'm sure, but something I've seen clearly these last three days. Cooking shows -- red meat, high calories. Yum. Yesterday, sugar (ahead of the ban). I indulged in a small pack of peanut M&Ms and later regretted those calories, as it made juggling the required foods within a low calorie count rather difficult. Today needs to be a really low cal day to offset that indulgence, and keep the average where it needs to be.

But -- the scale still shows a downward number every day, so you won't hear me complain about any deprivations or longings. From my high point on Feb 9, I have now lost 6 lbs, most of it within the last few weeks when I've lowered the daily calorie count to an average of around 1200, and upped the exercise. I can see and feel the difference, and that's a really good thing. Keep it going!

I came to the realization a few weeks back that I'm just going to have to basically eat like this (albeit with a few more calories per day) for the rest of my life. Whether it's age, hormones, or activity level doesn't matter. Experience has taught me the hard way that when I lose 10 lbs or so at the Hermitage it all comes back when I return home and return to my old eating habits. So it has to change, permanently. Not to say I can't splurge on occasion.

Today is supposed to be nice and sunny -- the only one of this week and probably next week that would fit that bill -- so I need to go for a walk. Thinking about trying the big hill. I walk parts of that hill already, but I've never tried to walk up it from the bottom. It's a long, steep hill, but I'm sure I can do it, even though it may hurt.