Day 5

Today was the first day back for our winter-spring Bible study term for LifeRenewal Ministries. It's good to be back in that groove, spending regular time with other women who are passionately in love with Jesus. Check out our website at www.LifeRenewalMinistries.com.

I skipped the bread with my egg-beaters this morning. Just added some cheese and ate it with salsa on top. Tasty, indeed. I avoided the snacks at both the morning and the evening Bible study classes, too -- and they looked really good! If I hadn't been doing Beck, I would have snacked. So good for me! I resisted twice, so I can put it on my Credit Card twice.

Lunch was challenging. Did you know that most of the items at Ruby Tuesday are NOT diet friendly? Could be why they all taste so good, huh? My friend Gigi and I split a grilled chicken salad, so I think I got away with about 300 calories on that one. Dinner was a little more - a burrito at Tijuana Flats -- about 400 calories. So, not bad for the day. I'm a little hungry, but hunger is not an emergency. And I'd rather be thin than be full.

Today's lesson in Beck is this: eat slowly and pay attention to what you eat. I do eat slowly -- and even more so when I actually think about it. I gave up wolfing food down long ago -- what's the point? I love to eat, and cutting things in very small bites and eating them one at a time makes it last longer. I also use the Weight Watcher's trick with salad dressing -- I dip my fork in the dressing and then take a bite of salad, which is much better than drenching the salad with the dressing.

I'm feeling good about the program this time, but then I always do well the first week or so, while it is still all fresh and things are going well. Like this morning - the scale was officially down 4 pounds. Now, THAT'S encouraging --a pound a day! But of course it won't last. It didn't go on that quickly, and it isn't going to come off without a struggle. I know that.

And what I meant by "it won't last" is the rate of weight loss. I certainly hope to keep what I've lost OFF -- that part will last. My goal for this 6 week program is to be firmly into the next lower tens digit. And ultimately? I'd like to lost a total of at least 25 pounds. And hopefully by then the marketing plan I'm working will have paid off so I can buy some new clothes!

Tomorrow morning will be challenging. I have to fast to have some blood work done, but have to take my husband to his Bible study and then go somewhere for an hour and twiddle my thumbs (or work on something productive) -- but not eat or drink. Now THAT will be a challenge. And then I have a meeting with the pastor about the church website before I can go get my bloodwork done. THEN I'm going to have coffee! Oh, yeah!

Okay, off to bed to dream of caffeinated things. Sleep tight!