Well I was happy that I lost some weight on my first day back from my trip.  I still didn’t do too good it is always a struggle to get back onto a plan when one cheats.

Breakfast:  nuts and raisins and coffee

Lunch: chips and sour cream dip (BAD!), cheeseburger on white bun with ketchup, lettuce, tomatoe, green peppers, strawberries and grapes (I went to my sisters and could not resist the chips and dip but I only had one burger and fruit for lunch which is much less than I would normally eat).

Dinner:  Half of a chicken enchilada Lean cuisine meal - it really didn’t taste good so I didn’t finish it.

Wu-long tea

Low fat hazelnut latte from starbucks

8.4 pounds lost 41.6 more to go

I went across country this week to California on a business trip. It was not pretty, but the good news is that I did not gain weight. I made good choices most of the time but not all of the time. I hope that it was good for my long-term weight loss to mix it up a bit. I am going to be traveling a lot over the next couple of weeks, so I need to get better at it.

What I did right:

- started out each day wtih a healthy breakfast. I ordered room service a couple of days, had a brebakfast meeting one day, and grabbed fruit and nuts on the run one day. From room service and the restaurant I had my oatmeal with maple syrup and coffee. I tried an egg white omelette with peppers and low fat cheese one day but that wasn’t very tasty at all. I got some grapefruit juice for a change.

- I exercised three times this week. My co-worker made fun of my large suitcase especially when I explained that I had to bring a few workout outfits since I am on a mission to lose weight. He said I could just bring one workout outfit and wear it again and again since I am going to sweat on it anyways. Even the socks? yup… No wonder men at the gym are so stinky! Anyways, I did 20 minutes of cardio each time and one of the days I also did weight training with hand weights and machines. I was pretty sore from this.

- I didn’t finish my meals and I almost always skipped dessert. At conventions, you get served meals with little choice on the menu. I didn’t always eat all of my food, and I only had dessert once.

What I did wrong:

- I drank some beer and wine which of course is not a good thing for weight loss.

- I had dessert once and candy at convention booths several times (pieces of chocolate) I have a lot of trouble avoiding sweets when they are right in front of me.

- I had bread with meals a few times

- I had chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant (another thing I have trouble avoiding)

Day 6

Exercise: 20 minutes rowing

Breakfast: Oatmeal with flaxseed, syrup, and cinnamon, V-8, coffee

Snack: Apple and 2 TBSP peanut butter, water

Lunch: Chicken and brown rice and peas, Pepsi One

Snack: Handful almonds, handful turkey jerky, water

Dinner: Lean Cuisine meal rosemary chicken and rice, tiny wedge of a quesadillaThis was a very good day overall.

weigh-in: 5.8 pounds lost

Day 7

Breakfast: Oatmeal with flaxseed and maple syrup, Coffee, a V-8

Snack: Apple,water, pepsi one, a handful of turkey jerky

Lunch: Small serving of Chicken Tikka Masala and taste of 3 other Indian dishes at an Indian restaurant buffet on basmati rice and salad. 2 TBSP of Rice Pudding. Handful of licorice covered fennel seeds. Lots of water.

Dinner: Bowl of vegetable soup and apple, walnut, gorgonzola salad with blueberry dressing at Pizzeria Unos.

I went to lunch with co-workers and was hoping to order something light. Of course, the restaurant we went to ended up being a buffet! I only made one trip and got very small servings of everything. I tried to pass on the rice pudding dessert, which honestly didn’t even appeal to me, but I gave in to peer pressure of several people insisting that I try it. I was very good at dinner to make up for it. I did make myself eat salad at lunch to make sure I was getting enough vegetables. I also made sure to eat an apple between breakfast and lunch so I wouldn’t be starving when we went out to eat.

weigh-in: 7.2 pounds lost

Day 8

Exercise: None.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with flaxseeds, syrup, V-8

Lunch: Handful of nuts, apple, 5 vanilla flavored tootsie rolls (I really struggle to pass a candy dish so I tried to pick the lowest in fat and calorie choice), water, diet coke

Dinner: Diet pepsi, water, one small piece of cheese pizza from a personal size pizza, two chicken lettuce wraps, and salad with blue cheese dressing and one steak tip. I went out with friends for someone’s going away party at work. Everyone was shocked that I didn’t have even one alcoholic drink, but I am really trying to lose weight here!

weigh-in: 7.4 pounds lost - fantastic

Day 9:

Exercise: 20 minutes rowing

Breakfast: Oatmeal with flax, syrup, cinnamon, coffee

Snack: handful peanuts, apple

Lunch: Salad with greens, vegetables, chickpeas, and 2 hard boiled eggs and light vinegarette dressing

Snack: banana, PIECE OF CHOCOLATE CAKE - I should not have had the piece of cake. It was someone’s going away party and I could not resist.

Dinner: zilch I had to go to a wake that was pretty far away and didn’t have time to eat. By the time I got home I was exhausted and fell asleep. I did have 2 Altoids, Pepsi One, V-8

Weigh-in 8.0 pounds lost - woo hoo

Day 10:

Exercise: zilch I had to go to an early morning funeral

Breakfast: Oatmeal, flax, syrup, coffee

Snack: V-8, water

Lunch: Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beas, 1 roll with maple butter, handful of french fries, half a piece of cheesecake - okay I totally just ate what was put in front of me at the luncheon after the funeral. I kept telling myself that I was going to eat healthy but you essentially had a choice - turkey or beef - and all the trimmings were delicious. I guess now my body isn’t thinking I am starving it at least, but I will expect to maybe gain a bit of weight back after this… now I have to get right back on track.

Dinner: lean cuisine vegetarian pizza, salad with blue cheese dressing, water

Weigh-in: 7.2 pounds lost (yes, that means I gained .8 pounds from the day before…)