Day 15

    I can't believe I am almost done with Cycle 1.  I haven't had carbs in over 2 weeks and I am still here to tell the tale.  Who knew I had the willpower?!?  The longer I go without them the easier it is to say no.  Today we went out for breakfast at our favorite family spot and I had my usual: 2 eggs over medium, tomato slices and half a grapefruit.  Delicious, light and filling.  We went to DH's families home for a cookout and we had marinated chicken overnight in Cindy's balsamic vinaigrette with some seasoning salt so we brought that over. I was glad we did.  Because the other choices were sausage, hot dogs, steak and ribs.  In the past I might have tasted the sausage and possibly the ribs or steak but today I stuck to the chicken and some delicious fresh garden salad, tomatoes and green beans from the garden.  I enjoyed one glass of Rose wine and had water the rest of the time. 
     The scale budged another pound this morning which makes me happy.  I am hoping to enter a new, lower decade later this week.  Praying it's by weigh in on Thursday night.  I have about 3 more pounds to go to make that happen.  We'll see.  I have been really consistently good and it's paying off.  I only have a few more days on cycle 1.  It's tempting to just stay on it because I want these same results to continue but that's not how the program is designed so after day 17 I will begin incorporating some new foods but the general eating plan stays the same.  I can occasionally enjoy grits or a sweet potato or perhaps some lean beef.  But it goes back and forth between cycle 1 and 2 to trick the metabolism and keep the pounds coming off...or so I hope.
     It's going to be a bit of a relief come tomorrow because it's back to normal.  As fun as the parties are right now, it's just difficult to balance and make good choices when away from home.  At home I have more healthy food than I know what to do with but I am certainly learning.  Looking forward to sitting down to menu plan the next few days this week and beginning on Thursday, cycle 2.  I have babysitting on Thursday, so I may wait to grocery shop till then and finish up all of the produce in the house.  I am loving all of the fresh fruits and veggies available at the store.  Hoping to enter that new lower decade later this week one meal and one day at a time.