08 Weeks Afterwards

08 Weeks Afterwards (125 lbs  56 Kg)

125 lbs I’m going up in weight again; but my clothes fit better what a conundrum! I decided this is a good time to take a look at what I have been eating and how much I have been exercising to see what is happening to my body.

Food wise I can say that I have been eating clean for the most part. When I say eating clean I mean that I rarely consume processed foods, breads, instant foods, fast foods, creamy foods, candy, or sugar filled drinks. I consider that a big win because two years ago it seemed that is all I ate because it was easy and convenient. I found that I eat 1,200 calories or less in a day. I give myself some cheat days where I eat things like pizza and those days go up to 2,500 calories - after all I am only human.

Some good habits I’ve kept from the diet are eating less cheese, eating more vegetables, eating earlier in the day, not eating after 9pm, and consuming significantly less alcohol. Although with all the summertime gathering perhaps I should be more mindful about how much I take in. I am somewhat meal planning with some of the easy recipes that use the toaster oven and slow cooker to prepare foods and keep the kitchen clean. Which leads me to believe that perhaps I need to eat more fruits, vegetables, and drink more water to feel full longer.

Exercise wise I try to move a little each day. I have some adjustable dumbbells that can go as high as 20 lbs. So far I can do one of those 15 minute or 30 minute workouts with 7 lbs (I started at 0 lbs). I go to the gym approximately 3 times a week where I do the 5x5 lifting workout although I’m squatting 60 lbs and  30 lbs for overhead press(again started with 0 lbs, not even the bar). I like spinning for cardio and on sunny days taking my bicycle out for a ride.

And there is my answer. Muscle takes up less space than fat but weighs more. Kind of like a pound of feathers takes up more space than a pound of iron. So I look leaner (or so my friends say) but I weight more. So maybe 125 lbs is not a bad thing after all.

07-Weeks Afterwards

07 Weeks Afterwards (124 lbs  54 Kg)

124 lbs it looks like my body is holding on to some weight after the diet. Its two lbs from the lowest point so I’m not overly concerned. The first thing I’m telling myself is not to stress out about it. Stress tells the chemicals in our body to create belly fat and that is the last thing I want to induce. I found that it is much easier to say do not stress than to let the stress pass, so I turned to a couple techniques to help me cope.

1. Moving more is more important than eating less
   On a day I eat too much I balance by exercising more that day or the next day.

2. Tracking food and exercise
   Food and exercise tracking helps me see the facts. It helps me see when I indulge in calorie rich foods as well as when I balance it with exercise.

3. 15 Minutes every day at least
   15 minutes of exercise on a lazy day is better than no exercise at all. That is what I tell myself  when I do not want to exercise. I use those words to force myself to move a little every day. There are many 15 minute YouTube videos out there try FitnessBlender, POPSUGAR Fitness, or Yoga With Adriene I can always find something to help me move on these channels.
   
4. To thine own self be kind
   Adhering to a new lifestyle is difficult. Overwriting the programming of many years is extremely hard. Give yourself credit for embarking on a journey to be better because you wanted to. Do not reprimand yourself too harshly for whatever offense you think you committed against the new lifestyle. One, two, or a couple of times that you follow your temptations will not make you balloon out of your current clothing size. You are human, it’s ok if temptation won that battle, try harder tomorrow and win the war.

06-Weeks Afterwards

06 Weeks Afterwards (124 lbs  56 Kg)

124 lbs going up again. I went to a conference wearing a comfortably fitting expensive suit. Last year I wore the same suit to a different event and I was very uncomfortable because it was tight in all the wrong places and the zipper pinched my skin. I felt ugly in it and it showed in the way I carried myself. At this conference the suit was not tight at all I could even close the buttons.  I was confident, friendly, and it showed in my executive presence.

That difference fueled my will to pass up the majority of snacks. In the past I would have had no problem reaching for a buttered bagel, high sugar fruit juices, or sodas to keep my energy up. This time I looked for water, the veggie trays, snacks with protein like crackers with tuna pate, and of course coffee (especially at 2pm). It was hard finding these healthy snacks, but they were there. Knowing that by making that conscious decision of searching for better food choices means I wear the clothes in my closet and carry myself well in professional settings.

05-Weeks Afterwards

05 Weeks Afterwards (123 lbs  55 Kg)

123 lbs back to normal :-) I went to a small gathering this week and felt strange because I did not find the appetizers as inviting as I would have in the past. After the event I went home and ate something that to me was more desirable. I wonder if my tastes have completely changed because I’m more aware of what certain foods do to my dress size or am I just being extremely picky.

One thing is for certain, I enjoy meals that do not have creamy sauces or salad dressings like blue cheese, thousand island, tartar sauce, or mayonnaise. I find that sandwiches, tacos, and even burgers are better in a lettuce wrap than bread. I no longer crave a large amount of sweet things like cake, ice cream, pies, etc. I still like them, but I eat significantly less than before. I recall consuming two scoop ice cream cones by myself and now I share a small scoop with someone. I am now starting to realize that these small changes make a difference in what I wear.

04-Weeks Afterwards

04 Weeks Afterwards (125 lbs  56 Kg)

Oh no 125 lbs :-(  To be honest, I’m not surprised, this week I have splurged on my foods. I have over indulged in cravings for not so healthy foods like cheese doodles, ramen, and pizza. I believe my rebellious phase will be over soon. Part of these cravings are due to that ‘special’ girl time and some work stress. These things too will pass.

One thing I’m noticing is that although I’m over indulging, I’m not enjoying it as much as I used to. Even my favorite pizza leaves me thinking that I could have a better tasting food experience at home. I am by no means a professional when it comes to the kitchen I prepare most of my meals in a slow cooker or the toaster oven. So this way about something prepared by someone that has spent considerable time learning its preparation leaves me feeling like I’m extremely picky. How could I possibly prefer a home made salad with ground beef over delicious pizza? This is perplexing to me.

Another thing I noticed is that I’m indifferent to certain cents that used to call my attention. Funnel cakes, pancakes, street cart hot dogs, philly cheesesteaks, chicken nuggets, and many other foods that used to make me hungry simply by their scent now have no effect on me. I begin to think of how eating that will make me feel sluggish, tired, and skew the statistics on my food tracking application.

Its great that I am making healthy choices for myself. At the same time, I do not like that I am becoming highly critical of restaurant food that I used to enjoy or that I cannot go to a fair with friends and enjoy vendor food. Have you experienced something similar? Can you offer any advice?

03-Weeks Afterwards

03 Weeks Afterwards (121 lbs  55 Kg)

Three weeks after the diet and still 122 lbs. I cannot tell you how nice that feels. Going into my closet feels like opening a new present every day. Being able to put on pants that I could not get past my thighs just 6 months ago feels amazing! It's one of those internal joys that words cannot describe.

One thing I've noticed though is how others are reacting to my weight loss. At first they say “you look great”, “what an accomplishment”, or “you look amazing.” Some ask, how did you lose the weight and when I tell them about the diet they reply with “now don't keep losing weight or you will disappear on us”, “stop shrinking, all that weight loss must not be healthy”, “you look tired and too skinny, are you sure this is good for you.” or  “you look good already, why do you want to do more?” It feels good when they acknowledge it, but the other comments can sometimes be hurtful. I often find myself thinking that it's all in my head and I'm simply taking their comments the wrong way.

I did a small amount of research and discovered that I'm not taking those comments the wrong way. Psychologists explain that every person sees things from their own frame of reference and when someone else does something they wish to do, the it makes them feel unaccomplished compared to that person. For example, let's say you and your friend Pat decide to take a cake decorating class together. For some reason Pat drops out but you finish it. Later on there is an occasion where you bake a cake and decorate it. When Pat sees the beautifully decorated cake, Pat will feel unaccomplished because. This may cause Pat to praise the cake and make an unflattering comment like, “now quit your day job and open a bakery.” Now imagine that feeling with something as personal as losing weight.

I have a friend that wants to wear something special for an occasion and cannot fit into it. When I tell that person about the diet, their first comment is “I can't do that!”, then they say “I can't give up all those things”, “my schedule doesn't lend itself to that”, and “who is going to do all that cooking for me?” So even before that person tries, they are convinced that they will not accomplish it. Then that person looks at me, evidence of the results, and imagine the feelings. I finished something that they could not do. Yes I look great, but I should stop showing off that I am better in such an obvious way.

My intention is to be healthy for myself, not to make my loved ones feel that I am better than them because I did something they did not. So I am learning to keep quiet about the diet, meal planning, exercising, etc. What I say instead is that my doctor said I had to lose some weight and keep it off for medical reasons. I usually say thyroid, anemia, migraines, or blood pressure as the medical reason. It is true that I have better thyroid levels, less migraines, more energy, and better blood pressure since I lost the weight; hence I do not feel like I am lying when I say that. It seems that not suffering from a chronic illness is acceptable and keeps away those unaccomplished comments.

Have you had a similar experience? How do you handle it? Feel free to use the comments on this blog to tell me all about your awesome weight loss journey and achievements.  You did a lot of hard work to get where you are and I will feel honored if you shared that with me (and everyone else who reads this blog). Because it's hard work and hard work deserves to be acknowledged.

02-Weeks Afterwards

02 Weeks Afterwards (121 lbs  55 Kg)

It's now 2 weeks after the diet and still 122 lbs (on average). I simply adore how I can fit into all the clothes in my closet. Some things look better on me than others and that is motivating me to tighten up some of my problem areas. My problem is that when it comes to exercise I need a giant external force to overcome the inertia and get me moving. In other words I'm very lazy. However, once I get started doing some exercise I like it and I feel good afterwards. It's the getting started part that becomes a challenge.

To push myself forward, I made some goals, downloaded some applications to my phone and I am startling slow. My goals are to eat a max of 1,200 calories daily (3 times more than on the diet) and develop the habit of exercising at least 3 times a week. To keep me motivated I hung on my bathroom door an outfit that simply does not look good if I have rolls on my back and a big belly. I also started using meal tracking and exercise tracking applications on to see in graphs and charts how I am eating and how much I exercise.

For exercise I was inspired by Medhi and his 5x5 routine (link below). I am by no means as strong as him, so I started with very, very easy 2, 2.5 lbs dumbbells (5 lbs total). Following along with the videos makes this exercise routine very easy. Next week I'm moving to 2, 5 lbs dumbbells (10 lbs total). I hope to continue increasing week after week.     5x5 site link: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

I heard that having a diet and exercise buddy is very helpful specially when you are stuck. If you need that kind of help let me know and we can connect via the applications to keep each other motivated. I know that on those days I don't want to work out I will definitely need some help.

01-Week Afterwards

01  Weeks Afterwards (121 lbs  55 Kg)

A week and few days after the diet and I'm at 122 lbs. Some days the scale says 123 lbs, and others 121 lbs, but most often it says 122 lbs. In this time I've managed to maintain some of the habits built during the diet. Things like a small breakfast, no afternoon coffee, easy to prepare and clean-up meals, meal planning, and no eating past 10pm.

I no longer struggle to make breakfast every morning. Coffee and a piece of toast sometimes with a little olive oil and salt is working perfectly well for me. I am not a morning person so waking up early enough to make something to eat, even a smoothie caused me early morning stress. I didn't even realize that was happening until I stopped forcing myself to eat breakfast every morning. Now I do not feel pressure or disappointment first thing in the morning and my days feel less stressful.

2pm water is now hot water with lime and a tiny bit of honey. I found that this helped me to relax mid day. So in a way you can say that 2pm water and I changed each other for the better and continue to have a good friendship.

I really liked knowing what I was going to eat in advance and that made me look forward to those meals. Their simplicity, easy clean-up, and no thought preparation also took a lot of stress away. I didn't realize that when I felt hungry at lunch or dinner I would constantly worry about what to eat, was it readily available, did I have to go purchase it, would it be too expensive, was it healthy, etc. these thoughts were running in the back of my mind while doing other things and by the time I actually ate something I felt exhausted. So now I prepare things in advance. My trick is to buy things in bulk, spend a few hours seasoning, separating, and freezing then the night before I thaw. Very easy way to remove all that stress that I didn't even realize I was carrying.

Preparing good food is now so easy that there is no reason for me to eat past 10pm. I made a personal goal to close the kitchen at 10pm. That means clean everything up, do the dishes, put everything away, and no making more meals. I usually make a cup of tea while I'm cleaning to give myself an incentive to finish quickly. Once that cup is washed, I challenge myself to no more trips to the kitchen.

I believe this change in behavior has contributed a great deal to me keeping the weight off.

Summary of Results

Day 13 on the Danish Diet

Fri - Day 13 (121 lbs  54.885 Kg)
Hunger level low (below normal), energy very high (well above normal)

I’m not 120 lbs; but I’m only 1 lb away. I can’t believe this diet worked for me twice !!! OMG I’m so happy I can barely contain myself. I treated myself by going out to eat with friends. I ordered a salad with grilled chicken in order to keep the diet. The best part is that I reached into my closet and pulled a dress that I bought when I thought I was in decent shape and I have not touched it in more than 6 years. You know what, it zipped up !!!  Even better there it felt a little loose !!! Honestly I’m so happy typing this that I’m vibrating in my seat and most likely registering on the Richter scale.

Now I don’t look like a slender movie star; but I don’t care… I fit into my old clothes. I still have a belly and my arms are flabby. But all that flab fits into closed that are two size smaller than last month. OMG I can’t stop, you are probably getting sick of this. However, I got that “win” I set out to get and I could not be happier.

For lunch I was so busy that I had to settle for eating only a carrot and hard boiled eggs, nothing creative; but it did the trick. The restaurant grilled chicken salad was tasty; but only because I was wearing that dress from so many years ago. If you try this diet I sincerely from the bottom of my heart hope that at the end of your journey you feel as good as I do right now and that the feeling sticks for a long time.

Day 12 on the Danish Diet

Thu - Day 12 (121 lbs  55 Kg)
Hunger level low (below normal), energy high (above normal), not cranky, no headache.

Abominable is the only word that describes a day with no coffee. Now I was not cranky, but if I did seem snippy to some, you would understand. I may have cut down from 3 cups a day to 1 cup a day; but no coffee at all is treacherous. I think even prisons serve coffee because they are supposed to treat inmates humanely. The carrot is by no means a replacement for coffee. But you know what after today I don’t have to give up coffee for dieting purposes… yay !!!!

So tomorrow is the last day, and what will I do after that? Keeping the weight off is challenging because bad habits can sneak in. For instance I can see me drinking more coffee than 1 cup per day very easily. It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit, so maybe I’ll stick to 1 cup of coffee a day for one more week to reach the 21 day mark. I’m definitely sticking with no food past 8 pm.  I can see that changing to 10 pm on nights that I’m out. However, I think that is completely doable. I think I’ll stick to meal planning, it was so carefree knowing what to buy at the store and what I was going to eat that day. I don’t miss trying to force myself to eat breakfast to I’ll stick to that. I’ll also keep posting and let you know how I’ve been surviving after the diet.

Today’s meal were easy to prepare. I love making the Salmon wrapped in aluminum foil because there is almost no clean up. The trick is to open the pouch slightly to let some heat out and drain it before opening the rest. It is also very easy to reheat in its pouch if there is an oven nearby. It stinks, literally fish odor, if you put it on the microwave; but in an oven it’s not so bad. Dinner was meat on the stick, again easy.

Day 11 on the Danish Diet

Wed - Day 11 (122 lbs  55 Kg)
Hunger level low (below normal), energy high (above normal), not cranky, no headache.

Either my brain has been rewired to redefine the feeling of hunger or I’m really starting to like eating nothing but yogurt and salads. Do you think… nah… it can’t be; I can’t be developing an affinity for not eating meat. It is true that eating less meat is good for you, and maybe that’s another secret to this diet, reducing the meat intake. But..but..but.. I’m a carnivore.

So far on this diet I feel fuller when I eat salad. I’ve managed to tell myself at snack time that I’m not hungry I’m just thirsty, I reach for water, and a little while later I’m ok no more cravings. There is certainly no more before bed snacking, that was replaced with water and I’m hoping to keep it that way going forward it is easier to sleep when the digestive system is resting.  I’ve turned to other things like blogging to relieve stress in the evenings instead of indulging in an occasional glass of wine. I’ve cut down on coffee consumption and I think I can stick with it. And particularly this week I do not feel as hungry as I used to, even after eating. Heck I’m thinking that afternoon water is a trusted companion there for me anytime. Lastly, on this diet I’ve gotten some pretty good ideas for meals to stay healthy after the diet ends. So with two days to go, the days of feeling hungry seem far away and better days weighing less are within reach.

Lunch was very straight forward. I had fun with dinner today. I tried to recreate what would be a bowl of ramen noodles. I attempted to flavor the yogurt in such a way that tasted more like a ramen broth. I can’t say I was 100% successful; but to my deprived taste buds it was a welcome change.

Day 10 on the Danish Diet

Tue - Day 10 (123 lbs  56 Kg)
Hunger level medium (normal), energy high (above normal), not cranky, no headache.

I feel lighter as though it is easier to carry my body around. I don’t know whether to attribute that to spring finally arriving, me eating healthier or the fact that I’m at the weight I was before all the craziness in my life started. 123 lbs is such a milestone number for me that I feel like I could fly today. From 155 lbs when I decided to take control of my weight to 123 lbs today feels like winning the lottery.

I know, I know, weight comes back after crash diets like this one, that’s why the goal is to lose a little more and work on keeping it off. However; I don’t care right now. I’m 123 lbs. I think I was that weight in my 20’s. Honestly I feel like a new person. I was even happy to celebrate with 2pm water.

Today’s meals were pretty good. A cob salad for lunch and a variation on tomato soup for dinner. I don’t like celery but I happily ate it today, can you guess why? I have to find something more creative to do with that celery and tomato for future readers. There’s got to be a way to make it zing. On a later post I’ll upload something when my mind goes back to interesting food instead of how good I feel today.

Day 09 on the Danish Diet

Mon - Day 09 (125 lbs  57 Kg)
Hunger level medium (normal), energy medium (normal), not cranky, no headache.

The weather is nice today as well. I keep looking out of the window wanting to go out and play instead of being a responsible adult with deadlines and bills that need to be paid. I suppose we can all dream about better days.

It’s a good thing today’s food was easy to preparare. I was so busy I almost forgot to eat lunch. I use a smoothie making blender that I love to mix the yogurt and all those herbs. The basil gives the yogurt such a refreshing taste it feels like that alone is cleaning the inside of me. The garlic gives it a spicy taste that makes me feel like I’m consuming a flavorful soup not just yogurt. I’m definitely going to keep this yogurt blend in my recipe book. I think it will make a great marinade for chicken. Dinner was very easy to prepare as well, I use my toaster oven for things like this, very easy to keep the kitchen clean. I love knowing what I’m going to have for dinner, it is comforting knowing I don’t have to defrost something and start slaving over the stove.

Day 08 on the Danish Diet

Sun-08 (125 lbs  57 Kg)
Hunger level medium (normal), energy level low (below normal), not cranky, no headache.

The weather is nice today also, but a little colder. A friend asked for my help doing some meal preparation and since I felt lonely yesterday I said yes. We spent the majority of the afternoon measuring seasoned chicken, beef, and shrimp then placing them into plastic bags to be frozen later. This activity took about three hours and looking at all that raw uncooked food did not affect my hunger. On the contrary it gave me energy and cheered me up because the idea of pre-packing food like that for easy dinners came from me.

Today’s meals felt big. On this diet I’ve been a little hungry right after lunch; but not today. I used cherry tomatoes at lunch for color on the salad, I think that made it look happier. For dinner I thought let’s put the meat on a stick, that is always so easy to make and clean up afterwards.  I remember thinking my goodness this is soo much food at dinner time. Maybe my stomach is shrinking. Maybe my body is getting used to having less food and burning all that excess stuff. This could be another secret to this diet, shrink your stomach to keep the weight off.

Day 07 on the Danish Diet

Sat-07 (126 lbs  57 Kg)
Hunger level medium (normal), energy level very low (well below normal), not cranky, no headache. The sun came out to play and it borough it's friend summer time weather. It is a gorgeous 80 degrees Fahrenheit with sun chasing away the mist from every crevice it can penetrate. The birds are chirping, the squirrels are running, there is energy in the air and I swear the trees are smiling. I know I am.

It's a weekend and I have no plans with friends or family, thank goodness because I would be too tempted to break the diet. I spent the morning going to a park with my dear friend water where I read a book. In the afternoon I had so little energy that updating the blog felt arduous. I kept water very close by and stayed out of places with food most of the day to keep away temptation. 5:30 pm came as a saving hero that brought what felt like a filling dinner on the balcony. I felt like an actress preparing for a movie role by going through this diet.

Can you believe it's the ½ way point?  I am down 6 lbs :-) Tomorrow the menu starts again. And I am excited with the possibility of reaching 120 lbs by Friday. That would beyond fantastic.

Day 06 on the Danish Diet

Fri-06 (126 lbs - 57 kg)
Hunger level high (above normal), energy level medium (normal), not cranky; but I have a migraine. I wasn't hungry until after I had lunch. Then I started wanting more food, and sweets. Thank goodness I took all the chocolate, jolly ranchers, and other stuff out of the house before the diet started. It would be too easy to reach for one of those.

This morning I was visited by my old friend the migraine. Migraines run in my family and I get them when I'm stressed, right before I start me strutting, or when they feel like doing. Today it's the latter; maybe it was the no coffee yesterday or this weather. I took headache medicine with my coffee this morning and it went away.

Gliding gently in the night a cloud nested in the valley I live. At 70 degrees Fahrenheit and no sun bursts with moisture causing a longing eerie feeling. Cars pass by slowly due to the low visibility and their soft roar lingers in the air like the memory of livelier times. I hear a howl in the distance, it could be my imagination since I've been captured by the overcast ambiance for more than a week. I hear it again, could it be? It's it? The hound of baskerville coming to get me! Luckily my new friend hot water in a coffee mug was there to help with its warm cosy company while we waited for the hound to not arrive.

That should explain the weather and why I think it's causing migraines and low energy aside from the high caloric constriction. Today’s meals were not so memorable; but I wasn't hungry. I felt like a rabbit eating a carrot for lunch; but it's good for your eyes... Right? 7 oz of chicken is a lot, after dinner at 7:30 I was very full, but craving sugar.

Day 05 on the Danish Diet

Thu-05 (128 lbs - 58 kg)
Hunger level medium (normal), energy level low (below normal), still cranky.

I can't seem to get motivated today, maybe that's why I'm testy. Perhaps the knowledge of no coffee today is making me down. Or maybe the weather, this dense fog enveloping everything in an inescapable drowsy mist. Makes me want to curl up with a blanket by a window and read a book like a wise sage. Alas life must go on and what I must do wins over what I want to do. Maybe I'll reward myself with a cup of hot water, a blanket, and a window later today.

I look forward to some of the vegetables with lime more than some of the food I had while on vacation. Maybe it's because I'm looking forward to coffee tomorrow or perhaps I'm developing a taste for vegetables. I wonder if this is how vegetarians get started. Don't worry, I'm not going down that path I have a carnivorous appetite as any healthy adult homosapien should.
I like the easy to prepare, low clean-up, salad like meals.

The afternoon is so rough without coffee! I'm starting to get a headache from the caffeine deficiency. I'm thinking this may be a form of medical torture, take away coffee. My afternoon hot water in a coffee is simply not doing it for me today. I know it sounds like I'm sabotaging the potential friendship. I’ll be more open minded about the benefits of afternoon hot water in a coffee mug. I had to remind myself to eat dinner today. Dinner was also very satisfying. I wonder if my body is now used to eating at certain times and burning off stored energy (fat) in between feedings.  This transformation may be a leading secret to weight loss success of this diet.

Day 04 on the Danish Diet

Wed-04 (129 lbs - 58 kg)

Hunger level high (above normal), energy level low (below normal).

My stomach growled again between lunch and dinner. I feel my energy levels depleting, I know part of it is because I'm eating less carbs and sugars which my body turns to energy. I'm thinking another part is the weather, it has been 50 degrees Fahrenheit overcast with occasional showers for more than a week continuously. This weather is so not typical of my region that I’m feeling slightly down. I'm susceptible to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) so I'm thinking the lack of sun is contributing to my low energy levels. I'm also feeling very cranky, the SAD can contribute to that as well as the frustration I've felt for not accomplishing some tasks, the lack of food, and the decrease in coffee intake.

Many articles I read said that losing a lot of weight really fast means one is losing a lot of water weight. I'm skeptical of that statement because I normally drink 16 oz of plain water per day (not counting coffee, teas, smoothies, etc.) and on this diet I'm well over 32 oz of plain water per day to combat the hunger. If I'm losing water weight, then where is all the extra water I'm drinking going?

I noticed too that I go to the bathroom for liquid and solid discharge more often than before I started the diet. I'm thinking that is because the mostly raw veggies have a lot of fiber and it helps move things along. And all this extra water means there is more liquid to discharge, so maybe that is where all this water is going. Although I'm curious, I'm not silly enough to try to find a way to measure the proportionality of water in my body and water out of my body so no need to worry. And if I did, I just now committed to not blogging about it, hence you're safe. You can read on without more potty talk.

Day 03 on the Danish Diet

Tue-03 (130 lbs - 59 kg)

Hunger level high (above normal), energy level medium (normal).

My stomach doesn't normally grumble from hunger and today it made a little noise between lunch and dinner. The meals are sufficiently satisfying when I eat and shortly after I'm left feeling like I want more food.

This feeling of wanting more food is normal; I have to remind myself of that. After all, it's a 450 calories per day diet. We are talking about a huge caloric deficit from the recommended 2,000 calorie daily or the 1, 600 calories daily to lose 1 lbs a week. To combat the hunger I drink water. Since I've done this before I know the results are worth it and I know that I will get use to this feeling before the weekend. Just got to keep my eye on the prize, a cute leather skirt I have to worn in 6 or 7 years.

I also noticed that there are a lot of raw foods in this diet and that eating time is compressed to about 6 hours a day. There is fruit, celery (I don't like celery), lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and yogurt. Only the proteins are cooked; that's a lot more raw food than what I normally eat. I'm having lunch around 1 pm (too much going on between 11 and noon) and dinner around 7. There is no in between snack so by 7 I want to eat again. Normally I have a lunch around 11:30, a snack at 3ish, and dinner around 8. Which means that on a normal day I eat within an 9 hour window, and now that window has shortened by 3 hours. It's not a bad thing, just something's I noticed about the diet. Perhaps these are ancient secrets to its success.