Surrounded by Temptations

Carb-laden offerings abounded at our conference this morning.

The last time I posted, 17 days ago, I'd lost only 1.2 lbs after my first 3 days of Fat Fasting. I was a bit discouraged, but I kept stubbornly plodding along. Now, 17 days later, my total loss is 10.2 lbs. It's still not as much as I'd hoped for, but not bad for just 3 weeks of eating right.

And that means I'm 35.2 lbs lighter than I was while visiting Atlanta 14 months ago!

I imagine the weight loss has been slower simply because I haven't been faithfully applying the Fat Fast principles. Most days I've done Fat Fast breakfast, lunch, and snacks, but I add more protein to my dinners. Dinner has always been my favorite meal, the time when I want something more substantial to eat. So I've been doing a hybrid Atkins Induction/Fat Fast, which is definitely working, albeit oh so slo-o-owly.

Meanwhile, I encounter temptations at every turn. This morning we had a 4-hour, multi-district teachers' conference in Snowflake. At the end of the first session, the planners distributed goody-bags to each participant. I was afraid to look inside, with good reason. As can be seen in the above photo, along with a mini-composition book, a pen, and an "I teach...what's your super power?" bracelet, the bag was filled with sugar- and white flour-laden junk food. 

Luckily, I'd anticipated the usual high-carb conference foods and brought my own snacks: 1.5 ounces of mixed nuts and a bag of chocolate candies by Atkins. They got me through the morning just fine, thank you very much! I even managed to make the tiny bag of Atkins-style M&Ms last for a full 30 minutes at the end of the final session. My 17-year-old son Dylan enjoyed the bag of bad goodies after I returned home.

Let me also note that I was able to fit comfortably into the student desks we occupied during the sessions. Many of the other teachers had a harder time of it, with the writing surface cutting into their bellies for hours. That would have been me 35 lbs ago. Even 10 lbs ago I'd have been less comfy. 

One of the recruiters introduces our speaker.

Last Friday, we teachers at Blue Ridge High were invited to a presentation by our local Army recruiters. To entice us to attend and learn all about the virtues of ASVAB testing, they promised us a free lunch. I gritted my teeth and joined our faculty at the cafeteria, hoping for something I could eat but promising myself to sneak out at the earliest possible moment and run home for lunch if not.

Each teacher was gifted with an Army folder, writing pad, and pen.

And a gazillion carbs on the side.

The free lunch turned out to be HUGE subs from Subway. And I don't mean just in length. The bread was super-thick. When I got in line, a teacher from my department quipped, "How about some bread for lunch!" And, for good measure, there were bags of chips and decadent chocolate chip cookies. My favorite. Groan. 

My bread-free lunch plate.

But I stayed strong. I peeled the meat, cheese, and vegetables off the bread and plopped them on my plate. It was rather messy, since the recruiters had seen no need for forks, but it was a tasty lunch. One additional plus was being spared the afternoon carb-crash that inevitably follows a carb-heavy meal. I had plenty of energy left to work away the afternoon in my classroom.  

My healthy breakfast at Darbi's.

The previous week was the morning I went to breakfast with two friends, Karen and Liz. Before I met them at Darbi's, I gave myself a firm talking-to. I pre-planned ordering an omelet and nothing more. Naturally, the price for the omelets includes two sides from a selection of breads and a selection of potatoes. Being frugal as I am, I weakened, not wanting to pay the price without receiving every item I paid for. Besides, I would dearly have loved some hash browns paired with biscuits and gravy. Instead, I asked our waitress about alternatives, and I ended up with a side of cottage cheese and tomatoes, and a side of fresh fruit.

All of that food would still have been too many carbs if eaten in one sitting, so I enjoyed my spinach, avocado, bacon, and provolone omelet while visiting with my good friends, and then I asked for take-home boxes and enjoyed the cottage cheese, tomatoes and fruit for lunch later in the day.

I gave Dylan the melon slices (yuck) and ate the strawberries and pineapple chunks.

Thus far I have avoided falling for a single temptation that has come my way. Not a bit of sugar or flour or potato or corn or rice or any other high-carb food has passed my lips for the past 22 days. I feel better. And I know my health can no longer afford to be bombarded with an unhealthy diet. That is my focus and my mantra!