Cookies and Haters 

Current weight: 155.0
Total weight loss: 35.6 lbs

I've been travelling a lot, so going on and off the injections. I have two weeks left. It has been totally possible to travel, go to work, be busy, and still be healthy. You just need to focus on the goal. I am getting love from some, hate from others. This weight loss has made me realize there are people who cannot see others succeed. I think most of them want to criticize because they do not want to acknowledge the will power it takes to be healthy because that would require recognizing that they lack the determination they see in me. My work place serves freshly made pastries daily. I don't eat any and I hear comments from my colleagues. "Oh you and your healthy eating!". I feel like turning around and saying, "Oh you and your unhealthy eating!". Of course, my comment would be insulting, even though theirs is equally insulting. Another friend messaged me on Facebook and said, "stop losing weight, are you trying to become sexy?". I responded and said, "first of all, I already was sexy, second of all, if i'm getting sexy, why would I stop?". In a way, this diet has been a great learning lesson. It helps you identify which people are actually supportive and happy to see you happy, and which ones do not want to see you look like a million bucks. I think I need to go on a social circle diet and shave off the excess "friends".

Back on Track

I had a two week break. By break, I mean I made wise decisions on a day to day basis and ate clean, but did go out on three separate nights where I ate (non carb) foods that are no-no's and socially drank on those three nights too (5 glasses of white wine in total over 3 nights). Mentally, I was exhausted of peeing in a cup and getting weighed. I didn't gorge or feel guilty that I wasn't strict. Weighed in 2 weeks later and had even lost 0.4 lbs. It's not much, but it shows that I have morphed into the lifestyle where I can maintain, while being able to have some normalcy in my social life. Back to Bernstein now. I want to get down to the 155 which they recommended and keep it there!

Current weight: 160.8
Total lost: 29.8 lbs (almost 30!)

Plateau

So my weight loss has been slowing down. I'm 161.2, very close to my initial goal of 160. I still want to lose more weight, 150 eventually. I have 2 weeks left of Bernstein and don't think I will make it to my Dr. B "goal weight" of 155 by then. I'm losing about 1-2 pounds a week, which is healthy, and makes sense, as I have a lot less fat to lose. Thing is, you don't qualify for their "4 weeks of maintenance" unless you hit your goal weight. It doesn't make financial sense for me to keep paying for full strict weeks to get the free 4 maintenance weeks, as 1 full week = 6 weeks of maintenance. Kinda stuck now. Will post again!

Unrobed

Weight today: 162.2

Total weight loss: 28.4 pounds

Oh yes and I've decided that my original plan of 160 is not good enough as I still have abdominal fat (the main culprit behind diabetes!). I'm going to abide by the guidelines based on my height (recommended 145-155 lbs). I will aim for smack in the middle at 150. 

My clothes all hang off of me. I cannot believe that I used to fill out all that space!!! I have gone from a tight 12 to a loose 10. I'm down a bra size (not cup, just circumference!). Most tops I used to wear were always size Large, sometimes XL, mayyyyybe mediums. Now, I mostly wear SMALLS!!! SMALL! I don't think i've worn a small since I was 13. It's an amazing feeling. I didn't even think I could fit in a small based on my frame! Everytime I get mopey from eating the same boring foods everyday, I go clothe trying. It definitely puts things back into perspective for me. 

Ketosis Blues

For one whole week, I wasn't showing on the sticks. It was becoming very frustrating. I was doing everything right, but no show. The nurse mentioned that I should monitor myself through different parts of the day as some people burn during the day. I was horrified since I had learned online that morning is the time you're most likely to spill ketones into your urine.

Whaddya know? Mornings I show nothing, evenings i'm burning! Turns out my body is just different. Now I take two samples, one evening and one morning so that they stop taking my bloody fruit away. It's nice to know that my body is actually burning fat. Tracing is also a great place to be. As I mentioned before, you don't want to go for dark shades as it indicates dehyrdation. Ketosis is a state, it has no degrees.

WATER WATER WATER

I had a stunted week where I only lost one pound. I was 169.0, and one week later, at 168.0.

Very frustrated, I racked my brain to see what it was that was interfering with my weight loss. The nurses insisted it was water. Yes, I wasn't drinking as much (due to a new job that I had just started), but really? Water?

I put it to the test. I went back to drinking like a fish and dropped 2 pounds fast. Apparently ketosis needs water to flush fat out of the body. I guess all that gunk does accumulate and needs somewhere to go. If you ain't peein on the hour, drink more. Aim for at least 2.5 litres of fresh, cold water a day.

Someone told me once that our bodies need "showers" on the inside too. Our internal organs are all made of epithelial cells, what the skin is made of. Just how our external skin gets gross without a good bath, our internal skin gets gunkified without a good flush too. Put your shower caps on people!

Holidaze and Alcohol

I took a week off when family was here. I was very nervous because I thought without the shots and thrice a week clinic visit, I'd be in for temptation and disaster...

Boy did I prove myself wrong. I still lost 3 pounds that week, and all on my own! How did I do it? Just ate healthy. I took my low carb/high protein bread with me on holidays, made my own breakfasts, ate fruit, and ordered clean salads, protein/veggie dishes with dressings on the side during the multiple food outings.

I even drank!! I know! I had red wine (one glass a night). Apparently red wine doesn't have any carbs. I think the reason why alcohol is a no-no on Dr. B is because people usually don't have a good idea of where to draw the line. I used to be a huge social drinker. Loved martinis, margaritas, lime gimlets, the works! I've found that vodka with soda/diet coke, red wine, and gin with diet tonic are actual drinks to be drank without any guilt. Now be careful, alcohol does mess with the liver's insulin release functions and can affect ketosis so I will still advise sobriety DURING Dr. B, but there are options for "healthy" drinking once weight loss has been achieved.

HALLELUJAH!