The 21-Day Finale

I have SO much catching up to do.  Don't think I've forgotten about a bit of it. I know I need to catch y'all up on the 21-Day diet, my scrapbooking retreat (hoo boy, not all happy stories there), and the beast of a craft bazaar from this past weekend.

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To start, let me catch you up on the 21-day detox/diet that I started back in August and finished on September 1.  For all of the (few) stories I told during that time, you can visit my fitness foibles page.

Overall, I lost eleven pounds.  ELEVEN pounds.  I was super stoked about that.  It was certainly an awesome kickstart to get me moving in the right direction again.  My fitness foibles page does not show the eleven pounds... it shows eight.  This is because I was most definitely moving in the wrong direction before I started this challenge. 

What did I learn?  DURING the challenge, I learned that I am very satisfied eating only proteins and fruits and vegetables with very little carb-y, bread-y food even though breads and pretzels and potatoes have always been my go-to foods.  I never in a zillion years thought I would be able to not eat those things and be satisfied.  But I was.

I learned that after the first three days were over, I didn't crave sweet things.  This is a lifelong fight for me... sweets after every meal... sweets to treat...sweets to soothe...sweets just because.  I learned that when I eat right, with plenty of vegetables, protein and fruit, my body doesn't look for the sweets.

I learned that I eat for so, so, so many reasons other than hunger.  And when that crutch was taken away, I learned that things come out of me that are somewhat shocking (poor Hubs).  I have so much to work through and I need to stop burying it inside of me and keeping it from coming out by stuffing it down with food.

I learned that I could set a goal and reach it, with very, very little deviation.  REACHING it, is actually the key point there.

I learned that I could go out to a restaurant and eat healthy choices and leave feeling satisfied.  I learned that pot luck meals at my office do not mean I have to change what I plan to eat, for my own health.  Yes, I may have stuffed my face with four (yes, four) plates of salad, but I didn't eat the other foods there.

I have to admit... all these things I've learned, a month and a half later, have nearly disappeared.  Because of this, I have learned just by writing this post, how quickly I have forgotten and how quickly old habits die hard.

The best part of the whole damn thing?  I finally, FINALLY! broke through my mental and physical "block" - the 25 pound mark.  When I started Weight Watchers oh-so many years ago, I never hit that 25-pound mark, and I tried doing the Weight Watchers thing for close to three years.  I had the same number block/plateau with the Sadist and for the better part of a year (October 2010 until this diet August 2011), I was bouncing around gaining a little, losing a little or not doing anything at all; never getting past that 25-pounds-off mark.  I can't even begin to tell you how good it feels to be well below that barrier and I'm NOT looking back.

When I decided to do the 21-day diet, I kept telling myself that it was only 3 weeks of my life and that I could do ANYTHING for three weeks.  When it was over, I promised myself that I'd never have to do it again if I absolutely hated it.  But you know what?  I didn't hate it. I actually loved 90% of it.  I do refuse to eat anything that makes me gag (and I did, on that diet!) and so, I need to now find my way back to the 90%.

And I will.  With the right mindset, and a little help from my friends, I will.