The week after Easter Sunday…when I must face the music over my festive diet over the weekend…ugh.  Well what can I say?  Overall, I work really hard at my dietary health and I am slowly moving in the right direction.  However, when I do not make a few good choices, my body reacts with lightning speed and quickly gives me consequences.  In short- I gained three pounds back this weekend.  Hello again 151 and I do not say that with a smile. 

I am currently experiencing my first decline in mental stamina for this journey of weight loss and BMI health.  I was pretty disappointed and I even contemplating giving up these last couple days.  I have accepted the fact that all of us humans have biological differences which make our BMI status not a fair battle field, but sometimes when it is backfiring in my face I get upset and think “it’s not fair”!  Some people can easily make changes and see results if they wanted to.  Some people don’t even have to worry about it because their body’s BMI  is, always was, and most likely will always be in a normal category- without effort. 

As for me, I was built to stand the test of time.  If I am ever in a survivalist type situation where I am stranded without food, I will probably be the last man standing when the search and rescue crew come into sight.  That is great!  Or is it?  Have I ever been in that situation before?  Nope…and my overly cautious nature makes it likely that I won’t ever be in that situation either.  So here I am, in a modern day American life, where consumption’s only concern is over doing it.  Is this mission hopeless?  Am I helpless against my own genetic make-up? 

The answer of course is “no”.  I am not helpless and hopeless to achieve a healthy BMI.  It is just going to be really really hard…it IS just hard.  I need to keep up my work because I really believe my future health could be impacted. 

One big reason I am discouraged is because I am having issues with my hip.  My strained hip flexor is bothering me all the time again…when I walk, sleep, get out of the car…everything.  I really love being a runner!  Sadly, I am not able to be or do that at this time.  I am going to take a couple weeks at least where I slow down activity until I am not in pain walking around doing household chores.  Then I am going to start back with a snail’s pace progress because apparently my 2-2.5 mile runs 3-5 times weekly was too much too soon.  That is really sad.  Last September I ran a half-marathon…now I cannot run a 5k.  Life is not fair!!!

I have to believe recovery will happen.  I went on a morning walk yesterday.  It was actually invigorating! If that is what I can do, then I need to do it!  I must have looked crazy out there as the sun was rising speed walking in a fashion with my arms bent, up and twisting my hips with every stride.  I didn’t care though, I was out there to strengthen the muscles around my hip which got weakened from over use and caused this strain.   

Also, on a dietary note I do have to look on past experiences and know that I will get through this.  In 2013 I lost all my post-baby weight and then some (down to 142) and I specifically remember gaining five (yes five) pounds on Easter weekend.  I remember being baffled because I did not even eat to a point of discomfort yet I gained five pounds.  My mother predicted it would come right off, and she was right.  May that be the case again! 

 Today’s strategy is simply to skip dinner.  I always love dinner and make good food, which makes it hard for me to practice moderation.  So even though, I do not want my children to see me skip a meal or not eat with them, I just feel like I need a jumpstart to my come back.  I need to go to bed feeling lean and a bit hungry versus pleasantly plump.  That is today’s plan at least.  I had a calorie packed breakfast and will have leftover dinner for lunch.  I will have enough calories! 

Breakfast	Lunch
Smoothie- 165 calories because I skipped flax and spinach 1 slice of Toast- 140 calories (why do I have to love Dave’s killer bread?!) Peanut Butter- 100 calories About 1 ½ Tablespoons on the toast Total- 405 calories from breakfast	Brown Rice- 107 calories ½ cup Vegetable Curry 1 ½ cup from what I can tell is at least 380 calories (why do I have to love curry?!) Total- 487 calories from lunch Grand total for day if I can manage myself= 892 But my plan is to have an orange later if I must have something which would make it about 954.

Overall my calories look pretty balanced for the day according to the supertracker.gov tool that I use.  For those who are concerned, I always have zero dairy since I follow a plant based diet. Check it out: