Day 170

I finally dropped all of the "giving up Diet Pepsi" bloat and hit a new low this morning - 178.8 pounds. That is with early weighing, too. Hopefully it continues because I have been essentially stalled for the last three weeks.

It's funny but there are times I have to remind myself that I am making progress. I still don't like what I see in the mirror and I worry that it isn't working. When I look at pictures, I can see the difference but it doesn't seem like much. I guess it is because it has been so slow. There are some reminders, though, like the fact I can't sleep the way I used to (on my side, with one leg on top of the other) because my knees are too bony and hurts to have them on top of each other. :D There are times that my collar bones and shoulder blades seem prominent.

That said, there seems to have been some changes lately - since giving up DP - that aren't necessarily weight related. My energy level is up and I swear my arms are bigger, even though I haven't been working out. My arms went through a stage where they looked like Skeletor's (aka Madonna). They seem to be filling out again.

The other thing that has changed some is my hunger signals. I have been in tune with my physical hunger for years and knew what it felt like. It worked fine under ZC, too. Recently, though, I don't get to the stomach growling stage. I tend to eat now when I get tired and start really thinking about food. I am not sure if I should go ahead and what for the growl like I used to or just "go with the flow". It still seems to fall into the twice a day pattern.

One other thing that I have been debating about is to cut way back on the cheese (I am not ready to consider the "eliminate" word). I do fine with cheese and don't over do it. I don't have that much HWC - a splash in my tea (two mugs a day, four days a week). What is making me think about cutting back is that my sinuses just won't clear. I wake up every morning stuffed up and my mouth and throat coated with gunk (probably from breathing through my mouth all night). I seem to have "allergy" issues all of the time lately. Seeing Margot's sinus success on ZIOH after she dropped HWC is encouraging.