Week Fifty: The Dear-God-It's-Almost-A-Year?!? New Eating Lifestyle

I'm two weeks shy of one year being on my new eating plan.

Or am I?

Looking back it's closer to six months on, six months screwing up- but it's still almost a year since I've been trying to live a new eating lifestyle- whether I've succeeded or not. But I'll save those thoughts for my one year post. 

I've never been on an eating plan for this long. Most times I'm in for only a few months- many of those tries didn't last more than a few weeks. Past diets I've done included juicing with no solid food (not good for a carnivore), giving up one or more foods (also not good- but this time for a comfort food addict), skipping meals (that worked for a few hours), and even going to meetings where they limit what you eat for you or you buy their prepackaged stuff- and eat only their stuff.

I won't pretend to tell you I've behaved myself this week, because I haven't. I've behaved better this week, but not to the point where I think I lost anything. Since my husband's workplace is closed for the holidays, it wasn't a problem to skip the scale to weigh in- since it's behind locked doors. 

The next time I weigh myself will be after my birthday dinner, which happens right before everyone goes back to work on January 4th. My husband is making me his 'typical' five-course birthday dinner, complete with his signature shrimp bisque- the one and only time he ever makes this soup, because my daughter and I are the only ones who will eat it during the rest of the year. I usually have five to six friends over, but this year we both bragged about it so much, I might have as many as ten women over!

As for the dinner? The food itself differs each year. He totally spoils me, and since it's my birthday, I let him. 
Course one is an appetizer. Last year it was an awesome chicken, bacon and asiago cheese stuffed eggroll wrapper deep fried to perfection. Not exactly healthy, but super yummy.
Course two is always the shrimp bisque. This is the only item that never ever ever changes.
Course three is a salad- last year he made one with all kinds of greens, and a homemade raspberry vinaigrette. 
Course four was dinner. Last year we had cranberry brisket with roasted green beans and mixed roasted root vegetables. Yum city!
Course five is dessert. Last year was Orange Dreamsickle Pie- his own recipe.

I have no idea what he'll make this year, but I don't plan on behaving!

January begins a new year. Most people start dieting. I'm re-starting my eating plan. Why? Because this isn't just a diet; it isn't just a plan- it's a new eating lifestyle. And the only way to lose weight and keep it off, is to take it one day, one month, one year at a time!


The only lesson learned this week is that I need to realize that this isn't some temporary change, and that I really need to pay more attention to what goes in my mouth, every time, every meal, snack, or event. Only then can I truly break the bad habits I fall in and out of every time I'm tempted!