Getting started!

Okay, well, I started a week ago, but still. The sheer fact that I am re-starting should tell you I'm no expert. I don't claim to be. So here's where I've been when it comes to this particular subject:

I have the most typical story ever. I've struggled with my weight since my teens and have almost always considered myself "chubby." Somehow I've always had good self-esteem, but there comes a time when the weight is just really uncomfortable. I've tried many diets and had some success. Just last year I lost 40-ish pounds on Jenny Craig. I won't lie, it works. The blessing for me was also the problem for me... I didn't have to do a thing. Every lazy person's dream, right? 40 pounds, down to a size 8 shows that it worked.

Then last June I had surgery to remove a really big tumor from my leg. Then a week later, I had another surgery to remove half of the inside of my left lower leg. The tumor had turned out to be a crazy rare cancer, Myxoid Liposarcoma. The factor here, though, is that I was literally off my feet for months. According to the doctor, he removed approximately 75% of 2 of the 3 muscle compartments. Activity was a no-go. Insert some mild depression and it was a recipe (pun intended) for gaining back all of that weight, plus some, over the last 9 months.

The cancer is totally gone, by the way. WHOOHOO!!!!

So here I am, 50-ish pounds overweight, realizing that while I like the convenience of some other programs, it's not lasting for me and I have to do it myself... a way that I can maintain. I'm a carnivore and when I was on Jenny Craig, I seriously missed meat. I loved the treats in small amounts, but more than anything, I missed meat. And cheese. And butter. And meat.

So how did I get started? Well I'm quite glad you asked. The day before my start date, I bought Cadbury Eggs and ate 5 of them. I'm not kidding. Not all at once, though.... as if that makes it better! Then before I went to bed, I grabbed a garbage bag and threw out everything carb-related that would tempt me. I kept a few things around for when my daughter and nephews come over, but made sure it wasn't anything that would tempt me. I admit that it might be easier for those of us who live alone. I'm single and my daughter is 18 now and on her own. She and my nephews hog out when they come over, but I live close to stores, so it's easy to not keep much on hand.

The first day, I made it super easy on myself and bought some sausages and a rotisserie chicken. Breakfast, lunch and dinner: done... lazy person style! That night after work, I went to the store with a list and bought a few things to get re-started.

That's it..... getting started wasn't any harder than that!

Week one weigh-in:  Down 4.8 lbs. Not bad at all. And that's with it being a VERY busy week, most evenings spent at the hospital with my sister who had surgery.

Now it's a couple of days into week 2 (I weigh on Fridays) and I'm in planner mode. That's a must for any person practicing efficient laziness. I spent a large portion of yesterday looking at recipes and making a grocery list. I'm an uber-picky eater, so when I do cook, I experiment. I went to Barnes & Noble and bought the old Atkins book (listed in my recommendations) to re-read and bought a bunch of stuff to cook. Wait, I said I was lazy, right? That's right... this week my meals are already done! That's ~efficient~ laziness!

"But Tammy, I could NEVER give up pasta/chocolate/bread/etc!!!" My friend says this to me all the time and some of you might be thinking it. You just have to trust me that after a few days the cravings won't be there! You can give up carbs and barely miss them. Will the cheesecake and lasagna still sound awesome? Yes. Can you make low-carb versions of them that are even more awesome because they taste amazing and make you feel better while reaching your goals? You bet.

All right.  Enough cheer leading for me.  For now.  :)