I apologize in advance for the long blog entry. There were about 3 times I had wanted to blog but just haven’t had the time to sit down and do so. Therefore, I have a feeling this one could end up a little long.
First, I want to just put it out there that all my “stats” are moving in the right direction… except my water. I carry my water every where I go but forget to drink. So I have now set my phone to beep at me 5 times a day to remind me to be drinking. My goal is to have my water where it should be by Monday (or at least a major leap in the right direction). Another goal I had was to lose a total of at least 25 lbs by the end of the 42 days. I believe I would have made it if I had not gotten sick 2 weeks ago. The last couple weeks got a little thrown off because I had to up my calories just a little, adding extra fruit, because my body was using extra energy to fight off the infection. However, as of this morning I have lost 21.4 lbs!! I still call that a success!
My illness was one blog I missed writing about. That was my one concern starting this diet. I was concerned that only taking in 500 calories daily, getting sick could have a really negative effect with my weight loss or energy. It did! I stuck to the diet, minus the few days I had to add a little extra fruit, but my energy level was completely zapped! There were about 3 days last weekend that just walking into the kitchen to cook my meal would absolutely wear me out. Even though I stuck very closely to my calories, the extreme lack of activity I believe contributed to an almost stand still in weight loss. While that’s a little frustrating because I won’t meet the 25 lb. loss for the 42 days, I recognize that this is a long term life change and I know I will meet my goals (short and long term goals) in time.
I have to confess that most of the 42 days I did not stick to my exercises as I should have but I am getting better with that and I am excited to ease back into some of my old exercises. I’m anxious for Jazzercise and to slowly get back into running (something I not only enjoy but have to do to prepare for the academy).
One other confession I need to make. Yesterday I went to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few things and at the register the cashier asked me to hold out my hand and without even thinking about what I was doing, as a reflex, I did. He dropped a few chocolate covered caramel balls in my hand. Once I realized what had happened and realized I was standing there with these chocolate covered caramel balls in my hand, with a cashier watching me anxiously to try what he had so enthusiastically shared with me, I froze. I didn’t know what to do. I had not had ANYTHING other than appropriate meat, veggies, and fruit for 39 days! What I should have done was thank him but politely let him know I was on a special diet and couldn’t eat them, but not thinking quick enough in that moment as to how to say that without sounding snobbish, I tried them. He was right, they were the most delicious chocolate covered caramel balls I have ever tasted!! Of course, that may have had something to do with no sweets in 39 days. . . I beat myself up about it the whole way home and what bothered me even more is that I have no idea how many calories were in them. So on top of it not being approved food, I also had no idea how many calories it took me over for the day. I was very upset that with only a day and a half left to complete 42 days of NO sweets, I messed up by eating these “candies”. But I needed to confess it and move on. I know this may sound some silly but it was a big deal to me. I just really wanted to complete the 42 days knowing that I didn’t cheat at all. . .but who knows, maybe there is a lesson for me to learn in this. 
Day 40, 41, & 42 I was to stop taking the drops while remaining on 500 calories. I was a little concerned that I would be starving. I did get hungry every morning around 9:30 but would have one of my “free veggies” and for the rest of the day I felt fine. This morning I was pretty hungry when I woke up and my sugar felt slightly low (probably my fault because I forgot to eat my fruit last night with dinner). So I had a mango smoothie this morning and afterward felt fine. Tomorrow morning will be the first time in 40 days that I will up my calories and eat breakfast!! Obviously, I won’t be just jumping right back into old eating habits. . . I don’t ever plan to go back to my old eating habits. This was about a lifestyle change for me and The Journey Is Just Beginning! I have been given a plan to follow for this next part of my journey. I will write more about that in a new Blog. I created this blog to focus on the 500 calorie diet part of my Journey. So this entry will end this blog. Tomorrow I will start my new blog and seeing as how my focus over the next few months will be preparation for the Police Academy my new blog will be titled “Go Big or Go Home”!
My Journey 