The Morning After

No - don't worry - it's GOOD news.  For two days now I have  been following Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet and it has been SO easy.  (Flo - thank you for the recipe link.) My cravings have already begun to subside, and I feel normal again.  The "morning after" reference isn't that "hangover" mode - quite the opposite!

Last night I was laying in bed and spent close to two hours talking myself out of going to the kitchen to eat BBQ potato chips that I had bought for my guys.  The conversation went like this: One small bowl of chips won't hurt.  ... But you KNOW you won't stop at that.... Yes I will... No you won't... Okay then I will have some fruit... But you committed to Phase 1 to get rid of cravings... Okay, then I'll have potato chips.... Well it's 9PM and the kitchen is closed - that's a great rule.. But if I'm hungry I want to eat - there's no rule that says I have to go to sleep hungry...."  OMG this went back and forth for TWO hours.  But then instead of words I tried to hone in on the feelings - how I would feel in the morning if I gave in to the chips.  How I would hate myself and beat myself up and have to start all over again on day 1. 

But really, I was hungry.  So I made myself a plate of about 5 pieces of very thinly sliced deli turkey.  And this morning I feel great!  Willpower is like a muscle - when you exercise it, it gets stronger.  Maybe tonight the conversation will go on for only an hour!

Meanwhile, I had such a busy day - I started with 2 1/2 hours of teaching my belly dance class.  I was able to join the gals for part of the drills.  It felt so good to dance.  I just couldn't do the steps where I my right leg had to bear the weight.  That will still take a while.  Then I grocery shopped for at least two hours, making a detour to TJMaxx where I bought a new top and some glass Pyrex food storage containers (I'm trying to get away from plastic - it's expensive so I'm just going to get a couple of pieces at a time).  ETC.  So last night my legs (not just my knees) were just aching.  I found one prescription pill from after my surgery (stupid me threw them out because I didn't like them - but one pill escaped) and took that with TWO Advil-PMs and slept really well.  THAT coupled with not hating myself this morning feels just SO good.

I really was SO hungry the minute I woke up I grabbed a piece of chicken that was left from dinner last night!  I'll call that breakfast unless I make some eggs later.  Also having a coffee.
Lunch: Huge salad with olive oil, walnuts, and cut up chicken.
Dinner:  I am making brisket with lima beans.  I'm REALLY looking forward to that!
My new favorite evening treat (more than the Skinny Cow ice creams I've been having) is a small container of fat free Greek yogurt, walnuts and a spoon of splenda.  When I am off Phase 1 I will add 1/2 sliced banana to it.

Moral of the story:  Mornings after CAN be good!
Miriam