What a difference a week makes

I scrambled back onto the Ideal Protein program the moment we got back from our vacation, last Friday.  This morning marks 7 days, and much like the last two times, the amount of weight I've dropped is about the same.

I'm being less fastidious about the numbers this time around, not doing weekly weigh-ins and body measurements at the store, rather trusting the fact that I'm heading in the right direction.  I can feel a difference in my neckline, which is very important to me, as I wear dress shirts for much of the work week.  If they are tight, I'm not particularly comfortable.  I also feel a lot lighter, and less full.

One of the side effects are reducing the amount and kinds of food I'm taking in is that I have a harder time getting it out the other end.  Constipation is a constant companion.  In my head, I know beyond certainty that if things started moving the weight would drop by that same amount.  I dropped pounds quickly in the first few days, but have been relatively steady the last 4 days.  I attribute that stagnation to my inability to have a good bowel movement.  I'll probably ask about that at the store today.

In the throws of a busy week, I only think about eating at lunch and as the afternoon wanes.  I no longer feel compelled to munch in between meals. I've replaced chewing on something with drinking water, though I think I can drink more.  That will be the objective for Week 2: drink more water.

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one on a program right now.  A number of friends and colleagues, even my lovely wife, are on the Isagenix program, which is hugely popular right now.  I'm intent on sticking with Ideal Protein as I know it works for me, and its pattern is familiar to me.  As I was out of my crunchy evening snacks last night - I need to do a resupply run today - Heather let me have one of her Isagenix snacks to assuage my need to chew on something.  They were pretty good, though not quite the same as my Ideal Protein BBQ Chips.

I don't think it affected my progress, but I had to skip a number of protein shakes this week, owing to events that I attended where pulling out a shaker was not the best choice.  Instead, I ate based on what aligned with Stage One in terms of permissible foods. The week ahead has no distractions, which will allow me to follow the program to the letter.

It's going to be a great week coming up.  My hope is to go from where I am now, 184 pounds, to below 180.  Wish me luck, and pass the water.