Whoot! Tomorrow is day 17 of this 17 day diet experiment!! I honestly cannot believe that I’ve stuck with it and am graduating from the accelerate cycle. I mean, let’s put things in perspective. In the past 17 days, I’ve had to survive Easter with the family, say no to doughnuts and pizza at work, stay sober at a happy hour, and order a lame salad while dining with an out-of-town friend. In addition, I’ve eaten over three dozen eggs, a dozen boneless skinless chicken breasts, a couple of pounds of Dietz & Watson smoked turkey breast lunch meat (currently snacking on it as I type – might I add, Lola the cat likes it too), and mounds of brussel sprouts and green beans. Just writing that makes my stomach turn – I am so over it. But no pain, no gain – or in my case loss. Even though this whole process hasn’t been so fun, I feel the benefits outweigh (no pun intended) the drawbacks. As I have mentioned, I’ve lost weight but am waiting until Friday to announce the number. In addition, I will be announcing the rules for activate, the next 17 day cycle.

Despite the stomach churning list of food just mentioned, there have been some pleasant food surprises discovered during this whole process. For one, I tried turkey burgers for the first time. Now let’s be honest, they aren’t as succulent as an 80/20 beef burger, but they aren’t too bad either. I ate them this past weekend and after the first bite I was sad that I didn’t have them as an option for the entire cycle. I have been brushing them with a splash of olive oil and flavoring them with Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning and either cooking them on the grill or in a skillet. Obviously, I am required to skip the bun which is a downer, but instead I pair it with veggies or eggs. If I eat it with eggs I consider it a pseudo breakfast and pretend the burger is a juicy breakfast sausage patty. Secondly, I am surprised but I am quite fond of Activa – the yogurt that contains Bifidious Regularis and claims to regulate your digestive system (although, I feel like I can not speak to this claim considering all the greens I am eating). The stuff is actually fantastic – but perhaps, my enthusiasm may be a little exaggerated given the boring food I am allowed?? At any rate, the peach flavor is divine and I don’t even like peaches.

Before I close, I want to celebrate a little more that I survived the happy hour on Friday without even so much as a sip of a cocktail. I didn’t even crack when my boyfriend tortured me by ordering fried pickles and tater tots and then dipping them in ranch (a dagger to the heart). I can’t say it didn’t bother me to be around people that were having fun getting their buzz on and eating party food. But, conversely there is something to be said for having the willpower to withstand the pressure and do something that is totally for me. It is important to look at yourself, stop making excuses, and take back control. Just as I am, you’ll be glad you did.

Don’t forget to tune in on Friday for the weight loss reveal and the guidelines for the next 17 days. Sure would be nice to have some company, any takers?

Motivation: Purple dress. Since all my money is currently tied up in t-shirts, I don’t really have extra cash sitting around to pour into a new dress for my cousin’s wedding later this month. So I am hoping I can back into an awesome purple dress I already own.
Lunch: Turkey burger, brussel sprouts, Activia, and grapes.
Exercise: At the time of posting, I have not done my required 17 minutes. But honestly, I don’t know if I can get myself out there. This weather is really becoming a drag, my carcass is freezing to the core, and I just feel like vegging on the couch.