PHASE II of The O2 Diet Begins!

WHOA! I weighed in 4 lbs lighter this morning after completing the 4 day cleanse. Is that humanly possible? Maybe some of that was water weight. Well, considering my goal is to get down to 135 from 141, a 6 lb weight loss in 32 days, I won't be at all unhappy that at the end of the next week I still weigh at 137. I would be ecstatic if that weight loss were real and lasting!

I certainly could not sustain the Cleanse Phase for a lifetime, nor does Keri Glassman want me to do that. She wants us to progress to phase II for two weeks then convert to Phase III for a lifetime of healthy sustainable eating habits. So Phase II allows me a more substantial breakfast and more substantial snacks, but very carefully balanced with high ORAC values (read fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices), complex carbs, lean proteins and organic nonfat dairy if one can tolerate dairy. Hopefully this carefully increased caloric intake will keep my hunger level tolerable while I stay away from refined sugar, salt and alcohol.

In Phase II, we get two options: pre-designed menus for 14 days or DIY with guidelines for the amount and type of protein, fat, carb and we get at each meal and snack. Clearly, I do NOT do well with rigid rules, so the DIY program is for me! (I know some people can't be given choice when it comes to food or they will make the wrong choice. I am the opposite.) Made a BIG mistake by not pre-planning and bringing my lunch to work today. So I will hit Whole Foods--thank God it is only 3 blocks from work--and make a salad of spinach, 4 oz turkey, red bell pepper, tomatoes, raw brocolli, red cabbage, cukes and the carefully measured 2 tsp olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste. OK. So there. I just planned it.

Tonight I face a big challenge: my weekly social gathering with my very good buddies at the local wine bar. NO WINE FOR 2 MORE WEEKS! Man, I must sound like a WHINING WINO. Maybe I am a whining wino. One of my goals was to learn how to drink just one glass of wine 3 times per week rather than 2 glasses of wine 3 times per week. In Phase III I will face down that challenge. It is almost harder to turn down the second glass of wine when my inhibitions are lowered than to reject the first glass. Anyhoo, the reason I want to limit myself to 3 servings of alcohol per week is that over 4 glasses is associated with a SUBSTANTIALLY increased risk for breast cancer, and mine is high enough with 4 women in my family dying of the disease and my never having had kids.

Stay tuned for the skinny on how well I did at the wine bar!

Speaking of skinny, Dr. David just reminded me of a Heidi Klum quote:

"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"
Thanks, Heidi, for that. B*%@#