Progress

Curious the progression of the human mind. Currently I'm finding it "easy" to maintain this detox diet so far, with very few cravings. Granted there is the occasional trigger that sets me off a bit, but it passes quickly and I've been able to hold strong, like when Jake ate BBQ Chicken last night followed by cookies and cream ice cream...rough! If I had tried this diet say two years ago, I may have been able to get through it, but probably just barely. If I had tried this say 7 years ago, forget about it...it would have lasted maybe a day. In fact, I remember reading the blood type diet years ago that said I should be a vegetarian based on my blood type, so I tried it and it literally lasted one day and I was a miserable grump with a terrible headache. I was ignorant in the ways of eating and exercise. I started my education and journey in 1998 when I was at my heaviest and fed up with how I looked and felt. My first attempt to change was a slimfast shake in the mornings and beginning cardio in the school gym on the new elliptical machines that just came out. It was a good start, and I lost about 20 lbs, by actually having "breakfast" and cutting my fast food intake. The second attempt was Body-for-Life, which I started in 1999 or 2000 and I did see some success and lost a good 30 lbs. and felt pretty good eating equally portioned meals of protein and carbohydrates, just right to maintain the exercise program you're on. Unfortunately, I gained back 20 when I got in a nice comfortable relationship and had a very active social life full of eating and partying. Finally I moved to NYC and stayed pretty level in weight until I got terribly sick and was bed ridden for 3 months in 2004. I lost a good amount of weight, but unfortunately it was mostly muscle and I wasn't able to do much in the way of exercise, heck I could hardly go up and down the stairs. Finally when I was well and able to eat normally again, I joined a gym and tried to work out as much as possible, which probably equaled only 2 or 3 days in the gym (if I was lucky). Fast forward to this past year; The Southbeach Diet, it was a pretty successful diet...I lost 20 lbs. and I've kept it off. I work-out at the gym and I'm building muscle and have dropped body fat. Now I'm doing the detox thing and continuing on my healthy journey. I'm equaling about 5-6 days in the gym now and eating 5-6 healthy meals a day. I feel energized and focused, a far cry from where I began...and I'm actually starting to like my body. In all honesty it has been a slow progression and I've learned a lot of things along the way and know that there's still so much more to learn. The Ultimate Goal: To live a long, healthy and happy life...and stay as svelte and young looking as long as possible while having abounding energy. Is that too much to ask? I think not. And with perseverance, planning and effort, I know I'll get there!

Food/Exercise Log:
Breakfast:
7:00 AM - 1/2 lemon in warm water & glass of water w/flaxseed (grnd)
8:30 AM - Banana/Strawberry rice milk & protein smoothie

Snack:
11:00 AM - Green Tea
11:30-12 - Large Pink Grapefruit

Lunch:
3:00 PM - Black bean soup & 2 glasses of water
4:00 PM - Organic Applesauce w/cinnamon

Dinner:
7:00 PM - Spicey Vegetable soup w/fresh Ginger & 2 glasses of water

Snack:
10:00 PM - Glass of water w/flaxseed (grnd) 1 tbl sp & Dandelion Root (3 cpsls) w/glass of water

Supplements/Vitamins 1tbl sp grnd Flaxseed X 250 mg Milk Thistle X 500 mg Vitamin C X 200 mg CoQ10 X Multi-Vitamin for Her X 1200 mg Calcium w/D X indicates taken

Exercise: 35 minutes on the treadmill, 10 incline, 4.0 speed