Uh-oh...

Weight day 23: 161.8 - 162.6

I was sooo frustrated this morning because, first of all, when I woke up the scale said I had gained. So then, because it's the weekend, I went back to sleep for a little while, and when I woke up again it was 161.8. So either way I didn't lose. I was so tempted to cheat yesterday but DIDN'T... and it feels like it wasn't worth it.

Then I found out my friend Jessica, also doing the diet, woke up this morning and had a bizarre weigh-in of +4 pounds?! It was so ironic that we both had discouraging weigh-in's. So, being that today is day 23 and technically the end of a cycle if I wanted it to be, I considered very seriously stopping today and beginning the three days without drops tomorrow, then phase 3. But I knew I wouldn't feel satisfied knowing that I may have been able to make it to the 150s while on this diet. So I compromised with myself.

I decided to cheat today. It's Easter and my willpower was all but gone. So my husband and I went out to eat at a Japanese restaurant (I REALLY wanted Buffalo Wild Wings but they were closed). I also ate 6 mini powdered donuts and a few chips. I've also drunk a LOT of diet soda. Just for kicks and giggles I've weighed in a few times today and I was about 165. I took my first two doses of HCG but didn't take the third tonight because I didn't think it would be necessary. I know I will feel upset and a bit discouraged in the morning when I weigh in and I've gained weight, but I also know that ten days from now when I'm eating 500 calories I'll love that I got a little taste of freedom after three weeks of diligence.

So my plan is that I may see as high as 170 tomorrow (this may be over exaggerated, but I think it's better to be overprepared after how much I ate today). Then I'm aware that I'm going to stall like no tomorrow this week, so essentially the next few days are "damage control," and I accept that. I *hope* however to be back down to 162 (if not 161) a week from today. At that point I'll still have 10 days left to get back in order and *hopefully* see 154 by the end of the drops. If I haven't mentioned it before, 154 is the lowest weight I ever remember seeing since I have been trying to lose weight (so basically since my freshman year of high school). Reaching that weight is beyond significant to me. 145 would have been great, but I know that that number will happen when it's supposed to.

I feel much better after writing all this out, and major kudos to my friend Jessica who did NOT cheat today and good luck to her as she reaches her goal. On a brighter note, the extra food today was very helpful because we have been finishing up our move this weekend and I used the extra calories to help me unpack. I have been very unhelpful this week because of how weak I have been feeling, so it was nice having some extra strength. For the last 17 (technically 20, if you include the days without the drops) days of the HCG VLCD days, I'm not going to eat red meat, and I'm going to make sure I at least eat both servings of my protein each day. I think I'm going to boil some chicken ahead of time for each week so that I'm always prepared. I will definitely be posting tomorrow to update you on the dreaded "day after the cheat day weigh-in"!