Sticker Shock

 I've been in Phase 1 of the Ideal Protein program for about two months. I've developed a habit of stepping on the scale every Tuesday morning as soon as I wake up. The number got my attention.

I had jumped up four pounds over the previous week. I instantly tried to rationalize why. Well, I had a few sips of wine, I thought to myself. I guess those extra Ideal Protein snacks I've been having finally caught up with me.

As I went to the bathroom in hopes of extricating a few ounces, I remembered a slight rocking that happened when I stepped on the scale.  Maybe it wasn't balanced, I thought. 

I repositioned the scale, took a deep breath and in my nakedness stepped on one more time. 

174.2 pounds. Whew! I was down over three pounds from the previous week and 21.3 pounds overall. 

This program is really working for me. I look forward to my Ideal Protein pancake in the morning, my homemade soup at lunch followed by an Ideal Protein Triple Chocolate Wafer, a regular meal at dinner with lots of healthy vegetables, a bag of Ideal Protein Nacho chips at night, and one extra Triple Chocolate Wafer when I wake up in the middle of the night. Apart from the dinner meal choices, the routine is almost the same every day. 

We are 10 days away from our road trip to Vancouver Island. Heather and I are doing an artists' retreat at a new fishing lodge. We'll stay and paint for five full days and leave the creations behind when we pack up and go home. A great trade. We get a creative spring break and the lodge's owners get an art collection to dress up their walls.