I'm Back!

 We had several glorious days at the beach - once we got there.  Our flight was supposed to leave Nashville at 7:55 am and arrive in Panama City Beach at 9:10 am.  We were there; the plane wasn't!  We wound up flying from Nashville to Baltimore and then to Panama City Beach.  Our final destination was Destin which was about an hour from the airport.  Once we got there, we realized we could have driven from Nashville and arrived at the same time.


We stayed in a quaint little village area, in an upstairs unit.  It was so recently updated the scent of the new wood/carpet/etc was still there.  We loved it, except for the part about WiFi.  The booking agent said it was part of the fee, the on site people said it wasn't.  We finally got the booking agent to refund the cost of the daily WiFi rate.  It seemed fair.  Then the WiFi didn't work. 

It turned out great.  I totally disconnected and loved every minute of it.  I finished one novel, read another and started a third.  I walked and walked and walked, and loved it.  I thought, and prayed and planned.  It was fabulous.

This is the third year that 65MD and I have made this trip.  I had the realization that if we go again next year as we anticipate.  I'll not only be at my goal weight, I will have had surgery.  Destin, Florida will never be the same!!!

Our first year to make the trip, I had just finished the first three weeks of the first round of hcg.  I had lost weight beyond my greatest expectation and was totally freaked out that I might gain back an ounce.  Last year, I had to buy a new bathing suit.  I was much calmer about eating, but still very concerned.  This year, I went with the vague notion of eating low carb, but not allowing food choices to dictate the trip. 

I had my first trial with all of the travel issues.  We had planned to eat lunch in Destin.  Instead I was in an airplane being offered pretzels and crackers.  I ate them and decided not to beat myself up over it.  Life happens.  My job is not to control everything.  I can't.  I ate the crackers and the world didn't come to an end.  At dinner, as a perused the menu, my first choice was the catch of the day!  I don't remember that ever happening before, not even when it is battered and fried.  It was succulent.  It was served with steamed broccoli and a rice/veggie dish.  I ate it and was comfortably full, not stuffed.

I realized then that I had matured somehow in this whole process.  I didn't let a small bag of airplane shaped crackers dictate my mood and eating for the rest of the day.  I didn't even look to see how many carbs were in the bag.  I really wanted the fish.  I was happy to see the broccoli.  I liked the feeling of satiety as opposed to stuffed.

I know, however, that I gained weight while I was gone.  I feel it.  I feel flabby somehow.  The scales will tell the tale in the morning.  That's OK.  I feel confident that most of it is water retention.  I ate a lot more sodium than usual in the restaurant prepared meals.  We didn't eat out every meal, and I had fruit and nuts in the room for those occasions.  But that was still more carbs than my body usually gets.  With those two issues, I know my weight is up.  I also know it will go back down.  My clothes aren't too small or anything like that.  I just don't feel like I usually do.

I have four weeks until we have another little trip.  I have challenged myself to see just how much weight I can loose during that time.  Starting...NOW!