Day 28!!! Mission Completed ... or not (Aug 10)

Well ... I did it!  28 days down ... and true to form I almost made an error that would have totally undone my ability to tell you that I have officially completed that which I set my self to do!  So ... how'd I almost screw it up?  I'll tell you.  But first I want to tell you about yesterday (9 Aug)!



I had to return my school - issued laptop to the school since I am no longer employed as a teacher.  Actually, I am not employed in anything right now accept trying to find employment.  But who cares about that.  I had intended on returning the laptop earlier in the summer but time got away from me and it was nice to have it around.  So yesterday morning I made the trip ... which happened to also be the first day of students reporting to school.  I hoped to be there early enough to get in and out before the students arrived to avoid any unnecessary emotion or commotion.  Epic fail.

The students were glad to see me.  Some teased, "Mr Hazard, I knew you would come back!"  I informed them I was only visiting.  But I was glad to see everyone again.  At the school I learned that I actually had to return the laptop to the tech department ... much closer to home so I wouldn't have had to drive all the way out.  I'm glad I did though.  After visiting for a while with the head coach (I was one of his assistant coaches) we decided to grab some grub so we went to the local eatery.  There is a local grocery store that has a 'restaurant' in the back of it.  It is a rancid little place ... I watch in horror every time I go as the 'cooks' break every thinkable or imaginable law in food preparation.  I only go when there is no other option and I will soon die.  I hate option B by the way.

So I asked for three eggs, whites only, and I got this look ... it was awesome.  After a few minutes it was obvious I was the first person to ever request that bc she was having a lot of trouble separating the eggs.  I also appreciated how she washed her hands by wiping them on her forehead than on her shirt, then on her backside ... then back to the food.

I was given about an ounce of eggwhites ... she just couldn't get it.  I did however get to pay for three eggs ... so that was fun.

I just wanted to tell you about that.

I celebrated what I thought was to be my last day with some delicious fish marinated in squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, lemon pepper, and McCormick's Steak Seasoning (that stuff is great!).  I cooked the talapia just long enough to not be raw .. it was so good!  I also diced a bunch of red potatoes and marinated the in olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Bake that in the over for abt 45 mins at 400 degrees and bang!  I ate a huge salad as usual and had some corn to.

Well today I thought that the four weeks was up yesterday ... and was pretty excited about that.  My Yuci made me a spaghetti and a sauce with deliciously seasoned ground beef ... of the highest quality.  It smelled so good!  But I suddenly got a feeling that I better check the days ... so to the blog I went (forget a calendar) and realized that I couldn't eat it!  No problemo.  My first thought was that it really didn't matter.  after all, I am losing serious weight, feeling better .. what's a day right?  Well, if you've been reading you know my stance on that.  I said 4 weeks ... 4 weeks it will be. 

You know what?  I can eat at a table with people eating foods that would have previously made me commit hate crimes and hide the remains in order to acquire ... and now it really doesn't bother me at all.  I can enjoy the smell of foods without feeling the need to eat it.  I know that if I give in to that I will quickly revert ... so I won't.

By the way, I had a VA appt this morning.  If you remember I was just under 240lbs when I started this fiasco.  Well, this morning ... fully dressed .. I weighed in at 213.9lbs.  I all fairness, I went from 236 stock naked to 214 clothed ... people, that's 22 lbs in 28 days.  That's with no exercise and eating as often as I feel the need to as much as I feel the need to ... just within the confines of my disciplines.
How does it feel?  Great.  I wish I could tell you that the pain is gone ... that's going to be a God thing.  A balanced diet does not undo injury ... but I will tell you that I feel so much better inside.  My system is 'blowin and goin' ... really ... sorry for the detail but I almost forgot what feeling good inside felt like.  Therefore I feel a huge relief in the pain because ... well ... I really don't know why.

But I have energy and motivation ... every day.  If I don't eat every two hours I go into shock still ... but to my understanding ... that's a healthy metabolism process .. my body is using food as fuel again ... it feels great.

So what now?  Well I said from the beginning that this is not a diet.  I am not doing this to look good for a reunion or to fit into clothes for a picture.  I'm doing this to live longer and to live better.  So I will continue.  Will I eat red meat again.  Sure.  When?  I don't really know.  Will I eat egg yolks again ... never intentionally.  I love egg white omelets now.  Will I eat cheese again.  Absolutely ... but it will be only for taste ... so no more eating off of the block for me.  Not much is really going to change.  I like how I feel and the transformations going on inside.

And I have you all to thank for this.  Why?  Well this blog was started for several reasons.  I did hope to motivate others and to maybe develop a forum to discuss stuff ... but mostly I needed accountability.  I needed someone to be disappointed in me if I failed.  So thank you.

So the blog will continue ... because I am continuing.  I have a blood test on Monday.  I am curious about what my cholesterol levels will be.  They were above 300.  I have been off the meds for over 6 months.  I wonder what my potassium will be ... it was dangerously high.  I will tell you when I find out at the end of the week.

I am so glad I did not starve to death...that would have been terrible.

Till next time, thanks for reading ... really.