Roadblock

Have you ever watched The Amazing Race?  A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform. The other teammate can offer words of encouragement during the task, but it is still that first individual who has to successfully complete the task before the team can move on.  Failure to complete the Roadblock penalizes the team by 4 hours.

When you start on the road to a healthier lifestyle, usually the change is met with determination and enthusiasm.  Loss of that initial weight is your immediate reward and family encourages you to stay on the path.  You start to feel better and all is good and you trudge along towards the goal.

But suddenly the real world hits you.  There is too much stress, not enough money for better quality food.  The stress and added responsibility makes you too tired to whip up a fruit and vegetable smoothie...besides, you don't have the ingredients anyway...you spent Sunday afternoon at the nursing home with your mom and couldn't bear to go back to the store again.  But there IS microwave popcorn (Yikes, talk about a BAD choice for someone with Fatty Liver Disease!) and gosh darn it, you DESERVE to eat the entire bag, and a few candy bars too for good measure.  And a beer...not a lite one either.  If there had been hard liquor in the house, I probably would have had that too.

Why?  Because I am stuck behind a Roadblock...a Roadblock of my own making.  I am the one who needs to figure out how to deal with the stress/financial/time management issues as my mom faces the final stage of her life.  My husband has been extremely supportive with my mom through the years - especially when I started leaving for work at 7 am and not returning until 7 pm, and my mom was already heading for bed.  (It is not lost on us that my mom still recognizes my husband when he goes to visit her...but it takes her awhile to figure out who I am.)  He is just like a son to her, BUT, he is not.  That leaves him offering support from the side lines, I am the one who has to make the decisions and deal with the past as well as the future.  I am also the one who not only was crazy enough to buy microwave popcorn, but to pop it as well. 

My penalty for not navigating the roadblock properly?  Yep.  I GAINED weight this week!  First week since June 12th.  That hurt!  Even though I have messed up in the past, I managed to still lose.  This shows once again how important it is to eat the good stuff and forsake all the crap.  I also believe that it shows I have reached the point in my weight loss where I have little wiggle room.  Calories in are most likely matching calories out.  Not only do I have to step back and think about what I'm eating, it's most likely time to start an exercise routine.  I knew this day would come.  

yeah...right after I finish up that Halloween candy....

The Joys of Trick of Treating

I have been eating healthier for over 4 months now and there are times when (despite the number on the scale) I have wondered if this is all worth it.  I get discouraged by the snails pace I have lost weight - especially when folks come up to me and tell me how they lost 15 pounds in a month.  It's a great week for me if I lose an entire pound!  My clothes fit better and I actually have a waist now...still a belly - that's not going anywhere, but at least a waist.  I needed a reinforcement that the good I am doing goes beyond what I can physically see.

I got it this weekend.

Every year there is a big Halloween celebration at the campgrounds where we have our RV.  Each year we bring my granddaughter with us so she can have a little early Halloween fun.  My husband has bad knees, so I have been the one to walk around the campgrounds with her to collect the goodies given out by our fellow campers during Trick or Treat time.

Campgrounds.  As in gravel or dirt roads.  Hills.  Lots of hills.  It is not an easy walk for anyone out of shape.

She and I have walked each year, but we've never done the ENTIRE campgrounds.  Oh we've come close and last year it nearly killed me.  I was pretty much toast for hours afterwards, and felt it the next day too.. 

Now that she is 7, I knew she would be up for the challenge to go by every single camper and every single cabin and she would be walking at a faster pace.   Was I ready to keep up with her?

You bet.  In fact, it wasn't until we had our trailer in sight on the return that I realized I had probably walked enough without resting.  I sat down once we got back, had a lean hamburger and water, and within 5 minutes didn't even feel like I had done any exercise.  I was fine.  The only thing that hurt was my arm from the flu shot the day before.  I wasn't out of breath - ever - during the walk.  This was huge for me...and I attained it by simply eating better.

Weight Lost This Week:   0.8 lbs.
Total Weight Lost:          17.4 lbs.

And The Beat Goes On

Usually I post on Wednesday, but I couldn't think of anything witty or educational to say.  Not that anything has come to mind now either, but I need to check in.  I hope all who read this are doing well.  My life is still extremely stressful with the situation with my mother.  I went to visit her on Friday and it took her almost 5 minutes before she realized who I was.  It is depressing, frustrating and just plain old sad.  And guilt provoking.  Could I possibly be doing more for her?  Is this truly the best for her?  While telling myself that I am doing the best I can with what I have, it is very tempting to reach for the fries, the cake, the tequila.  I'm certain if it was just me on a diet, I'd succumb to that urge a heck of a lot more than I am.  As it is, a lot of the progress I made in eating very healthy has somewhat gone by the wayside.  Not enough hours in the day, too many other things that need to be done and a much changed financial picture has me juggling the food budget.  Trust me, there is a reason they call fast food convenience food.  I really need to take an entire day and revamp my life.  Perhaps I'll have a day come February.  Such is the story of my life.

Weight Lost This Week:   0.6 lbs.
Total Weight Lost:          16.6 lbs.

Reaping Rewards

I would like to say that the stress level has gotten better since my last entry...yeah, I would LIKE to say that, but it's not true.  We are still in a holding pattern with my mom, but we will have the opportunity to take her out of the Health and Rehab Center for a bit on Saturday and see how she does.  So at least, for this week, there are no decisions to be made.

This Friday I get to relax during a one hour massage that I gave to myself in celebration of losing 10 pounds and keeping it off.  Though I have lost more, this Friday was the first day I had free to schedule it.  Living a healthier lifestyle should be reward enough, (and keeping my liver, thank you very much) but let's face it, we are human and I too like the idea of a "prize" at the end of the tunnel.  We are a society that also tends to use food as a reward.  Played a great game?  The team goes out for pizza.  Got good grades?  Ice cream sundaes all around.  Finished that tough project at work?  Happy hour at the local bar.  Take some time to think about your own rewards, and how can you trade those bad prizes into something more meaningful.  Even if food is not your ultimate blue ribbon, do we really need another pair of shoes or another top?  Okay, maybe that is pushing it too far, but I'm sure you get the drift.  Making yourself feel good does not have to be about food.  There are other experiences or treats out there.  Though a one hour massage is going to cost me more than a blouse would, to me a massage is the ultimate "take care of yourself" experience.  It is not only good for the body, but good for the soul.  If my budget would allow it, I'd have one at least every month.  Alas, that is not the case, which makes this reward special.  My pot of gold at the end of the 10 pound rainbow.

Now to come up with something for 20 pounds.

Weight Lost This Week - 0.6 lbs.
Total Weight Lost -        15.4 lbs.

Stress

The problem with making a commitment to do anything on a regular basis is that once in awhile life gets in the way.  Back in June when all this liver stuff was new and scary, I made an excellent decision to create a blog in order to be held accountable for my actions.  It has worked amazingly well for me - I have that anxious moment on Wednesday mornings before I get on the scale, wondering what I'm going to have to admit to on that week's entry.  But it helps to keep me in line during the rest of the week.

The problem is that my next doctor's appointment is not until December - and there really isn't that much to talk about right now as far as my liver goes (the liver isn't exactly that exciting) but there is a heck of a lot going on in my life right now that adds to my stress level - and stress can be very detrimental to your liver.  What's going on you may ask.  So please bear with me while I list some of the things in a way to put it out there and take a deep breath and hopefully push some of the heavy energy aside.

My mom, who has lived with us for the last 17 years, is not doing well.  She has dementia...some days she's fairly good, some days she's not.  She has been diagnosed with cancer.  She is currently in a Rehabilitation and Health Center because a little over a month ago she fell down the stairs.  They are looking at sending her back home at the end of next week.  She has improved in her walking and balance to the point where there will be no more improvement.  But that doesn't necessarily mean that she is "fine" to come home.  When it was suggested that she stay there due to the dementia issues, we found out that she falls into a different category and so there are financial concerns now, since it would be "long term care."  In a nutshell, she makes too much money between my dad's measly pension and Social Security to qualify for federal/state financial aid, but too little to be able to pay for the facility herself.  She's in that gray area that most families are now finding themselves in as they care for their elderly parents.  Her shortfall is between $372 and $438 per month - depending on whether or not there are 30 or 31 days.  Where is an 86 year old woman who exhausted her savings a long time ago (mostly due to other medical expenses such as the heart attack she had when she was 77).  I have no brothers or sisters, so there is no other help, and we can't pay that.  So we are in this back and forth mode with the facility on what to do about mom.  I know she really wants to come home, and it would be great to give her some happiness during this final stage, but she also needs to be safe too.

Stress?  Just a tad.  But somehow I managed to get back on track as far as the weight goes.

Weight Lost This Week:    0.8 lbs.
Total Weight Lost:           14.8 lbs.

Be Careful of What Others Say in the Media

Last week I read an article and watched a video that have both weighed heavily on my mind.  They both disturbed me because of one piece in what was otherwise a very informative work.

The first was an article published in AARP magazine (and it's available on their website) titled Eating Disorders and Women Over 50.  While I applaud the efforts made to point out an issue that is not reserved for the young, one of the warnings given that you may have an eating problem was that you had lost more than 14 lbs. in 3 months. 

WHAT?  I would be hard pressed to find a reputable article that doesn't agree that losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is a healthy approach to weight loss.  Do the math...that translates to 13 to 26 lbs. in the same 3 month period - AS HEALTHY!  Furthermore...this is AARP after all and the majority of their readers are over 50...shouldn't they also be advising that if you are NOT trying to lose weight, and have lost 14 pounds in 3 months, then perhaps a doctor's visit is in order to rule out some serious medical condition...like cancer? 

My other moment of dismay was after watching a video as part of a weight loss/healthy lifestyle program where the person was talking about how bad she felt about the way she looked when she was a Size 12 and how great she feels now that she is a Size 6. 

How many of you just shuddered?  A 12 is a MEDIUM!  The average American Woman is a
Size 14.  I was saddened by the fact that a 12 was made out to be bad.  I even made that comment to her, and she very nicely replied along the lines that she was simply stating how she felt.  I totally understand that and admire her honesty, but the message was still there:  12 bad, 6 good.  I think it would have been better if she had stuck with how many pounds she lost or how changing her habits and attitudes made her feel better about herself without putting a size on it.

Let me tell you folks, if I shrink down to a Size 6, I am the next featured person in an AARP article about eating disorders.   

Meanwhile, I'll be happy with my 14 lbs. in 3 months and do a little dance, throw some confetti, grab a salad and keep on truckin.

Weight Lost This Week:    1.0 lbs.
Total Weight Lost:           14.0 lbs.

Breakfast And Lunch And Dinner

I learned a powerful lesson Labor Day Weekend.  I need to eat every meal or my body will revolt.

Saturday my husband and I worked at a street fair - which meant breakfast before 7 am...but then no lunch.  When we finally had dinner 12 hours later, I knew I was a little more hungry than usual, but I didn't think anything of it. I had skipped meals pre-liver diagnosis days, in fact, many meals.  Sometimes I noticed that my sugar levels were a little off, but most of the time it wasn't anything TOO unusual.  I just ate what I wanted until I wasn't hungry anymore...usually some fat laden food.  But on Saturday night, I ate as I have been these last few months.  A good, healthy meal.

Sunday was horrible.  For the first time since I've started this healthy eating lifestyle I was starving.  ALL DAY LONG.  No sooner had I finished breakfast when I was contemplating what else I could eat.  Unfortunately I also had a very light lunch, and though I was trying to make it until the start of a BBQ dinner being offered by the campgrounds where we were staying, I couldn't hold out.  When my willpower was strong, I ate some grapes.  When it wasn't, I nibbled on chips.  As the day went on, I became more and more obsessed with eating.  By 5 pm I was into the crackers (whole wheat and reduced fat) and hummus.  By 6:30 I had piled my plate high with pork BBQ, coleslaw, potato salad, boiled potato, two different broccoli salads, corn on the cob.  I grabbed a lemonade - the first sweet drink I've had in 2 1/2 month.  I ate until I could no longer (yes, loved every single minute of it, but  believe me, it was a total meltdown).  I started convincing myself how good I had been.  I skipped the hot dog.  I didn't put butter on the corn.  I left the roll behind.  I didn't even look at the dessert table.  I only drank half of the lemonade before replacing it with plain water.  Oh yeah, all this while my plate is full of mayonnaise, and we won't even think about the caloric intake.  But I had felt miserable the entire day - craving food like crazy - and this was all delicious!  Suddenly though I was full - ridiculously full.  My stomach wasn't too happy with me, but that still didn't stop me from nibbling on some more chips and dip later on at a neighbor's campsite. 

It has taken all of Monday and Tuesday to get back to normal.  One bad meal does not change the weight loss - as documented by this week's numbers.  What was really my undoing was skipping a meal on Saturday.  This is the first day I feel okay again - once more in control.  I've had to take a deep breath and say "okay, we learned a lesson here.  No skipping meals."  It had wrecked havoc with my system - metabolism - whatever you want to call it.  Which means in a little over 2 weeks when my husband and I work a 2 day festival, I have to be sure that I have a healthy lunch - something with me that I can eat when I need to.  I've come too far to do this again.

Weight Lost This Week:    0.8 lbs.
Total Weight Lost:           13.0 lbs.

My Dad and Liver Cancer

My father's birthday is this Sunday.  He would have been 87 had he not passed away 17 years ago from cancer.  The disease actually started elsewhere, but ended up invading his liver.   I would be totally remiss if I didn't include a blog post on liver cancer (this is a liver themed blog after all).

The liver continuously filters our blood...turning the good stuff that was absorbed from the digestive system into a useable form while at the same time removing toxins and other chemical waste from the blood so they can be excreted.  Since all the blood in the body must pass through it, the liver is unusually accessible to cancer cells traveling in the bloodstream.  Most liver cancer is in fact, secondary - as with my dad.  However 2% of cancers in the US are primary liver cancers - meaning it starts in the liver.

Livers damaged by birth defects, alcohol abuse, or infection such as hepatitis B and C, and cirrhosis are prime candidates.  According to WebMD.com, more than half of all people diagnosed with primary liver cancer have cirrhosis.  Liver cancer may also be linked to obesity and...fatty liver disease. 

 

There's that disease again...the one which launched this blog...the one responsible for the weight loss so I can hopefully get it under control. 

 

How serious is liver cancer?  The last I heard the relative 5 year survival rate is 15%.  Wow.  Read that again.  15%.  Part of the reason being that most folks either have other liver problems, or the cancer started elsewhere and the patient has already been compromised by chemo or radiation.  The numbers do improve if surgery to remove the cancer in the liver is a possibility...or if the cancer is in the early stage and they are able to have a liver transplant.  Wonder how long the wait is on THAT list!

 

So let me put those words together, so the next time I just want to throw in the towel, I have this sentence with me.  Repeat after me:  Liver cancer may be linked to fatty liver disease and the 5 year survival rate is 15%.  I can picture how my dad looked the last few weeks...and days of his life.  Hopefully my readers do not have that mental image.   

 

Happy Birthday Dad.  I'm trying.

 

Weight Lost This Week:    0.8 lbs.

Total Weight Lost:           12.2 lbs.

 

 

The Jeans

Ever since I was young, I have had a belly.  As in a gut.  Beer belly.  Belly fat.  Whatever you want to call it.  Even  at 5 ft. 6 and 110 lbs.  There was always the stomach.  I knew my relationships with boyfriends were ending when they started complaining "When are you going to do something about that gut of yours?  Get rid of it!"  110 lbs and I was too fat to be loved.

Two abdominal surgeries and a pregnancy didn't help matters any.  The excess belly fat became worse.  I now understand that some of it may have been caused by the food I was eating (sugar) and surgery can do strange things to abdominal muscles but that doesn't help with self esteem.  Especially when it came to buying clothes.  In particular, pants.  Especially jeans.

If the jeans fit in the waist, they were ridiculously baggy through the legs and hips.  If they had a nice fit through the legs, there was no way I was going to be able to zip them up...and buttoning them was out of the question.  I finally resorted to elastic waist jeans - my only option as the weight...and the stomach...grew.  At first, the jeans only needed to have elastic in the back, but more recently they needed to have a full elastic waist.  Old lady pants as my daughter pointed out.  Didn't help that I turned gray in my 40's too.  My first question when I tried on clothes in the fitting room...pants, jeans (and yes, dresses and skirts too) was "How does my stomach look in this?"  Not how do I look in this, but my stomach.

As the weight has slowly come off I have felt a shift in the weight distribution in my body.  People were amazed when I said I had only lost 8 - 9 or 10 pounds.  I felt my clothes hanging differently on my body.  So a few days ago when I needed to pick up some clothes for my mom at the store, I found myself flipping through a rack of jeans that were on clearance.  70% off with an additional 20% that day.  I looked at the few that were left in my size and found one that I liked.  But of course, no elastic waist.  None at all.  I put them back on the rack.

Try me on the jeans called to me. What?  If I try them on, and they look horrid, I'll be depressed.  If I can't even zip them up, I'll feel like these past weeks haven't made a dent and I'll want to drown my sorrows over a Big Mac and fries.  But each time I tried to turn away, that little voice in my head urged me to take them to the fitting room.   

I listened to the voice.  I entered the little cubicle and started to put them on.  I could see that they fit  well in the legs - but the moment of truth was yet to come.  And then?  Good, I can get them over my hips, oh my! The zipper went up fairly easily...and...and...

It probably took all of 2 seconds for my eyes to fill with tears as I stood looking in the mirror wearing a buttoned pair of jeans with no elastic.

For the first time in years.  No - for the first time in decades.  I cried in that fitting room, over a simple pair of $6 jeans.  Because I could BUTTON THEM.  Truth be told, they were a little snug, but I could sit!  I could squat!  I could BREATHE.  And the legs looked great too! 

There was no way I was going home without them. I haven't even worn them yet, but during the weekend when temptation reared it's head, all I had to do was think about those jeans.  It was the perfect "gift" for losing those first 10 pounds.  A surprise one at that.  The best kind.

Weight Lost This Week - 1.0 lbs.
Total Weight Lost -        11.4 lbs.

10 Ways To Lose 10 Pounds

There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate your party with you
           Kool & The Gang


It was either that or Dora the Explorer singing "We did it."  I'd prefer Celebration, don't you think?

I have lost over 10 lbs.  I lost 6 lbs. in the first two weeks, and it took seven weeks to lose the next 4 lbs.  Seriously. 

Google "Lose 10 pounds" and see what articles pop up.  It's mind boggling to me.  Everything from a generic article on how to do it, to a promise to lose 10 lbs. in 3 days.  That's right, 3 days.  I can't see how that would be healthy for anyone.  I also can't see where any of the quick fixes can possibly be a permanent solution.  We all need some wiggle room.  And let's face it.  In order to lose weight, we have to find that formula that works for US.  We are individuals.  Our body chemistry is different.  In many ways we know what will work for us and what won't - so the key is to figure out what makes sense for our own lives.  So how did I do it?

1)  Water.  I'd have to say this was the biggest change for me, and the one that I would give the gold star to.  I drank water.  Almost only water.   Lots of it.  In conjunction with that I stopped drinking soda.  Mind you, I rarely drank regular soda anyway, but I think giving up even the diet stuff did wonders for my system. 

2)  Better meat choices.  I've become a white meat/seafood eater.  The occasional red meat splurge is lean.  Very lean.

3)  White flour is bad.  I severely cut down on white bread.  It's wheat or multi grain 99% of the time.  Added bonus - we found a multi grain bread that even my husband likes.

4)  Sugar is bad too.  I've cut back, but I can't say I've been as good about this one.  Ice cream is still very tasty.

5)  Much less alcohol.  I don't want to say that I was a lush, but drinking is part of my social network.  I eliminated hard liquor, and now only drink wine and light beer in very limited quantities.  Not only am I not packing on the extra useless calories, but the willpower not to indulge in bad foods stays strong.

6)  Eat at home.  We stay home a lot more than we use to for meals.  Now if we go out to eat it has to be for a special occasion - or at least a gosh darn good reason.  Stopping at a restaurant to finally have a late dinner after spending hours in the emergency room with my mom IS a good reason to eat out.  Just because one is too tired to cook is not.  Added bonus - it saves a lot of money.

7)  Blog about it.  Hold yourself accountable.  Many times I'd eye a piece of cake and the thought of having to admit to my readers that I didn't lose any weight that week kept me on track.

8)  Potato Chips and French Fries.  I have not had fries in 9 weeks.  I've had a few chips, but probably not even a bag full over the same period.  Fries are considered one of the worst foods to eat ever.  Potato chips are also on pretty much every list for foods that make you add pounds.

9)  Meditate.  Keeps the stress down, and therefore, no need for stressful eating.

10)  Reading.  If I'm reading, I'm not eating.  I checked out several books from the library and am really enjoying getting back to one of my favorite pastimes.

Now for the next 10!

Weight Lost This Week - 0.6 lbs.
Total Weight Lost -        10.4 lbs.

Slow and Steady Wins The Race

I really, really, really wanted to do a post this week about how I was celebrating reaching the 10 lb. weight loss mark.  I had my entry written in my head and was looking forward to be able to say that I was finally in the double digits.  I have been eating healthier for 8 weeks now - you would think that I would have reached 10 lbs. awhile ago.  Except for the occasional treat, I've been disgustingly good.  My reward was going to come in that number on the scale.

But NOOOOO.  I didn't make it.  Yes, I lost weight this week.  But not enough to hit 10 lbs.  Not enough by 2/10 of a pound.  My immediate reaction?  You've got to be kidding.  Okay, so the language may have been a tad stronger than that, but I am trying to keep this blog family friendly.  All this work, all this denial of the foods that I love, and I STILL can't say I've lost 10 lbs.  Never mind the fact that folks are beginning to notice the weight loss and have complimented me on how great I look.  Never mind the fact that I feel better than I have in months.  Never mind the fact that I have now lost over 5% of my original weight.  This is an important milestone - research suggests that losing 5% will stop fatty liver disease from getting worse (it takes 9% to 10% according to studies to possibly reverse the damage done.)  On top of that, how many articles have we all read that state losing 1 or 2 lbs. a week is the healthiest, most efficient way to lose weight...and the one that will very likely lead to permanent weight loss?  Fad diets don't work in the long run.  I've seen too many cases of folks who have lost a good deal of weight in a fairly short period of time, and then gain anywhere from half to all of it back...in some cases, even more than the total amount lost!

Yet as a society, we want it, and we want it now.  We are a bunch of hares running here and there expecting instant results.  We obsessively count calories to a point that's frightening (oh no, this is 50 calories, I really need to have this one instead because it's only 45!)  I've never been the rabbit type in any aspect of my life, why here?  I like turtles.  They are peaceful, serene and wise.  One step at a time.  Week, by week.  Revel in the small victory.  I lost weight this week.  I'm still on track, still in the race.  Somewhere down the road I'll slowly walk by, the hares sleeping off a sugar/fat binge on the side, the finish line clearly within reach.

Weight Lost This Week:   0.6 lbs.
Total Weight Lost:            9.8 lbs.

The Taste of Food

My husband and I recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary and decided that each month on the anniversary date we were going to do something "different."  It could even be something that we would normally have done, as long as it was not the "same old, same old."  In April we went to a restaurant that we only visit once a year.  In May we played cards with friends.  In June I simply showed up to watch my husband shoot pool (he plays every week, but I never go to watch.)  On Friday, our anniversary date, we were invited to go out to dinner with our lake neighbors (we have an RV at a campground).  The invitation was totally unexpected - our original plans for the weekend fell through, and we had stopped for breakfast on the way up to the camper just to say we had done something "different."  I was now faced with a second temptation to succumb and eat all sorts of unhealthy food items.  I glanced through the menu, immediately deleting any item that began with the word "fried."  As we ordered, I heard this surreal voice speaking "I'll have the shrimp platter, grilled please, and for my two sides: baked potato with butter and sour cream on the side and the vegetable medley."

WHAT?  That voice...that sounded so much like my own, actually said "vegetable medley!"  Who is this woman?  What alien life form has taken over my brain?  Grilled?  Butter on the side?  VEGETABLE MEDLEY?  Less than 2 months ago I would have ordered the fish and chips without giving it a second thought! 

But an amazing thing happened that night as I began to eat.  EVERYTHING tasted wonderful.  I noticed for the first time the intricate taste of each item.  The shrimp, a naked potato - even I commented that the veggies were the best I had eaten in a long time.  The meal was really good and I raved about the restaurant on the way back to the camper.

Interesting thing though...everything I have eaten since then suddenly tastes better.  Eggs, peas, even cereal and milk suddenly has more flavor than it had in the past.  Each flavor is more pronounced, more refined.  Suddenly I'm enjoying eating again because the healthy stuff tastes great.  I've read before that when you drastically cut down on sodium it takes awhile for your taste buds to recover - but they do and you begin to really taste food the way it was meant to be eaten.  I'd go as far as to say not only the salt, but the sugar, sugar substitutes and the fat all mask the true flavor and deaden your own sense of taste.  On Friday it was as if someone had thrown a switch - and a whole new world has opened up!

Weight Lost This Week - 1.0 lbs.
Total Weight Lost -          9.2 lbs.