Tool Number One in the Weight Loss Arsenal ~ Plan Ahead.

Yesterday was Day 5 of the Shred Diet for me, and because of a simple lack of planning, I veered off the plan at lunch, and again at dinner.

And gained a pound overnight.

And only two days away from my official weigh-in day, no less!

But it's okay. Lesson learned. Today, I planned ahead.

Not planning ahead can cause all kinds of diet-wrecking havoc. It's a necessary tool, just like a screwdriver is necessary to screw on a door plate. Because I failed to have snacks stashed in my purse yesterday when I left the house, the unexpected too-long doctor appointment for my daughter led to thoughts of gnawing someone's arm off, which then led to stopping at a favorite restaurant for an early dinner. That then somehow spiraled into craving ice cream while at the grocery store afterward, so I bought some--much to my daughter's delight--with plans to dive into it when I got home (at least I had planned something).

Funny thing is, I didn't even really enjoy the ice cream. It tasted too sweet to me and.... well... weird. Not sure how else to describe it. It had a funny taste. This ice cream addict thought ice cream tasted weird! And it was the same brand I've been buying for years. I couldn't even finish the last part of it. I'm convinced it's because after 5 days of eating 90% healthy food, my taste buds were reminded of how much better "real" food tastes.

Sherbert actually tastes better to me now. Prior to the Shred Diet (Sherbert is listed as a snack option on the plan), I only ate Sherbert on very rare occasions.

As for my thoughts on the Shred Diet, so far I give it a thumbs up. Yesterday I felt myself rebelling against the plan, not because of hunger, but because I'm not used to eating so healthy, and I wanted to slip back into my old habits. I anticipate there will be a bit of a battle ensuing from time to time. But I am committed to sticking it out for the long haul, even if I have to have a Cheat Day (or Cheat Meal) from time to time.

In other news, it feels so good to be back to regular exercise. The 20 minute HIIT Turbo Fire workout I did today was very intense. Talk about moving fast! Back when the Turbo Fire workouts were brand new to me, I would laugh so hard at my hilarious attempts to keep up. Now I'm doing it with no problem! Well, almost no problem. :-)

I look forward to getting back to running soon, too, and running in some 5K races in the near future, even if I have to walk for most of them at first.

That is all for now. Signing off with one last thought: Be prepared. Know where your screwdriver is.