Let's Catch Up

I apologize for the slight hiatus.  My wife, Lori, came in to town on Thursday and left last night.  While not a vacation per se, it was close enough that spending time with her in Chicago took precedence over the blog... or even the computer.  This is the first night I have even opened up my laptop in my hotel room since last Tuesday.  

So, let's catch up...

Things are still going well overall.  Other than a night where we walked the entire town of Chicago, I have been working out nightly.  My knees are feeling better every night and tonight I was able to up my speed once again.  This is encouraging.  I still wake up sore.  But, it seems to work itself out a lot quicker than it did a month ago.

I am still eating decently... for the most part.  I can't say that Lori and I ate as well as either of us has been eating at home.  As my friend Joel says, we "partook" in some of what Chicago has to offer... in moderation.  We didn't eat like we know we should.   But, I wanted to share some of my favorite things with her and some of those things are, inevitably, food favorites.  If all of our vacations were as good as this one, I would be happy with that.  Of course, in time we will be able to enjoy eating as we did this weekend and even accepting a small gain.  But, at this point in the journey, it is a little harder to take.  

I am slightly nervous about my weigh-in on Thursday.  But, as I have promised with my new and improved stop-the-self-loathing attitude, I won't let it impact my success to date and will simply move forward with the same confidence, energy, and enthusiasm. 

As for Chicago, my willpower will continue to be tested.  After a short window of time back in Pueblo, from Thursday to Monday, I return to Chicago for at least the next two weeks.  

The good news is that I have found Mariano's, an incredible fresh food grocery store with a great salad bar and incredible fresh-made fruit and vegetable smoothies.  Mariano's isn't as good as Lou Malnati's, but it is a better choice.  Tonight, I learned that Mariano's smoothie bar closes at 8 PM.  That would have been good information to know before leaving work at 8:15 PM.  So, my liquid dinner was replaced.  But, keeping with the good choices theme, I ate some taco meat with salsa, lettuce, and guacamole and completed the meal with seared Brussels sprouts and sauteed broccoli, green beans and snow peas. 

Tomorrow, in anticipation of my weigh-in on Thursday, I will likely starve myself.  LOL.  I know this isn't a great plan.  I know my brother will give me shit.  But, I also know that a day with few calories is warranted after this weekend and the result on Thursday will effect my psyche more than I would care to admit... regardless of how positive I plan to be.

Here's to the Thursday weigh-in and staying positive...