2 days of 'normal'

So, I'm back from my fun, and I ate:
not as many vegetables as I would have liked,
lots of not-nutrient-rich carbs (aka delicious pasta, potatoes, baked goods, pizza),
a lot of fat and sugar.

I did manage to log many, many miles on foot, and even managed to get in two runs.

But, I still fit just fine into my size 8 pants (and just went through my closet, getting rid of 10s and 12s that hang off my flat ass), and weigh in at 2 lbs more than when I left. And considering I'm about to surf the crimson tide, I expect that those two pounds will be gone in a few days.

So, not a massive dieting success, but not a disaster either. Today and tomorrow I will pack in the healthy foods, but then, I'll have a friend visiting for the weekend and I imagine we'll be taking in LA's culinary delights in a major way. And drinking a lot of wine.

20 days...

of dining out, drinking, celebrating, feasting, etc. That's what's upcoming. I weigh 154 lbs now, 33 less than when I started the Sonoma Diet in February. Hopefully, I'll survive the next three weeks of: leaving my job (and assorted lunches, happy hours, etc), spending a weekend up the coast, spending a weekend on the Jersey shore with two friends, spending a week with my mom in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

This will be a real test of whether or not I can maintain my size. Dining out, culinary adventures, feasting with friends and family, these are some of my greatest joys, so it will be quite a challenge not to overeat at every meal. Still, I hope that I can make every non-festive meal a healthy one, that I can squeeze in some exercise, that I can practice portion-control (periodically), and that I can make healthier choices while drinking in excess (Another glass of wine? Sure! Another margarita? No, thanks!).

Falling off the wagon...

Well, the past few days have been filled with a lot of unhealthy eating. My youngest brother is in town, and we have done quite a lot of dining out. Middle Eastern food (x2), Indian, Mexican (x2), Peruvian-- not especially light cuisines (is there such a thing as a light cuisine? I don't really think so, though some lend themselves to dieting better than others). I tried not to overeat, and mostly succeeded, but I certainly ate a lot of junk.

However, I did manage to fit in some exercise every day of his visit. Friday we took a 15-mile bike ride on the beach, Saturday we went to yoga together, and Sunday we took a 2 hike in Franklin Canyon. Today I won't be able to make it to the gym as I have to rush home to take my brother to the train station, but I wore sensible shoes to work so I can walk up the massive hill outside my building over my lunch.

The past few weeks have not been especially successful as far as Sonoma Dieting goes--I have had a lot of mealtime events, plus my brother's visit-- but I have managed to maintain my weight (no substantial loss over the last... 20 days probably). I am also proud that every single meal I have had on my own or with Bill has been a part of my diet; I haven't taken the fact that I have 'had' to slack off as permission to slack off for every meal. So no, I'm not doing especially well, but I am hanging in there just fine.

Full report?

That might have overstating my interest in blogging.

Let's just say I had a lovely weekend in "Temecula Wine Country," saw some animals at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, drank too much (but hey, heart healthy red wine!), and didn't do too badly with the whole eating delicious stuff in moderation.

Exhibit A: Went out for a lovely dinner at Temecula's Public House and enjoyed:
half a bottle of red wine;
small side salad with a vinaigrette;
split an ultra-decadent mac and cheese with my dining companion and didn't even come close to finishing it-- this is where I feel my greatest accomplishment of the weekend lies;
split a taste-tacular s'more brownie dessert thing that we didn't even finish either!

So, probably nothing to fuss over but I think it is an improvement over pre-sonoma diet ruth. Now I am back to it, as of dinner tonight.

And yes, I did just tell you all to be proud of me for drinking only half a bottle of red wine.

The First Hiatus

Yep, that's right, readers. Tomorrow I venture south for two days of wine tasting in Temecula and animal watching at the Wild Animal Park with a Kansas City-based friend. She is also on a diet, so we will be enacting the old stereotype of two adult women on a diet, drinking too much.

While I will attempt to make healthier choices, I do intend to enjoy my meals out. So, that means no special requests to the kitchen. And probably no margaritas. My goal: to enjoy the trip without gaining any of my 9 lost pounds back.

I will also do what Ms. Guttersen discourages-- saving all of your week's wine for a single day. But come on, we are taking the drunk bus! I'm not paying $88 to spit my wine out.

So, back with a full report on Tuesday.