Shifting Gears

Granted, I'm only about three months into my smoking quit, but I think it's time to switch gears, more or less officially, to my weight loss. I only rarely have cravings that are so terrible I honestly think about giving up my quit, so I'm now going to cautiously put that part of my goal on the back burner. I think it will be okay back there on it's own.

Now my focus is squarely on my weight. I've decided I'm not going to focus on drinking at all. I've learned over the past couple of weeks that I don't need to. It kind of takes care of itself as long as I'm also focusing on losing weight. Alcohol does have calories (and sometimes quite a lot), afterall.

I've also come up with a clear goal. What I want. I want to lose half of my weight. Oh yes. You heard... er read... that correctly. Half. My ass is that big. I have gained 20 pounds since I quit smoking, and those are going to be the first pounds to go. I refuse to let something healthy that I did for myself turn into another problem.

The goal is to lose at least 2/3 of that weight by Independence Day. I am determined to rock a swimsuit and look damn good doing it. I am going to start a chart which I will post soon. Same goes for progress pictures. I'm not posting them now because, well, I want to be able to say I've made progress. I am still mired in my own shame. I am still furious at myself for letting it get to this point. So pictures and my chart will be somewhat retrospective. At a point where I am proud enough that I've done something about it.

So here it goes. I have one day left (New Year's Day) to eat whatever (hangover burritos... yum.) Today, however, I will be good. I am sipping my coffee with no cream and Splenda. In a moment, I will go get one tamale from my lunch and eat that for breakfast. Then two tamales for lunch. Dinner will be veggies only. Maybe a little brown rice. A glass of red wine. Bryan, in the meantime, will get his beloved pasta (but wholegrain) with wild mushrooms, bacon, and I'm thinking an herbed cream sauce. A little sprinkled parmesan. Yum. Too many calories for me, but I do love to cook for the hubby. Maybe I'll start posting some of my healthy recipes here, too. Maybe some of the not-so-healthy ones on special occasions. Like the seared duck breast and red-wine braised duck legs over wild mushroom and goat cheese risotto with pomegranate and redwine demi-glaze I served for Christmas Eve.

Okay. No more. I'm hungry.