100 Days Challenge - Day 30 - Postpone Eating (but not postponing exercise!)

All the self-talk yesterday and the image with the post-its reminding me why I needed to exercise apparently worked!   I woke up and immediately did some stretches and pilates for about ten minutes. Later, in the morning, I took a two mile walk.   Felt good!  I need to add that exercise has always been my nemesis so whenever I can overcome my tendency to not exercise, I feel a real sense of accomplishment!

Since I started discussing reasons why I need to exercise, I'm going to discuss Reason #2:  Increased Energy.   Not surprisingly, I was feeling pretty lethargic this week - up until today.  Exercise does indeed energize us!    I've found that when I walk after not having walked in  a while,  I start off pretty slow, and then gradually gain momentum.  The longer I walk, the more energized I feel, and the more energized I feel, the more I actually WANT to exercise!   It took me four days this week before I finally decided that it was in my best interest to start my walks again!   Now, I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow's walk!  Next week, I plan to return to the pool.   I also want to "shake it up" with some other exercise tapes I have...stretches, strengthening and yoga.

I will discuss the topic for Day 30 - Postpone Eating - tomorrow.   Day 30 also ends another section of Linda Spangles's book.  This weekend I'll begin a new section -Day 31-40.   I am moving ahead in my journey, and now I'm back on target with my exercise as well as my food plan!

To be continued....

Saturday, March 31

Need to finish this entry as I want to start the new section.  New month, new section in the 100 Day Challenge!   Trying hard to stay committed to my journey...

So....back to the topic of "Postpone Eating".   I made the mistake of "postponing lunch" a couple of days ago and then when I was about to grab a bite to eat, one of our insurance agents was at the door! I had forgotten that we had set an appt with him!!  By the time he left, it was too close to dinner to eat lunch, but I was famished - so much so that while I was waiting for my dinner to be ready, I started snacking "uncontrollably"! A lesson learned, for sure!!   One does need to be careful when it comes to "postpone eating".   Actually, this topic is referring to "snacking", especially when we have an urge to eat sweets or salty snacks.   These days, my snacks are usually 'mini-meals' and are part of my food plan.  I've done well in avoiding sweets except for my occasional "splurges" with ice cream or frozen yogurt.  Even those, I've been able to keep the amount down to 1/2 cup at a time.

What did I do to demonstrate my commitment to my journey?


After fighting a bout of procrastination,  I've been back to exercising these past two days - yay, me!   On Thursday, I did a 2 mile walk in the neighborhood, and yesterday, I did a high intensity 30 minute Leslie Sansone tape called "Fast Walking".  Wow!  What a workout that was!  I've done stretches today and I'll probably do another tape as I got busy this morning cleaning out more closets and now it's too warm to walk outdoors.   Next week my goal is to return to lap swimming at the Y pool.

My food plan has been right on target.  Today, my menu consists of:
Breakfast - Fiber One cereal w/banana and unsweetened almond milk
Lunch - BIG salad with veggies (greens, tomatoes, 1/2 avocado, green peppers, mushrooms) and berries (blueberries and strawberries) - and a few strips of grilled chicken - with blueberry balsamic vinegar
Dinner -  salmon (6 oz) and veggies

100 Days Challenge - Day 29 - Being Honest

To Exercise or Not To Exercise - that is the Question!  :(

This has not been a productive week for me as I've yet to return to exercising since we returned to El Paso on Sunday night.   I could think of a dozen excuses but the truth is I've done what I said I would not do this time - I've  lost my motivation to exercise.  Not even the "Do It Anyway!" mantra has worked for me this week!  I am, however, following my food plan, and blogging - the latter forces me to be "brutally honest" about my journey.  Right now, I'm doing "half a journey"...but the week is not yet over and tomorrow is a new day, right?!  So what I need to do is read the above list of "benefits for exercise" over and over again.  Every single reason should give me the motivation I need to get my body moving.  In fact, I'm going to focus on just ONE reason each day for the next nine days.  Maybe then the need for exercise will be ingrained in me!

Reason #1:  I need to exercise in order to have stronger bones and joints.  Isn't that one of the primary reasons I gave at the beginning of this challenge?  I've been told by a number of orthopedic doctors that I am a candidate for TKR (total knee replacement).  I've already proven to myself that exercise - whether by swimming laps or walking - has helped alleviate the knee pain I've felt in the past.  Why would I jeopardize that by not returning to exercise??  So there you have it!  I've already given myself the "self-talk" I need to return to my exercise regime.  Nevertheless,  I've got the list of reasons to exercised on my desktop and I will continue discussing each one in this blog in the days to come...

The topic for Day 29 in the Linda Spangle's book focuses on "Hand-held foods".    The exercise is eating hand-held foods such as nuts or M & M's - one piece at a time.  In fact, the suggestion is to try eating them with a fork or a spoon, with the idea that if it becomes tedious, one will eat less.   I actually think the less "snack-type items" one has lying around, the better.  For example, we used to have a large jar of roasted almonds  (a friend suggested replacing them with natural almonds - but the fact is I love ROASTED almonds but don't care much for the other kind of almonds).   I found that I was getting addicted to them, so now we don't buy them or keep them in the house.   I'd have the same problem if we kept M & M's around!   So I try to snack on healthy foods such as Greek yogurt with fruit and granola.

What did I do today to demonstrate my commitment to my journey?

I wrote about the ups and downs of my journey in my blog.

I followed my food plan and kept under my points.   Here is today's menu:

Breakfast - 2 ff eggs with veggies;  2 slices of turkey bacon;  English muffin w/butter

Lunch - Greek yogurt w/honey, blackberries and granola

Dinner - petite sirloin  (5 oz), asparagus and corn

Snack- 45 calorie slice of WW bread w/peanut butter;  fruit

100 Days Challenge - Day 28 - Eating Because It's There

"Success seems to be largely a matter
of hanging on after others have let go."
- William Feather

I chose the above quotes for a number of reasons.  One reason is I'm just now returning to my blog - with a reticent attitude of "I'll do it anyway!" - in other words, I'm sorely lacking in motivation.  Another reason is my weight loss has been at a standstill for the past week or so.  I often experience weight loss regularly for a while, and then hit a "plateau" -which sometimes results in another kind of loss - that of keeping focused.  The quotes above serve to remind me that I still need to keep on keeping on my journey no matter what the scale says, or how motivated I feel.  One thing that helps me do just that is this blog. It forces me to be not only aware but also honest about what I'm doing - or not doing, and what I may need to do to "shake things up a bit".   

I've been out of town for a few days, and while I stayed within my boundaries the first day of our trip,  I can definitely say that I "slipped" considerably the second day, partly because we were at a Bed and Breakfast, and the morning fare included a calorie-laden "gourmet French toast" along with home-made sausage - I have no idea how many calories it was but it "felt heavy" and was not the kind of breakfast I would normally eat.  I did "throw away" part of the food as I left about 1/4 of the French toast and ate only one of the two sausages.  For lunch, we ate at a Mexican restaurant in Austin (my daughter's choice).  I shared a "fajitas for two" with my husband - chicken for me, and beef for him - with flour tortillas, guacomole, sour cream....  I also had a glass of Sangria.  I did skip the rice and beans, however!    On the third day, which was our return trip home,  I did much better -  a crustless quiche for breakfast with one slice of bacon and 1/2 a sausage, along with a biscuit and fresh fruit.  Still a large meal - but I tempered it by having only a salad for lunch and a fat-free scrambled eggs with veggies for dinner.      

I've been lazy today - haven't yet returned to exercise and almost didn't blog this evening.  I have to thank a DWLZ buddy,   Flo  for her blog today - her blog theme was "Never Give Up".  I also received an e-mail newsletter from the author of the 100 Days Weight Loss Challenge - Linda Spangle, and, coincidentally,  the theme of the letter  was "It's too soon to quit"!   Guess I finally got the message, as you can see, as  I'm ba-a-ack!!!  : )     


The topic for Day 28 is "Eating Because It's There".   There are many of us who eat food simply because "it's there" - whether it be at the office, or at home, or at someone else's home.  If it's "there", we reach out and grab it - a handful of this, or a piece of that....At home, we can get rid of tempting foods, but out in the public, we have to rely on our "willpower".   What Linda reminds us is this is nothing but "autopilot eating", not "eating for satisfaction".  I did this same exact thing at the Bed and Breakfast.  There were home-made chocolate chip cookies on a glass covered plate in our bedroom.  Instead of passing it up, I ate one, feeling satisfied that I had eaten "only one".   However, the very next morning,  I ate the other one - beginning my "downward spiral" for much of the day.   In order to combat the mind frame of "eating just because it's there" - which basically is "mindless eating" - Linda tell us to literally memorize the following statement (and repeat as often as needed!):

"I don't eat food because it's there!"

She also suggests writing this on sticky notes and putting them in places where reminders are needed - the kitchen counter, the office, etc.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What did I do today to demonstrate my commitment to this challenge?

I returned to my blog.

I also kept within my boundaries on my food plan.

Spring Challenge:  
This weekend, I took delight in viewing the many fields of Texas wildflowers, such as the Texas Bluebonnets, the Indian Paintbrush, and other wildflowers known in Central and West Texas.   

100 Days Challenge - Day 27- Eat Dessert When It's Special!

I certainly agree with today's topic.  We rarely have desserts other than the fruit and frozen yogurt I've mentioned on a number of blog entries.   As for pastries, cakes, etc - we keep them out of the house.  My husband enjoys baking cakes - and even has a collection of fancy bundt cake pans  -  including a heart, a fleur de lys, a cathedral, a wreath and I've forgotten what else...and he just ordered a gingerbread house "for the grandkids"!   He only bakes cakes to take to church socials, or to my Mom at her foster care home, or for other occasions - usually at someone else's house.   When we go out to dinner,  we also rarely order dessert.   We do of course enjoy desserts on special occasions - such as birthdays and holidays.

The exercise today is to make a list of favorite desserts, write a description of each one, and then decide on which occasions eating such desserts would be justified.   I am skipping this exercise because, once again, it is something I already do.   I've also found my solution to the frozen yogurt and fruit I do have at the house.  Yesterday, I simply topped a bowl of mixed berries with a TABLESPOON of frozen yogurt  (basically "two bites") and found that it was very satisfying.   With that, I'm still only having this "treat" once a week, as in Day 25's topic:  "Smaller Amounts, Less Often".   I actually find that now I've taken ownership of "my program" and have declared that I will protect my program, no-matter-what, keeping to my "boundaries" becomes less and less of a challenge.

What did I do today to demonstrate my total commitment to my program?


Today's Exercise:   35 minute walk

Food plan for today:
Breakfast - Fiber One cereal w/unsweetened almond milk and banana
Lunch - ham, bean and vegetable soup w/crackers and 1 wedge of laughing cow cheese
Snack - Greek yogurt, honey and 1 tsp granola
Dinner - turkey sausage and a large green salad w/dried cranberries and olives w/ff dressing

100 Days Challenge - Day 26 - 1st Day of the Spring Challenge

I did not have a great day today but I did accomplish one thing that I haven't done since I got sick a week and a half ago - and it proved to be exactly what I needed to lift my spirits!   I took a 30 minute walk outdoors, and it felt wonderful!  I had a setback today with this viral infection I've been dealing with the past 10 days or so - and had very bad coughing fits and congestion.   I also felt exhausted all day as I had had a restless night.   It was precisely because I had such a bad day that I decided I was going to do one thing positive for myself - take a long walk in the sun!  This was also the activity I had chosen to do today for the Spring Challenge which my friend and blogging buddy Miriam proposed this week.   She sent out a challenge at Dotties Weight Loss Zone that is starting today - for every day in Spring, we should do something - either for the delight of it, or to bring us closer to a goal. I had decided to walk outdoors as it had been something I hadn't been able to do for about two weeks.  Today was the first day we had sun after the cold front we had the past few days which included snow and hail. The temperatures had gone up about 20 degrees and I basked in the warmth during the entire walk.   I intend to take another long walk tomorrow - sunshine is the perfect antidote for one's health and attitude!  

Yesterday, I didn't blog as the topic for Day 26 was one I once again was unable to relate to though I may be able to relate to it at a later date.  The topic is "When Food Disappoints You".   How does one write about food being disappointed when it hasn't been?   The exercise was to once again eat a "treat" - and determine whether it met my expectations. If it didn't , then we are told to stop eating it.   The only treat I've given myself recently was frozen yogurt (most of you know by now that that is my #1 favorite treat) which is certainly never disappointing!   I also had a piece of chocolate this week which I haven't had in a long while - and it was heavenly!   :)   

What did I do today to demonstrate my commitment to this challenge?


I kept within my boundaries but widened the road a bit for a small treat!
My food plan for today:
Breakfast - 2 small fiber one muffins and coffee
Mid-morning snack - Greek yogurt w/honey and blueberries
Lunch - florentine omelet (made with 2 ff eggs) w/feta cheese and salsa
Dinner - ham, bean and vegetable soup (home-made and healthy!)
Dessert - mixed fruit topped with 1 tbsp frozen yogurt

Exercise - 32 minute walk

100 Days Challenge - Day 25- Smaller Amounts, Less Often

Today,  instead of saying "Do It Anyway!" regarding exercise, I actually had to reference it  to my blogging!  I sometimes feel reticent about keeping up my blog/journal but I also realize that staying focused is a necessity which is what keeping a journal allows me to do.   So not blogging is just not an option!

The topic for Day 25 is "Smaller amounts, less often".   This is about giving ourselves treats but keeping the portions small and only taking them less often than we have in the past.  This is one that I really need to adhere to!  I used to eat peanut butter both as a treat and as a "filler".  I haven't touched peanut butter in over a month. I know we have it in the house but I've steered clear of it.  When I feel I'm ready, I might have a taste of it on a cracker, but, for now, it's better if I avoid it.   I'm also eating less bread than I was before.  I have done well in replacing the bread with "filler" foods that are healthy.  The only treat I've allowed myself to have this week was frozen yogurt.  I had one cup with strawberries and a teaspoon of Baileys a few evenings ago.   One cup = 180 calories but it does have 16 grams of sugar.   I need to decide how often I should allow myself such a treat - once a week?  or once every 2 weeks?  Maybe if I reduce the amount to 1/2 cup, I can plan on having it once a week.  Hmmm.....might need some suggestions on this one.   Another food item I've been steering clear of lately are almonds.  I started eating seven and then went up to 14 (1 oz.) which is something like 170 calories.   Then I started adding more and more until I realized I was becoming addicted to them!   So like peanut butter, I've decided to steer clear of them, at least for now.   My snacks these days are either fruit or plain Greek yogurt (the latter I have once a day).   Since I no longer teach, I don't feel a need to snack as much as I used to.    

The exercise for Day 25 is to list about 3 different foods that we consider "treats" and decide on the quantity and how often we plan to eat them.  I've discussed frozen yogurt, peanut butter and almonds.   However, at this time, the only one I will allow myself as an occasional treat is frozen yogurt.   When and if I'm ready to add the other two back into my list of occasional treats, I'll then decide how much and how often.  I think each of the exercises in the book need not be followed "to the letter".  Rather, I think we should modify the exercise so they fit  part the boundaries we set, and the "wider road" we determined would get us to our goals back in the beginning of the 100 Day Challenge.

What did I do today to demonstrate my total commitment?

I followed my food plan and stayed within my boundaries.   Today's meals were:

Breakfast - Fiber One cereal w/unsweetened Almond Milk and banana

Lunch:   Amy's lentil and vegetable soup

Dinner:   salmon, mixed vegetables and 1 TSP of scalloped potatoes.

Snacks:   yogurt and fruit

100 Days Challenge - Day 24 - Eat For Satisfaction

It seems that there are a number of topics in Linda Spangle's book which overlap.  For example, yesterday's topic was "Savoring" and today's is "Eat for Satisfaction".  Previously, on Day 20, the topic was "Eat for Awareness".   Obviously, if you are savoring each and every bite of a meal,  you are definitely eating for satisfaction and awareness!  Duh!   On the other hand, there are good reasons to eat slowly and focus on each bite.  We do feel more satisfied eating in such a manner rather than rushing through a meal and barely paying attention to the taste of what we're eating.  I once took part in a weight loss program with a psychologist who was adamant about not eating while reading, watching TV or any other distraction, and to time our meals so that we wouldn't rush through them.   I as well as the other participants in the program were "successful" during the time we were in the program.   However, due to the expense and the fact that I was a single mom, it was a program I simply could not afford to continue.   The point is this is something I've done before but since I don't take time to "savor" food or "eat for satisfaction or awareness" on a regular basis, having it drummed into me a number of times is probably a good thing!

What did I do today to demonstrate my total commitment? 

I had to skip my walk outdoors due to high winds and dust (up to 50 mph) which continued throughout the day.  I will get in a Leslie Sansone tape instead - not sure if I'll just do one mile or two indoor walk, or maybe a one mile and a stretch tape.   Either way, I intend to get in a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise each and every day, especially now that I've turned a corner with the throat infection I caught last week.

I am very focused on my food plan.    This was my menu for today:   Breakfast - Fiber One cereal w/unsweetened Almond Milk and a banana;   Lunch - roasted chicken (2 pieces) and green beans;   Dinner - Salmon burger w/o bread w/veggies   Snacks - grapes;  Greek  yogurt (plain w/tsp honey) and strawberries.

100 Days Challenge - Day 23 - Savoring

 I have good news to share!   During my stay in San Antonio which was close to four weeks, I actually dropped over 4 pounds and I've lost double that number in the past two months!!  That means I'm back in "Onederland" again!  Yay!!   I was going to wait until my weigh-in day which is Monday, but curiosity got the best of me!  I'm going to weigh myself again in the early morning tomorrow as, today, it was already close to noon by the time I weighed myself.   I had had breakfast and lots of liquids - including coffee, OJ and water.   Normally, I do my "official" weigh-ins in the buff, as soon as I wake in the morning.   As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I had gained significant weight during the Fall and over the holidays - about ten pounds!  Now, I'm just a couple pounds away from being back to the weight I was before the weight gain!   It does appear that the challenge, the blog, the exercise routines, and the boundaries I have set within my program are indeed making a difference!   I chose the quotation above to remind myself that I need to continue my journey as sometimes when I attain a "certain number" on the scale, I start to relax and stop working as hard - which is why I've been a "maintainer" for years!  

I'm still "homebound" due to the viral infection I have, but I have been paying attention to my food intake.     I had a low energy day and bad coughing fits so I'm not doing well enough yet to return to my exercise regime.   However, I've decided to return to my "Do It Anyway"  mantra, and get in at least a 20 minute walk today.  Little by little, I want to return to my exercise routine.   Mind over matter.  Maybe if I can "will" myself to feel better, it just might work!

Now on to Day 23 of The Challenge - the topic is "Savoring".

Savoring...there are various definitions but these are the ones I think fit the best:

Taste (good food or drink) and enjoy it completely. Enjoy or appreciate (something pleasant) completely, esp. by dwelling on it.

I did this yesterday as I gave myself a treat I hadn't had in a long while - one cup of frozen yogurt with strawberries with a teaspoon of Bailey's Irish Cream  (in honor of St. Patrick's Day of course!).   Because it was a "treat", I definitely savored each and every bite!   The creaminess of the frozen yogurt, the tartness of the strawberries and the distinctive flavor of Baileys - swirled together in a luscious cool dessert.   I ate it slowly, which made it even more enjoyable.    

100 Days Challenge - Day 22 - Multitask with Food

 You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is.  

- Ellen DeGeneres

Okay...the only part of this quote that bears repeating is the first part:  "You have to stay in shape."  Now that I am "officially" a grandmother to two precious little girls, I have to admit that they have given me a new lease on life - and another reason to become as healthy and strong as I can be!  I love being a grandmother, but am more aware than ever that in order to enjoy this role for a very long time, I need to be in the best health I can possibly be.  So I need to re-visit my reasons for this journey and add one more:  " to be as healthy I can be so I can be there for my grandchildren".

I have let this go for too long, having been away from home for nearly a month during which I blogged only a few times.  Don't get me wrong; I love spending time with my daughter and granddaughters!  However, I can't say I was able to stay completely focused on my journey so now that I'm finally home again, I am more than ready to become fully focused on my journey.  I wish I could say I'll be 100% back in the program, but, unfortunately, I'm nursing a viral infection which has affected my energy.   I'm dealing with a sore throat, head congestion, and bad coughing fits.   No matter - I still need to at least be mindful of my meals and get in whatever exercise I can manage.  I'm hoping that by next week, I'll be able to return to my swimming regime.

I do have one NSV to share!  Prior to returning to my swimming regime in January,  my husband and I went house hunting.  I had had a very difficult time going up stairs - in fact, by the fifth house, I gave up climbing any steps!   I returned to house hunting last week and had absolutely no trouble climbing the stairs - in fact, I even felt light-footed!  Wow - what a huge difference!   Even the realtor noticed!   Yay for me!!!

Day 22 is about multitasking during meals and what effect it has.   The exercise was to eat and multitask, and write down what we did and what we learned from the experience. I did the "multitask" exercise many times while I was visiting my daughter this past month as I was eating with my granddaughters.  The 3 year old at times needed some prodding and help in various ways  -  heck, we all have a hard time eating spaghetti, right?!  : )   I did notice the following while I was multitasking - i.e, doing "grandma stuff" while eating:  I was able to monitor my own food intake so I didn't overeat, but barely noticed the taste.  The idea of the exercise was to not lose focus of what and how much we eat while we are busy "multitasking".  I actually did fine on my food program while I was at my daughters.  While I ate mindfully, I noticed that when I was very involved with my granddaughters, meals became somewhat perfunctory.   Perhaps I was too busy savoring my role as a grandmother!  : )

Tomorrow I'll be focusing on another type of savoring....the savoring of food!

What did I do while I was in San Antonio to demonstrate my total commitment?


I was mindful of my eating while I was away and stayed within my boundaries on most days. I also got in some great exercise in the form of walking at an incline for 2-3 miles about three times a week during the first three weeks I was in San Antonio.   The weather became stormy during the fourth week, and by the time the weather cleared, I had gotten sick so it's been over a week since I exercised.

What did I do today to demonstrate my total commitment?

I returned to my blog today and have committed to re-focusing my attention to my journey.

100 Days Challenge - Day 21 - Eating With Awareness

It's been nearly 10 days since I last blogged, so obviously this is not actually Day 21.  In fact, I started this Challenge towards the end of January!  Not being home for nearly three weeks has thrown  my routine off but I have, at least, been mindful of my eating, though not nearly as mindful about my exercising.   I did get back to doing a 35 minute walk today, and Monday, I got in about 10,000 steps.   Yesterday, I had good intentions but the high winds did not allow me to carry out my plans to get in a walk.

Day 21 focuses on eating an entire meal with awareness - savoring each and every bite of a meal rather than eating it so quickly that one cannot even recall the taste of each food item.   As in every day on this Challenge, there is a homework assignment, which I did on Monday.   The weather was lovely and I had a relaxing day all to myself.   After a 9:00 a.m. medical appointment, I went to a large outdoor shopping mall called La Cantera.   I shopped at several stores and then had a leisurely lunch at Mimi's Cafe at about 1:30 p.m - the restaurant is located within walking distance from the mall.   Though I had never eaten there, I was aware that it  has some dishes inspired by traditional French cuisine - which has long been a favorite of mine! Here is the link to the restaurant:   http://www.mimiscafe.com/

Being half-French myself, I know that the French are people who definitely see "la cuisine" as an art and every meal is treated as a special occasion so this made it a perfect choice for this type of exercise.  In France,  eating "on the fly" is practically non-existent - in fact I can think of no translation for it!  When I taught in France as an exchange teacher,  even lunch at school was special!  We had several courses served to us in La Cantine and the meals were not only well-balanced but delicious!    Lunch break was usually 1.5 hours  - to give teachers and students time to enjoy their meal.    How different from the 30 minute lunch breaks we get in American schools - barely time to warm up something in the microwave and certainly never time to sit down and enjoy a relaxing meal.

I arrived at Mimi's Cafe in anticipation of a relaxing and delicious lunch.  I chose my menu items mindfully - a 3 oz grilled salmon filet on a bed of greens with strawberries with a light vinaigrette dressing, and a side of citrus fruit.   I wish I had had a camera as the plate looked so appealing - and for good reason as it was delicious!   I savored each morsel of salmon, and enjoyed the combined flavors of the greens along with the slices of strawberries.   The sweetness and just-right ripeness of the fruit was a perfect ending to a perfect lunch!  

The rest of the exercise ask us how we felt after the meal.   I felt very relaxed and very content!  I had been walking and shopping all morning and had been both very tired and famished!   The choices I made and the manner of savoring each bite definitely gave me a feeling of satisfaction.   By the end of meal, I also felt re-energized.   I realized that when I hurry through a meal, I don't allow myself to truly enjoy it nor do I experience the same level of satisfaction.  I need to resolve to repeat this exercise regularly.

What did I do today to demonstrate my Total Commitment?
1.  I kept within my boundaries on my food plan.   Breakfast - Greek yogurt w/tsp. honey and fresh blueberries;     Lunch - McDonald Bacon Ranch Salad w/1/2 packet of ff balsamic dressing;   1/2 strawberry smoothie;    Dinner - baked tilapia with parmesan crust with veggies ;  fresh fruit

2.  Exercise - 2.3 mile walk