Spectrum day 79- breakfast

This morning I decided to try my new vegetarian find: Soyrizo- a vegetarian version of chorizo made from soybeans. The flavor was amazing! I crumbled and cooked it over high heat until it got somewhat crispy, added my egg whites and shredded sharp cheddar. I sautéed one of my peppers and put it right on top. Two slices of english muffin toast with ICBINB spray and guava jelly. I also had some green hot sauce made by the local taco bus to add some extra flavor. What a great breakfast! 

Beverage: black coffee with xylitol

Weigh in: 269 one of the things I have noticed as I am changing the way I eat, is that I am actually doing more than losing weight, I am learning how to maintain. I have always done a fine job of gaining weight, and I am seeing the results of losing, but the part that is usually lacking is when I get to a good weight, I tend to hang there for for a short time, then start making my way back up to where I started, or beyond. This time, I am going about this while process with a different mindset. Rather than telling myself, "I can't have this" or "Don't eat that"', or worse "I will go back to eating [insert food of choice] once I get down to my goal weight.", I have made just a few changes that I plan to maintain and give myself freedom to enjoy everything else within reason. I have noticed over the past 79 days, I have become comfortable with this way of eating. I am happy with my decision to leave the meat behind me, lower my fat intake where I won't lose out on flavor and lowered my sodium intake down to a more natural, normal level. Eating more natural, fresh ingredients has opened up a whole new world of options and recipes. It has given me new challenges and insodoing, steered me away from many of the prepackaged, precooked foods that I used to consume on a regular basis. All this has taught me what I need to do to lose weight, and how to eat to maintain my new, lower weight. Maintaining is even more important than losing. Anyone can lose weight. I have lost hundreds of pounds in my dieting career, but I have always managed to gain them all back. This is not my issue alone. It is a common problem with most everyone who struggles with their weight. This time, I am purposefully eating in such a way, that I am enjoying the process and integrating these changes as part of my life and eating habits, rather than making mental, temporary changes that will one day end, causing my weight loss to unravel, brining me back to a place of frustration and angst.  Yesterday, I ate a big ol' double scoop brownie sundae with hot fudge at busch gardens. I took a picture of it, as usual. My friend said, "You aren't going to put that on your blog are you??" Most certainly, I was planning to put it on my blog (and I did). This is part of the beauty of the journey! These are choices and changes that, not only can I live with, but that will help me learn to live and eat in a manner that will not only help me to lose weight, maintain, and become part of my "normal" way of eating. It is all a part of the challenge. I am making conscious changes and decisions that will ultimately lead me to the success I desire. Eating an occasional sundae is a wonderful treat, as opposed to binge eating an entire pint of ice-cream while watching TV. Therein lies the difference. Yes, it may take a while to eventually reach my desired weight, but when I get there I will have not regrets, nor will I feel that I "missed out" on anything. This is my path so success, and I am going full throttle.