After all, it's a step in the right direction. It's a step in the right direction after all..."*

*and yes, it is my intent to get a random song stuck in your head after every blog. This time, it's "A Step in the Right Direction" from an awesome Disney movie, Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Previously, you were blessed with "In The End" by Linkin Park, and "#41" by The Dave Matthews Band (one of my all-time favorite bands - there's a reason he's on my celebrity boyfriend list!) Any-hoo, it's my hope that these songs will not only get stuck in your head, but that they will actually pertain to the post I titled them with.

Okay, here's what's going on...

I'm on day #4, about 1/2 way through my first week. The good news is this: so far I have stayed at or under my recommended caloric intake (RCI) as provided to me by My Diet Mecca. I have also done really well while I'm at work, eating a good/healthy breakfast every day of Light & Fit Yogurt with granola and a plain mini bagel. I'm bringing my lunch, which, while it may not be the healthiest of things (read: Lunchables Nachos with Cheese, lol) it is controlled calories, and that's what I'm working on right now.

Dinner is where the real challenge is. While I've been doing awesome (if I do say so myself) at halting the hand-to-mouth motion when I've used up all my calories, I'm still eating crap. Just less of it. I'm on day #4, and I can honestly tell you that the only veggies I've eaten this whole time was some lettuce from a crappy and non-satisfying salad at Arby's. (Who, by the way, I'm now boycotting because they did away with one of the only salads I really liked - the amazingly awesome Martha's Vineyard. Who does away with awesome salads at the beginning of the year when the most people are interested in eating healthy?! They replaced their awesome salads with some crappy crap that in no way tastes as good, and costs just as much).

Okay, I'm off the soap box. Back to veggies - I don't like them. Oh, I like those really-not-good-for-you starches, of course! Oh, potatoes, corn, how I love thee...lol. Celery? Ewww... Cauliflower? No thanks! Peas? Not in a million years. Last night we had tacos, which turned out to be one of the more filling/less calorie filled meals I've had this week. Since I'm extremely picky when it comes to lettuce, and I don't like it on my tacos, there were no veggies to be seen, unless you count the corn tortillas.

The only thing I've found to get me around the veggie issue is V8 Fusion, which is freaking awesome tasting, but expensive. I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet, though, because I don't see another way for me to get those blasted veggies in mah belly! (a la Fat Bastard).

So, here are my concerns:
1. I'm not getting any veggies. We've already talked about that.
2. I'm not eating particularly healthy foods. Basically, I'm controlling the crap that goes in.
3. I'm consuming the majority of my calories at dinner. I eat about 1000 calories for breakfast, lunch and snacks, and then another 1000 at dinner. (My RCI right now is 2028). While that seems like it looks right, I feel weird eating that many calories at once, and when I'm not as active. Which brings me to...
4. I'm not exercising. I'm doing things that burn calories - cleaning the house, vacuuming with our new, fancy-dancy but extremely heavy vacuum, etc. But I'm not sweating up a storm. According to The Daily Plate (TDP from now on) in order for me to lose 2 pounds per week, my net calories need to be at or below 2028. Net calories - so I could eat 3000 if I burned off 1000. Well, I'm not eating 3000. I'm eating 2028, and not working out. It's uber counter-intuitive, so we'll see if it works.
5. I'm concerned that my initial weigh-in was off. I haven't seen 257 since Monday. I really think it should have been 260, but I weighed myself twice, and that's what I got. I know you aren't supposed to weigh yourself every day, and I know that weight fluxuates, but I'm stressed that I won't have an accurate gauge to see if the TDP diet is working if my first number was off.

At least I know that I've stuck to something, if only for four days so far. Once I get to Monday morning, I'll feel really accomplished. Baby steps, people!

And as for the "step in the right direction", as if sticking to my calories wasn't enough, I am now a member of my company's Health and Wellness Committee. I joined yesterday, when they asked me to come in and give them an overview of TDP and how it works. There are six of us, and we're organizing all kinds of events, including a Heart Walk, Marathon, and a company-wide Biggest Loser program. They say you're supposed to surround yourself with people who will help you reach your goals, right? Well, I think I've done that! Plus, Samantha (the bff) is going to start a blog and we're going to motivate each other through these.

Things are looking up, people. Way up.