Day 62

Mmmmmmm.....New York cheesecake!......

This week I went to The Big Apple on business. Funnily enough, I saw lots of food, but very few apples of any size. I think they should re-brand the city The Big Deli Sandwich. They basically put a slice of bread on either side of a full-sized cow and call it a sandwich. They almost dare you to eat it, and no doubt enjoy the painful look on your face as you try to dislocate your jaw to expand it wide enough to take a bite. They could also re-brand the city The Awesome Tasting Cheesecake, which could be a problem for me....

Business trips will always be a challenge. Not only do you have less control over meals, but they also become much more tempting as you have access to all sorts of exotic tastes. For me, a trip through the room service menu is like walking through the Garden of Eden, so beautiful, yet so many snakes ready to tempt me.

The first night I kept it under control. I ordered the chicken and vegetables, with a salad and two Diet Pepsi's. No dessert. I even avoided the complementary chocolates they had left on my pillow, and brought them home for my boys. Round One goes to....ME!

The second night, I knew I was going to a group dinner that was all pre-ordered. The appetizer was salad. No problems there. The main course was steak, potatoes, and veggies. Steak and I get along just fine. I made sure to eat all my veggies, and just to show off, I left some of my steak uneaten on my plate. To drink, I avoided the wine and stuck with Diet Pepsi and water. So far, so good, but I knew they were saving their best for last. I knew that if I was going to claim victory I'd have to take on their Top Gun....their Head Honcho...their Big Cheese...or should I say, their Big Cheesecake!

They placed it in front of me. There it sat, boldly defying me. It wasn't the least bit scared. It knew it had me in its clutches. All 4 million-trillion-billion-zillion calories of it. I picked up my fork. It was just me against the cheesecake. I needed more weaponry, so I picked up my knife. Then I did something the cheesecake hadn't expected. I cut two thirds of the cheesecake, pushed the large portion to the edge of my plate, and calmly ate the remaining third. It was sweet, rich, and yummy! I enjoyed it very much, and only had to pay the penalty of one third the usual calories. It was a good compromise, and I felt I had earned at least a draw with the cheesecake that night. I think I earned its respect too.

You have to be able to treat yourself once in a while. If this healthy lifestyle is going to last beyond 100 days, it has to fit my lifestyle. It has to be able to support me living my life in an enjoyable and healthy way. There's nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence. Don't feel guilty for it, just don't let it get the better of you. And yes, I skipped the pre-arranged transportation back to the hotel and walked (with a satisfied tummy, and a smile on my face).

Day 62
Current Weight: 185
Weight Lost To Date: 21

I survived the business trip, and even dropped a pound! I'm now 10 pounds from my goal weight, and looking forward to the final stretch. I'm going to need your help getting there, but I feel you behind me. It's SOOOO nice to get comments on the blog, and I read every one. In fact, I have it setup so I get an email when a comment is posted, so I never miss one. Thanks again for your support.

If you were curious about a recent comment (from DM) saying they found this blog from the Canadian Blog Awards site, it's because we've been nominated! In fact, we've been nominated in several categories (Best Blog, Best New Blog, Best Personal Blog, Best Humour Blog). If you'd like to show your support, and throw me a vote, please feel free. You can vote (once per category) at http://cdnba.wordpress.com/vote/round-1/. I promised not to commercialize this blog, but I thought the nominations were kinda cool, so don't sweat it if you don't wish to vote. As long as you keep coming back HERE, I'll still like you. :-)

Don