Okay…. It’s Wednesday and I’m still puffy from those two naughty days on the weekend. Hopefully by tomorrow all will be gone.

I received my first can of protein powder from the NAP store. This morning I spun it up in the blender with cranberry juice, just like the instructions said. It seemed a bit grainy to me. Don’t know if I didn’t blend it long enough. Or maybe I need to put some flax oil in it or something.

I had to attend a “function” for one of the community boards I’m involved with this evening. Had to take my Nike’s off and put lady shoes on. There was a real nice spread of appetizers and other lovely things to eat. I was s-o-o-o-o-o good!! I just walked around sipping a glass of red wine and didn’t even once touch a thing on that table. My Atkins Husband Buddy didn’t touch the stuff on the food table either. That really helps when you have some support in these things. So, it will be a safe meal of steak and broccoli tonight.

And tomorrow ALL the puffiness will be gone!!

Oh my goodness!! Sunday eating didn’t turn out nearly as compliant as I had planned. My dear, lovely husband the cook – who hardly EVER brings carbohydrates into the house – bought one of those wonderful, handcrafted specialty loafs of bread to eat along with the cioppino he made. Of course, the cioppino also had clams and prawns in it, which are also avoids for me. Even with the double dose of Deflect after that meal, I still was quite drugged by the wheat. I didn’t even wake up till 10:00am this morning. Had to make a mad dash to make it in time for my Pilates mat class. And my muscles were in no mood to exercise after all that wheat. Glad I made myself do it, though. I do feel better now.

This being a holiday, we didn’t open our stores today. So, it has been odd. We did putter about the stores and did some work on the computers that can’t be done when we are open. It is difficult to take a day off when there is something always hanging over your head that needs to be done.

Okay – today I promise myself to not eat any avoids. And to not eat too much. I must be good to myself in this way, or I’ll end up sick.

Whew!! I just go finished answering people’s comments and communications that I wasn’t aware of. There was a week’s worth. Sometimes I forget to hit the refresh button on my browser, and think nothing is happening. All of a sudden all these comments appeared this morning!!!

Anyway, the big German avoid dinner last night was everything I was hoping for. She actually served a beef entrée called Roulladen (sp?). It was all so very, very delicious. Ended with an Apple Strudel to die for!! The friendship was wonderful. A couple of the folks there got into their cups a little and had a delightfully loud and animated argument.

So, I am suffering a bit from bloating this morning. But, I knew what to expect. I have dutifully done my aerobics and strength training for the day, so I am jumping right back on the BTD wagon. I expect the puffiness to be gone by Tuesday morning. Of course, then I have to prepare myself for next weekend’s debauchery. More about that later in the week.

Didn’t get that morning meal in today. Had to be out of the house early. Ate a ‘Boomibar’ (ground almonds, whey protein and honey are the only ingredients) before going off to Pilates. It gave me enough energy to get through it. Had a yogurt mid-afternoon. Feeling kind of tired this evening. It’s been a long week, I guess.

Ya-hoo, I can sleep in tomorrow, though. I don’t have to “be” anywhere at any specific time. That is until dinnertime. I have to eat an avoid meal. We bought a home-cooked German meal at a charity auction last summer, and we’re collecting on the meal tomorrow. I know it will be pork. And she is making homemade spaetzel, too. I’ll load up on Deflect before and after. It will taste so delicious (the meal, that is, not the Deflect)….but I can feel the heartburn already!! Trust me, I won’t overeat. The socializing will be the best part. We don’t get out much to see friends, especially in winter. So, it will be a good time.

I started the day out just right. I keep meaning to eat something in the morning, as I’m never hungry early, and tend to skip a morning meal. Made a whey protein, cranberry juice and 1% milk smoothie with a little stevia to sweeten. That really kept me going till about 3:00pm when I had some cottage cheese.

Came home and got out the juicer again. Made some carrot, celery and apple juice. I am really bad about getting all my fruits and vegetables (double emphasis on the vegetables) in every day. I bought the juicer about a year ago, thinking that even just one glass of juice a day would be so good for me. Well, I am really sporadic about using this thing. I'll use it diligently for a week or two, and then forget I even have it for awhile. I think the main problem is that I really don’t like the taste of the vegetable concoctions I’ve been trying. I have a couple of juicing books. The all fruit recipes sound wonderfully tasty. But it’s the vegetables I need. If there is anyone out there with a favorite and “tasty” vegetable combination, please pass it on.

Looking forward to a dinner of rib steak and vegetables.

Happiness is a day of compliant eating.