Day 17?

I kinda lost track of what day I'm on.. but I started on a Monday a little over two weeks ago, so I think that means it is Day 17. My last day on this cycle. And no, it didn't go quick.

Before I reflect, I have to share what I'm doing right now because it is pretty unbelievable to me. Today was busy at work, then I went on a huge walk shortly after getting home, and returned with Gavin just in time to get him down for bed. And now I'm sitting here eating a chicken breast tender stir fry:

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 package of chicken breast tenders (non organic, foster farms variety; sue me, I'm lazy)
1 package of Safeway's fresh asparagus, onion, and mushroom chopped veggie mix for stir fry*
Herbs/spices of any kind

Heat oil.. add chicken and herbs/spices and cook thoroughly.. turn off heat, remove chicken, but keep remaining oil in pan. Add one tablespoon of water and veggies. Cook until desired done-ness is reached (I like my veggies still a little firm). Makes about 3 servings.

*I've noticed that a lot of grocery stories will pre-chop veggies and fruits and sell them to you for three times what they're worth in their whole forms. Safeway has stir fry medleys, roastable veggie combos, etc. Whole foods has some pretty awesome fresh salsa that I add to my scrambled eggs, and a broccoli carrot mixture that I'm guessing is meant for slaw, but it is plain (nothing but the veggies)- great to add to salads and I even add it to my eggs. I love these options because I'm lazy and left to my own devices, I would not chop a vegetable and therefore probably wouldn't eat any.

This whole scenario might not seem very unbelievable to most people, but it is to me. Tonight would have been the night I said, "eff it, I'm going to eat cereal for dinner" because of sheer exhaustion. But, I powered through and took the time to make a real meal. I'm proud of myself!

I'd like to say that eating well makes me feel better, but that's only partly true. I feel better mentally, thrilled to think that I am taking care of my body. I can tell you exactly what I've eaten all day and the majority of it is not processed at all (unless I cheat, which I do sometimes). Physically, I'm pretty exhausted trying to run mostly on lean meats, veggies, the occasional fruit and yogurt. I don't have a ton of energy, which is fine during the week, but awful on weekends when I take care of my 4 month old by myself the majority of the day. I'm truly looking forward to the next cycle where I am allowed minimal portions of whole grains and friendly carbs.

More reflection: What have I learned?

-When you eat mostly veggies, fruits, lean meats, and yogurt, your farts stop stinking after a few days
-When you cheat and eat a slice of your own homemade german chocolate cake, your farts stink again
-Cooking a lot at once and using the extra for leftovers helps you stay on track, but it gets boring
-When you tell coworkers you are not eating carbs, they notice when you cheat. ALWAYS.
-Peet's coffee is really bitter without milk
-Artificial sweetners, and even truvia, makes coffee taste horrible
-Artificial sweetners, and even truvia, makes plain greek yogurt taste a million times better
-I'm terrible at drinking enough water and was only good at it when I was pregnant and always thirsty
-Working near a Pluto's is a dieter's dream come true
-Working near amazing froyo, french bakeries, and italian coffee shops is a dieter's worst nightmare
-Being a stress eater and having a baby is a horrible combination
-Cheating is fun
-Weighing in is not

So, tomorrow I will weigh in and provide the results of my 17 Day Diet experiment. I'm pretty sure they aren't mind blowing, and mother nature is working against me because my monthly bloat is here. But I'm excited to see and report my results, along with what will probably be another huge rant about trying to lose baby weight.

Word!