I got on the scale this morning because I'm a scale-aholic. I like the feedback. I don't generally expect to see a loss but I want to know when there is a gain.

So this week, I've cut my breakfast lunch and dinner down by half. I am supposed to be trying for 1200 calories a day. This week I also went three days without a single soda. I have been drinking water, iced tea and coffee. Iced tea unsweetened. Coffee sweetened with about a third of a teaspoon in an oversized cup. I really could cut that sugar out and it's next on my list. But one thing at a time is my approach.

So funny story - last night - I about ripped my husband's head off because he wouldn't tell me which door he was picking me up at. I have three doors I can exit and I just wanted to know which one to exit. He wanted me to tell him where I'd exit and he'd go there. I wanted HIM to make the decision. Is it really that hard? I WAS STARVING and I was not thinking let alone thinking clearly and who the frick cares? Normally, I don't. But 1200 calories a day is HARD!

I knew it wouldn't last. And this isn't that self-fulfilling prophecy kind of thing. It just isn't feasible. Especially since I am trying to do this WHILE cleaning out the pantry. So I'm not necessarily eating protein intense foods or the right kinds of things to make this work out. For now, I am just eating what I want to get out of the pantry - and never buy again, at least not for a daily lunch. Things like potato chips that just do not satisfy hunger.

I would not talk to my husband for about thirty minutes over this REALLY stupid thing. And when I DID talk, my voice was cracking like I was thoroughly exhausted - which I wasn't, although I certainly didn't have my normal energy.

And when I realized JUST how hungry I WAS - I said FEED ME. And he said ok. And we went out for sushi.

And before we ate - I apologized and said I was wrong and he, being the sweet sweet man that he is, said, it's ok.

Sushi is good!

And then I was not hungry.

Nor was I for the rest of the evening.

However, this morning, I woke up famished.

And I got on the scale and I'm down. Now THAT is significant because this is the time of the month where I gain five pounds overnight, keep that weight for about five days, then drop it all just as suddenly. I should have gained that five pounds last night, in fact.

I decided I need to go about this much more wisely.

The potato chips will get gone. I have about half a bag left and they will get added to lunches until they no longer exist and that will be the end of them. But where I was bringing a bag to eat with lunch and a bag for a mid-afternoon snack to get them gone faster, now I will bring one bag - for lunch - and a protein snack for the mid-afternoon lull. I am hoping this will tide me over until dinner better.

I do know that as the pantry gets worked through over the next few weeks/months, that the snacks and light meals will be replaced with more protein rich foods, for example, or veggies instead of chips. I have known that all along - but I just can't throw food that is edible. Even if it's not the best food for me, it's not something like I have it so I sit there and eat the whole bag of chips all at once.

And I also know that 1200 a calories a day just isn't likely. I'm striving for it. But I'm not going to walk around famished, either. My husband doesn't need to endure that - and I have a brain intense job that needs me to be able to think quickly and accurately. If I end up having to do rework because I was striving for a calorie count that is just not satisfying, well, it's just not worth losing my job over that.

On average, I take in about 1800 calories - and I think that's not too shabby. I think I'd rather shoot for 1500 and have enough energy in me to be able to work out! Cause that was the other downfall last night - I managed to fix myself - but I still didn't get enough energy in me to hit the lake for a brisk walk...

So one pound. If I continue to lose one pound a week over the span of this supervised weight loss thing - that would be about 24 pounds. 24 pounds would mean a BMI of about 38. But I'm sure I'll plateau before this time is up...

Have to chuckle, though. This is such an odd thing to be concerned about...

I know it's bad to waste food but I know how I am. If I cleaned out the pantry and ate all of the bad stuff I would ruin my resolve to lose weight. I think it looks better in the trash than on my a***. Pardon my French. I've given things to the neighbors before. They have two teenage boys and eat everything in sight. You could also give the food to the food bank or something. I just think it's good to start fresh with a clean slate and remove all unhealthy food from the house so there is absolutely no temptation. That way you can start eating better now and not later. Don't get me wrong, I don't eat perfectly healthy. I definitely have my weaknesses but I try to limit it to a single serving for that one time and I don't store any of it in the house.

That was a cute argument you had with your husband. It cracked me up. My husband and I were chuckling about it. I've done the same type of thing before.

It's hard to think clearly for sure when you're starving like you said. At least you went and had fish. That's healthy. You're doing a good job and trying. Eventually you won't even think about food hardly at all. The band works wonders. It's so liberating to be released from analyzing and worrying about food so much. I never imagined what it would be like to not think about food constantly. I've been doing that for a long time. Before I had the band I had this really ridiculous habit of buying the next new weight loss book and, while reading it, eating some big fattening fast food thing like a big mac meal and a pint of Ben and Jerry's afterwards. I would just tell myself that I hadn't started the diet yet and this was my last splurge before I started it. Lets just say there were a lot of "last splurges" and a lot of books and I was still fat. I'm so glad that I got the band. It's a lifesaver. Good luck with your weight loss! You will do fine! :):scared2: