Wow! Great blog entry! And I think everything you're feeling is totally normal and I "get it." I'm starting to face the fact that I'm never going to stop wanting to eat "bad" stuff. And, you're right, we are surrounded by it.

As far as the irritable...I TOTALLY get it! I had to apologize to my son, my daughter, and my ex-husband ALL today. I know I'm cranky and unreasonable and I just can't see to help it!!

Great job! You go girl! And keep blogging when you can!!

I've been irratable for ....oh.....44 years I guess. Just who I am. Food or no food. But whoa momma when my coworkers surround me with unneccessary boxes of donuts and pizza everyday because they're too lazy to cook....and then insist that 1 will not hurt me. The real irritation comes out.

But sounds like you're facing the big hurdle that we all must learn to deal with...temptations in the real world. It's so much easier to stay on plan at home, in our unique environment and our routine. Once we get away from that...it's a challenge. But one that won't go away so we have no choice but to master it.

Good for you for recognizing it. It will get easier each time. Just don't get complacent, because that's also easy to do in time.

Michael Pollen has written some books on what real food is and how it is so different from the genetically modified crap that the large conglomerates pass off as food. Basically, if you can catch it or pick it, go ahead and eat it. He has also discussed cultures around the world and how their various cuisines affect their national health. One concept that has helped me resist bad decisions lately is to think of all of this commercially produced food as poison, like McPoison's, Poison King, Poison Donuts, Poison Castle, Poison Bell. Get the picture? - Yes, we see. A couple of weeks ago, I was on a three day road trip with my daughter, who is a vegan. We were in a small Indiana town that only had a McPoison's and a Poison King fot restaurants. We asked during our tour of the local Historical Society's Museum where the locals go for real food. She steered us to a restaurant in an old house. We weren't too sure of how our experience would go, but the place was very charming and we got to dine al fresco on the covered veranda. My daughter had a Portobello mushroom salad, and I had the Portobello mushroom sandwich and pulled off about half of the bread. It was the most awesome lunch I ever had that was not cooked at home. So, just sayin' we had to dig to locate a healthy option, but it was right under our noses. Anyway, once you see that other junk as poison instead of tasty friends that you miss, it will be a little easier to make good choices. I know we get tired of being strong, but those are times when your forum buddies can give you strength. I have eight more weeks of prep before my surgery, and then I am sure I will have questions daily. We can't be Miss Dolly Sunshine all the time. You hang in there, Gamegirl...we've got your back.

Miss Mac, you are so right about real food. I agree with you totally. We cook everything from scratch at home. We don't use packaged food, convenience foods, fast food etc at home. It's very easy there. The problem on the road is very different. I was at the Boston airport at dark thirty this morning. After much deliberation, went to Starbucks, asked for a chocolate vivano (protein shake). They very nicely agreed to use no banana, my protein powder and soy milk. I was feeling very good about myself!

Until I took the first sip and realized that they make it chocolately by putting in Hershey's chocolate syrup. There went that shake into the trash.

It's a good lesson that we have to be hyper vigilant about how outside food is prepared.

I've been irratable for ....oh.....44 years I guess. Just who I am. Food or no food. But whoa momma when my coworkers surround me with unneccessary boxes of donuts and pizza everyday because they're too lazy to cook....and then insist that 1 will not hurt me. The real irritation comes out.

But sounds like you're facing the big hurdle that we all must learn to deal with...temptations in the real world. It's so much easier to stay on plan at home, in our unique environment and our routine. Once we get away from that...it's a challenge. But one that won't go away so we have no choice but to master it.

Good for you for recognizing it. It will get easier each time. Just don't get complacent, because that's also easy to do in time.

I felt like an alcoholic in a bar