Body By Buttercup

Despite not having slept much last night (not for the reasons you're thinking), this Monday finds me very happy for a number of reasons. How bizarre is that for a Monday? The weekend was fantastic and filled the following successes:

1) I had a marvelous "me day" wandering around and shopping for most of the day Saturday. It was so great to have nothing to do and nowhere to be and so relaxing.

2) I made out like a bandit shopping, mainly at Anthropologie and Olive & Bettie. I found some cute tops, a jacket, and a dress. Score.

3) Johnny Drama's brother checked me out. :)

4) I randomly and literally bumped into River at Lotus Saturday night, observed his attractiveness, thought better of it, and then LEFT the club alone with Lakshmi and her boyfriend. Major success! According to Em I'm a "champion." Totally.

5) I had a fun date on Sunday.

In addition, the big news of this week is that I'm starting a 6-week nutritional program. I suppose another name for it might be a "diet," but I prefer "nutritional program." Go with me on this. It's kind of like "The Zone," and entails following a healthy eating plan based on proportions of proteins, carbs, and fats, exercising, and cutting out junk like most alcohol, sugar, and refined carbs. Did you know, by the way, that wine is one of the worst offenders? Apparently it's bad for you because it's loaded with alcohol, carbs and sugars. The best weight-friendly alcohols are vodka and clear Bacardi. Who knew?

Somehow, unbeknownst to me, although I'm thinking all of the naan and curry I ate in India had something to do with it, not to mention the croissants, I gained approximately 10 lbs in 3 months. TEN POUNDS! If I go back 4-6 months, I've gained about 12 lbs! If I go back a year and a half, when I was at my drop-dead skinniest, I've gained 14 lbs! (Not "drop dead" literally people). That's never happened to me before. Granted, some of that is water weight, and I'm still fairly thin but I weigh more now than I have at any point during the last 4 years, and that does not make the 'Cup a happy girl. I think part of it also had to do with all the fun (read: drinking, carousing, and chocolate) I had immediately after the break up in January and February.

Regardless of the reasons, when I started work 3 weeks ago and realized that I looked like a stuffed sausage in my work pants (and was forced to buy a size up in pants, horrors of horrors!), I realized I had to pull the breaks on the whole unhealthy weight gain train, and get back on track pronto. It's not even about the weight, per se. It is, but it isn't. Of course I want to feel lean and strong, but more importantly I want to feel healthy. I want to feel like I'm taking care of my body to the best of my abilities. As many of you know, I felt completely unhealthy - mentally, physically, and emotionally - for much of last year, what with the toxic work environment and relationship issues. I've spent the better part of the last six months getting my mind and emotions on track, and it's now time to do the same with my body.

The next 6 weeks are going to test my self-discipline. So far today, I'm doing very well. I've had a South Beach Morning Bar, 2 Fiber Rich Crackers with jam, one Endulge bar for my mid-morning snack, and coffee with skim milk. I'll admit I'm slightly hungry, but overall I feel great. I'm really proud of myself.

In the interests of full disclosure, here are the relevant stats: Starting weight: 139 lbs. Projected weight loss after 6 weeks: 10-12 lbs. Anticipated final weight: 128 lbs. I think I'm going to keep you all posted as another way of keeping myself accountable to myself. Between my own self-discipline, going to the nutritionist each week, and reporting to all of you, there's no way I'm not going to succeed. Wish me luck.