Phase 2, Day 37: Back in the Saddle

Weight: 240.0 pounds
Total Weight Lost: 34.6 pounds

After a rough couple of days, my mind and spirit are clear again. What has become clear to me of over the past 24 hours or so is that I skipped some steps in the very beginning of my Somae journey and have become complacent during my weight loss, both of which have come back to haunt me now.

First, the biggest step I skipped was that I failed to really take a look at how and why food has had such a huge place in my life. One of the things I've managed to learn over the last 8 weeks is that food, while it should be enjoyed, should be primarily a source of sustenance and not a substitute for the other things in life that can give us comfort and satisfaction. In fact, even during my snacking binges earlier this week, I never felt satisfied. I felt guilty. I felt disappointment. It's my wife and kids that have been my source of comfort and satisfaction for the first 6 weeks of this journey, but for some reason, I started letting food take center stage over the last week or so. Why?

The one thing that I can pinpoint is stress. That stress has affected things other than my eating habits, as well. I've been a little more "short" with my kids when they are making too much noise or touching something they shouldn't. My wife's work schedule has been a source of great contention, despite the fact that it has really been not much more hectic than normal. I've been sleeping less...which is funny, because I'm sleeping almost like I used to before beginning my lifestyle change (maybe 4-5 hours per night). When I was getting 7-8 hours (like 3 weeks ago), I was much more easy-going and less stressed. Sound familiar?

So, I have been "on protocol" for more almost 72 hours, meaning no cheats, unhealthy snacks, or consuming anything that I shouldn't be on this Very Low Calorie Diet Phase 2. I'm optimistic that I can stick with it and reap the benefits that are just around the corner. Along the way, I'll be sure to go back and identify some of the other more specific "food triggers", but my "comforts" are upstairs asleep...and I need to join them now.