WTF?? I lost weight without going crazy?

I've been on a sugar fast now for a little over a week. I gave up refined sugar, HFCS, and only artificial sweeteners in limited quantities. My goal was to do this for two weeks to try and curb my voracious sugar cravings and highs and lows. It really hasn't been that terrible. I stocked up on lots and lots of fruits and veggies and have been munching on nuts and cheese for snacks. As long as I don't let myself get too overly hungry, I'm OK.

And along with giving up the sugars I decided to quit obsessing about the scale. I usually ritually weigh myself every morning and it always sets the tone for the day. "Yeah - you maintained your weight - lookin' good Mr. Cartah!" :) or "OMFG I gained 3 f'in pounds! HOW IN THE HELL did I gain 3 f'in pounds after running 25 miles this week?!??!!!" :( Usually it was more toward the latter. Then I would then obsess about which "diet" I was going to adhere to this week - Atkins, Zone, South Beach, calorie counting, Abs Diet??? All to no avail. I would go back to my overindulging ways by the weekend and be famished and then the whole vicious cycle would start back up.

While I was on the sugar fast I refused to weigh myself. I knew it would be an adjustment and I knew that all that extra fiber and fruit/veggie loading would create extra bloat. So I stayed away from the demon spawn scale. I didn't want to get discouraged. I gave it a week.

I tentatively decided to step on the torture device of glass, metal and digital numbers to see where my (fully naked and after I peed, of course! - gotta get as light as possible...ha!). I felt like a contestant on The Biggest Loser. I had no idea if I had gained or lost weight. I could just hear that scale beeping at me as it determined my weight. And the results were....

2.5 lbs lost!! HOLY CRAP!

I knew I'd had a good week working out. And I really tried to concentrate my eating on stopping when I was full and avoiding sugars. Was I 100% with the sugar avoidance? No. Did I avoid artificial sweeteners like I should have? No. Did I obsess about every little bite I put in my mouth? No.

So, I will continue to limit my sugar intake over the next week and see where that gets me. I have noticed that the sugar cravings have lessened since last week. I'm not shaking uncontrollably and hitting up my friends/office mates/perfect strangers for a "sugar fix" anymore. :)

On other notes....heel pain seems to have subsided. I ran in the shoes again with no latent heel pain this time. I'll try another long run in them and see if they were the culprit.

Today I Love: that it's The Biggest Loser Finale tonight!!!