1. Going on a 6-mile bike ride to Turtle Cove and then going on a 2-mile walk/jog on the beach.
2. Being the only one in my family to not order dessert at dinner. I tasted a bite of theirs which was just as satisfying.
3. We had this chef come to the beach house to cook an amazing dinner for my family. I didn’t get seconds.
4. Waiting 8 MONTHS to eat ice cream. I knew my family would go to Scoopers, this little ice cream shop at Kiawah Island. It’s our ritual. I’ve waited (I’ll say it again) 8 months. I’ve turned down ice cream at every opportunity b/c I knew I’d have it on this trip. What did I order? 1/2 a scoop of Banana and 1/2 a scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
5. It’s been nearly 7 months since I’ve had a soda. Not even a diet one!
6. I only had one Mojito at dinner in Charleston and one alcoholic beverage at the Fat Hen near Kiawah.
7. I walked/jogged on the beach every day except once. That day Katie and I went on a power bike ride along the beach where we peddled against wind. I don’t know what the resistance was but it was freaking TOUGH.
8. Going on a 3-mile walk/jog with my brother-in-law. I was able to jog 1.25 miles without stopping!!
9. Only having 1 snack a day while on vacation. Lord knows the sun and sand makes you hungry.
10. The support of my cousins and their families when they saw me!
11. Going on a bike ride with my sister and her telling me how different I seem this year. I treat food differently and seem so much happier (for a number of reasons), one of course being my weight loss success. She sees me making different choices and really sticking to it.
12. We had a giant cake for my sister’s baby shower. I only tasted a tiny bit of the icing.
13. Being able to wear a number of items that I couldn’t wear. My college jeans, a pair of capri’s that were too tight on me before and I got these shorts last year from Old Navy that were too tight in the stomach. This year they were too big and were falling off me, haha.
14. Making totally different food related choices even though I was on “vacation.” Usually, in years past, I would have just said to myself, “Eh, I’m on vacation.” Ordering chicken lettuce wraps instead of a burger. Did I ever mention how hard it was to get the waiter to leave the soba noodles off of the chicken lettuce wraps? He was like, “Oh, we can’t, the plates are pre-made…” And I said, “Can’t the chef just take off the noodles and put some cucumber there instead?” And his reply was, “Oh, no, he can’t. The plates are already made.” And I eagerly and frustrated said, “Just tell the chef to take his hand, pick up the soba noodles, remove them from the pre-made plate, and put some cucumber there instead!!!” Asking restaurants to leave heavy sauce off on my crab cakes. Substituting a salad for potatoes. Ordering Halibut and veggies. Not eating a sandwhich for lunch but taking cheese and low-fat roast beef and wrapping it in romaine lettuce. Eating more fruit and drinking more water.
