"Eat Up, Slim Down:" What I learned...and Where to Go from Here

I've spent the last few days plodding around the house, agonizing about this, my final post in my "Eat Up, Slim Down" experiment. I kept asking myself, "What did I learn and where do I go from here?"

It was fairly easy to list what I learned. Not so easy to answer the second question. After all, my Saturday weigh-in proved my monthly-water-weight theory and I was back down to where I expected to be: My total weight loss for the week on this meal plan was an impressive 4.6 lbs! In addition to following the menu plan, I ran a total of 21 miles and did 3 days of 30-minute circuit training (47 WW Activity Points if you're counting).

So, the menu plan and workout routine definitely worked. They worked so well that it's tempting to do it for a second week. But first, here's what I learned:

• Semantics: I never called this a "diet." It was a "meal plan." I know that it would have been much more difficult to stick to if I thought of it as a diet. In the emotional world of food words, DIET is a four-letter word, something that is very difficult to follow and easier to abandon. A "meal plan" is just that - a plan. And a plan is a road map to success, for people who meet goals. 
• Accountability: I definitely stuck with this meal plan much more religiously than I would have if I hadn't been blogging about it. Knowing I'd have to report it here prevented a stop at the concession stand when we went to the movies as well as a few other temptations along the way. Accountability is key.
• Choices Part I: On one hand, I really liked that this plan virtually eliminated the need for me to make choices about my food. I made the commitment to follow the plan, for better or worse, so there was no agonizing about what to eat. For an entire week! It may be counter-intuitive, but that was very liberating.
• Choices Part II: On the other hand, late in the week, I was missing choices! (Sometimes, I'm such a girl.) I went grocery shopping on Friday and was a little annoyed that I couldn't make a great grilled seafood feast that night with the scallops and shrimp I bought on sale. Fortunately, it was the last day of he Experiment, so I put them in the fridge and we enjoyed the fantastic dinner the following night.
• Tastes change: I am still blown away by how much I liked the Spinach Salad with Chicken, Strawberries, Walnuts and (Gorgonzola) on Day 3. Two key elements have prevented me from trying this type of salad in the past: I don't like raw spinach, and I don't like the combination of sweet and savory tastes. Or so I thought! This salad definitely changed my mind. This is a nice reminder to keep trying new foods, and even foods that we long ago decided we don't like.
• Sometimes, preparation is key: Take the Day 2 "Grape Salad," for example. Very simple. Grapes. And almonds. These are two foods that generally go down very easily and that I have mindlessly eaten (too much of!) in the past. But slice them both and mix them together, and they magically become a more satisfying "salad" to be eaten with a fork.
• All ppvs are not created equal: The Pear/PB/English Muffin is better than a mini ice cream sandwich? Who'd have thunk it??! They're both 2 ppvs, but not only is the fruit snack more tasty, it also has more fiber and protein which makes it more sustaining.
• Bread: I really miss bread.

Okay, so where to go from here? After enjoying a great, PPV-friendly grilled seafood feast Saturday night, I was really considering repeating the plan this week. However, I just couldn't muster up the enthusiasm, and I knew I'd be pretty much on my own. DH was a good sport about this Experiment for one week. I didn't have the heart to ask him to join me for a second go.

And then, this morning, there was the answer in my Email In-Box: "The Drop a Jeans Size In 4 Weeks" Menu Plan from Fitness Magazine! I have to admit, I got a little giddy.

I don't need to drop another whole jeans size, but hey, I'll take one more week of a pre-planned, healthy, well-balanced menu that I don't have to think about. Just another 5 lbs or so, that's all I need. I can do this for another week. And it's a new menu, so I forwarded it to DH and he's IN! ... well, with the appropriate disclaimers about not following the plan when we go away this weekend to celebrate our 13th Wedding Anniversary.

So, there you have it. One more week, one last meal plan. The question is: should I blog about it? Do you care? Are you interested? Let me know.