Day 37 Silver Dollar City Fun and the Realization of Power Over Habits

So today was the beginning of our little weekend get a way to Branson. I decided to take a different way up that I knew about before but never had taken. I get bored with driving the same way all the time. So I am that guy that you see on Google Maps trying to find some other route just to not have to look at the same stuff and go to the same places all the time. So I may not be taking that way again to Branson as apparently it is the Mecca for the "I will drive 10 miles an hour under the speed limit for no apparent reason" people. Oh I forgot to mention I am a lead foot too. So we finally got to Silver Dollar City around 11ish we had a pretty good visit. I was torn on how to handle the rides situation, but I eventually decided that I was not ready for the possibility of having to get off a ride for being too fat, so I am awaiting the March return and hanging my hat on that great feeling I will have then. WE didn't stay as long as usual as it was hot, crowded and we had a great pool waiting on us at the hotel. We got back and all of us were dressing quickly to get in the pool. I cannot express how nice it was to jump in some cool water and splash and swim around! It made me feel so alive!! Alot of guests were out and we were all just having a great time and playing pool frisbie and having contests to see who get get to the bottom faster..... just plain summer fun!!

I had what I would consider a not all that clean eating day, but I kept my calories low and made the best choices available to me when I chose food. We all got up late for the trip and were rushing around so I did not get to cook my breakfast. So the girls were determined to stop at that same donut shop I take Lauren too. I knew I did not want donuts, so when we stopped for gas at the close by little store I used to work at, I got one of their little breakfast biscuits they make there in the store. I got the sausage and egg one, foregoing the cheese and all the other crap I usually get. It was a total of 300 calories, actually I know it was less, but I wanted to account that much so I would keep my count artificially high as I didn't like the choice. I did the same thing when we bought lunch at Silver Dollar City by inflating my chicken strips calories too high as well. So finally, I get to make good choices last night at Shorty Smalls. I had the teriyaki chicken breast, rice pilaf, and green beans and I was never so happy to have a good calorie value meal in all my life!!! I savored every bite of that meal. So here was my newest aha moment. I got outvoted on where we would have desert. I wanted to go to Braum's for frozen yogurt in a cup. Everybody else wanted to go to the local frozen custard place. So I went along to get along. I came extremely close to making a big mistake!! So everybody ordered the small junior cup and I was having a problem figuring out if I could use the rest of my 300 calories here as there was no nutrition info on the custard. I asked my mother in law what custard was made of and she said basically cream and sugar just like ice cream. Well I hem and hawed and debated and finally ordered a cup, the smallest one with nothing on it. I just had that gnawing feeling in my stomach to not eat it, it was a bad deal, just walk away. But that old habit of everyone else is kicked in and I took a couple of bites, tentatively even begrudgingly I would say. I even had the guy that talked about "you paid for it, better eat it" in my ear screaming. But I just couldn't ya'll. I just couldn't. I could tell it made my family a little weirded out that I was having this battle right in front of their eyes, so I put it to bed, and threw the custard out. It was incredibly awesome! I loved that victory more than any others along this road!! It seems food victories are the sweetest!!! So after all was said and done, I had 1510 calories for sure, and whatever two bites of custard would equal for the day in a situation that would have easily had me at 3000 in the past. I think I am getting this you guys, and I only hope that my getting can help someone else get it too one day. If you are reading this and wondering if you can get here from where you are, yes, yes you can and it will one of the greatest things you will ever accomplish. I promise you, you will bask in the feeling and feel more powerful over your destiny than you ever have!!

To Vickie, Jo, Bridget, Sean, Doc, Christine and Michele, thank you all for the great comments on yesterday's post. You guys are my rocks and I appreciate the encouragement and support you guys give me!!