Morning started with my usual walk in Memorial Park. For some reason, the walk today was hard. Harder than it’s been recently.

I thought the walking was supposed to get easier the more you did it. Isn’t that true?

9 AM — breakfast was a scrambled egg with some parmesan in olive oil added in for flavoring, served over a whole wheat tortilla. This was accompanied by the oolong tea I’ve been drinking lately. I don’t enjoy the oolong as much as my Awake, but I’m going to use it up.

2 PM — lunch was un guisado at Taquería Arandas. I wanted comfort food and that’s the closest that I could find that wouldn’t completely obliterate my diet.

Comfort food for me is battered, deep fried or covered in gravy or cheese sauce. Preferably all of them at the same time.

8 PM — dinner was a chicken/cheese burrito on the now familiar whole wheat tortilla. Nothing too outstanding.

{{Written on my iPhone}}

Day started with a 5:30 am walk in Memorial Park. My friend and I have realized that the earlier walk lets us get ready for work without having to rush.

I like the idea of getting something accomplished first thing in the morning. It sets the tone for the rest of the day. If nothing else goes right that day, at least I’ve done one thing on my personal goal list. And it has the benefit of being part of my long-term goals. Good stuff, all around.

9:30 AM — breakfast was a sausage/spinach taco in a whole wheat tortilla. As you can guess, the tortillas are being used up until I finish them. I should have bought a smaller pack or something.

1 PM — I had lunch at my desk. I picked up Pei Wei Hot and Sour Soup. I had the bowl. I think it took me 10 minutes to consume.

3 PM — I was destroyed by a croissant. I had a midafternoon meeting at La Madeleine and, instead of ordering a coffee like a good girl, I ended up with a coffee and croissant. I should not have done that. And the worst part is that I enjoyed it way too much.

9 PM — ironically, I ended up at Pei Wei for dinner too — met a friend for dinner and that was her pick. I had a chopped chicken salad.

My calorie count was over by the amount of the croissant, no surprise. I wish there was some excuse I could give myself, an out I could take that would reduce my disappointment in my lack of discipline. There isn’t. This week has been all about my bad choices.

Monday was indulgence. Today was stress. I had an item pop up that’s going to consume my week, set the tone for next week — and none of it is good.

But stress, I know, is not a good enough excuse.

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I was up at 4:45 am today because I met my walking friend at 5:30 am in Memorial Park. I have learned that I need three hours from when I begin the walk to when I’m due at my first appointment. That’s what it takes to complete the walk, get home, take a shower, change and get ready. Sometimes I have time to eat breakfast at home, sometimes I waste too much time between steps and then I don’t eat at home.

Today my first meeting was at 8:30 am, so we pushed our walk time ahead by 30 minutes. And what possesses me to get up at 4:45 am just so I can walk in the park is beyond me, especially when I know that I am not following my diet as closely as I need to to make a significant impact. But I am trying to make this into a habit, which means going as close to every day as I can.

10 AM — i had a breakfast meeting at CoffeeGroundz this morning. I love love love their grilled cheese sandwiches, so that’s what I had for breakfast, with a Vanilla Latte. Yes, I realize I should have ordered something that wasn’t so fattening, but no one has ever accused me of making good food choices.

2 PM — lunch was at 369. I ordered a fried rice, but only ate half of it. Yes, I was hungry shortly after. I probably would have done better to order steamed vegetables or something, but I really really wanted the fried rice.

I know that, as I move forward, one of the things I’m going to have to get over is ordering what I want just because I want it. I will do better. I have to.

7 PM — I cooked dinner, one of my sausage, spinach and cheese burritos on a whole wheat tortilla. I think, overall, I managed to get back on track today.

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I weighed myself and was surprised to see that the holiday over the weekend didn’t result in any weight gain. That’s always a good thing.

I started the day out with a walk in Memorial Park. Three miles in freezing weather… what was I thinking? I feel good that I did it, but I really didn’t want to wake up or go out in that temperature.

I’m supposed to go out on Thursday and Saturday too, made arrangements with my walking buddy to do just that, but I’m not convinced that’s going to happen. According to weather reports, Thursday is going to be in the low 20’s and wet. Saturday is expected to be warmer, so it may not be a problem.

I know, I know… I’m already making excuses and finding reasons why I can’t go. Typical.

9:00 AM — I actually cooked for breakfast this morning. I made a broccoli slaw fritatta. I ate half in a whole wheat tortilla, with black tea. I refrigerated the other half to eat tomorrow.

2:00 PM — I had back to back meetings today. Lunch was a plain baked potato from Pappas’ Bar*B*Q. I added pickles to the potato. It was accompanied by a very large Diet Coke. I probably should have ordered the salad, without croutons or cheese, but I wanted something hot. It was 30-something degrees today when I went out to the park and has barely gotten much warmer than that all day.

9:00 PM — I had a meeting tonight, which meant that dinner was late. I had a Weight Watchers dinner — chicken quesadillas. I really like those. They’re tasty, easy to make and I feel like I’m actually eating real food.

{{Written on my iPhone}}