Serious Diet....Begins!

So, yesterday, I did three 20-minute sessions on the elliptical. Last one was a struggle....just too tired. I even tried to get up this morning and do it, but after 5 minutes, I just couldn't. So, tonight, I'll go for two 30-minute sessions (one right when I get home before dinner and the other when the kids are in the bath).

What I've learned from past successful diet efforts is that if I pre-plan my food for the day (before I need a morning snack), I do much better! So, today here is my plan:

7am Breakfast:
Chocolate Shakeology
PB2
Beachbody Fiber Boost
Almond Milk

11am Morning Snack:
Gotein

1pm Lunch:
Tons of grapefruit

3pm Afternoon Snack:
Gotein

6pm Dinner:
Hefty Buffalo steak & romaine salad (with Marie's blue cheese
vinaigrette...yummy!)

So, that totals to about 1100 calories...but I still plan on doing an hour total of elliptical tonight, so my net intake is about 500 calories. Total of 120 grams of protein and about 90 grams of carbs (about 50 grams which are sugar, primarily from the grapefruit).

If I can do this routine for just 7 days, I should lose about 3 pounds (1500 calorie deficit X 7 days = 10,500 calories/3500 calories per pound = 3 pound loss). I just need to preplan everything early in the day...otherwise, I'll easily go off track. I can't do it when I start running again, as I will simply need more energy for the longer runs....but maybe I can do it partially, or just eat more and still keep up the elliptical at least 30 minutes/day....its that "net" calories that I really need to focus on. I really wanted to hit the 140s before Christmas, so if I really want it, I need to find a way to do it.

A friend at work is doing the HcG diet, and she's had great success, but she has been so exhausted, she can't even run right now. She gets home from work and takes a nap! With kids, thats simply not an option...so I need to be very critical of everything I put into my mouth. And besides, thats an extreme diet, and I don't think my current weight really justifies that effort.

If its important enough, I'll find a way, right? After all, its hard to be fat (permanent). Its hard to diet (temporary). Which hard do I want?