160!

lost 3 of the pounds i gained since jil visited! now I only have 2 to go and I'll be back at "square one" :)

I think a lot of it was bloating from too much salt and carbohydrates. I have been eating less carbs and so dropped some of the water weight and ate a little less salt yesterday and I think that helped.

Also I exercised a ton yesterday (danced extra at the palomar... lea came with me) and did other stuff too, gardening etc.

I am also back on my plan of not eating after 6:30 which I think is definitely a good idea, i just have to make sure to get enough food early in the day so I don't over-indulge.

The other day I ate a whole burrito late at night (around 10) because I hadn't eaten enough during the day... I definitely don't want that happening again... (I want to be serious about this no food after 6:30 rule) so I have to make sure to eat a big lunch and a biggish meal around 5.

it is hard because a lot of salsa events happen in the evening... like last night at the Palomar we stayed out dancing until 10, and it was super fun. the frestyle dancing happens after 9 and I danced with some great dancers and some of my favorite people to dance with... that's the kind of thing that I don't want to cut out of my life completely. not only is it great exercise but it's also super fun.

however i know it is really great for my bipolar to have a regular sleep-wake cycle so if i could be home every day at 8 and in bed by 9 every night that would be ideal. however it is so hard to say no to salsa... i think i did get enough sleep last night, i did some relaxing yoga before bed which was good i think and then I woke up at 8 this morning...

and the 3 lb weight loss feels really good. i can't attribute it just to the salsa though.

i have also been eating eggs for breakfast which i think are a really good diet food. they protein is filling and keeps you full longer and doesn't make you retain water. i think carbs can really make you retain water and just in general "weigh you down" make it harder for your body to process things... i think whole grains are cool, i guess when i say carbs i mean those really refined ones like white pasta and white bread... they had this really delicious white bread at treebones with this delicious oil and vinegar dip with all these herbs from their garden mixed in and i couldn't stop eating it... i'm so glad to be home where i can limit my access to stuff like that. i think i saw an article about eating out without gaining weight, maybe i can link to it here.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/01/10/144980187/how-to-eat-out-without-putting-on-the-pounds