I’m still working through photos and will get some more up online sometime this weekend.
It’s been a rough week. Not only did the jet lag completely kick my ass, but I also had some weird illness going on. I didn’t feel sick like with a cold, but starting from when I was on the cruise ship, I had an intermittent “productive” cough and lots of congestion. When I slept at night, it wasn’t a good sleep and my butt definitely dragged all week at work.
Work itself was stressful. I knew when I got back that I had to make deadline on a few projects and, of course, other things came up. While I was away we also lost one of our co-workers suddenly and unexpectedly to a heart attack. They’d contacted me in Hawaii to let me know but it didn’t quite feel real until I got back.
So, anyway, my emotions have been a mix of sadness, stress, and the residual high of a great time on vacation. My body was a bit of a mess. I ended up gaining some weight when I thought that I hadn’t, but I think this could have been water bloat. Even though I got in two Zumba classes and Tai Chi, I still felt sluggish and yucky.
I’ve been trying to clear up my system. Earlier this week I talked about wishing I could do a three day detox and cleanse, but I had committed to going out to dinner last night and tonight with friends. I love these friends and want to spend time with them so I was an odd mix of happy anticipation and internal whining about the whole food thing.
This morning it hit me. There is no rule that says I have to eat a full meal when I go out to dinner tonight. I’m under no obligation to even order an entree. Maybe they’ll have a soup that I like, or I can pick on of their salads and then pick at it.
The important thing is that I should enjoy the social aspects and the company of these friends and not worry about the meal itself. This is a very freeing realization. I now feel much better about the whole thing. I’ve had a good day so far with food. Protein shake for breakfast and some homemade, healthy soup for lunch. I’ll assess my protein intake for the day before I go to dinner. If I need more but don’t want to ingest meat or something heavy, I can always have another protein drink and then, like I said, nibble on veggies and salad.
Whew. I really do feel a lot better emotionally now that I’ve worked this out.
Weighty Matters 
Sorry you’re having a tough time. That sounds really rough. 😦
Sounds like a tough week. So sorry about your co-worker — what a shock!
It’s great that you came to this food realization. It will probably have ripples throughout your life now. I think it’s a very important one.