You know how when you diet you find your groove at some point?  And suddenly choices are easier, you feel good, you have some momentum behind you and you feel like even though you have a long road ahead you can actually make it?

Well, I’m in the groove now.

It’s my first-ever restricted-carbohydrate groove, but it’s definitely here.  I have the energy and drive to exercise.  That is huge.  I dont feel remotely tempted to cheat on my diet.  Granted, I can eat butter, cheese, cream etc so there are plenty of ‘indulgent’ foods that are legal for me.

Last night we even went out to dinner - something I’ve been trying to avoid when I’m home in Paris, since traveling for work gives me more than enough challenges, and eating at home is just so much easier, but we were at the Louvre yesterday evening and my husband wanted to go a nice Japanese place near there where we’ve been in the past, so I said ok (knowing I wasn’t too hungry and there were plenty of things I’d be able to eat later at home if I struck out at the restaurant).  Then of course the restaurant was full so we tried a new-to-us place - Korean, and it went really well — I was able to just choose items without rice and have some tasty new flavors and completely low carb.  On our way home my husband wanted to stop at Haagen Das and that didn’t even phase me - I took a sample spoon taste of his and didn’t even finish that taste - it had zero appeal to me and was WAY too sweet.  Went a little nuts with the strawberries and rasperries when I got home, but all in all quite a good showing - didn’t even feel like a fight for control.

I even feel like I’ll be able to handle next week’s Big Challenge - a weekend in Rome.  Yes, the newly restricted-carb dieter is going to the land of pasta, pizza and italian breads - gelatos, tiramisus and the like all will be around me.  And I think I’ll be okay.  There are really lots of good cheese and meat dishes in Italian cooking, not to mention the salads and veggies, and these days every nice restaurant is obliged to have just plain fruit as a dessert option, and in the month of May that fruit is very likely to be berries, so I think I’ll be fine.  In addition, we’re actually staying at a friend’s house, so my egg breakfast should be easy enough to arrange.