...the amazing shrinking Catsinger

my hCG 500 calorie regime is almost over[last day is July 3...]
and there's definitely less of me...
26 lbs less to be exact [75+ total since 10/07]...
and I'm ready to be off the drops...
and to the next phase for a while...

I have to be "off" the drops for as long as I was "on" them...
so I can't go back on them until after August 15...

until then, I'm on the 1500 calorie maintenance phase...
where I still avoid sugar & a lot of starch...
but can have limited things, watching my weight daily...
and taking steps to keep any weight rebound to under 2 pounds...

this phase will be largely trial & error...
to see what & how much I can add back without messing up my set point...
I will also be able to exercise by walking/weight training...
& hope to continue loosing inches...
realizing that building muscles will cause some weight gain...

I will be very glad to loose the fatigue that is part of this phase...
as well as the confusion & forgetfulness that seems to go with it...
I've also had some moments of hot flashes...
but they haven't been too bad & leave quickly...

while I can't remember the last time I was this size/weight...
and I'm very pleased with my success on the diet...
as well as feeling much better & having less pain...
I find myself dealing with a rather ironic twist...

which is that after saving a bunch of jeans and khakis...
for more than 10 years, after they became way too small...
because they were my favorite pants & were too good to give away...
I stored them, hoping that I might lose weight, someday...
and could wear them again...

but now, against all odds, that the hoped for day is here...
they are ALL now, too big...

oh, they fit better than the 4-6 sizes bigger that now fall off me...
but these are not spandex jeans[that's how old they are...]
they are about 1-2 inches too big in the waist...
and baggy in the seat and upper legs...
which also makes them too long...

I haven't tried any of the new smaller ones yet...
[they are all spandex & only jeans...]

ALL my khakis are this, now really loose, size...

I had waited so long to wear these again that I'm still in disbelief...
working my way through pair after pair I couldn't even pull up 2 years ago...
and now they are really loose...

*sigh*

like I said, ironic...
I missed the "window"...

though they are still wearable for a while longer...
as long as they don't get too sloppy-looking...

so if you see me in baggy pants...

it's not just that I can't afford new ones yet...
I just have to get my use out of these I saved for so long...
[many of them have pleats in the front...
that's how old they are...]

it's always something...

but in this case, just a minor annoyance...
when you consider the significance of the situation...

God is good... & this was aimed squarely at my pack-rat tendencies...

I'll bet there's another lesson in here somewhere...