I am very proud of my success so far.  I've been so busy working for the last week, that I've been too tired to work out.  I did, however, walk 3 days ago for 25 minutes.  I plan to restart my workout this evenig if I get out of the hospital in time.  I'll just have to make time.  Getting closer to a BMI less than 50.  I'm excited.  No shopping for new clothes just yet.  I'll wait until I absolutely can't wear them though a few things are a lost cause, and I will give them to my mother.  At some point, hopefully I can persuade my parents to consider doing this for themselves.  I want them to live for as long as they can.

Ok.  I finally did some type of exercise this evening.  I rode my bicycle through the neighborhood for about 20 minutes.  Yeah!  I am now down 34.5 pounds at 5 weeks out according to my home scale.  I weigh first thing in the morning completely nude, before my shower, and prior to drinking or eating a thing.  Thankfully, I have conquered my servitude to the scale by only weighing once a week.  It's getting easier.  The steroids for the URI were rough on my stomach, just like Dr. Chu said.  I feel so much better mood-wise, so I can stop biting everybody's head off at work.  My more agreeable nature is finally back.  I was worried for a minute there, that I would stay so irritable and have to put myself on Lexapro or Lamictal or some other psychotropic med.  Thank God, it passed.  I went out to lunch today with some pharma reps, and I tolerated a smidge of cheesecake with praline topping.  Sugar isn't so bad for me, though the pecan clusters I tried last night did make my heart race.  Stay away from sugar alcohols like maltitol!  I also tolerated 2 animal crackers and a small piece of diabetic cake today without difficulty.
I'm getting plenty of compliments as people watch me...a little too closely for my comfort.  My clothes are looser, and most people can see the loss in my face.  I'm trying to be civil in getting them to back off with the questions and wanting to know "how much?"  It annoys me, as I am struggling with the emotional issues that go along with not having food to lean on anymore, realizing that I really was an addict.  Two of my siblings smoke weed to cope.  I used food, and now it's gone.  Gotta find new ways to cope.  It is definitely getting easier.  I'm close to a BMI less than 50.  God, I look forward to that.  Time to kick it into high gear!  Still having trouble sleeping all night without Ambien CR which makes me feel sluggish in the AM.  I retain fluid by the end of each day, and my uterus has been cramping something awful.