Yesterday was a non-fasting day, but I stuck to my diet. I had yogurt and blueberries in the morning plus an apple and didn’t eat my usual salad with grilled chicken until late last night. Still, I didn’t lose any weight (although I didn’t gain any, either), which is disappointing. Hopefully, water retention is hiding a bit of weight loss (the seasoning for the chicken is pretty high in sodium), but I may actually have to start counting calories if I’m not losing any weight except for on the fasting days.

Fasting three days a week isn’t that hard. I guess fasting for two days a week adequately prepared me for it, so I’ve grown accustomed to the intermittent hunger pangs and stomach rumbling. I do miss eating on those days, though. It feels like something is just absent (which, obviously it is), so I find myself longing to eat throughout the day (especially later in the day). The psychological aspects of eating are something I need to explore more as they seem to be the root of my overindulging.

Work has become a bit more tolerable, and I’ve accepted what may turn out to be the loss of a close friend, so my emotional state isn’t in as much turmoil as it has been. I’ve always turned to food—especially sugar and carbohydrates—to soothe my anxiety and depression, and it seems that I’m slowly beginning to break that habit. It does require vigilance as the desire for a bit of instant relief is significant, but I have at least a modicum of self-discipline these days.

Today was intended to be a fasting day, but, as I mentioned yesterday, I’m having lunch with a friend (Torchy’s Tacos), and I’m not going to avoid social engagements because of my weight gain concerns. I’ll eat just once today and let the tortilla chips fall where they may. I also have a friend’s birthday coming up later this month, and I’ll be eating outside of my diet then, too. If I can restrict my eating to one meal on the days when I meet up with friends, I shouldn’t gain any significant weight. We’ll see.