Day 15

Kyle 277.2 day -2.0 total -17.4

Jenny 159.6 day -0.4 total -7.4

YES! I was a very happy man this morning, and that has carried over throughout the day. I was dead on with my prediction of two pounds. I had to triple-check before I got too excited. I wanted to be sure when I told Jenny.

I feel greedy today. I'm greedy for more of the pleasure and fulfillment found in working hard and succeeding. How much more substantive is that than the fleeting pleasures we get from food! It's such a sharp contrast that you wonder how it can be a struggle at all.

Today I finally got back to where I was on Sunday. That is great progress, but i

n my excitement and determination, I must acknowledge a sobering truth. Because of my poor decisions, I lost five days of progress, of weight loss, of building up the new me. FIVE DAYS. Gone. I'll never be able to say that I made the absolute most of my first round on the protocol. 42 days is actually 37, and that's the best I can do. Regardless, it is truly a new start, and I must turn the past five days into a positive time, in that I know for fact what I only figured was true, but still wanted to question and doubt.

One of my pastors told me a story when we met for lunch a couple of weeks ago. It just happened to be on day one of the VLCD. In summary, a new bank president asks the retiring bank president for advice, for the secrets of his success. Ultimately, the retiring bank president said that it was through his mistakes that he learned the right things to do. I'm there.