Carb Loading for Life

Today, on my 28th birthday, I ate whatever-the-hell-I-wanted. A little birthday gift to myself, if you will. Starting with these delectable treats.

My super sweet coworker knows that I love pecan pie, so she had these pecan pie bites waiting on my desk when I got to work this morning. They were delicious and I ate, oh, maybe 6 of these throughout the day. 

For breakfast, I had my first bagel in SIX MONTHS. And you know I love me some bagels. My favorite are everything bagels but they didn't have any so I went for wheat. 

I couldn't eat the whole thing, but what I did eat was good. I've decided that I'm only going to eat bagels on my birthday. For the rest of my life. Unless I'm starving and it's the only thing available. Like, legit starving, not like "Oh, I'm starving, is it lunch time yet?"

For lunch I had a cafeteria pizza, something I used to eat all the time. When I started The Plan, I assumed I'd never eat one again because they certainly aren't worth wasting a cheat meal on. But since it's my birthday and all I got one. It was good, but it wasn't great. I'm still glad I ate it, though, because now I'll no longer feel like I'm missing out when I grab a salad instead. Oh, and I got a can of Coke, too. It kind of tasted like metal and dirt, but I did enjoy the bubbles.

After work it was time for my birthday dinner! Today I chose (or, rather, Sam suggested and I heartily agreed to) The Heights in Columbia Heights where they have my newly discovered favorite beer ever, the Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. 

We started out with the fried brussels sprouts, something I've had my eyes on forever but haven't been able to order since we've never been there for a cheat meal. They were served with horseradish aioli and they were soooo goooood. Three thumbs up if I had that many. 

I really can't explain my look here. Perhaps I was going to say something or maybe I was channeling Popeye... I don't know, but I did order something with spinach so it's possible.

I ordered the horseradish crusted tilapia with creamy polenta, spinach, and shitake mushroom sauce. I couldn't really taste the horseradish, which is a shame because I love horseradish, but it was still delicious just the same. Here are some more awkward photos of me and my dinner...

The more weight I lose, the more I think my head is too big for my body.

Here's cutie pie Sam and her meal. I had a few bites of that mac and cheese with bacon. Mmm.

After dinner we came home to drink my favorite red wine and watch The Help (both gifts from Sam).

Today was one of my best birthdays yet! I'll let you in on a little secret...every year since the third grade I would make the same wish when blowing out my candles- to lose weight. Every year for 19 years. This year my wish had a much happier tone it. I won't tell you what it is because then it won't come true (duh), but it was nice to finally set the "lose weight" wish free. Because, as it turns out, weight loss has very little to do with wishing and a whole lot to do with willpower. And, baby, I've got that by the bucketful. Here's to 28!