I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! I lost a pound this week, and I thought for sure I would’ve gained a pound. I made Oatmeal Double Chocolate Chip Cookies to send to an event….and the event was cancelled!

Right after I baked them, I ate my three cookies that I allow myself when I make cookies. That was fine. But with the cancellation, we ended up having three dozen cookies at our house, so I had four cookies the next day and three more the following day making a total of ten cookies.

This is why I think I still lost my pound anyway:

• I did eat protein after each round of cookies, either nuts or Whey Protein Isolate Powder mixed in water.
• I only drank water or tea sweetened with Kal brand of Stevia (a natural, not artificial, 0-calorie sweetener) all week. I drank three or four glasses of tea a day.
• I walked several times during the week and stretched every day.
• I didn’t “diet,” but ate smaller, healthy meals. (low unhealthy fat, low processed carbs)
• I wasn’t on a fat free diet, but had healthy fat every day (nuts every day, avocados, olive oil)

So, I think all of those things together helped. Plus, my doctor increased my natural, pharmacy-compounded progesterone a couple of weeks ago. My hormone ratio was off again, and that tends to make women gain weight when they have estrogen dominance. Now that my hormones are getting more in balance, it’s easier to lose weight.