Would some mashed potatoes kill me??

So I'm here in Atlanta at my quarterly VISN meeting. I typically look forward to this meeting cause we always eat good. Let me tell you, this hotel has the BEST cheeseburger I've ever eaten. This has definately been an opportunity to test some new strategies and brake old habits. I've had to think ahead and be very prepared, even moreso than usual because of my liquid status. That considered I've done pretty well, I think. It truly felt like I was packing a diaper bag this morning preparing liquids for 24 hours away from home but here is how it has gone.

Woke up and started drinking a bottle of water (instead of back-to-back DDP's)

Around Pell City I mixed up my Carnation Instant Breakfast (no sugar). I had put my skim milk in my/Liz's shaker bottle and just added the powder.

We stopped in Anniston at the Starbucks where we always stop-->I got hot tea. The last time through I got some breakfast sandwich that was oh so good and very filling. It had ham, cheese, and egg on it...Monica got that today.

When we got to our room I packed my bag for the afternoon. I took a Special K protein shake to the meeting. Although it does not meet the protein guidelines perfectly, it is ready-to-drink and thus very conducive to this arrangement. I had also started on another bottle of water so I alternated sips of that. I brilliantly (ha) had packed a coffee cup and lid from the my room along with a tea bag. When we broke for a caffeine refuel, I got hot water from the coffee pot in the conference room.

Now dinner...remember I usually really get to splurge for my VISN dinners so tonight was a bit stressful. Our resident is also with us so I didn't want to impose my dietary restrictions onto her experience and networking opportunities, but I did:) She promised she was perfectly ok with not going out with the group. It is super cold and the wind is unbelievable here so the 3 of us were content staying in the hotel. We went to the high-end restaurant here where I've eaten before and it was DIVINE. Tonight proved to be great too...french onion soup but I ate around the cheese and bread. Honestly, I did not feel remotely deprived. It was so flavorful. The girls got salads that I would have loved to have and can't for 5 more weeks but I could totally resist the scallops. No one got dessert...wahoo I'm home-free except I REALLY WANT SOME GARLIC MASHED POTATOES. Seriously, I can "legally" eat them on Thursday. How much difference would 3 days make? Seriously, please answer me and talk me off this ledge cause I'm trying with all I have but it hurts. The dresses these girls on The Bachelor are wearing are hurting me too. Is this an 80's flash-back? Sorry, I digress. Anyway, I am going to look through my little bag of goodies and see if I can overcome this Mashed Potato Desire (MPD). It's time for my carafate and prilosec, maybe that will fill me up and get me over the hump.

Tomorrow I'm planning a Special K protein drink for breakfast. I've got another tea-bag for the meeting and certainly I will have water at all times. I also came prepared with an extra cup and ramen noodle packets if the need arises. Oh that Th would get here quickly and God would give me the will-power to hold on a little bit longer (that's the part where you say a little prayer).

To tomorrow and mashed potatoes on Thursday.