Day 22
This morning I reached out to my coach,who also happens to be my brother, to let him know how I was progressing on this current cycle.When it comes to the program, there is no one whose knowledge is greater  than his.
While our personal weight loss  experiences on the program differ,his insight is second to no one else's.
Max and I are committed to this cycle as well as another one after our 21 day reset period. Even though there are still almost 3 weeks left on this phase, I have started looking ahead to what reset might be like this time and how I can plan to avoid pitfalls during this next phase of the program.
Planning is a good thing. 
So is preparation.
You could not ask for a more spectacular day here in New Jersey. It's bright and sunny  and just starting to warm up. I needed a jacket when I went out on my run today, however I am sure by lunch time I will be able to sit outside in the sun and enjoy some fresh air.
The roads were unusually empty this morning, completely devoid of the normal rush hour congestion. Driving when the roads are like that is so much more pleasant.
And other than a twinge in my ribs,I physically feel pretty good today,better than I have in weeks. This also makes things feel nicer.
As I drove , enjoying the light traffic and absence of pain, a strange yet familiar feeling came up inside of me. 
Familiar ,as in something I remember from another time.
Stange in that I have not felt his way in quite a while. I was calm,collected,clear of thought, and without the ever present tension brought on by stress that accompanies me on a daily basis.
It was so foreign to me that I could not help but to notice it.
As I made my way through my route, I searched my memory for what this unusual sensation could be.
It was an absence of fear.
I remember about a month into my Journey, I experienced this feeling. I thought it was the new way my life would be. Caution was replaced by bold and daring. It was empowering. Unbeknown to me , like insidious weight gain, fear can slowly, unmeasurably and unnoticably come back into our lives.
Whether or not these fears are reasonable or warranted does not matter. They exist . And they weigh on me as surely as the baggage of carrying an extra 10 pounds and then 20...and then 30....and then before you know it, it's all back on again.
I am not foolish enough to proclaim that I am cured, that I am back, or that I am once again fearless.
I can say that today,that is exactly how I feel and that's all I can ask for. 
One day at a time!