Easier to get "back on the wagon"

First day after an okay "cheat" day - we weren't really craving anything, so eating was more for "we're hungry and need to eat" vs "let's stuff ourselves" - we actually had really simple meals yesterday.
Today was much easier to get back on track than I was anticipating. I'm not really craving anything in particular - not even sugar :) I have been reading some other blogs, and one that struck me was her "secret" to dropping 35 pounds - she quit eating sugar - basically her idea was that it's an addiction and, like any other addiction, it can be broken. I'm thinking she's right. There is some research to indicate that eating sugar creates a temporary situation in your body where you crave it even more, so it's a positive feedback loop. The more you eat it, the more you crave it. So, if you quit eating it, you no longer have the "drive" for it and the craving ceases. I'm finding this true with kicking the soda (coca-cola) addiction. I'm not sure when I even had one last - but it's been several weeks. It feels good to be off of it. I have more energy and I don't have the "crash." I was craving it one day last week - I was just overly tired and wanted the "pick me up" that I knew it would provide. I texted D and he immediately sent me motivation to NOT do it. I felt better about myself for not getting one. It wasn't easy, but I made it through the day and didn't crash.
I don't normally weigh myself after cheat day - there's just no reason. I will get back to it tomorrow just to see where I am - if I'm close to pre-cheat weight or not. Hopefully I will be - I'm usually within a pound or so. We did walk today - it's gorgeous out and too pretty to not take advantage of the brief break in the weather. It's supposed to be rainy and crappy again tomorrow :P We'll try to walk Wed this week, and then again either Thursday, Friday or Saturday. We're trying to get in three sessions of walking a week. Right now, we're only doing one loop of the neighborhood - which is still pretty intense with the hills we have in here. After this week, we're going to try and lengthen them at least one day to that plus the very back of the neighborhood - which should take us to about 45 minutes total. Pending the work I have to do at night, that may be a "weekend only" kind of walk - we'll see. I'm just about over work right now and have put myself on a goal to become a published author and be financially stable with that career in 3 years - then I can retire and be fully vested and just get out of the classroom. The stress and work load associated with my job are overwhelming, and I'm just not sure it's worth it anymore. The ultimate goal is to become expats and live in the Caribbean - more on that later.
Right now - feeling good with the walk. Still super happy that I've lost 4 inches :) and I'm 4.2 pounds from the first goal - so 60% there :) Then, I'll set another 10 pound goal - with the goal to do that before we leave for the wedding. If I get in 20 pounds of weight loss - that will be close to 10% (23 pounds would be 10% if I want to be super technical) - but I'm okay with the 20 within the next 4-5 weeks.
Overall goal - I need to lose 66 pounds from my last starting weight. I've seen blogs where others have lost a heck of a lot more - so that is really motivating to know others have done it the same way we are - eating clean, exercising and just generally being smart about portion sizes. Size goal is to go from my current 18 (which honestly - I was pushing into size 20 - and now my 18 jeans are fitting a WHOLE lot better - no super-suck-in to get them zipped) down to at least a size 12 - shooting for a 10. Not sure how I will get to a 10 - that's really super skinny for my frame, so if I can get to a 12, then most, if not ALL, of my really pretty clothes will fit and I think I will be very confident with how I look and feel at that point. So - 3 sizes to go - already gone from a 20 to an 18, so if you do 4 sizes total, I'm 25% towards that goal :)