Day Three on The Garden Diet

Last night I had a small triumph, although for many it may not seem like a big deal.  As a family, we all went to my daughter's school for a concert showcase.  Lovely event.  Her school is located near one of my husband's favorite restaurants.  We're big dining out folks, mostly because I've never been much of a cook.  After school events, it has become a tradition to go to this restaurant, one that everyone looks forward to.  I look forward to the day when I can go to any restaurant and find something that will suit me, and simply be satisfied with that.  Right now, I feel like an alcoholic in the first 90 days just trying to stay away from people, places and things that trigger excessive eating.  So last night, I simply said no thank you.  I want to celebrate my daughter's performance -  love her up for being the great kid that she is - but not with a big plate full of greasy, cheesy, starchy, meaty food.  I think I enjoyed my super salad even more because I stuck to my guns.  The family ate something else (takeout - I've got to work on that still), and my husband was jealously eying my salad the entire time.  Next time I'll make it for four.  It was really good.

This morning, I didn't prepare breakfast ahead of time.  With the chaos of our morning routine (I really miss homeschooling), if I don't prep the night before, I'm prone to grab anything (not always the best) before leaving the house.  Fortunately, when preparing for this week, I put all the fruit in my fridge onto the center of my counter in a big, beautiful bowl.  It won't keep as long, but I see the fruit every time I walk through the kitchen, and I'll eat more of it.  I actually end up wasting less produce when I see it in the open.  I grabbed a banana before running out, and Jasper ate half.  My focus this month on sticking to The Garden Diet will inevitably benefit my family as well.

Grapefruit before blending.  I love the colors.

Grapefruit juice for breakfast.  NOT ENOUGH!  I panicked, but I stayed with the plan.  The grapefruit wasn't so easy for me to juice.  So I gave up, chunked it up and blended it in my Vita Mix.  I love the results.  The texture turned out kind of creamy which was unexpected for grapefruit.  Some of the fibers are a little tough and chewy, so I might strain them out next time.  I had enough extra to fill a quart sized Mason jar so I've been enjoying it throughout the day.

After an hour and a half of hot yoga this morning, I'm feeling a bit like a limp noodle, and a bit spacy.  That could have more to do with continued caffeine withdrawal and that I stayed up to midnight assembling the kids' new bunk bed (or having only juice for breakfast).  Instead of preparing lunch, I stopped at my favorite raw restaurant in Chicago and had a Kale salad.  They are so expensive, but in a pinch, I'd rather treat myself to their yummy food, rather than go through another summer of debating whether to purchase the next size up, or get through on what I've got.

When thinking about my weight, I'm trying to determine what a reasonable goal is.  I think I'm a solid fifty pounds overweight.  My doctor would say about 20-30 pounds.  It's been years since I've even attempted to stick to a diet, so I don't even know what is possible.  I think from my old Weight Watcher days, the healthy goal was about 1.5 to 2 pounds a week.  If ambitious, for this 28 day program, that should be about 8 pounds.  I'd be pretty happy with that.  I have many other reasons for changing my diet besides dropping a few pounds, yet all the reasons seem so interrelated.

• Lower the weight ->less pressure on the joints and feet. 
• Less pressure on the joints and feet -> easier it is to exercise. 
• More exercise -> stronger muscles.
• Stronger muscles -> less pressure on joints. 
• Less pressure on joints -> less arthritis pain. 
• Less pain -> easier to exercise. 
• More exercise -> better mood. 
• Better mood -> more sex (I had to slip this one in - it's not my self-image that effects my libido, it is the sluggishness from poor eating, I'm certain)
• Better sex -> less depression.
• Less depression -> more conscious life.

This list could go on an on.

Nut Sushi

It was nut sushi on the plan for lunch yesterday.  It was my first time rolling norimaki so I looked to youtube for this demo.  I think I did okay for the first time.  Next time I'll spread the paste thinner to fill up about half the nori before adding veggies and rolling.  I wasn't in love with the almond and coconut flavors combined with the fishy flavor of the nori.  It was, though, very filling and satisfying for a mid-day meal.  After the 28 days, I'm going to play around with some combinations.  My kids are going to go nuts when they realize I can make rolls.  They have so many special requests at Japanese restaurants, that this will make a fun, sushi at home night.

Day 2 on The Garden Diet

Gazpacho for dinner last night.  The flavors were nice, but I think I'll make it in the food processor next time to keep in chunky instead of smooth.

I wish I could say that my first day went without a hitch.  I am so accustomed to tasting food whenever I'm preparing food for others.  Last night I made the kids spaghetti with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese with a sliced cucumber.  Not something I care to indulge in, except the cucumber.  My breakdown was with the pita bread, toasted with olive oil and garlic.  Did I really think I could sit at the table with a bowl of those in the middle?  I had a couple triangles, not the entire bowl.  It wasn't a total breakdown, but I'd love to be the all or none type that can diet and NOT CHEAT.  Later, I found an open bag of tortilla chips (Whole Foods brand, they make them to perfection) that my daughter had squirreled away in her reading corner.  Had a few of those, too.  Maybe a couple of handfuls to be more honest.

I loved the carob smoothie for breakfast, as did my 4-year-old.  It was heavy, though.  From OJ one day, to carob, banana, nuts and a date the next seems like a huge change in calorie content.  I know this isn't about counting calories, but my experience eating raw is that it's easy to get carried away with the nuts and sweet stuff.  During my walk this morning, it did give me the energy needed to hoof it for an hour.

Beautiful Chicago Spring

Start Here

My lunch today, minus the Quinoa.  Storm's Tabouli.

I've made the online transaction.  My credit card cleared.  I've downloaded, unzipped and printed all the documents.  My 11-year-old daughter and I organized the papers, punched holes, and put them in a binder labeling each subject (her idea - she's the organized one).  She had even made a cover page including a sweet note.

Yesterday, she and I went shopping together.  Whole Foods was the easiest to go to knowing they would have things like young Thai coconut, hemp seeds, raw carob powder, and kelp noodles.  They didn't have the noodles - the grocery manager says they don't have a source that meets their standards - hmmm.  Whole Foods is crazy on the weekend, but my daughter loved it as she moved from isle to isle sampling the free food.  Funny, I was so focused on "the list" that eating, for once, was not on my agenda.

Last night, as I looked over what I'd be eating today, I admit I was a little scared.  No coffee?  I know, this ought to go, yet, I've been using it with Conviction since research has supported its use to ward off depression.  I'm still going to try to drop it.  My hope that with the balance of better nutrition and daily exercise, that I can let go of this vice and still get through my foggy days.

Before going to bed, I juiced a bag of oranges.  The kids were amused.  Next time I'm going to get my 3-year-old to help.  When I slow down and let him enter the process, he is more apt to try new things.  Albeit it makes cleanup a greater chore, but it's worth it to bring him in, rather than keep him out. 

Breakfast today consisted of fresh orange juice.  That seems impossible.  Yet, how many mornings have I got the kids ready and off to school, taken yoga and ran to get groceries all on a single cup of coffee?  Energy is energy.  Oranges have a lot of it.  Well, during yoga today, it didn't seem like it was enough energy.  I felt so weak.  Perhaps I'll add an extra cup right before class, or my all time favorite, lemon water with maple syrup.

A year ago when I looked at this food plan, I thought it was impossible.  Too extreme.  The more extreme it is, the less likely I will succeed.  And why would I want to diet in a manner that I wouldn't want to eat full time, forever?  A year forward to today, a lot has changed.  I've been so impressed with the food that my raw friends share.  It is all so fresh and delicious.  Never would I feel deprived eating it.  I began to work a few recipes into my weekly routine.  Then I bought a Vita Mix and began making green smoothies.  Not everyday, but frequently enough that I was no longer interested in a big bowl of highly processed cereal in the morning.  I stopped taking the kids to McDonalds, which really meant, I stopped eating at McDonalds.  I brought raw food dishes to pot lucks.  People began to ask for recipes.

With all this change in the last year, I have not lost any weight.  In my mind, I've believed that with every new food, new healthy dish that I add to my diet, that I would have less room to eat the junk food, and therefore lose weight.  That doesn't seem to work.  I have an enormous capacity to eat.  I enjoy my beautiful fresh food, yet while sitting with my family at dinner, I will eat what they're having as well. 

I need a food plan.  I need to talk about it, regularly with people who understand.  And I really need to make this change.  It is not about being thin, or running a marathon.  I'm getting older and I'm beginning to feel the effects of my weight gain and poor nutrition.  I don't know if I'll ever wake up in the morning without creaking and popping, but I'd like to get to the point where my first steps aren't so crippling.  I would really like to be healthier and more active for my children, so I can stop saying to them, "Mommy doesn't run.  You go do it."  I would like to enjoy the clear thought, and confidence of living with good health.  So this is where I am.  I am going to start here.

Do you want to join me?  Follow this link over to The Garden Diet.

Lighter

Niagara Falls

Sometimes I have days... those days when I catch my image in a window and I cringe.  My chest shrinks, I stoop, my breath becomes shallow, and I quickly avert my eyes.  Today was one of those days.  Lying down on my yoga mat, I couldn't help but compare myself to all the lithe bodies around me - who were lying down flat (emphasis) on their mats.  Me?  I was a giant mound.  With all these mirrors around, I realized where they came up with the phrase "beached whale."  The class is far to rigorous to sink into despair.  I've got to do everything to concentrate on my breathing.

After class a friend complimented me and my floor poses.  Wait, what?  Really?  I felt lighter.  I left happier. 


PS:  I realize this has nothing to do with the image above.  I was going through my archive and could find nothing related, but this photo reminded me of how fun it was taking my mom and kids to Niagara Falls last summer.