January 19

We've made it halfway through our month of vegetables! And I'm finding myself in that part of the Thirty Days where my motivation wanes a bit.  So, a blog entry and reflection to get myself back on track...

We got off to a good start, carefully weighing out endless portions of carrots and broccoli and lettuce. Thank heavens for watermelon, which weighs in well...

Challenges this month: 

* packing lunches for work-- not used to so much chopping in the morning!

* getting in enough fruit-- this one surprises me a bit as I tend to think that I like fruit. But I am never motivated to just eat an apple or a banana. If someone would purchase, prepare and keep on hand a fruit salad, heavy on the berries, I'd have no problem eating a half pound a day...

Perks:

* Four pounds of Christmas weight are off!  Could be the fact that I've been back to the gym three times a week, or it could be that I find I really do have less room for all the other parts of the meal, after eating a bushel of greens. 

* I think my skin is evened out a bit.  Not too many other drastic physical changes to note but one does feel healthier as one crunches away on broccoli florets and cucumber on the drive home...

Goals moving forward:

* Keeping up the good work!  Trying trying trying to make this a habit.

* Weigh out the daily fruit and introduce more variety to make that part work.

* Try some cooked greens as a part of mealtimes

* Pay more attention to the eating choices around the veggies-- watch the sweets, less meat, etc.  Nothing drastic, just keeping up the consciousness for these next 11 days...

January 3

New Year's Thirty Days time!

Going to jump on that "get in shape for New Year's" bandwagon-- trite as it may be-- as I am feeling the effects of a busy, cookie-filled December and need something to jumpstart my path towards a healthier me...

I've been inspired by the "Eat to Live" diet (the book for which I got as an NPR pledge gift).  I am interested in this program because it does not purport to be a diet, rather a way of eating that is in tune with our human physiology and that builds health and strength.  The more I read and learn about what the author calls the "Standard American Diet" (or SAD, isn't that cute?) the more I am convinced of the toxicity of refined sugar and flour, our over-processed and unnatural way of eating.  The crux of this plan is to base your diet on fruit and vegetables, while limiting ( or possibly eliminating) animal products, sugars and refined grains. 

The reason I am even considering something so radical?  The plan is presented as a series of 10 steps and I am pretty sure I can get through to step 4 without a problem.  Even if I can't ever reach the semi-vegan, twigs-and-berries existence that this doctor insists is the key to health... it certainly can't hurt to have more veggies, right?  Also, this part of the plan does not restrict any foods.  It just says to add in the green matter to your regular diet.  The natural offshoot is supposed to be that we will gradually, and without resentment, begin to eat less of other foods and feel more satisfied by life in general.

We shall see.  It's worth a shot.  And I could use some vitamins and fiber to get myself back on track after the holidays...

This month: Steps 1-3 of the "Eat to Live" diet.

1.  Eat 1/2 lb of fruit and 1/2 lb of raw veggies each day.
2.  Chew everything thoroughly.
3.  Gradually increase to 1 lb or fruit and 1lb of (raw or cooked) veggies daily.   Include a lot of kale.


So far, so good.  Nat has joined me on this venture, though he has let it be known that he will not be cutting out most animal products when we reach step 6.
We've bought a small kitchen scale and are dutifully portioning out piles of bananas, apples, berries, celery, carrots, broccoli, lettuce and more lettuce...We've learned that watermelon is great because it's really heavy.  And that it takes A LOT of salad to make 1/2 pound.  And that it really keeps you busy at mealtime to eat that 1/2 lb of salad... 
 Also, it's hard to change the habit of inhaling one's food with minimal chewing.  It is going to require a lot of vigilance to make myself really chew each bite...

Now, I like salad. And I don't mind carrots and broccoli raw if I have something to dip them in.  But I think one of the challenges going forward will be finding ways to keep this veggie overload interesting.  Salad ideas, anyone?  Healthy dips?  What is your favorite vegetable to eat raw?