A New Food Plan

Change is good, right?

In February, I decided to try a new approach to eating. I eliminated meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, artificial anything, and restricted my intake to vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, whole grain pasta, brown rice and water (only) to drink. For 21 days I stuck to this plan, with some pretty significant results.

My good friend, Tina, mentioned the Daniel Fast to me, which I looked up online. It's a cleansing fast that can be done for dietary purpose, or spiritual purpose, or a combination of both. After some research, I decided not to choose... but just to let the fast be what it would be. I began the process with a 24 hour full fast, taking in only water as I prayed about the journey I was about to take. In that first 24 hours, I decided after that, any food would be good food... even nuts and raisins.

I did not keep a running log of my fast, since in my mind, a fast is personal... not something one tracks in a blog (and heaven forbid I keep a private journal!). That said, I learned it is very difficult to completely change up your eating habits without one or two (or seven or ten) people noticing and inquiring. I explained it to my kids, to my husband, to my mother-in-law... to anyone who asked, really.

The first two or three nights I dreamt about eating restricted foods. I remember the second or third night I dreamt I had just polished off a big turkey sandwich. Yikes! Meat, bread, mayonnaise... all forbidden! Even in the dreams, I knew I would just have to pick up where I was and continue from there... mistakes were bound to happen! By the fourth or fifth day I was so obsessed with a desire for dark chocolate, I didn't know how I'd survive without it! On Scott's birthday (about a week into the fast), I made corned beef and cabbage, and for his party that weekend, we made pasta and a meat dish, and a cake and frosting (from scratch!)... all without me tasting a bit of it!

Oh, I lied. I was cleaning the spatula after the cake batter was done mixing, and I put two fingerfuls into my mouth before I realized what I was doing. I caught myself on the third lick, and rubbed it off my tongue into the trash. Ironically, I had a taste of chocolate without even knowing it... it was not all I had imagined it would be, and as is usually the case, I really didn't even taste it. OK, so I fell off the wagon, but I learned a good lesson (in front of the kids, of course) and jumped right back on that no-chocolate wagon right away without regret.

I guess it's been a full week since my last day. I am still following the regimen pretty closely, but I am not afraid to sample a little of what appeals to me from time to time. However, every time I do turn from the strict plan (read that: every time I eat meat and even a little bit of sugar), I get a headache! The first time I thought I was about due a headache, anyway. The second time I chalked it up to seasonal allergies. The third and fourth time I had to ask myself if this was mere coincidence. Today I went shopping for a wider range of food options.

Some observations I have made:
- I can still have bad eating habits with good food. Bad food, good food... still a bad habit.
- I can survive three weeks without any chocolate.
- I can be so happy with a small square of quality dark chocolate.
- It is not possible for me to drink too much water... I can hardly keep up the minimum recommendation for just a day!
- When the scales are absent from the bathroom, I lost more weight.
- When they see me eating good stuff, it's all the kids want to eat!
- After just two weeks, my body felt different... in a way that I'm having a hard time finding words to describe. Less physically exhausted, less worn out, more solid, more right.
- If I decide to indulge in meat or sugar (or both), I wake up the next day more groggy, less energetic, feeling like I need more sleep.

This fast takes careful planning before beginning. I had to shop very specifically, and like never before. I've read more labels, and thereby discovered more sugar in places I never would have suspected (canned peas!). I really look forward to the produce section of the grocery store, and I know this stuff won't go bad in my fridge... it's practically all I eat!

I don't pretend we haven't heard or read all this stuff before, but I wanted to put it in black and white so I can look back at how good it feels to, well, to feel good. I don't doubt I will change up my eating plan, but I wanted evidence for myself... future reference.

Though I'm looking out the window at the snow falling as I type, I'm pretty certain Spring is here. It's a good time to add a little exercise to my regular routine... I think I can handle a little more change.