Monday, November 10, 2008

I DID IT!!!

And now...ahhhhh...I'm enjoying a cup of coffee with peppermint creamer, which I found at Target yesterday.  What perfect timing!

I did lose 2 & 1/2 pounds last week. Didn't do anything different, so I don't know what to think about that.

Lessons? I think way too much about food, probably eat too much too. And I had to think even more while cleansing, b/c the choices are so limited. I need to just enjoy my food and my healthy body and eat as healthy as I can without obsessing about it. Being hungry for a few minutes or hours won't kill me, and I'm grateful to know that the hunger is always temporary. 

Will I do it again? I plan to do it a couple of times a year, just for the 'lightning' effect - I feel lighter inside and healthier (and, of course, hungrier - LOL).

Today I'm having sugar, dairy, caffeine, and gluten, but I'm saving alcohol for the weekend. My blueberry smoothie was especially delicious this morning, and my sweet tea at McAlister's with my buddy Andrea (the neighbor to my left that, according to Kathy Freston's book was required to do the cleanse with me) will probably be the best tea I've had this year! Tomorrow I will be more intentional about the sugar, maybe have coffee or tea, not both. But today is a day to celebrate with all my favorite things!

Muchas gracias to my supportive family and friends who held my hand, listened to me whine, and put up with my crankiness these past three weeks. I couldn't have done it without you, especially, you, Jane!  xoxo

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Day 17 of 21

Almost there!  Only four nights and four days to go. Here's some surprising news - I have not lost any weight, not one ounce. Now this wasn't solely about losing weight, but it's hard to figure how I could be consuming no sugar (and practically no-thing else) walking and doing yoga most days, and still be ingesting enough calories to maintain my weight. My friend Jane (whom you may remember from the first post as the friend who refused to do this cleanse with me) suggested that maybe my current weight is my 'ideal' weight, and that I should accept myself just as I am. What a novel idea! I think she may be right, but I would like to do a little work on what I fondly refer to as the 'two-baby roll' around my middle. So more yoga is in order, with a side of Pilates.

In the meantime I'm still thinking about what happens Monday. Perhaps McAlister's for lunch - sweet tea and a spud ole with veggie chili, and Craig's famous homemade pizza for dinner. The good thing about not losing weight while cleansing is that I shouldn't have to worry about gaining weight when I can eat normally again. :-)

But I have discovered that I can have a very good salad without cheese or eggs, I enjoy Balsamic vinegar salad dressing, crackers without gluten, and I can definitely do without potato chips. Maybe the most important thing is that I am more intentional about eating...and hopefully by Monday I will be eating to live, not living to eat.

And, BTW, my friend Jane, even though she chose not to participate, has been an awesome support while I've been finding my way through this. Thanks Girlfriend!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Day 14 of 21

I haven't blogged in a while, so just in case you think it's b/c I've fallen off the cleanse wagon (or I'm dead), I'm here to tell you that I'm alive and well and hungry - ha! In some ways the process is getting easier. I know what I can't have and why I'm doing this, and I'm not tempted to cheat. But in other ways it's harder. It's really getting old to have such a limited choice of foods.  There's only so much you can do with vegetables. Don't get me wrong, I love vegetables, but raw, steamed, put in a soup, stir fried - after a while, it all looks and tastes the same.

But you know what? I really don't mean to complain. I am eternally grateful that I have access to good vegetables, a warm home in which to eat them, plenty of seasonings, something to cook them on, and family and friends to support me on this quest. And I'm especially thankful that it's only for three weeks, and I only have one week to go! Then it's a joyful trip to McAlister's for some sweet tea!  Eat on, Annie