Long time!

It's been a while, and it's time I made an update!   Work has exhausted me to the point where I am having difficulty finding time and energy to say anything here.

Things are going well for me.  It's been 5 weeks since I started down this path and I am still happy.  Although there are some serious challenges...

1. Refined sugar and white flour.  I can't believe how difficult it's been the last couple of weeks for me to say no to them.  I've made some slips.  

• Last weekend I admit I made a very deliberate slip.  The husband and I went on vacation to Park City, UT for the St. Patrick's weekend and I admit I did the following over the weekend: chicken wings in bleu cheese dressing, three beers, 2 margaritas and some bread with bruschetta (a couple of pieces).  The rest of the weekend was great eating because I cooked in the hotel room.  I was having fun!  And it was, frankly, worth it.  
• But then a couple of nights ago we went to a steak & seafood restaurant and they had some white flour rolls that looked so good.  Oh my God...they were amazing.  A sane person would have asked for the rolls to be removed.  But I, after eating my meal, decided to eat one.  Before all of this I would have had at least two of them, so I did well considering.  And again, it was worth it.

So to say that I am able to withstand the refined sugars and white flours completely would be lying.   For the most part I can.  But it's so hard sometimes.  I just keep chanting to myself that at least I'm not eating cheesecake or candy or donuts or pancakes or chips, etc.  Because that was the pre-me.  Ice cream... that one is really hard for me.  *whimper*

Is this anything like what an addict goes through when they quit drugs?  I'm sure it's not quite as powerful.  But that battle after with themselves to stay away?  To help me out I eat fruits and honey for the sugar.  Then sprouted grain bread for the flour.  Not a lot of it by any means.  It helps curb that craving.

2. Breakfast.  I'm still struggling with this.  Although I've gotten really good at eating a yogurt and fruit for breakfast and being good until lunch.  Nothing wrong with that I suppose. I keep waking up late so I don't have time to make breakfast, let alone eat it.  So I pack a couple of pieces of fruit and an organic Greek yogurt and go to work.  I don't want to eat a huge breakfast or anything, but something better than stressing out and snagging whatever I can would be nice.  I really need to bring ingredients to work for smoothies.  There is an awesome blender there after all.  And a freezer for frozen fruit.  I'm just used to eating a bowl of cereal or oatmeal on the fly.  Sigh...I miss oatmeal.  I didn't even eat it with a lot of crap in it.  Just whole oats, a teaspoon of brown sugar and some raisins/dried cranberries and I was a happy girl.  I <3 you oatmeal.
3. Eating too much.  The food we're making is too damn good!  IT IS!  I'm not struggling at all with getting enough calories.  
4. Not drinking enough water.  Why Me?  I love water!  I always have.  I've never had to worry about needing sugary drinks or flavors in my water because I love water!
5. Realizing that I can't control other people's impressions.  I keep getting irritated when people scoff at this or say things like "you don't need to lose weight!"  It's not about that.  It's about eating healthy for me.  And that just gives me stress and makes me feel annoyed.  But this is supposed to be making me happy, not stressed.  I can only control myself. 
   

So there you have it. The negatives.  Well gee, now it sounds all bad!!!  No way!!!!  This is so awesome. 

1. I can still have them, but in moderation.  As it should be.  I just need to break that habit.  I have other, pure, options that I can pursue if I want something sweet.  And I really do enjoy things that are not too sweet.  Vegetables for one.  Carrots especially, which I don't eat enough of.  When  I was a baby I actually turned an orange tint because the only baby food I would eat was carrots.  True story.  Carrots. Nothin' better!  
2. I really am okay with just eating a little for breakfast.  And smoothies would rock.  More planning!  I need to get more "on-the-go" options for breakfast.  I also need to stop having to scramble, when I'm already late for work, to grab something to take with me.  It's really a PITA.
3. Moderation, again, is the key here.  Also, I shouldn't complain too much since a lot of the food is vegetable heavy.  But I can really put the food down, I tell you what!  I just need to learn how to back off the delicious.  I've never had that ability.
4. I still haven't stopped to grab any water since I started writing this.  Seriously.   This is not even "diet" related.  I'm just bad this way.   I'll get better as summer rolls around.
5. I believe I addressed this above.  Just chill.

I do feel better than ever before and like how I am eating.  I have less stomach problems - indigestion, heartburn, etc.   And it's a lot more whole foods.  Not as much organic or "grain-fed" as I'd like, but that's so expensive.  I work it in as I can.   Now I think I'll go grab a glass of water.