Day 19

I'm happy to be doing this challenge. It's true that around Day 14, I felt like crap and was ready to give up. I'm glad I didn't, because I'm getting the hang of things, and I LIKE it. I like the food. I like feeling satiated after every meal. I like saving money by bringing my lunch to work and not ordering take-out. I like preparing and eating platefuls of vegetables in front of my daughter. (I'm hopeful that soon she'll want to eat these things, too. I just have to take the "supernormally stimulating, nutrient-poor, carbohydrate dense foods" out of her diet. Who wouldn't reach for sweet vanilla yogurt and salty, buttery crackers instead of the green beans?!)

• Breakfast: Two eggs, fried in ghee, sauteed spinach, warmed, salted mushrooms, cantaloupe and bananas. Coffee from DD (burnt-tasting, disappointing).

• Lunch: Dang. I meant to snap a photo, but I forgot. Spinach salad with tuna, carrots, cucumbers, mushrooms, evoo, S&P. McIntosh apple.

• Snack: Carrot Cake Lara Bar. Pinterest-induced craving for sweets.

• Dinner: Lemon pepper Perdue Fit & Easy chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, cashews. The whole family happily partook.

Notes:

Dinner at the table is happening more lately. Meals are sort of a central focus now, so getting a meal prepared and eaten at a decent time is important. It's a challenge, for sure. Lo and Tim get home around 5:30 and have a snack. I get home around 6:45-7 and jump into dinner prep. We eat around 7:30-8 if we're lucky. And Lo's ready for bed around 8:30 or 9. If it's bath night (every other day, for the most part), then that usually happens after I throw something in the oven. It doesn't feel like the optimal schedule, but that's how it is for now.

There was a segment on NPR last night about doctors prescribing fruits and vegetables to patients: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/12/221757539/no-bitter-pill-doctors-prescribe-fruits-and-veggies.

After 19 days of no supernormally stimulating foods -- or almost none (ahem, sweet potato chips) -- , it has become much easier and more enjoyable to consume my vegetables and proteins. It was definitely a challenge and a learning process, and it has taken some time, but I think I'm really on board now. I really hope that I can continue these good habits outside of this 30 day challenge, and I'm convinced that this approach can really set a person up for continued success.

My complexion is not noticeably improving.

My blepharitis is not improving.

I can't tell if my hearing's improved or if I've just gotten used to not hearing well.

Very little gassiness. A little stomach pain. May have to give up coffee for a while.