How have the last 3-4 days been? Well, I hope. I hope we are all learning much about ourselves, eating habits, and emotional connections with food. I hope that everyone has been staying safe in all the snow. I, myself, have been snowed in my house since Sunday. (ah, the joys of living north of Seattle) At least I was prepared because I already had went grocery shopping for the program.
I have been fully enjoying this program so far. It is quite nostalgic for me from when I used to be a Vegan. I used to eat like this all the time, with the exception of maybe a little more beans, or tofu. Eating so many fresh raw veggies and fruits makes me feel so fantastic! The last few days, I have been a bit hungry. I am used to eating more food, but I feel that I am adapting well. Whenever I am feeling hungry I just eat more veggies! From the first few week's menu ideas, I have been picking and choosing what sounds good at the time and just eating that. I have even been happy with the protein powder.
In the last 3 days, I have noticed some very interesting things. One thing that was particularly interesting to me was that I began having cravings on day 2. Cravings for sugar mostly, but also for things that I find undesirable and haven't eaten in years such as pizza and french fries. I have been craving warm, comfort foods. By last night, I felt that the cravings had finally begun to subside.
I am thoroughly enjoying having fruit in my smoothies/shakes. I usually drink protein shakes daily even before this program, but I didn't use a lot of fruit in them beyond bananas to help limit the sugar content. Within the guidelines of this program, we can have around 1 and 1/2 cups fruit in each of our shakes daily, as long as we are eating two times the amount of veggies. I know I definitely am eating at least twice that in veggies and more. I have particularly enjoyed the Banana-Berry Blast and the Citrus-Berry Splash. Next week I am going to try the Pumpkin Pie smoothie.
I have learned that Kale chips are the most awesome snack ever, and I will continue to eat them even after finishing this program. I don't think I will ever crave a potato chip again. Kale chips are the best substitute and I can feel good about eating it because it is kale. Not only is it good for you, but it is also crispy, crunchy, a bit salty, and delicious.
I hope that everyone is finding times to accomplish any goals they made for this program. I have already lost 4 pounds in the last 4 days. I have been finding time to meditate and work toward clearing the clutter (being snowed in helps tremendously with that) I am encouraging everyone to use the food journal in the book that was included with the program. It helps to provide a feeling of accomplishment when you look back at it. It can also help identify triggers, cravings, and food sensitivities once we begin adding food back in. You can also keep track of how you are feeling and help identify any emotional relationships you may have with food.
If any of you need help, suggestions, are struggling with anything, or just need some support, Please contact me. You can either leave a comment on this site or email me at drteresarichter@gmail.com
In health,
Teresa Richter, ND
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