Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Day 6,7,8,9...Day 10, Inspired

This weekend was like the anti-cleanse weekend.  We had so many plans that I probably should have waited until just after to begin.  Which really is probably the end result.

Friday night, we had a concert.  We didn't actually do too bad, except that we picked up fast food on the way there because we ran out of time getting there.  I hadn't done very well that day, either, having eaten a pepperoni pizzadilla during a work meeting.  So still not committed.

Saturday, we rested most of the day and had all day to be good and excellent and on plan.  Can't remember, but pretty sure we just ate whatever and no lemon water to be found.  Then we got hammered at our friends' bachelor and bachelorette parties.  We don't drink that often, but when we do, we drink to excess. Some aspects of that were fairly awesome, like getting flirted with and then having my husband show up and make out with me in the photo booth, but then there was getting his drunk ass home and the fast food problem again that night.

Sunday, we woke up pretty hung over and it was sports day, so we had waffles with friends.  Didn't do too bad at the game, all things considered, but who wants to slam beers with a hangover like that?  Not this girl.  So we had some Vietnamese chicken and rice, but I needed more grease apparently, so I added fries and a hot chocolate.  Dinner that night was at a friends place and that was delightful and could have been totally on plan but for the delicious cheese plate.

So basically, all weekend and through today, including my breakfast of chicken salad, I've just been continuing to eat unconsciously.  Two things have woken me up a little: 1) my MIL telling my husband what to eat and take for his cold and 2) a colleague's honest and public blog about her decision to give up plastics and processed foods.

Not much to say about my friends blog, just that she's making a hard change and struggling with it and it inspired me to try harder, but more about my MIL.  My husband and I don't eat a lot of fruit, but we eat a lot of vegetables. Probably not as much when she was here, because I always get lost and confused about what to make when she is here.  And, to be honest, because I'm not the best food planner.  But also, we've done TSFL/Medifast and my husband is still doing it.  So she seems to think that we're avoiding fruit altogether and also that this is what he needs to eat to stay well.  She also said that he needs to take vitamins and vitamin C.  Though she's his mother, it's insulting to me as his wife and as a physician for her to be telling him what to eat and take.    Then he asked me if we need antibiotics.  So I blew up at him and pointed out that I bring things home for him to take and that he doesn't take them as recommended and explained exactly why we don't need antibiotics.  He then said something about maybe our systems are just weakened.  Well, enough said, yep, our systems probably are weakened and I resent her just enough to be inspired by that.  Okay, honey, want to be well more often, well, it's not wellness for wellness sake, but to spite your mother, I will start making sure we eat right and get better.

I still don't know if this cleanse is what I need or want to do or if I agree with all of its principles, but I think I can modify the plan to something that makes sense for me.  For the remaining 11 days:

  • Start the day with lemon water and herbal tea
  • Solid food if and when I feel hungry for it, not necessarily waiting until noon
  • Greens in my smoothie every day at some point.  
  • No sugar
  • No animal products
  • Eat like I tell my patients to eat - that is 1/2 plate produce, 1/4 protein, 1/4 optional grains and fruits
  • Drink more water
  • Take my multivitamin, Vitamin D, B12 and things for my cold.
That's the plan...at least for the next 11 days.  I'm not quitting gluten at the same time - as Zooey Deschanel says, being gluten free and vegan is hard.  I'm also not quitting coffee altogether, but I am certainly not going to drink it like I was.  I was drinking 16-32+ ounces of coffee per day and I feel better and enjoy better my herbal tea in the morning, but I also want to be able to have a cup of coffee with my husband on the weekends.  I guess that's sort of the difference between a cleanse and a lifestyle.  So, here goes.