Day 6

Wow, Day six... Almost a full week of eating/drinking nothing but fruits and vegetables!! How many times I've felt like cheating!! Each time I open the cupboards or fridge to see the foods waiting there - taunting and teasing me with their lovely colors and labels. I had just gone grocery shopping maybe two or three days before Kari asked me to join her on this venture so have a meat crisper full of sliced hams, turkey, and cheeses for sandwiches. Sausage links and eggs for this awesome breakfast recipe I saw online. CHEETOS in my cabinet. I rarely buy them and did on a whim because the day before [I went shopping] I had stopped to talk to the lady across the street from where I work and she always has cheetos on hand. She gave me a few and just the flavor of that yummy JUNK food(??) was the perfect impulse to buys some the next day. And there they sit, in my cupboard, all orange and pretty. Waiting... waiting for me to say... 'just one won't hurt....' With each new day that I've said NO, I feel pretty darned good inside - and pretty strong too.

Today I worked only a few hours. Bad snowstorm kept people from coming in. I had my lemon water and brought lemon to work with me for even more. Had one bottle of green foods and one bottle of fruits. Consumed the greens but only half the fruit. Came home to shovel the walk and was happy to see I had the stamina to do it (took me 75 minutes!!). Still had plenty energy so got all the veggies out of the fridge to see what I had leftover. Made an awesome pot of soup (I finally am learning how to use the vitamix so I don't puree everything - the soup has delicious texture too it - leafy and chunky and semi-thick. I threw in 1 leak, garlic cloves, broccoli, kale, zucchini, celery, carrots, mushrooms, red onion, sea salt, pepper and a quart of veg stock. Simmered on the stove til the veggies softened then threw it into the vitamix to chop it up. Wow, is it GOOD!!!!

Next I needed to get rid of veggies before they start going bad. Am happy my fridge keeps them good, but they can only last so long.... So, got out kale, red cabbage, spinach, avacado, cucumber, celery, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli and made three tossed salads. Am eating one right now (fresh and delicious!) and have two for tomorrow and Monday.

Like yesterday, I'm not seeing drastic changes really (not like the video people of Kari), but, minor changes which are pleasantly nice. If my fingers weren't so darned cold right now I'd do the 'pinch' test to see how numb the tips are, but they're like ice cubes. Will have to test them tomorrow if I remember! Two people told me today they thought it looked like I was losing weight (course, black will do that every time!) so that felt good. Will need to weigh in tomorrow and see what the scale shows. When I started last Monday, I was at 192 lbs and at 44 X 33 X 44. That's a lot for me. Two years ago I was a 36/38 X 25 X 38/40 and at 165 - kinda gained some inches/lbs since moving to Iowa. Have been a lot less active and consuming a lot more calories. NOT a win/win. But, my heart is in the right place and this seems to be the catalyst that I needed to start making those important dietary changes to go along with the spiritual journey I started two months ago. Wow. Life is good. Thank you Kari and to ebb and flow of the sea - I am the Captain of my ship out on the SEA's of life. Yes indeed. Life is definitely good and continuing to get better. Rose colored glasses - don't they look gooooood?!?!?

Course, if I DON'T lose the weight..., the REAL reason is......:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=440735122722725&set=a.185316514931255.39272.185276654935241&type=1