Day 29

Tomorrow is officially the last day of my diet!  I'm not ready to give it up, though!  I've lost 14.5 pounds, which is great, but I want more.  I haven't been able to go running since it snowed because I've been feeling under the weather since!  I've no doubt my results would have been more significant if I'd kept the running up the entire time.  Oh well!  I will persevere!
So, what have I learned from all of this?  I've learned that I don't need sugar to make me happy!  I've learned that I don't need bread to feel fulfilled and that I don't need cheese and cream to make a delicious meal!  I now realize how many empty calories I was eating before.  I mean, when you're hungry, it's so easy to just grab a handful of chips, or make a quick PB&J, or buy some junk food they sell at the check stand at the grocery store.  I'm not saying all these things are bad, but for me, they were.  I wouldn't think of those as actually eating, so I would still eat a meal on top of them.  It all adds up!
I've also learned that it is possible to eat amazing food without breaking the bank!  We spend, as a family of three, about $150 a week on groceries.  Not bad!  Could we spend a little less? Sure.  We could really look for the sales, clip coupons, eat more staples and less fresh produce.  We could also buy from a chain instead of our local store, but we don't want to do that!  We enjoy supporting a local enterprise, and the produce isn't really significantly more!  Some of the meat is more expensive, but the quality is far more superior!  And, it's local, humanely treated, hormone and antibiotic free, grass fed. Just better.
Last night, we had chicken breasts stuffed with duxelles with a pan sauce spiked with sherry, rice, and broccoli.  Yummmmm!!!  The night before we had a delicious stir fry.  A few nights ago, we had flank steak with mashed potatoes (butter only) and roasted cauliflower.  My husband also made us egg drop soup for lunch yesterday!  I'm so lucky!
We have been eating less salads for lunch because it's winter and greens aren't as good and they're more expensive.  I do miss eating lots of greens, but it's fun experimenting with different lunch meals!  I've also learned that quinoa makes a yummy salad!
So, where do we go from here?  Well, I intend to try to stick with the diet.  I'm not going to be quite so rigid about it.  If we are out somewhere, or at someones house, we will eat what is available.  But at home, I will continue to avoid!  Although, we are going to try to find some good flour and bake our own bread.  No more store bought bread, and definitely not every day!
When we first started this diet, I thought 30 days was going to be an eternity, but it really went by too fast!  I feel great and am starting to look how I feel!  I want our kids to grow up knowing what real food tastes like and having a mom that sets a good example of how to eat and exercise, to appreciate food, family, and life.  And, now I feel like I'm on the right track to do that!