This is the first time in at least two years, maybe longer where I have had enough time to just do nothing, without being so completely exhausted to enjoy it. Since we returned from vacation I have been watching movies, gardening, reading and hanging out with friends. The most surprising thing has been that I have been eating pretty much whatever I feel like. Obviously minus allergens, I have pretty much ignored every self-imposed rule I ever had. I have been eating cold cereal for random meals like a college kid (well, it's organic crispy brown rice with almond milk, so maybe not exactly like a college kid) ever since we got back from Hawaii (it's not the same without the papaya, but berries and bananas in it work too). Almost every night I stay up reading while drinking wine and eating chocolate covered macadamias we brought back from Hawaii (I had a hell of a time finding some that didn't have corn syrup or milk in them). Not to say that it's been all bad-- I made vegan pesto this week and served it on brown rice pasta and chicken. I've been eating a lot of burritos with organic refried beans, tomatoes, salsa and greens. On the days I don't eat cereal in the morning I have a big smoothie with kale and collards from my garden in it. It has been an interesting experiment. What's good: without me constantly trying to eliminate things like starch and sugar from my diet I am less likely to go crazy on them, knowing I can have them when I want. I have not once overeaten or eaten past fullness in three weeks. I eat until I'm full and then I stop. Despite all the sugar and carbs and alcohol my weight has stayed pretty stable or maybe even gone down slightly. What's bad: I have headaches almost every day and I'm not sure what is causing them. When I go too long without food after having had just starch like cereal for breakfast I get shaky and brain dead way faster than if I had eaten a balanced meal. I've had chronic sore throats on and off most of the summer, and my brain isn't working very well. I also don't wake up feeling rested, which I am guessing is due to drinking wine every night. Most of these are signs that I'm not balancing my blood sugar very well and that likely the sugar or some other additive in the processed foods I've been eating is effecting me negatively. Also, other than some gardening I haven't gotten any exercise since we got back from vacation.
Somewhere in the midst of these extremes is a place of balance that I need to find. I can not go into my internship with a carb hangover (or the regular kind of hangover for that matter) but at the same time it's so much healthier for me not to be so compulsive and controlling about what I eat. Some time soon I hope to find where that balance is-- in the mean time it has been a very interesting experiment.
1 comment:
I know it's harder when you're at home all day, but at my desk at work I have a constant supply of raw almonds, which I get at Trader Joe's, and cherry or grape tomatoes (I eat those things like candy). I also keep a bar of really dark chocolate for when I want the sweet taste. I've never liked sweets that much, I'm more of a savory/salty snack kinda gal, but I do get the craving here and there. This time of year, I have fresh berries, too.
When I want more of a carb fix, I go for Trader Joe's lightly salted rice cakes. I also love goldfish crackers :-)
And, I drink a lot of white tea and green tea (I buy it in bulk from Market Spice at Pike Place) which naturally curbs the appetite anyway. I still eat plenty, though. I have low blood sugar and have to eat constantly to keep it in check, but the tea definitely helps to keep from eating too much.
Good for you for enjoying your time off. :-)
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