Saturday, January 01, 2011

Cali Friends & Learnings! Days 7 & 8

In the last two days I have learned a very valuable lesson... Friends are the best distractions from woes. It is strange coming up with ways to hang out with people that do not center around food and eating out... but so far, so good.

Yesterday I got to spend the afternoon with Janine. Janine and I have been through so much together. The two years we were roommates in Foothill Ranch were not the easiest years of either of our lives, but we were there for one another. I love talking with her and how there is no shallow talk... the conversation is deep, meaningful, and life-giving. That plus Ikea and Stonebrier were great distractions from any hunger I might have had.

Then today... Flora came into town. She'll be in the Dallas area for a month and a half. We went to see The King's Speech (Great film!! That movie deserves a Nugget of Truth!!) and then came home for supper. I made the chicken with mushrooms and onions, but since I did not have enough to make my full 3 cups serving and have some for Flora... I added some cabbage too. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! I think Flora ate even less than me. (She is sooo tiny!!) But she really liked the meal. I didn't change the recipe, she was willing to try what I was eating.

We also went to Walmart so she could stock up on some groceries. It was tough being around all those carbs and cheeses and snack foods. It was also hard in the theater not to get popcorn or an icee. But I have not cheated on the plan and do not plan on it. Instead these were great learning moments.

Learning how I associate food with activities:
1. I didn't need Peanut M&Ms or popcorn or a soda to enjoy the movie.
2. I didn't have to go out to eat to have a conversation with a good friend.
3. You can include friends in your diet. And she liked it!
4. And I can walk into a grocery store and walk out without purchasing a "treat".

Great learnings. I am sure there are more to come. I hear Week 2 is the hardest... so please... keep praying!

2 comments:

Bonnie said...

Good job! It's so incredibly hard to do what you are doing. I'm working hard at eating only organic, nothing with preservatives, additives and nothing "white" basically I cut out gluten. It was so hard getting through the holidays because I love to bake. So I experimented with using rice flour and everything came out tasting great.

Bonnie

I was addicted to cheese too, could eat my weight in cheese. Since I started eating other things for snacks I don't even crave cheese any more.

All that to say hang in there, you can do this!

Anonymous said...

Wal Mart is a huge "food" distraction for me. It's the mecca of all things not so good for the body! Good for you for having restraint.

I'm glad you got to spend time with Janine and Flora. Sounds like a wonderful, fulfilling time. :-)

I'm praying for you, i.

~Danielle