Lessons Learned

It has been one year this month since I began this journey with my diet.  What a process it has been--struggle, discovery, letting go, acceptance, new lifestyle.  What have I learned this year?

For one thing, being on a diet of basically meat, eggs, fruit, and vegetables will cause a person to lose weight.  Every time I see some advertisement for dieting, I think to myself that I know something that works. Over the past year I have lost a little over 20 pounds and have dropped at least two dress sizes.  That I am now a much healthier weight is some consolation for what I have given up.  

The mind and body adjust to major changes.  People ask me if I miss bread.  I do, but I don't crave it.  Actually, I realized the other day that even if I could, I wouldn't go back to how I was eating before.  While it would be nice to be able to have rice or bread once a week or so, I am fine if I can't.  

A simple diet can be satisfying.  Cooking is not a creative activity for me, but I do want some variety.  One of the keys to my diet is to have a rotation of foods.  Too much of one thing too often causes issues.  So while I don't vary how I cook things much, all my meals are not the same.  There are dishes I look forward to eating, and I am generally satisfied at the end of meal.  Though I do find I get hungry some in between (there aren't really any snack options that I can see right now), I don't feel like I am starving when I come to the next meal.  

The farmers' market is a wonderful thing.  Not only do I find produce that are safe for me to eat, it has given me a new perspective on food in general.  Vegetables I thought I didn't much care fore have a whole different flavor when they are grown local and sold fresh.  For example, I have not in the past been a fan of kale, but fresh kale that is harvested when the leaves are still small is absolutely delicious.  The same with chard.  And the carrots--oh my, how I love the carrots!  Here is how my kitchen can look after my Saturday trip to the farmers' market.

From front to back:  chard, Romaine, Bibb lettuce

Spinach

Fresh kale

Eggs, carrots, beef, and mushrooms are some of the other regulars that come home with me.

Where I have to supplement from the grocery store, I try to buy organic, and then I peel most things.  Since vegetable preparation can take some time, I also fix enough for three or four meals if it is something that keeps well.  All in all, I am getting a rhythm down so that meals don't seem so overwhelming, and I don't feel as though all I do is either think about or prepare food.

All in all, I come to the end of this year in a much better place than where I was last March.  I am not through all the adjustments, but I am down to the small things now.  It will be interesting to see where this year takes me.