Week 1+

I received a lot of non-blog communications this week about my new 'diet.'  There seems to be a lot of concern that I am not getting enough to eat.  In the interest of those concerned about my stomach, let me say, I am probably getting far more nutrition.

Prior to the retreat, the vast majority of my daily calories came from wine, cheese, yogurt, and Haribo tangtastics - extra sour gummies.  All of these are now off limits because of yeast, yeast, yeast, and sugar/citric acid.  When you see it written like this, I imagine you might think - this is not the diet of a grown woman and you would not be wrong.

Now, I have to plan my meals and go to the grocery store regularly because the food I 'can' eat doesn't last forever.  The new meals I eat, I generally like and I don't feel deprived.

Weekday breakfast: Organic Scottish oats made with almond milk, topped with pomegranate seeds, nectarines, and toasted pecans

For lunches at work, I having been having a frittata with a side salad of arugula and tomatoes.  Snacks involve apples, cashews and coconut.  Doesn't sound too bad, right?

Dinner has mostly been salads with fish and vegetables.  No dressing is not as big of a deal as I thought it would be.  I have been using herbs and good olive oil.

Salmon with tarragon, arugula and tomatoes and sweet potato hash

I don't eat much bread so I really haven't missed it, but I have tried some new recipes for the fun of it including banana cookies with oatmeal and oatmeal bars.  Oatmeal bars didn't even make it into a storage bag and took the fast track to the bin.  

Banana cookies lasted for a few days, but then I decided they were gross - its the sugar substitute that always gets me - yuck!  So I branched out and made up my own recipe for biscuits this morning, and I'd have to say they were better than 'normal' biscuits - so crispy on the outside and tender inside with a nutty flavor from the spelt.

Weekend breakfast: Scottish smoked salmon, scrambled eggs with dill, spelt biscuits made with ghee and oatmeal 'cream'

So, you might wonder how I must be feeling.  I cannot tell a lie, I feel awful.  I am so tired.  When I do any sort of physical activity - like walking up the stairs at work, I get that my-muscles-have-no-oxygen feeling.  I have lost an 1 inch around my waist and a half inch around my thighs, which I assume is water because let's face it - that is the only thing you can lose in 2 weeks.

I checked with Gill and she is feeling amazing and completely full of energy. I am puzzled by this as I am clearly getting far more true nutrients then before, but I will continue.

Why some of you might ask - well I say, why not.  It's only 4 weeks, and the worst thing that can happen is I feel no different and then I go back to my naughty ways.