SURVIVAL
The first week of the Eat Like Brady Could Eat Challenge (ELBCEC. There. An acronym! I feel like this is all official now!) was all about sheer survival. Plain and simple. The headaches and shakes started to go away by Day 5. The headaches were most likely caused by sugar withdrawal. That’s a very real thing, by the way, and it’s not pretty.
For as long as I can remember, I have had a perpetual sweet tooth. I’m pretty sure it was passed down to me by my mom (thanks Mom!). I have always had to have a little something sweet after each meal. I have also enjoyed a little dessert action in the evening, after the kids are down. It’s my thing. I love my thing. And now my thing is no longer and has been robbed of me. I went to a very bitter place most evenings during Week One. I even tried making “banana ice cream.” It’s simply made by blending a frozen banana into a “soft serve” consistency. I added a bit of almond butter and cinnamon. It’s not bad, but it’s no Cookie Dough DQ Blizzard.
THE FINE LINE BETWEEN EUPHORIA AND PASSING OUT
As promised by JJ Virgin’s 21-Day Virgin Diet, my husband lost 7 pounds in the first seven days and I lost 5 pounds. It was a long, agonizing week and those pounds were not lost easily. I kept encouraging my husband that my coworker, who has tried the diet before, says that once you get passed the first week, you will start to feel "euphoric". My husband kindly reminded me that there is a fine line between euphoria and passing out. He definitely has a point.
Thank goodness my Virgin Diet recipe book came on Day 4, and I felt like we had been given a glimmer of hope. We had been living off of the two Virgin Diet shakes/day and quinoa pasta or black bean/salsa rice wraps for dinner. The recipe book is full of really good recipes. I have already earmarked five to make over the next week or two and they look promising!
SNACK TIME!
I have always been a habitual snacker as well. There. All my eating habits are out there. I usually have a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon simply to keep the shakes away. I know it’s a blood sugar thing and I have always been the type to need a snack between each meal. Well, with this diet my snacks felt fairly limited. I went to Whole Foods to find some top 6 food allergy-free snacks. Not easy, let me tell you.
I found bags of these bean snacks. One was cleverly labeled, The Good Bean, Sweet Cinnamon. I thought, well, that sounds tasty. Fall is here and I love cinnamon. The verdict? It tasted like sawdust sprinkled with cinnamon. The exact opposite of appetizing and I was pretty disappointed. I also found some rice “lightly salted” brown rice cakes. The verdict? More sawdust, but with a hint of salt this time. I was very discouraged. Apples became my best friend for snack time. When I really feel crazy, I slice them and put a bit of almond butter on them. That really is pretty good.
IT AIN’T CHEAP
It ain’t cheap being healthy. I have quickly seen my grocery bills skyrocket since shopping organic at Krogers and Whole Foods. So many times I have picked things up to look at the ingredients, get all excited because they’re top six-free, then see the price and gasp. $8 for a half air-filled bag of healthiness? I think not. I was in sticker shock and I couldn’t believe the amount that was being charged to live a healthier lifestyle. Mind-boggling. So, I buy in moderation, eat in moderation, and try to make the darn stuff last as long as possible.
I saw something on Facebook last week that had perfect timing because I could so relate. It was an article from the Huffington Post website entitled, “Surviving Whole Foods”. I especially like the bit about recycling bags. Check out the link below.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-maclean/surviving-whole-foods_b_3895583.html
A BEACON OF LIGHT
On Day 5, my husband and I started desperately thinking about restaurants out there that could suit the ELBCEC. We like to eat out and already by Day 4 we were craving an eating out experience. Then it dawned on us, Chipotle! Do you hear the angels singing? We do, and it’s magnificent. We called Chipotle to check out what oils they use to cook with. After some investigating, we deemed it safe. Hallelujah! REAL food. I got my burrito bowl to-go and rushed home. I had to alter my usual a bit. No sour cream or cheese, but I didn’t care. As I shoveled in the brown rice, beans, grilled veggies, guacamole (to die for), tomato salsa, and lettuce, I happily thought to myself, “I’m gonna make it. I can totally do this thing!”
SATURDAYS
Other than Day One, Day Two, Day Three, and Day Four of the ELBCEC Challenge being extremely hard, Day 7 was definitely one of the hardest. It was Saturday. I love Saturdays! I get to eat breakfast with my daughter. Sometimes breakfast includes a trip to Krispy Kreme and I love every minute. I don’t get to enjoy many meals with my son, so taking my daughter, Sydney, out for a meal or treat, is really a treat for me as well. When raising a child with EoE, food can easily become “the enemy”. With my daughter, who is EoE-free, I get to remember that food isn’t all bad. In fact, there can be lots of joy in food.
So, Saturday was here and it quickly dawned on me that I was not going to be able to partake in my usual treat with Sydney
FOOD ENVY
Instead of making my day about eating, I got a chance to go to a bi-annual event called the “Springfield Vintage Marketplace”. It’s an event where vendors and antique stores come from all over the place to sell antiques, furniture, repurposed items, etc. I love all things vintage and look forward to the event each September and May.
My husband kindly let me check out the event for the afternoon, even though the The Ohio State Buckeyes were playing. Yes, I have a very nice husband. I happily started exploring once I got there, then was quickly met with my own personal food haven. I hadn’t even thought about being faced with food when I left for the event. There were food vendors everywhere selling all kinds of delicious yumminess, all of which I couldn’t have on the ELBCEC. I cursed quietly to myself. And I’ll admit, a bit tearful as I had to pass up the ice cream vendors, candied apples, fries, elephant ears, chocolates, etc. etc. etc. I kept my distance from the food vendors and their enticing smells, however I had to still face the people walking right by me and around me with their plates full of all things delicious.
That was rough. I forgot how so many events out there really effect kids with EoE. Everyone walking around with food that are denied to kids battling EoE. I didn’t think it was fair to have to pass all that up and I childishly wanted to stamp my foot a bit. I refrained because I didn’t want other shoppers to think I was a complete weirdo.
WEEK TWO
Starting out Week Two, I’m in a much better place. I’m not so overwhelmed, I’ve lost a few pounds, I’m feeling good, and I’m starting to get some energy. I’m also, thankfully, not so wrapped up in food. The two Virgin Diet shakes per day now go down to one a day. The shakes aren’t so bad, but it will be nice to actually eat something for a meal twice a day now.
The first week was all-encompassing. It was everything. It was all I thought about because I was starving, moody, craving unhealthy foods and bitter. I know the bitter part is a bit confusing. After all, no one was making me do this but myself. But it was challenging and hard and I desperately wanted my usual eats. But through sheer will power, I made it through the first week and I’m a much better person because of it.
Week Two is promising. I’ve stopped thinking about food as much. In fact, I almost skipped dinner on Day Eight without even meaning to. I just wasn’t that hungry. I used to live each day finishing one meal and immediately starting to think about my next. Food isn’t such a focal point and I’m becoming okay with sawdust snacks mixed in with an apple or two. They start to grow on you. Over the next few weeks, my quest will be to find non-sawdust snacks.
“You are what you eat” is a quote that I’m actually starting to believe in now.
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