I’m noticing that the pull of cooked food is less and less as the days pass by. I remember watching a YouTube video of Michael Arnstein, that made me think if I could just make it to 90 days then perhaps the “pull” would lessen. A few short days from that mark, I would say it is absolutely true. The standard American fare is so addicting, it’s no wonder that people keep going back to poor eating habits. The only way to break addictive behavior is to stop feeding that addiction. I think the other draw to SAD food is that we are nutritionally starved in general. Because our bodies believe we are starving, we crave calorie dense foods all the more. And so the cycle continues.

For the most part, I don’t really care what others are eating around me anymore. Eating is no longer the “event” it used to be for me. It’s also no longer one of the things I use to “drown” my sorrows, emotions, or stress. Even television is losing it’s luster. Yes, I watch, but I can get up and leave in the middle of a show, not caring one bit how it ends. I’ve been in much prayer about my television consumption over the years, and I really believe there was a strong link between my former diet and TV.

I was so discouraged a few days ago because I felt like my size had stalled these last couple of weeks. The Husband told me that I needed to trust the process. This led me to think about the positive things that are changing. The diminished pull of SAD foods was one of those things that encouraged me in that moment. I’m not doing this to lose weight, although I hope that will be a positive side effect. I am hopeful that healing will continue to come to my mind, body, and spirit through this journey.

Are you looking to make some changes in 2013? Check out The Journey for more information.

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What I read: Psalm 91; Joshua 1-4

What I ate:

• 5 oranges, 5 bananas, kale chips, 16 oz fresh OJ, sweet potato “chips”, pickles, AJ

What I did: walked around a mall

Here are the notes I made regarding my symptoms throughout Day 84:

• slowed digestion (gas, abdominal pain, bloating)
  
• headaches
  
• puffy hands, feet, and face
  
• sinus congestion
  
• dry/itchy eyes, skin, and scalp
  
• acne
  
• aching muscles and muscle spasms
  
• foggy brain
• irritability
  
• mood swings
  
• blood sugar fluctuations
  
• fatigue
  
• unable to sleep well
  
• unquenchable thirst
  
• cravings
  
• chest pain
• cold sores – last one 1/13/2013
  
• kidney stones – eliminated when we went vegan Oct 2011
• tooth pain
• sensitive teeth