A friend suggested I try Zevia as it does not have artificial sweetners in it.  It will take a while to get used to.  I drank it. Tasted like Diet Sprite. Blech. (Sorry Zevia people). I still do not have a huge mission against Splenda.  Right now, at the rate we are going, it is highly possible that hubby and I could pass away early due to obesity related diseases. We’ll focus on cutting white flour and sugar – and then work on options for our afternoon soda.

Which gets me pondering about the things I discovered this week that were in my daily habits list. I remember when the kids were little and we counted Weight Watchers Points.  I had not realized how many extra mac and cheese bites I took or chicken nuggets I consumed to not ‘waste’ food.  This post is sort of like that.

I have been drinking a lot of diet soda in the afternon.  I’ve switched to flavored, unsweetened tea instead. I don’t really like sweet drinks – so this is fine.  I still enjoy an extremely cold soda on my throat in the afternoon – but I’m working on it.

I have found  that most of the times we are using bread is because we eat with our hands and not forks. Does that sound weird?  We put eggs on our bread or in a tortilla. We put our meat and veggies between bread at lunch. We use Noodles or Rice to hold our veggies and meat at night.  I have not felt less full using a fork than my hands.  What led to this busy life style that we need to wrap every piece of food in a carb wrapper? 

We have been using cabbage leaves to hold our lunch foods in. I’ve been going through a lot more dishes and silverware. I’d rather wash a fork than gain more pounds out of being a lazy eater.

I choose poorly when I smell food.  Huh?  At Safeway with my list, but when I round that back corner my instinct is to put in English Muffin Bread or a fresh French loaf. How about some lovely rolls for a treat for lunch tomorrow?  Walking through the Farmer’s Market reminded me that I’d love some Kettle Corn. Samples abound at the Farmer’s Market – and they all use crackers, bread or pretzels as the vehicle to try the cream cheese or fruit or veggie.  Walking into Taco Bell this week while ordering a taco for the boys, I wasn’t even hungry, just had lunch moments before – but I could smell it. And I wanted it.  So far – smelling great food this week has been what has made me take up the discipline to say no.

Friends are really not the best place for encouragement while starting a new way of eating. Don’t get me wrong – I have great friends. But they bring a long their past experiences. I am thankful for the friends I have and are meeting on line with the THM Groups on Facebook. I’ve started to wonder – and did use it once at the Farmer’s Market with an aggressive sales person – if I should just start saying I’m allergic to wheat. Or make up some sort of physical issue? For those who have wanted us to give up white bread – they seem to claim the victory that we have started. Some in a hard to explain weird way. We do have close friends in town that are enthusiastic and wonderfully supportive. It is crazy, the different reactions. I have to not take it personally.

My front of saying I loved the way God made me – was really me giving up. Working out for the last few years without loosing a pound – breaks the hope. If I quite working out – even for a day – the scale would go up, with no hope of going down. I’d frantically watch my calories on days I knew I couldn’t exercise, and starve. I’d be so hungry that the next day I’d do a double workout.  One of the changes made this week – is I finally have hope. That I can DO something to get rid of this tire. I’m eating more than I have eaten in the last year, feel satisfied, my tongue is always happy, and the scale keeps going down. It’s Amazing.

Don’t worry – when school starts we’ll be back to the regular channel. I just like having a place to put down my thoughts this week – and I appreciate you listening.