You Might Think I'm Crazy

For the following two reasons:

1. This was my breakfast today. Remember when I said I reserved the right to use the cereal in a recipe if my sanity demanded it? Well, this morning it did. I ate scrambled eggs with Fiber One, shredded low-fat cheese and salsa. Not as bad as you might guess. The cereal was not crispy nor soggy. It was chewy, which is the best of those three options, if you ask me. It was pretty much like adding 14 grams of fiber to scrambled eggs.



2. I'm holding a grunge against Girl Scouts today. I see them at grocery stores. Friends from all over the country keep updating their Facebook statuses to gloat in their cookie orders coming in. It's all very hard to keep out of my mind. So, last night, during my Target run, I purchased a bag of these. At $1.52, they were nearly exactly a 1/2 price box of thin mints!

If it weren't bad enough that my will finally gave in to the siren song of "girl scout-ish cookies", the bag is now empty. (I had two other people helping me eat them!). Darn you, Scouts!

Chemistry

My father was a complicated patient. Over the course of the last 15 years, he's made adjustments to his diet to accommodate cholesterol, sodium (first less, then more), kidney function and in the last few days, abrasion to his stomach ulcer. During the last few months in the hospital, I've done a whole lot more serious contemplation of the effect of what I put in my mouth has on my organs and blood vessels.

I majored in Health Science (community health education), but it wasn't until having the real gravity of food choices thrust upon me by observing Dad, that I truly became interested in chemistry. I need to read more. Heck, I need to reread the text books I already have.

It's hard to grasp the fact that what I'm eating now has an instant effect on my body, when thusfar I've been blessed with a lack of chronic disease or condition that demands specific omissions from my diet. I can obviously see the long term effects when I suddenly realize the new pair of slacks I need to buy is a size larger than before. But, those instant effects are harder to keep in mind.

Packin' It

I hit the road today to do some more packing up of the old apt. These sample size cereal packages sure make it easy to pack food.

Curbing cravings is so much easier for me if I have snacks with me already. I really wish i had been disciplined enough to do it more during the last two and a half years of campaigning. Hopefully having this little bag o' fun will help me to resist the siren call of the cafe around the corner as well as abide by my cereal regiment.

You gotta Keep 'em Separated

This morning I managed to make my little sister a breakfast burrito with egg, sausage and cheese - yet eat Fiber One instead. I deserve a gold medal.

Ok.. ok.. so I made a smaller one for myself for my morning snack 2 hours later. BUT, the triumph is eating something separate. Dinner tonight will be difficult as well. Mom is making some pork chop pot roast dish. It smells heavenly right now.

Monday will be a birthday celebration for a good friend. I believe we're going somewhere for $1 burger night. Argh!

If I was isolated for 30 days, I would have no problem plugging away. But, living in the real world and (thankfully) having people in my life, means that my choice to do this 30 days of cereal will bring me into conflict with what other people eat.

I know this is a common dilemma for those going through dietary changes. If my only change was to "eat healthy", it wouldn't be a problem to engage those around me in the efforts. However, in my particular project, I don't think I can convince friends to eat cereal for dinner at the restaurant Monday.

Any readers have tricks for what's helped them get through a separate diet from those around you?

Salt of the Earth

It's only day 3, and I woke up to a stark reminder of why I'm not a natural frequent cereal consumer. Salt.

.

When I crave, I crave salty things. I haven't always been a regular breakfast eater, but when I have, and I'm happy, it's because of egg white omlettes. In fact, now that I type this and work it out logically, most breakfast foods are sweet, and that's probably the reason I don't always feel compelled to eat it.

.

This morning I wanted to eat something salty. I slept in. I could have gotten away with brunch instead of breakfast. But, I didn't want to ruin my 30 days and accountability to what I hope is a growing readership. I ate my Fiber One.

Carbs Ain't Heavy, They're my Brothers

I've realized that at least part of my motivation in doing this is in defense of carbohydrates. It seems, in today's America, poor little carbs can use a friend.

Low-carb diets have afforded me moderate success in the past. I understand the science behind it and agree with the premise in most regards.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) and as such, believe in the Word of Wisdom, what most of the world considers our "code of health". While it suggests avoiding alcohol, coffee and drugs, it also contains commentary on meat (to be eaten sparingly) and grain (to be the "staff of life"). This can seem to clash with what our eyes can see as convenient and nutritionless carbohydrates have helped our nation to hefty waistlines, increased rates of heart disease and diabetes and an endless supply of contestants for NBC's The Biggest Loser.

If I'm a small part of proving that whole grains and sensible choices can be a part of losing weight and improving health, I will consider this a success.