Nov 18 - Day 13 of 21 Day Challenge

eats

Back on the juice track.  Bought collard greens by accident instead of kale.  I was thinking they were going to be potent.  But if you take three big leaves, half a lime, an apple, a cucumber and a beet it's really good.  The lime was a good change of pace from lemon.  Lime works just as good, if not better it turns out, in balancing it out and making it taste delicious.  Banana for breakfast.  Mixed nuts for snack.  For lunch I was without food and luckily the cafe here at the studio had vegan vegetable soup. No dairy, meat or wheat.  It did have white potatoes which is really the only vegetable I've been steering clear of.  That was my first time relying on a restaurant, besides Thai and I was glad there was something for me or I would have been stuck with more  mixed nuts.  I had prepared a salad for book club but there was a chef preparing a meal that looked beyond amazing and I went for it.  The most perfect looking fried chicken I have ever seen, mashed potatoes and gravy, sauteed asparagus and yellow squash and homemade apple pie and vanilla ice cream for dinner.  The next part of my blog was going to be about the importance of balancing cleansing diets, yoga and nutrient based food choices with pleasure.  So I guess it comes a bit sooner: 

the pleasure of eating

It started with deciding, oh i'll have the asparagus and yellow squash and then realizing they had been sauteed in butter and garlic, and then I thought, let's go for it.  This was my experience:  the chicken skin was perfection and delicious, as was the chicken breast connected to it.  I didn't eat the rest cuz without the skin it's really just neutral and doesn't have much taste.  Plus I felt like I had had enough. The mashed potatoes of course are good with some gravy.  But I noticed the same thing as I did with the chicken without the sauce there's not much there.  So I left the rest of that.  Surprisingly after what one could consider deprivation of these things and a major surplus of veggies, that was my favorite part.  Mind you garlic and butter was involved.  But there actual taste was the best on the plate.  I first opted for apple pie without the vanilla ice cream, and then reconsidered and went a la mode.  I didn't finish it either. The chef did an excellent job but I was full.  And that's what I noticed in general- I didn't eat until I was stuffed and feel compelled to eat everything on the plate which I typically do because I don't like waste.  I didn't eat out of habit, like oh I've been deprived of chicken and gravy, better stuff my face.  I just took my time and ate what tasted good to me right now and left the rest.  I also didn't have the feeling, oh I fell off the wagon, it's all over now.  And I really enjoyed it.  It was a festive occasion, we were all having fun and laughing.  It was well prepared.  I think so many times we're rushing and end up stuffing a stale bagel we don't even like in our mouth just cuz.  To me that's the balance to find.  Having to eat only fruits and veggies, has reacquainted my taste buds with how good it is, how good it feels and got me more creative about my choices.  It also helped me enjoy my chicken dinner tremendously.  My palette felt kind of cleansed, like I could really enjoy it.  And allowed me to eat for taste and pleasure rather than just being on auto pilot. I think my perfect way to eat right now is preparing meals for nutrition that make me feel good and when I eat for pleasure and social enjoyment to choose the best of the best, stuff that is really going to please me.  And knowing there is always more.  If I'm full or it's some part of it isn't hitting the spot I can have more again whenever I want.  It's all about feeling good and for me that requires food that is power for the cells and food that brings pleasure sensation and social connection that also makes me feel good.  

This reminds me on Saturday night I was at a pot luck.  Another festive occasion honoring a friend who had passed away.  There were 2 homemade desserts, one cranberry and the other apricot. Fearing I would somehow be letting myself down if I had a piece, since I hadn't yet strayed from the parameters of my program I opted to have a bite of each. Looking back I wish I would have just had a piece and let myself enjoy it in the company of such an occasion.  Might as well just go for it or not. The apricot desert was one of the most heavenly creations I have ever tasted.  One bite didn't do the chef or the occasion honor.

yoga

This is my first weekday with no yoga, aside from my flu day.  I intended to come to morning yoga and then got called in to sub both the morning and afternoon classes.  After a day in the office and book club I was wiped and headed for bed.  I felt it at the end of the day.  I've been craving yoga the last few days like I started craving my morning juice.  Will have to make it up this weekend.