Day 26

I used to make fun of my daughter for her love of quinoa. Quinoa is a highly nutritive seed that has been around for years but has recently received a lot of recognition in the culinary world. I had only eaten it once a few years ago when I was on a strict diet. My memory of it was not fond and I have avoided it ever since. Well, ever since today that is. I bought a prepared quinoa salad from Costco and ate it for lunch. It not only tasted delicious, but it was filling and gave me tons of energy.  I publicly apologize, Anne. You were right.

Day 25

This is an interesting day. Positive reinforcement really does help. I have lasted longer on this potential 6 week program than I ever would have imagined.

Today is Friday. It is the beginning of the weekend and the usual time that I start listening to that little voice that tempts me. "Go on, Patti. You can eat tonight. You deserve it. You've been so good and you work so hard."
However, this Friday night is different. I received an email from a friend that just recently started reading my blog. She was so complimentary, and so supportive that it made me want to continue. I was able to tell my husband that tonight we can eat salad (with dressing that I already had made) and we can have date night tomorrow. He was fine with that and now I have added one more day to my life as a Nutritarian! Thank you, mm.

Day 23

I learned something so cool today. I experimented making mushrooms in the crock pot. I had bought a container of mushrooms at Costco a few days ago. This morning I decided to cook them and figure out how I would eat them later. Mushrooms are a Nutritarian's friend. They are one of few foods that contain Vitamin D and they are a tasty texture replacement for meat. I washed and dried them and  put them in the food processor for rapid slicing. Then, I put them in my slow cooker on low for 4 hours. I did not put anything on them at all. No salt, no pepper, no water, no vinegar. When I came home, the house smelled a little funky, but my mushrooms were perfectly cooked with so much liquid on the bottom of the pot. I put some in a cup with a little salsa and hot sauce and ate the most delicious, satisfying healthy snack. I am buying mushrooms once a week!

Day 22

I wrote yesterday all about how important it is to eat salad. Did I even eat one piece of lettuce today? Well, sort of. It was crammed into my veggie wrap  for dinner. And....yes, that's probably mayonnaise you see touching it in the picture. And........cheese. Cheese!!!  So what happened? I was not prepared. I was tired. I came home late from work and headed to California Chicken Cafe for a quick take out dinner. I love that place. It's bustling with people trying to eat healthy and the smell of the rotisserie chicken is intoxicating. I was tempted to buy a piece of chicken with skin, (my favorite part, pre-Nutritarian) but I thought I made a better choice with the Veggie Wrap. I'm not so sure. It was too fulfilling, and it just felt a bit too indulgent.

Day 21

It's hard to believe that I have been doing this for 3 weeks. (Give or take an occasional cheat day) I should definitely notice a difference. (I do, but not radical) I should be a lot slimmer by now, and I think I know what I am doing wrong. I am not eating enough raw greens. The more raw greens I eat, the more weight I should lose.  I haven't been eating big enough salads. I've also been eating too many soups instead. I really believe if I follow this plan exactly, I will lose weight as well as feel better. Well, following  exactly would mean giving up my morning coffee. It is the one non-caloric pleasure I indulge in every morning, and I'm not convinced it is not healthy. I also refuse to part with it at this time. It's okay though, because even Dr. Furhman understands if you don't want to give it up.

Day 20

I wonder if steel cut oatmeal is more filling than regular oatmeal. This morning I took a walk with my daughter, and we ended up stopping for breakfast at a neighborhood restaurant. I bypassed all of the delicious sounding omelets and freshly baked bread options and went with the steel cut oatmeal and fruit. After only a few bites, I was seriously full. I'm not sure why, that usually never happens. Anyhow, I left most of it in the bowl, and was happy with myself throughout the day. It is good to start the day off right. 

Day 19

I made it through another day. Barely. Today I didn't eat breakfast. I left the house after a couple of cups of coffee, and then visited my mom and had more coffee. By the time I returned home, I was really hungry. First, I had a wedge of fresh pineapple. Then, I made myself a salad with Romaine lettuce and avocado. I was too shaky to make a non-oil dressing, so I just bit the bullet  and added olive oil. It was enough nutrients to get my blood sugar leveled and I started feeling better. Tonight, we went to a movie at 6pm, and didn't end up eating until almost 9:00. Again, I was starving, but I managed to order only a chopped salad with a light citrus vinegarette. What I am most proud of is what I didn't eat! I did not eat the meatball appetizer, and I did NOT eat the hamburger and onion rings that my daughter ordered! I feel like I should get extra credit for the food I passed on!