Being Mindful

I have successfully completed my second week on my weight-loss plan. I feeling so amazing.

A big part of the reason for doing this was spiritual. I felt that I was out of touch with what I was eating, that I was not thankful for all the food available to me, and that I was forgetting to treat my body as a vessel for the gods.

Two weeks in, I feel that I'm in touch with the gods again in this aspect of my life. I give thanks before every meal and savour every mouthful. Because I am consciously counting every calorie, I am very careful in selecting what I ingest. Quality becomes very important.

I haven't really cut anything out of my diet, at least nothing that I miss at this point (like butter on potatoes--turns out cottage cheese and herbs are more satisfying!). I analyze my cravings and see if I can satisfy them in a more healthful way.

But I don't deny my cravings entirely. For the past three weeks, I have been wanting pizza. Tonight, I decided it was time to indulge. I got a single slice from my favourite place instead of two (or a whole pie!) and had a huge salad instead of a beer with it. It was sooooo satisfying.

Earlier this week, I needed chocolate and I bought a high quality one that I ate over the course of a few days. Every mouthful was nirvana, the chocolate so delicious and creamy with no doubt that it was made from good cocoa. Who needs a waxy Mars bar after that? I think that's one of our society's problem; that we go for cheap things instead of high quality ones and it takes more to satisfy us.

I'm cooking so much more now than I have in years and I'm eating more fresh fruits and veggies. My grocery budget has skyrocketed, but my restaurant budget has plummeted and I am finding that everything I make tastes sooooooooooooo good. Fruit is sweet, vegetables are bursting with flavour, plain brown rice is tastes pleasantly nutty, and the best snack is a handful of fresh pecans. I make simple meals and have been experimenting with herbs and citrus juices for flavour instead of fat.

It feels like spring has sprung in my soul and my body is reaping the benefits.