I wanted to start by sharing my Friday night experience since I'm not much of a weekend poster.
Friday night is that one night a week when my son goes to his dad's house and I have the option to be (within reason, and within the constraints of the law) a less responsible adult. This usually involves me staying up a little later (sometimes 'til almost midnight! whoa!), some alcohol and lots of, in the words of Joey from Friends, "fried stuff with cheese." The Whole30 has changed a lot more than my diet.
The original plan was to go to warm yoga Friday night and then Chipotle. I was pretty excited and felt virtuous. However yoga was canceled. So we decided to hit the gym. This sounded fun too. I was waiting in the cutest date night workout ensemble I could muster when Gino walked in the door from work soaking wet and semi-frozen from the day. He suggested we stay in and cook. I loved it. Neither one of us are the type to pass up a good workout but it seemed perfect in the light of things, and it was.
So instead we cooked the healthiest, tastiest meal we could think of and arranged it on his fanciest plates. He poured himself a beer and I poured myself some kombucha in a wine glass and we enjoyed it all in front of the fire.
The rest of the weekend was no different. I found myself again and again, focusing on the company I was with instead of what the next meal was or what treat I should allow myself and my son to have to celebrate it being the weekend. Instead I gave him something better....more of my attention.
And here's the craziest part! HE is starting to naturally eat better! He is trying new foods and interested in experimenting with healthy recipes. Last night, after him begging to make a "Wild Diet treat" (something he was inspired by Abel James to do), I helped him make some pretty clean, paleo style cookies which he ate in the same way I encouraged him to eat when I allowed him to have only two of his grandmother's french fries earlier that weekend, slow and meaningful. Tasting and savoring every bite. He even closed his eyes. He was perfectly content with only one, just as he had been perfectly content with only two fries. This is HUGE for him! The changes I see taking place in HIS attititude about food are perhaps the best gifts of this whole program so far.
The Whole30 has taught me that food and alcohol should not be the highlight of any event. It's like I knew that but I didn't truly KNOW it! I went into this feeling like life would be dulled and Friday night's would be empty without these two things. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everything is becoming better! Conversation is better. Bonding time is more meaningful. Food is a nice side note, human interaction is the main event.
So, needless to say, I'm in a great place regarding this whole thing right now. The end of this day marks the halfway point.
It's funny. Friday night I said to Gino, "the first thing I'm going to eat when this is over is...." And then I thought.....and thought. And I couldn't think of anything I wanted. Then I finally decided on exactly what it would be. I want to go back to that farm-to-table restaurant and order all those veggies I love so much and not ask what they're cooked in or for any substitutions. So THAT is what I'm looking forward to. Not cake or pizza or even beer. In fact, I feel a little queasy even thinking about eating any of those things right now, although I'm sure I will at some point. What I want is to not have to think so much about everything I put into my mouth. Not in an unhealthy way OR a healthy way. I just want to say "oh yum, those asparagus sound tasty, I'll take those" and then hand over my menu and get back to whatever amazing conversation I'm having with whichever amazing person in my life that I happen to be with in that moment.
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