Day two: emotional eating

Today went well - morning was a smoothie with lettuce, blueberries, raspberries, cashews, a little coconut milk, 1/4 avocado, cinnamon, and almond milk.  I'm not going with the actual recipes with the smoothies - just using allowed ingredients.  Lunch was the salmon with broccoli rabe and quinoa, but I couldn't find broccoli rabe at the store so just used broccoli.  It was great - we put some salt, pepper and a little tamari on the salmon before searing. 

Evening was more difficult because we got home at 6 PM and I was STARVING so I ate some bites from the quinoa and also a couple of crackers and hummus (Matt was raising his eyebrows saying that I was cheating bc you shouldn't eat solid food at night but I darn it I was hungry), and then I couldn't find the Clean book to make my soup (!!!) so I just made a smoothie.  This one was better than the morning one: blueberries, raspberries, almond butter, cocoa, a little agave nectar, flax seed oil and almond milk.  It was a slightly sinful, and I was debating if it was truly allowed, but it tasted divine.  My son asked me for some of my smoothie and I had to explain to him that he could NOT have any because this was my dinner and I was HUNGRY but I would make him another one in a minute.

Which brings me to the topic of emotional eating.  The cleanse experience has allow me to rekindle a relationship with my body and food.  We all have a "relationship" with food, whether we eat a lot of junk food, or are a strict vegan, we still have our own issues with what we eat, when we eat it, guilt, happiness, frustration, etc.  By doing this cleanse, I have more free time.  It's not because I don't make three meals a day, because I am still making meals for my sons.  It's because I don't have to think about when I am going to eat, what I am going to eat, if I should eat, if I am hungry or not, etc.  I know what I am going to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and when I am going to eat those meals.  It is freeing, and also sort of frightening, because I had no idea how much time I spent stopping for a coffee somewhere, making a snack, standing in the pantry debating if I was hungry, etc. 

By changing my eating patterns, it is also easier to truly feel when I am hungry, and when I am not.  Part of hunger is thinking that you might be hungry - for instance I had a shake for dinner - I should be hungry now!  But if you truly listen to your body, your realize that being hungry is not the same thing as not being full.  We are so used to eating until we just can't eat any more, and it is much better for our bodies to stop before we are full.  But it's hard to do when there is a delicious plate of food in front of you... much easier to do with a smoothie.  Ha!  By the way, I am completely satisfied and not the least bit hungry right now (honestly).

I am already feeling the happiness that comes along with this experience.  I am seeing more clearly and am living more in the present moment.  Caffeine, processed sugar and alcohol put me in a haze.  As much as I love them, I think I might love being without them a little bit better.  The haze lifts, and you find a sense of peace and serenity. 

Now how many days until I can have them again?  Hahaha....