eating well

Since I have just returned from a shopping expedition to Wild Oats, the far-from-my-neighborhood health food store where I get my healthy eating staples, it seems like a good time for a healthy eating update!

There is good news on a number of fronts: I am sticking to it! Surprisingly, while we were on our last road trip for 11 days I was able to maintain the regimen and steer clear of sugar, white bread/potatoes/rice and pasta, and stick with fish and organic/free-range/natural meats when they were available. Dining out is a real challenge. Ruby Tuesday has a seasoned turkey burger with avocado that worked well, and of course a salad bar is a pretty safe bet (though I am learning to take salad dressing with me when I leave the house!). We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant one night and I was able to substitute brown rice, which worked well. And oh, their gingered Tuna appetizer was to die for!

Other good news is that I am losing weight! Clothes are fitting better, and at last weigh-in I was down seven or so pounds after four weeks of new eating habits. Yeeeeeehaaaaa!!!

The major challenge of this new lifestyle is access to food. Kroger carries a few things that will work, but for meats, breads and pasta I’ve got to travel to the other side of Nashville to get to Wild Oats. I’m grateful for its presence, but boy, do I wish Whole Foods was here! I am about ready to write a letter begging them to come to Tennessee—the nearest store to us is Atlanta, four hours away! Wild Oats isn’t bad, but WF is considerably better, and they have a pork sausage that is so good for breakfast you wouldn’t believe it! And yes, it’s expensive food, but again, when you consider the amount of money that people spend on things to help them improve their health and looks (cosmetics, clothes…) it is a reasonable expense and a good investment. There are other benefits, too, but for now I’m grateful for those that are most obvious.

And now, to break the news to Ken about today’s grocery bill…