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Today is the first day of Lent. I've been trying to decide if I should give something up in the spirit of Lent. I thought about giving up cheese. It would be the hardest thing for me to give up. But I'm already limiting it.
I don't know how to say this, but it doesn't feel right to me to give something up for just 40 days. I'm in it for the longer run. I think I want to focus on my lifestyle... avoiding dessert, making smart choices... just not being indulgent. That would have the most meaning for me. It would remind me to avoid temptation and it would help me after 40 days is over.
On one hand, I'm disappointed, because it's not very specific. It's not that "ONE THING" that I'm giving up. But on the other hand, I think that putting an old lifestyle behind me is the best thing I can do. It's all about avoiding temptation. It's all about keeping a bigger picture in mind. And it really IS harder than just giving up cheese (which certainly wouldn't be a walk in the park).
We had a Bottom Dollar store open up near my house and there are fresh foods that are drawing me in. I feel excited about eating. Actually, that's a good feeling to have when dieting because excitement keeps things fresh in your mind. Berry parfaits with lowfat yogurt and a little light whipped cream have become a bit of a staple. Or just berries alone.
I need to learn to cook... I really do. I'm starting to get the itch to try. The other night I made some orange roughy with lemon juice, trinidad seasoning from Penzey's, a sliced lemon and a little butter. I made some asparagus, too. It was a satisfying feeling to have produced a MEAL. I want to do this again... I wish I didn't feel so intimidated by the kitchen. I never learned to cook... but I keep telling myself that I'm hopeless at something I've never really tried much of.
Today, there are so many choices in the kitchen at work. Lots of sweets... Instead of the cake in the fridge, I had five almonds and some fresh fruit. At lunch, I eyed the "make your own pasta" station warily... and stumbled on a better option: baked fish, baked potato and veggies. Very satisfying. It's good to be happy about food instead of facing guilt after a meal and still not feeling very satisfied. I remember when I used to write down the things I did RIGHT for my diet during the day. Maybe I should start that again... Like today:
1. Avoided cake
2. Ate fruit for breakfast, lunch and a snack
3. Chose 5 almonds over less healthy alternatives
4. Was thoughtful about breakfast so that I wasn't hungry early in the day
5. Drank lots of water (almost 8 glasses in by 4pm)
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