Day Two - Life is like a box of chocolates, so you better pack some carrots just in case.

Day Two...SO MUCH EASIER!! Today's food choices were awesome. The only exception...plain, raw celery. There are not many foods I don't like, but this one might make the list. I enjoy celery with dip or in a dish or with peanut butter, but raw - for some reason my tongue was getting numb. I'll take that as a sign to let the celery be! Otherwise, I was super excited to eat all of the good things I had coming. New favorite dessert (and don't laugh because I know it isn't technically dessert, but since I'm not a huge sweets eater, it works for me) is spinach with sliced strawberries, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. YUMMY!!

Okay, enough with the food. I have to say that today really motivated me. I physically feel good, which I feel that I have to credit the good stuff I'm putting into in. I felt mentally clear, and I was in a decent mood. I could get used to this:) Today has been a day of reflection and here's why:

Many victims of abuse find it hard to move on past an abusive partner. They often go back and feel confused and even ashamed for wanting to be with someone who has hurt them. It may take some time before a victim is strong enough to feel like a survivor. When faced with the challenge of moving on, there are things that can draw them back or make them feel like they have to go back. Even when the relationship is over, there are some victims who find it very hard to let the abuser go. All it takes is a phone call, a plea for help, a promise to change and the victim feels powerless to walk away. Today I realized that the advice I would give to someone experiencing these problems is the same I can give myself to get through any rough times with this new lifestyle.  - When you aren't good at making healthy choices, you need to make the healthy choices automatic. An analogy could be: if you fill your fridge with only healthy foods, every time you open it, you will always make the right choice. It's basically like being on autopilot. Just like a victim who feels like they are being sucked back into the madness time and time again, you have to take the emotion out of it and let logic rule for a little while. Once the choices aren't so hard, and there is some distance between decision and emotion, you can be more flexible.

Right now, I am not in the position to be bargaining about my food choices. My husband and I were talking about how excited we were to drink our first finished beer, when it dawned on me. This is a potential pitfall very early on in the game. I realized that my emotions are so tied to my eating/drinking habits that I know even having that one beer may derail me. I had to remind myself that this project is priority, above almost every other thing in my life right now. In time, I will be able to make decisions about food mostly separate from emotion. For now, I have to stick with the plan and not look back.

To switch gears...NO EXERCISE AGAIN today. This is going to be a challenge. I am not really a morning person, but I think that it is going to be my best bet for fitting it in. It's not that I'm so busy when I get home, but honestly, I like to decompress, prepare dinner and lunch for the next day and spend time with my family. My motivation to work out after work - NIL. So tomorrow, I'm going to set the alarm a little early. Whether I exercise or not, my goal will be to get out of bed. Just to get my body used to be up earlier. So, send your prayers and thoughts to me so maybe I will have the gumption to actually get up more than 30 minutes before I have to leave for work.

That's it for today I think. I don't know if I'll be posting every day through this whole thing, but right now, it definitely helps keep me focused, so thanks for reading.