Ten days ago I embarked on a detox. No, not lemon water and cayenne smoothies, not some Shakeology diet bullshit–but a detox. A commitment to eat clean, cut out some of the foods that can bother your digestive system, and develop a better relationship with food in general.
The list of items I cannot eat is way shorter than the foods I can enjoy.
Do not eat:
-Grains of any kind
-Dairy (I know… for the love of cheese!)
-Fruit (Unless it’s in a smoothie in the morning, half a banana at most.)
-Artificial sweetener
-Sugar
-Red meat
-Legumes (this includes peanuts and peanut butter)
-Caffeine and booze

Eat!:
-Everything else.

I’ve been tracking my meals and snacks and exercise via My Fitness Pal, consulting with my friend/personal trainer about how much and what I should be eating, my exercise routine, my fat to carb to protein ratio–wow, this is sounding a lot harder than it really was.

In short–I’ve become conscious of what I’m putting in my mouth. Just because there is banana bread that someone made does not mean I need to try a piece of it. I’ll feel better if I don’t. The guilt of food has lessened, our relationship has grown stronger, I’ve begun cooking more and spending more time with the veggies that I’m going to consume. I won’t lie, I talk to them as I chop, sautéed and add spices. My co-worker said that cooking is like dating before you have sex. You have to really get to know the ins and the outs of the food, the nutrients. Ask: What are you going to do for me? Are you going to hurt me or help me in the long run? And the listening for an answer. Savoring each bite and really letting the food support and nurture you.

The detox ends after tonight. I’m not sure if physically anything has changed, but my peace of mind and thought process about food has definitely developed and become stronger. I will absolutely continue this way of eating–perhaps with a glass of wine or a cocktail thrown in every once and a while.