Week Two: Day Five

Breakfast: one cup of orange juice, one bowl of organic granola cereal and half of a banana
Lunch: salad with avocado, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, and one scoop of chicken salad with a small amount of vinaigrette dressing and a handful of crackers
Dinner: pork tenderloin, roasted cauliflower, salad
Snacks: two Mich Ultras, two cokes, small amount of pepperonis, cheese, and crackers

Exercise: 25 minutes of cardio and a 5 minute ab workout. Both caused me to sweat and curse life.


     When I woke up this morning I thought that my legs were going to fall off. They still are sore, so I tried to focus on workouts that didn't use them too much. My 5 minute ab workout was so intense that I have a feeling that my abs will now be sore all day as well.

     As far as food is concerned, I recently purchased Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook titled, "It's All Good".  I am kind of obsessed with GP, but in a healthy way (not stalker crazy way). I subscribe to her blog, GOOP. I've been following it since she started it a few years ago. Now it has really grown into big thing. I love how she totally researches things to find out what's best. Her second cookbook is all about healthy eating, but it a fun and delicious way. Due to health issues, GP sought out guidance from many experts, and learned via blood tests that she needed to hit the reset button via an elimination diet (very similar to my detox diet from week one). Once she had completed the diet she consulted the health expert who advised it on what she was able to eat after the fact. He told her that she really needed to eat like that all of the time. That would be near impossible, so she tries to eat that way most of the time. Her cookbook is full of tasty recipes that are gluten, dairy, and sugar free. I am looking forward to trying them out.

     After reading GP's book, I feel a mix of emotions. So much of me would love to grow my own garden, go to the farmers market, buy only organic, but I live on a budget, and I am not disciplined enough to spend all of that extra time in the garden or in the kitchen. I am going to do my research and try to find the items that it really matters to buy organic. I would also like to start making a meal plan and working in some of her recipes into our daily, weekly, monthly routine. Another friend of mine once told me that she follows an 80/20 diet. 80% of eating healthy and 20% of indulging. I want to do what's best for my body and for my family. However, I don't want to care about it so much that I don't enjoy the occasional hot dog at the ballpark, popcorn at the movies, and ice cream cone on a hot summer afternoon. My goal is to try out the local market, support local farms, and try to buy things that are close to home (I've heard that the closer the produce comes from, the better it is for you). Maybe I can make that a fun weekend event with my family? In the meantime, I will still do my best to buy the best from my favorite grocery, Publix. It's hard to beat a place where I can buy everything I need from organic items, to household supplies.