Ready, Set, Go!

I have bid adieu to fries for awhile…sniff.

Today I had my meeting with Meghan to receive my program. Oddly enough, I feel sort of excited–even though I will be cutting out some of my favorite go-to foods. Some of them temporarily, some of them for the long haul.

Rather than completely shock my system with a detox, I think that over the next week I will working on eliminating the foods that Meghan says I should avoid. The list includes coffee and regular tea, alcohol, carbonated beverages, dairy, yeast/high fat, wheat, peanuts and pistachios, processed bread, corn, pickled processed and smoked meats, condiments and antibiotics (some of these foods may be re-introduced into my diet at a later date).

A hefty list! I’m not too worried about carbonated beverages. I’ve been known to have a few vodka diet-coke’s in my day (DCVs to the ladies who love ‘em) and gin/vodka with soda is also a favorite of mine. I only drink pop with booze though and since they’re both on the ‘no’ list, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Dairy and yeast will be hard–all those raised baked goods–and all before Christmas!

It’s a shame to lose the pistachios, but at least I no longer need to feel guilty about the untouched organic PB in the back of my fridge. I also feel okay with nixing processed bread, popcorn and corn (although corn is pretty much in everything–see this post of Meghan’s for more info). I can certainly give up smoked and pickled meats although I will have to answer to several of my Croatian friends…and their parents).

The hardest part of the elimination/detox process will definitely be the loss of dairy.

At this point, I’m starting to fear my own ambition: I really did not expect rehab to be this drastic. I thought it would be more about increasing veggies and fruit in my diet, drinking more water and eating less fried foods.

I am deathly afraid to tell my British parents that ‘tea’ is off the menu. I fear that my mum may cry. Until this point, I think she prided herself on the early age from which we drank tea from a china cup; I even heard her boast once that her children went ’straight from the breast to the teacup.’ Tea is the first thing I drink in the morning and the last thing I have at night before bed.

And no eggs? Eggs are my go-to meal! With the elimination of processed foods as well as dairy, I don’t know what I will eat!

Alas, in the place of tea and dairy are vitamin, mineral, enzyme and fibre-rich, whole foods as well as vegetable based proteins. That, I can deal with.

I fear I may be grumpy for a few days, but I’m taking it in baby steps. I will allow myself tea tomorrow morning, but I will not have milk. Oh, and oats are approved so I can have porridge. Mmm.

Wish me luck.

Big thanks to Preechy from Flickr for making my mouth water