day 3 of 42 days

Last night, my wife and I took the kids on a ride into Pleasant Grove where we helped some friends move into a newly purchased home. We were really happy for them, and it appears that they got a great deal.

Just after the move, we went to a nearby Macey's food store, where we purchased about 60$ worth of food for our diet. We bought all sorts of fruits and vegetables, ranging from strawberries, pineapple, etc, to garbonzo beans, black beans, etc., to green leafy salads. We also purchased some items that were OK for the diet such as whole-grain pita's, two varieties of hummus (originial and roasted red pepper), and some tofu. The diet is very strict, forbidding any kind of oils, salts, sugars, fats, etc. Having said that, you are allowed to eat hummus which, consequently, contains traces of both oils and salts, but that's it!

Anyway, today I woke at 5:20 am after beginning a church fast the evening before. I woke up with no energy, having eaten just fruits and veges very sparingly the two days before. After my church meetings, I came home and helped Anne with the kids. Even at 8:40 in the morning, my energy levels were down to "0", and the day was only beginning. After running after my son all day at church (my daughter was actually very well behaved), I felt even more tired. When church did get out at high noon, I felt a tremendous sense of relief, but knew it would still be a difficult day because not only was I on a vege diet, but I was also fasting (no drink or water) until 5 pm tonight.

So far I haven't noticed anything remarkable about the diet. I have noticed, however, that the western american diet, high in fats and sugars, is everywhere. Not many stores, especially restaurants accommidate a diet low (or in our case non-existant) in fats/sugars. My wife is concerned that we won't have enough money to do the diet. I believe that we will actually have more money because of all the junk we are cutting out of the diet; no more Big Macs, no more hostess HO HO's, no more $15.00 steaks. It is actually quite reasonable.

Having been on trips and just being with people in the food industry, I have eaten a lot of junk the last 2 months; ice cream almost every day, lots of meat and dairy, very little salad. My body is going through major with-drawals, and I hope my body can survive. I am determined to do this diet, and know it will be for our better health, no matter how much my body screens, and pushes and pulls these next few days. We understand through others that have been on the diet, that the first 5 days your body just screams for the fats, oils, salts, and sugars it is used to having. I now have been sugar-free for almost 3 whole days!!! That must be a first for me.