the original food diet: what I learned in 40 days

I just finished 40 days of the original food diet. 40 days of eating only real, plant-based food.

Three weeks ago, I was thinking this day would never come.  :)

I'm happy to say that today, 41 days after we started, I've never been more excited about a diet.

I've never followed any specific sort of "diet" before, so it was a completely new experience to have "rules" to follow. I mentally rebelled against the rules when I started. I missed my half and half and my salad dressings, and my granola bars. And the large {ridiculous} amount of caffeine I had acclimated my body to.

It's been 47 days since I had a Diet Dr. Pepper or any kind of soda. And coming from a serious ddp junkie, that's pretty much a miracle! I never thought I would give up drinks just like that.

I love the way I feel not drinking them. I love the way I feel not eating fake carbs like granola bars and cereal and cookies and chips. It sounds silly, but they drag you down and make you feel terrible. {coming out of 40 days without them, I can say that! ;)}

ah, dear cinnamon stromboli, you taste so good but I learned that you are not so kind to my body.

I've really learned a lot about myself in the past few weeks.

I always knew I had a love/hate relationship with food. I love to eat, I love to cook, and I love the way food tastes. I enjoy food.

But I had to micromanage what I ate in a way. I added up calories in my head, and the higher calorie empty carbs I loved often left me starving for more. Carbs and caffeine cycled in a way that kept me at high energy to exercise, but left me low after I was done. And it was always a delicate balance of trying to eat just the right amount so I felt good.

This way of eating has changed the way I feel and how I eat in so many ways! I have a steady source of energy, and I don't feel like I need to eat something all the time to keep it up. I'm rarely really hungry at all these days.

But what I was surprised by the most?

It wasn't the physical aspect of the diet.

It was the heart aspect.

I was kind of shocked to learn at least three different things during this challenge. I just never expected this to be any more than a surface level experiment. I mean, it's just food, anyway!

Here's what I found over the last 40 days:

1. I was finding my joy in food.
I had no idea that I put so much stock into what I was eating. When my favorite foods were taken away, I was nearly depressed. I didn't want to eat anything for a while. I couldn't have my favorite croutons, or bread when we went out, or the sushi I loved so much, or a piece of carrot cake on our date, and it actually made me feel sad!

I put so much anticipation and let my food choices control the way I felt. I don't overeat, so this was such a revelation to me. I loved food in a way that made it sort of an idol. It controlled my emotions. I misplaced my affections by finding so much fulfillment and joy in what I ate.

It might sound silly, but this diet has actually been a fast from my love of food.

2. Legalism is a battle I didn't know I faced.
Even though I love being given grace, I'm apparently a super rule follower {I'm sort of type A!}. I found myself being very mentally upset in social settings when I needed to eat something that wasn't on my diet. I said from the beginning, people before food- that I would choose to eat what was served by my friends and family because I loved them more than my diet.

But my heart still wanted to follow the law. I hated breaking the rules that I {a human!} had made. My own rules. Forget the big picture: that I was changing our entire lifestyle for the better, and that was on the diet for at least 40 days, and that one serving of something wasn't going to hurt me in the least. I was worried about the jot and tittle.

I found comfort in following the rules. And it makes me think about my spiritual life in a whole new way. How many times would I rather just follow the "rules" than the big picture- seeking after the heart of Jesus? Ahhhh.

3. Self-discipline is a very good thing for my heart. 
The past 40 days have been huge for my family. We've changed the way we eat, and I started the 12 hour challenge, where I stay offline for 12 hours a day so that I can lose my addiction to the constant flow of information.

Both challenges were extremely hard for me in the beginning. I felt like I lost my best friend or something. It was so difficult to let go of the things that I love so much!

But the results have been amazing. Disciplining myself to eat only foods that were good for me made me realize how poorly I was feeding my body in the past. Doing the same with the internet made me realize how much I was neglecting the things I needed to tend to in lieu of being in the know.

Disciplining myself actually brought me more freedom in the end. I now can enjoy whatever I want, because it's all good for me. Not being on the internet {a sacrifice for me}, gave me the ability to walk away from it and be present with my family.

I'm so glad to have walked through this 40 days.

It's funny, but I can't go back now. Freedom tastes too good. I love the food I'm eating these days- good, filling food.

We're staying with this diet, hopefully as long as we are living- but with one caveat- that we are allowed to eat meat, or dairy, or eggs if we feel it's important to the situation.

We will allow ourselves to eat a piece of cake on our special date. That's how I think we can stick to it long-term. We've changed our bodies to like the good food, but we don't want to leave behind every good thing and be all legalistic about it. :)

I'll update you with a physical changes post soon! I'm waiting to find out the final 40 day measurement stats! :D


Q: If you joined me, how did you do? I'd love to hear!


And whether you did or not, do you ever find yourself seeking joy from what you eat too? I'd honestly never thought about it before, but I placed so much emotion in to what I was eating! It was such a perspective change for me!

the 10 to 10 challenge: why I'm going to keep doing it

terrible cell phone pic of our library trip, but Ava was so cute I couldn't resist. :)

Two weeks ago, I started the 10 to 10 challenge as a way to refocus my brain and my priorities at home. I was becoming very ADD with all the things going on around me all the time. :) The challenge was to turn off the computer from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day so that I can focus on my children and husband and not be distracted by what was happening on the internet.

The first day was hard! I found myself wanting to check something and having to stop before I did it! And for a few days I felt like I was missing something important, that I needed to be doing more online.

But by the end of the week I started feeling a calm in my spirit that I hadn't felt in a while- like I could breathe again. I realized I didn't miss anything that I couldn't find out between 10 p.m.- 10 a.m. :) and that I had so enjoyed being present in mind at home. {so cool- mary from finding healthy hope told she experienced the same thing when she did the challenge!}.

With my mind being free from the pull of the urgent internet {ha!}, we all walked to the library and checked out books. I had so much more free time to read since I wasn't "allowed" to do work or anything online. :)

My husband noticed the most, I think. He told me he was happy that he had his wife back {sheesh, again!}. Honestly, I felt the same way. My brain wasn't being split in two {or more} all the time.

Elijah got his first library card {sniff, sniff}.  He's so big.

I didn't do the challenge last week, but I'm planning on going back to it again. I think I learned something about my heart last week that stepping away from the computer really brought to light.

This sounds really strange, and it's hard to write because it sounds so harsh and awful to me, but I realized that I am an information glutton.

Agghhhhh. That's hard to take. I don't like it. It sounds altogether too serious for a little too much involvement on the internet, but it's such an ugly thing. It's sinful for me.

I have been constantly feeding my need for information and relation through the internet. And so much like food, in moderation, information and social media is a good thing, but in excess it hurts me.

If I ate a piece of carrot cake every time I was hungry or wanted it, I would be a very unhealthy person- in fact, it would probably make me very sick over time.

But that's exactly what I've allowed myself to do when I am constantly on the computer whenever I want to be throughout the day. If I indulge in my fleshly desires constantly, my desires will eventually take root and become an idol in my life.

My soul is at battle in this place, and if I am distracting it with what brings me pleasure all the time, I'm losing the battle without even realizing it.

I am losing hours of my life to things that don't matter, and in doing that, I'm losing hours of the things that do matter.

I think that I need to discipline myself- and with His help, take control of the time He has given me and use it for His kingdom instead of for my own pleasure.

I don't have that many hours here in this place- I don't want to waste them on things that don't matter. I'm in a race to endure to the end, and I can't afford to lose because of something so seemingly benign, but so deadly to my soul.

Now I'm really good at justifying it. :) I tend to sugarcoat it and give excuses for it- like I'm learning important things, or I'm in community, or I'm trying to be a better home keeper. Again, in moderation, these things are good for me, but in excess, destructive to my heart.

In the week of my challenge, I was pushed to become more disciplined in my time, and to seek to understand where I was really needed both at home and on the internet. I was able to blog before my deadlines, and just turn it off after that, with a lunch break of checking in. It was very, very good for my soul.

I think I'm sticking with the 10-10 challenge long-term. It's really hard for me, because I love being connected. But I definitely want to make the most of this time I've been given, and make my family first priority over everything else that can wait until later. :)

I've changed the rules just a bit, because I've found it difficult to answer emails and things after 10 because I'm really tired, so I'm adding another 15 minute check-in during the evening so that I can answer emails as much as I can.

The husband has approved and recommended an earlier deadline, so the break is approved. :) It's a work in progress, and of course it might look different for someone else, but the heart of it is that I am present in mind with my family throughout the day, right? :)

If you want to join me in the challenge, I would love to have some accountability! For those who need it too, we can even start a Facebook group where you check in with the group and give report if you want! :D

Let me know if you want to join in! The more, the merrier!

I'm praying for you guys! :D Please pray for me to be diligent with my time, if you think of it too. Let's run this race together! :)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24

edited to add: I created a Facebook page for us as a tool to stay accountable. :D Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/The12HourChallenge

the 10 to 10 challenge: day 1 + a smashing life journal

So yesterday was the first day of the 10 to 10 challenge, and I'm happy to report that it went very well!

saying goodbye to this from 10-10 was a very good thing

I was surprised by five things:

#1- that it was so incredibly hard. It's become such a habit that keeping myself from doing it made me conscious of just how often I would touch a computer. It was painful to realize how much I used it.

#2- that the internet has become my second brain. No joke. If I want to look something up, I go look it up. I had a thought about looking up a dress I remembered seeing, and would've normally stopped and looked it up right then. Instead, I had to wait until later, and then I totally forgot about it, and still haven't searched for it as of yet. Score one for the brain!

#3- that my husband would be so pleased I was doing it. When I told him, not only was he really surprised, he even smiled and said, "Good! I like it, baby. I get my wife back!" {insert knife into chest and twist...!! ouch!} He was thrilled though, and that made my soul happy {and convicted to keep it up}.

#4- that I felt so much better. My brain emerged from the fog of distraction in just one day. It's true. Something about staring at the computer screen is hypnotic, and not in the good way.  I could breathe  deeply again.

#5- that I had more time to talk to God. Clearing out some head space made way for little conversations to be lifted up throughout the day. The coolest thing happened. I thought I would make time for the kids by doing this, but God used it to bring me to Him yesterday. Please, Jesus, let it be so again.

So all in all, it was completely challenging and convicting. And I'm excited to see how it changes our life even more.

Oh, and speaking of life changing things... :)

I found this at Target and it's so perfect for me right now as I'm trying to focus on being more intentional. I thought you would love it too! {I'm not being paid by the Smash people or anything, but I love it so much that I would be their spokesperson! ha!}

It's called a Smash journal {and it comes with a glue stick/pen attached!}:

I could explain it, but I thought they did it so well:

Messy and beautiful. It's perfect for us! 

I love how funky and fun it is! It's got the cutest sets of paper! Here's the first page:

I love how it's all laid out and cute and waiting for things to fill it...

because I'm totally not a scrapbooker. I did a short stint in 2004, right before baby #2 came along, and then like that, it was over. :P

Another thing I love: they have tons of list-making pages.

Like lists of things we want to do:

And lists so we can remember all of our special family bike rides:

And some pages are just pretty too. These two belong to my Isabella Rose. This is very similar to her nursery scheme almost five years ago. {tears!}

It was only $12.99 for the book and pen. I thought it was well worth the price for a non-scrapbooker like me! I think it's just precious.

To go with it, they had the cutest sets of writing prompts for $1.99 each.

I bought the "family" one.

Here is one of my favorites inside it:

Dear Smash journal people, we're going to need an entire pad of just this one:

I used one titled "the kind of parent I want to be" for my first entry:

So fitting for this week, yes? I was so excited about it! I think recording our family's special moments and even our struggles will be so good for me.

I love sweet little gifts like this... thank you Lord for knowing just what I needed to be help me to be more intentional in my time with them!

What helps you live an more intentional life? Do you journal? Or set goals? I'd love to hear!

the 10-10 challenge

Lately I've noticed that I'm starting to lose my attention span. I want to focus on my kiddos, but I feel like my brain is pulled in 3 different directions all.the.time.

While I'm writing an email, I'm being asked a phonics question, and while I'm answering the question all I can see is how I missed sweeping by the trash can. Do you ever feel like that too?

Sometimes I can barely even remember what I did all week, even though I was constantly busy. Then I stop and look into the eyes of my sweet children as I kiss them goodnight, and think, "why am I not being more intentional in focusing on them?"

I don't want to miss the forest for the trees. I'm so focused on little tasks all the time that I'm forgetting to enjoy the bigger picture. My oldest boy is 8 1/2 years old. He's half way through his childhood. 

Where has it gone? Seriously?

And why am I not enjoying it as much as I should be? 

Probably because I'm distracted constantly. Cleaning, internet, food prep, choreography, emails, laundry... and it goes on and on. I'm way too busy to enjoy their silliness.

So I'm going to try a little experiment this week to see if I can be more intentional. Less distracted.

The internet is going off from 10-10 this week. That's when my children need me the most. They get ready in the morning on their own, and get their own breakfast for the most part, so that's why I'm starting at 10- that's when we start school. They go to bed around 10 every night, too. 

I'm giving myself one 15 minute check-in after lunch when the kids are outside to answer emails and check Facebook and Twitter. It's going to be a challenge, since I usually have the computer on in the kitchen and pop in and out all day.

But it's going to be a good one for me {and you know I love a challenge!}: we have a busy week ahead: we're planning on having friends over for dinner, going to the library, and maybe even walking/biking the trails this week.

I want to be intentional with my children. I want to get to Saturday, and think, I've really enjoyed being with them. I've put them before emails, sweeping, and laundry, and Facebook. 

It's sad that I've gotten so far off-track. My attention span needs a good retraining. 

I love them so much. I want them to know they are first, not everything else. 

I'm planning to post as usual, but if I miss my daily deadline, you'll know why. :) 

edit: sweet friends, if you are looking for more resources on time management and self-discipline, you'll love my friend Courtney's 5 Disciplines series: Body, Mind, and Spirit! Go check it out!