7 Days of Spring Cleaning

It's officially spring time, folks. And with that comes... SPRING CLEANING!

So I'm going to tell you a little tale, starting about 9 months ago, when I graduated from UC San Diego and moved "North". My reasons were varied; mostly, I was ready for a change of scenery, cheaper rent, and of course to flee back to the warm comfort of the nest and avoid the cold harsh realities of a post-graduate economic-pitfall kind of world. I'll mostly skip what happens the next few months, suffice it to say I managed to avoid unpacking hardly anything except what was absolutely necessary (again, varied reasons, too psychologically rooted to bear on the ultimate point of this entry, whatever that may be).

Fast forward to two weeks ago. Grandma was coming to visit. Grandma needed a place to sleep. I unpacked and cleaned. Ta-da! Miracles do happen my friends.

Now, having cleaned up that part of my life, I've decided to do a Springtime Detox of my body as well. It's been a long rainy winter up here. And I work someplace where cookies the size of your face are readily available. I'm feeling worn down and fatigued, and I'm ready to feel different. So, yesterday began my 7-day Spring Detox. For the next 7 days, the following rules apply:

- No wheat

- No meat

- No dairy

- No booze

- No unnecessary sugary things that magically haven't been eliminated by the above categories

I figure you can do anything for about 7 days, right? And knowing myself, I need a specific set of rules and guidelines to follow if I want any results to show up (exhibit a: the last four times I've tried to eat differently). I reserve the right to extend this if I start suddenly feeling fabulous and svelte at the end of one week.

I started yesterday, and so far it's going pretty well. I have a feeling the intense "give me sugar and junk food in my face noooooow" cravings will kick in tomorrow, but hopefully not. I'm helped along by the fact that several of my family members, chiefly my dad Tim and stepmommy Vicki, have dabbled in many various dieting trends, most recently a raw, gluten-free and vegan-esque diet involving a high-powered juicer. In any case, I'm somewhat aware to the different options that exist for me. And yeah, lots of people have already asked "oh my gooooosh what are you going to eeeeaaat, vegetables??"

I've been eating pretty well so far. Yummy smoothies, brown rice, oatmeal, broccoli, and tonight I made a massive pot of Escarole and White Bean soup (recipe to come, pending permission from the folks who originated it and who are currently working diligently towards cookbook publication, and who could throw me out of the next family gathering if they so choose--hint, hint.)

I'll keep you posted, oh ye of the internet mists. This is yet another built-in accountability method for myself, of course. And it's slightly indulgent. In a low fat, low carb, totally-in-line-with-my-rules kind of way. Yay.