Day 8

   Pretty good day. Grandma made some super yummy black beans and we made rice for the guys. And grilled cheese. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Of course I ate only the beans, pureed. They still tasted good. My weight is the same as yesterday. Holding at 5 pounds lost is okay.

    It isn't as difficult as I thought it would be, watching Grandma start coming off the detox, eating her salad for lunch. It helps that she gave me a pair of her jeans that now no longer fit. And they look really nice, and slimming. It is encouraging to look nice in something. To look in the mirror and not cringe or wonder where you went. I have lost water weight, I can tell by my face. I feel so good, energetic. My knees don't hurt anymore. And I realized tonight, the past couple days I've put baby down to sleep, I am able to bend a little easier and am more flexible when I lay her in the crib.

 I find I have to remind myself to drink teas now, so easy to get busy, but the teas keep me hydrated and full. Didn't make it out for a walk today. The snow and colder weather weren't tempting me outdoors. I wish I had, need to go to the mall if tomorrow is cold. Looking forward to riding my bike again.

 The one thing that I thought would improve, but it really hasn't, it mental clarity. If anything my brain fog has gotten a little worse. I feel kind of "spacey", you know when you walk into a room and then wonder what you were after. After some quick internet searching I stumbled on one possible answer to this. No protien. So I think a daily serving of pureed beans and yogurt (separately :) will remedy this. It might not be strictly following the diet, but I am in this for improved health and if I am going to last the 21 days concessions must be made. At least for me. I already had my homemade yogurt on the menu, but ran out of it a few days ago. I kept meaning to make a new batch, and then forgetting, again with the brain fog.

Hubby is a little worried I won't be able to keep up with all the soup making, powder stirring, tea sipping, veggie juicing this diet requires AND take care of baby. I think he doesn't want me to be disappointed if I end this early, or get frustated with myself if I can't "do it all". How well he knows me, and after only 2 years of marriage. But I am trying to be level-headed (even with a foggy brain :) and just take it one day at a time. If there is one thing I know, it is that holding on to my own will too tightly always leads to stress and eventually disappointment. So I will do my best to be flexible with the schedule, focusing on the purpose of the detox, rather than a rigid schedule. Though eating every two hours, I firmly believe, is key for sucess. So if, one day, it has been two hours and baby is fussing and needs a nap, maybe I'll just sip some bottled fruit juice til I can get to the juicer. Or if we need to head out, I might have to grab an apple and some carrots to tide me over.

 And now bedtime for this tired mama. Early to bed, early to rise. It is the "parents are visiting" schedule ;) love them both!

8 days down . . . 13 to go!