At this point, I think I’ve got the diet part pretty much down (though I do still have to test my sensitivity to soy and corn when I reintroduce those after the program ends). No surprises here, but: fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs and whole grains are all a-ok for me and my digestive system. I also realized with new understanding just how damaging sugar (Mom’s been telling me for at least a decade) and dairy are for me, and I don’t digest meat well, either. Gluten, as we well know, is my kryptonite, and you couldn’t pay me to ingest it at this point.

I think it’s important to not feel the need to be 100% perfect 100% of the time, though. Even Dr. Lipman says so! Seriously–it was one of the daily pulses: ease up. So, taking that advice, when we had our monthly TED talks evening over the weekend and a friend showed up with a delicious looking bottle of Montepulciano, I decided that I was going to give myself the OK to have a glass. Just one. And what happened as soon as I gave myself permission to do that? It lost the allure. I realized I cared more about feeling healthy than I did about sipping that robust 2007. Towards the end of the evening, I asked myself how much that glass of wine would have improved my experience if I’d had it earlier on. Would I still be enjoying the taste? Would I have been driven nuts by the fact that I couldn’t have a second? Would I have had a second or third? I realized that even if I enjoyed it while I was drinking it, the pleasure would soon be over.

Don’t get me wrong–I’m a big supporter of pleasure! Big time! But lately, feeling healthy and energetic is the real pleasure. Now that my tastebuds aren’t numbed by sugar and freaky oils and additives, fresh salad tastes really good. Long walks with friends leave me smiling for hours. The deep breaths and releases from yoga send me buzzing.

Which brings me to the part I really need to be working on. The food part, I get it. It’s the activity I need to work on. My darling man has been encouraging me to be more active since we met. And I really enjoy lots of physical activity. Hiking, kayaking, yoga, biking–all wonderful. I’ve definitely been better about physical activity since starting this program, but it’s going to be a while before I really make it a habit. I know the benefits, I have loads of inspiration, it’s just a matter of making time and getting off my butt.

And then there are days like yesterday and today when you just have to give in and accept defeat. I’m sick, my body aches and tummy’s funny and I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck. I’ve been spending a lot of quality time with my pajamas, tall glasses of water, and wonderful fella. I figure my body’s actually in a position to kick this bug quickly if I can keep giving it what it needs, so I’m trying to take it easy so I can get better. The universe must have heard my whining about having to go work this afternoon (truth be told, everyone must have. I pouted for at least an hour.), and just as I put on my coat, I got a message that my afternoon student wasn’t coming today! Oh hurrah! I stripped down and climbed back into my PJs in record time, grateful for this extra down time before my evening classes.

Let’s start with the awesome.

• In fact, let’s start with vanity: my skin looks brighter and I’ve lost the last bit of weight I wanted to lose. You know, those really stubborn few lbs that bug you? Gone.
• I’m waking up more easily. Some days I still feel really groggy for a while, but I have had more days when I wake up feeling (gasp!) awake than I have in a long time.
• I have more energy. I’m slowly working a little yoga back in, and I actually thought about going for a run the other day. Of course, I didn’t go for a run, but the last time I even thought about it? Maybe in September? Maybe?
• It helped inspire screenless nights, which have been beyond fun. In fact, last night we turned the TV off early and then spent over an hour huddled around the puzzle.

But now for the not so awesome, or the hitting of the proverbial wall.

• Half of that stubborn weight came back. I’m trusting that at the end of the next four weeks it will be gone again though. Right?
• Sunday I was essentially on a high from how amazing I felt, but for the past three days I’ve felt pretty lousy. Foggy headed, fierce headaches, grumpy tummy, the whole bit.  I can’t figure this out–the sugar has been gone for two weeks, I only drink a cup or two of green tea a day, haven’t had meat in weeks, and generally, I’ve been eating really well. (Aside from cheese. That goes out this weekend, but I’ve been indulging a bit.) I don’t feel stressed, and in fact, have been working to add joy to my life. Could this just be the result of so many changes? When will it stop? (And, for the record, it’s not PMS headaches.) I have really been trying to wean myself off of Motrin except for when I really need it, but I have definitely been knocking back a few each day.

So that’s where I stand. I’m definitely not quitting, and the good far outweighs the bad. I’m sure I’m just in a lull, so I’ll stick with the next four weeks, but I’m really looking forward to another surge of energy. Or, at the least, a break from headaches. I’m not being a saint on this program–the portions that require fairly regimented schedules just don’t work for me in my current work situation, but I am trying to do modifications. For example, I’ve tried to eat bigger lunches when I can and not to sleep in even on days when I don’t have morning classes. There are also parts I need to be better about and can be better about, like increasing the restorative exercises and doing more calming practices before sleep, which I think will really help.

If you’re curious about the Spent program, you can enter to win a copy of the book–and a free email consultation with the author, Dr. Lipman, my entering here. (Deadline is this Friday.) If you already own a copy or would prefer a different book, you can also choose from The China Study or Eating Animals, too. Good luck!

While I’m not one to get excited about celebrities — it’s just not something on my “I care about that” radar — I realized that is completely different when it comes to health celebrities.  So when I saw that I had a comment from one of my all time favorite, realistic, gorgeous, and fun health gurus (for lack of a better word), I nearly jumped out of my chair. Thank you, Kristen Suzanne, for checking out my blog!

Now that that little geek out is over, I’d like to direct you over to my very first guest post, ever. My amazing friend Jen, back in Pennsylvania, has an informative, down-to-earth blog tracking her own health journey and findings. She invited me to do a guest post, so I wrote about my love affair with my VitaMix blender and green smoothies. It’s long, but I tried to break it up with pictures. (Including one with my brand spanking new haircut. Which I realized I share with Suri Cruise. But hey, at least it’s not green anymore!) Scroll down below my post for a very lovely and warm introduction from Jen.

The last piece of exciting news is that I have *drum roll please* energy! On Saturday night we had some friends over to watch TED Talks, have a few drinks, and see what sort of discussion followed. We listened to Larry Lessig, Amy Tan, Isabel Allende, and Ken Robinson. Each was interesting and engaging, but Isabel Allende and Ken Robinson gave me the chills.  Unfortunately, we stayed up way too late, and I drank way too much, which meant Sunday was a wash. But when I woke up yesterday (Monday), I was amazed. I didn’t have trouble getting out of bed. All I wanted was a green smoothie, and my energy lasted all day. Today, same thing. Woke up feeling awake, made my honey some hot choco, and…didn’t have to resist making some for myself. I just didn’t want it. WOW.

I think a few things are at work here.

For starters, I finally found an endocrinologist who would increase my synthroid from 88mcg to 100mcg. And to think — I only had to travel 8,000 miles to do it! I’ve only been on this dosage for about 5 days, but this is the first time I actually feel a difference from taking my synthroid. In ten years. Could you imagine taking a little pill every day for ten years, and feeling no difference from before you took it? It’s frustrating, to say the least. I have blood tests scheduled for January to check my thyroid levels, and I hope they’ll be within range so I can continue at this higher dosage.

The other big change is that I’ve been super consistent with my green smoothies for two weeks. I’ve found a combination of ingredients that seems to really work for me, targeting my three major areas of poor health: digestion, energy, and seasonal depression. The addition of kale seems to have made all the difference. My green powders are great, but the real greens, that’s where the vitality lives. The best “side effect” of these green smoothies, coupled with a decision to forgo wine during the week (baby steps, people) has pretty much zapped my sugar cravings. Let me repeat: Zapped My Sugar Cravings. If you’ve met me, you’ve probably seen me inhale sugar and refined carbs like it’s my job. And now, for now, I don’t even want them. Hallelujah!

I really feel that I’m on the road to a vibrant life. Work is about to get crazy again next week, which is part of the reason I’ve spent these last few weeks focusing on restoring my system. At least I’m entering the 70 hour work weeks with a functioning, energized system. There’s no reason I can’t sip on green smoothies during class all day, so I think I have a real chance to stay healthy through these next two months.

My next goals are to resume meditation and yoga practices. I’m not sure what those will look like for me yet, so I’d love to hear what works for you. I know I need to start small and let the results fuel the next stages. Ideas?