Day 10 already?

I just realized that today is the 10th day of our challenge.  We have enjoyed delicious food these last 10 days, and I have learned a few lessons.  Some of my favorite meals were the tomato soup, fish and quinoa, and spaghetti.  Tonight, we are finishing up the 10 day challenge with whole wheat pizza.

I will admit, we were not perfect during the whole challenge.  We attended the Puyallup fair and enjoyed a taste of Elephant Ear, and a scone.  We also went to our one annual Mariner's game, and well, you can only get garlic fries at the ball field.   Despite the couple hiccups we had, I think it has been a great experience, and would recommend the challenge to anyone who is willing to open their mind.

Some of the things I gained from the challenge is a new perspective on what we are actually putting in our bodies.  As we began the challenge, we separated the pantry into things that were okay, and things that weren't.  There was much more on the not okay shelf than the items that meet the challenge.

I learned that eating real food takes more planning.  I made all my own breads/tortillas during the challenge, and while it isn't hard, it does take some time and planning, both to make sure you have everything you need to cook the item, but also the time it takes to prepare such foods.

I learned that switching from country potato bread to 100% whole wheat everything can do a number on your digestive tract.  My tract is different than most due to some surgeries, however, I noticed that my system had a hard time the first few days with all the whole wheat.  I am pleased to say, that I think I have adjusted, and I don't really want to go back to white.

I have gained a taste for whole wheat.  I am still not a huge fan of red wheat, but this white wheat is pretty darn good, and definitely a step to accepting red wheat.

I also learned that just because it is "real" food, doesn't mean you don't have to watch what you are eating.  I didn't lose any weight during these 10 days.  It is okay with me, but just because it is real doesn't mean it is diet food.

I learned that this is possible and can be a way of life.  I liked the taste of many things I ate.  I expanded my horizons and wasn't afraid to try to make things a little differently and more from the earth.  It is possible to feed kids real food.  Alice loved almost everything we ate.

So what now?  The Lybbert family is going to continue the challenge for the 100 days, with a couple exceptions.  We realized that although we could try to be perfect, we are not going to.  We know there are social events and family gathering where we cannot control what is served.  In those situations, we will eat what is there.  We may also be a little lenient on the sugar aspect, but eat it VERY sparingly.  (I really miss a good icecream, and Breyer's meets the criteria except sugar).  We are planning to stick to the no fast food, and at home, we will try to cook only real food, and more from scratch.

I will continue to post about our real food adventures and hope to read about yours!