I’ve been clean for almost a week now. I’ve been weaning myself gradually over the past year, but this week I decided enough was enough. While I’ve had to improvise from time to time, I’ve remained 99% clean. Hell, one can’t go cold turkey and not risk falling off the wagon all together.
Eliminating all processed foods from your diet can be hard. Everywhere you look they sneak in preservatives, additives and chemicals. Shredded cheese has anti-caking agents. The list of chemicals in salad dressings and even tub butter are unfathomable. Why is it so hard to find “Real Food”? It’s not. You just need to look. If it comes in a box, bag or can you better read the ingredients (did you know they add sugar to canned kidney beans?). Just because something looks healthy, says “Organic” or “Natural” doesn’t mean it is. Politicians also say they’ll save America. They generally don’t. Read the label or better yet, buy it in its natural form.
But, as a working mom, I understand the necessity of convenience. It’s not impossible to find clean foods ready and waiting. I found this great chart at Summertomato.com and it’s been a big help so far.

So…why am I doing this again? For a few reasons. For one, my weight loss efforts have completely stalled despite eating a healthy diet, exercising continually and doing stress-reducing yoga. Something had to change and while it’s not a huge leap for me, it might just be what the doctor ordered. And if it cuts back on the migraines too, all the better!
Besides, what else would you expect from the hippyhikerchick (twitter)? Next thing you know I’ll become a vegetarian…maybe just a peso-veggie 😉 And for the record, yes, I do hug trees. But only when I think they need one.