Last Friday I started the Unprocessed Food Challenge issued by Eating Rules. For one month, I am doing my best to not eat anything out of a can or a box that contains additives and other hidden ingredients that I would never use in my own kitchen. As a foodie, I approach this challenge like a runner training for a marathon - a great way to test myself and do a little better than normal.For me this means no convenience foods like canned black beans or enchilada sauce (I made the eggplant enchiladas before the challenge started) or popsicles. I don't eat any of these things that often (ok, maybe the popsicles) and I do my best to buy organic or additive free, but for a month I'm going to try to skip them all together. I've been eating mostly local food for the last few years - certainly I could pull this off, right?
This first week presented some special challenges because I was traveling. Have you ever tried to find healthy food in an airport? Fortunately, my layover was in the Atlanta airport which has numerous vendors and I found an Au Bon Pain. I was able to get a sandwich without a bunch of fried or processed evilness in it. Yay!
But then, I got on plane for the second leg of my flight. I was comfortably reading my book when they came by with the refreshment cart and I mindlessly ordered a Diet Coke. I have mostly broken myself of the soda habit, but sometimes on a flight I like a little "treat" and will have a Diet Coke. I was already finished with the drink and was crunching on the ice when I realized what I'd done. Doh! I didn't even make it a whole day.
Since then, I've done better. The rest of the trip was uneventful and easy to get lovely fresh food. On the plane home, I had water - no Diet Coke. I've missed my popsicles, but have been snacking on peach slices that I froze this summer and they've been a pretty good substitute.
My lesson from week one was about mindfulness. I trip up when I mindlessly do things out of habit or laziness. The Diet Coke incident was a great reminder for me to slow down and be thoughtful about what I'm eating and drinking. After all, if I'm not going to be mindful about something as basic as my food, how am I going to conquer all the other challenges I face every day.
On to week two!
P.S. One news source reported this challenge as another way for people to feel bad about what they eat. I don't see it that way at all. This challenge is a way to celebrate real food and making choices that are good for me. How could I possibly feel bad about that?
