More precisely, what we put in our bodies. I mentioned yesterday the Sweet One and I are no longer on Atkins. After more than two and a half years we have no regrets, no health issues and no harsh words for a plan through which together we lostover 90 pounds. We have no doubt that our bodies are much healthier than they were on August 30, 2002, the day before we began.
The decision just kind of came to us. The most explicit beginning to the process was an email from the husband of TS1’s best friend early last month. Just one of those “thought you might find this article useful” emails of which I’m a frequent sender. Given the source, I clicked the link and read. I didn’t think too hard on it but did mention it to Viv as we drove to the gym one morning, mostly to let her know in case her friend mentioned it and also to see what her response would be.
The other early factor in our conversation was the simple realization that neither of us had really lost any weight in more than a year, though we hadn’t really gained any back either. We’d developed a routine: a whole roasted chicken and bok choy for Sunday dinner (the leftovers took care of lunch on Monday and Tuesdays); home-baked Atkins-brand muffins, bread or bagels, low carb yogurt or the occasional fruit bar plus a hardboiled egg for breakfast on weekdays (green tea for me and water for TS1). A couple of Advantage Bars as between lunch and dinner snacks for me. The occasional split basket of strawberries. Easy enough even if I don’t think there was ever a time where one of us said “Let’s do it.”
I guess that we were both just ready for a change. And so, after finishing the last packet of Costco-bought meat from the freezer, on our second wedding anniversary, we went to Garden Fresh Restaurant on El Camino Real and had our first “official” vegetarian meal. In the 20 days since then, neither of us has had any meat and we’re both settling in fine. Trying new dishes all the time, sharing recipes. We’re going to the Mountain View Farmers Market every Sunday morning together, picking out fruits and veggies for the first half of the week or so and even have a new Sunday standard: we each pick out a vegan pirouzki for lunch and a flourless, sugarless tea cake to share as dessert; today’s was a great apple tea cake with thin slices of apple scattered inside.
Viv has been really terrific in researching and preparing our meals–how can a man ask for more from a wife? (Stop sniggering!) Anyway, next time you eat with us keep it in mind. Most restaurants are still fine, excepting sushi and BBQ though even there we can usually have salads and soup. Both of us have already lost a couple of pounds, if you’re wondering.
BillSaysThis 