I came home from my Wednesday evening appointment to the smell of something delicious wafting through the house. I was hungry and remember feeling grateful that it was Steve’s night to cook.
Upstairs he was at the computer taking an InDesign class (CreativeTechs) that I had suggested and Claire was nowhere to be seen. A big bowl of Beef Stroganoff sat steaming on the counter. It was beautiful. It smelled amazing. A quick glance around the kitchen revealed that nothing of the vegan variety was in progress. I asked Steve what he and I were going to eat for dinner and he shrugged his shoulders. I looked at the Stroganoff. I took a deep breath in and imagined my finger dipping into the sauce. My mouth watered and my stomach moaned as I remembered my 2010 resolve . . .
I am eating a whole food vegan diet and am committed to consuming food that will provide optimal performance in sports and life as outlined by Brendan Brazier in his book Thrive, The Vegan Nutrition Guide.
I have been faithfully following Thrive for 11 days now, without the smallest slip. I have not eaten one empty calorie. I have not nibbled cheese, had a bite of meat, chewed a piece of gum or enjoyed a decaffeinated soy latte. I have been an excellent student of health.
Nothing processed has passed my lips.
Everything I’ve eaten has been prepared from a combination of alkaline-forming pseudo-grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and healthy oils. Nobody is more surprised by my commitment to health than I am. I am eating for sustenance only. Food is no longer a form of amusement for me. Nor is it a distraction.
I am not eating to make myself feel better. And remarkably, I am feeling better because of it.
The payoff has been fairly immediate because I am already sleeping better, there’s less stiffness in my joints and my night sweats have diminished to a tolerable level. My mind must be clearer as well because in spite of my fantasy, I did NOT taste the beef stroganoff when it sat steaming on the countertop before me.
What I did instead was open the book Thrive and began preparing a meal for Steve and me. I put celery, carrots, tomato, ground flaxseed, salt and cumin into the food processor to make baked crackers. To accompany the crackers we made a leafy green salad and pulled a variety of leftover vegetable spreads out of the refrigerator.
When we sat down at the table to eat, Claire came out of her teen-cave and joined us for the salad. She had already eaten her main course and delightfully described how delicious it had been. I ate two small crackers that tasted remarkably plain and incredibly dry. I tried one with a sweet, raw coconut spread and one with the homemade catsup I had made a few days prior. I ate most of my salad but once my hunger was satiated, I saw no reason to continue. I was done. My dinner bored me to distraction. What’s the point of eating beyond what’s required to nourish my body? I couldn’t think of a single good reason.
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