I'm still here

Day one is done! Piece of gluten free, dairy free, sugar free cake! ....Piece of paper!

I skipped on over to Trader Joe's after work and managed to pack a beautiful basket of fresh fruits and veggies and proteins. It all rang in at under $40, so the prospect of this diet making me skinny AND saving me money WHILE curing my allergies is pretty fantastic. My co-worker Liz and her boyfriend happened to be at the store, so they kindly offered me a ride home. It was 4 degrees in Chicago last night, so I thanked them profusely as I ran to their Volkswagen, groceries in tow.

At home, I cooked the following delight from my TJ spoils:

Brown Rice
Black beans
Yellow bell pepper
Onion
Garlic
Chicken
Lotsa cumin, salt, pepper
finished with fresh avocado, lime, and cilantro

It. Was. Yummy. And filling. I had plenty for lunch today and still have some for tomorrow.

In typical Anna fashion, my sweet tooth came out to play after all the dishes were done, and Julia Roberts was wiping her tears while flying away in a 1950s cab surrounded by her eager young art history students. (Yes, Mona Lisa Smile is on Netflix). Now, I have four boxes of Girl Scout Cookies that I received three days before I went to the doctor and got put on this diet. So was I tempted? Yes. I was tempted.

BUT! I reached for the beautiful mango I had picked up at TJ's, hacked into it, and enjoyed a tasty dessert.

Look, Ma! Will power!

I felt pretty great! I wasn't expecting anything earth shattering, and I was hungry when I went to bed. I know the worst is probably lurking a few days away, but I'll deal with it then.

Here's my day 2 so far:

Breakfast:
Banana
Decaf coffee
Gluten/dairy/sugar free granola bar from Starbucks -- this was SUPER yummy, but also $4.

I need some good breakfast options. Fruit is great, but it's not terribly filling for first thing in the morning, and it's difficult to find a substitute for energy boosts like cereal or eggs. Suggestions are appreciated, but I've done some research today, and I'm excited to try some recipes.

Lunch:
Leftovers!!
Half a box of cleaned and sliced strawberries

Snack:
Vanilla Rooibos tea with agave
Apple
Handful of cashews

I have energy, but I am definitely feeling the lack of caffeine. I've had a dull headache all day. I'm drinking tons of water to combat it, and I know it will probably take some time before that stops.

Tonight, I'm having dinner with Barrett's parents and they're taking us to "I Love Lucy Live on Stage!" We picked a restaurant with a gluten free menu, so that will be helpful. I'm anxious to hear how his day 1 went today as well.

See you on day 3!

xoxo
A