Days 9 and 10 - AKA Real Foods While You Feel Like You're DYING From Mastitis

So, the challenge has technically ended. I should be celebrating a victorious 10 days of eating real foods. I wanted this post to be about how I was going to incorporate all I learned in the real food challenge into my daily life and which goodies I've chosen to allow back in in moderation.

But, we didn't make it the 10 days. We made it 5 full days before the day of eating out. Then came the day of MASTITIS. Ugh. It should really be a four letter word. While I've had it MUCH better than some I know who come down with this, it has still been no picnic. I've also had to go it alone during the day while Ritchie works and mastitis, two kids AND real food just doesn't mesh.

Let's just say there was Starbucks. TWICE.

I'm not going to write down what I ate. When I was home I grabbed a real food item like crackers and cheese or a sandwich. I was too down and out to make any decent dinners and Ritchie gets home too late to cook so we ate dinner from Whole Foods (my OB refers to Whole Foods as Whole Paycheck which I think is kind of hilarious - like IN a sentence she'll say, dead serious, "Oh, you can pick up some echinacea from Whole Paycheck" - I love her).

So, our challenge ends on a sad note. That said we WILL continue eating well. I REALLY want to add Diet Coke back in, but I haven't had a craving for it since I had it on Sunday, so maybe I don't "need" it in my life on a daily basis the way I used to have it. I would also like to incorporate Starbucks once a week at least until January. To ask me to forgo peppermint mochas and cranberry bliss bars during the holiday season should be illegal. Like, with jail time involved. Also, during the holidays I enjoy baking. I will strive to limit the baking so that we don't ALWAYS have some sugary treat around, but I'm gonna be needing to bake come November.

I WILL NOT keep Halloween candy in the house and all meals at home (which at this point is over 90% - a HUGE improvement from life before Ben- two kids will do that to you) will be mostly, if not ALL natural food. We'll continue to buy the products with less than 5 ingredients and that are made with all real food.

I have definitely reaped the benefit I sought out with this challenge as I've been as regular as can be since day one now. I also lost 4 pounds in the process - which was not the goal but it never hurts.

Thanks for reading! I know there were a few people following along and I hope I didn't disappoint.