Day 4: Taking On A New Approach

I'm not going to lie.  This challenge (only 4 days in) has been very difficult for me.  Mostly due to my limited breakfast choices.  Day 1 was a bust, and now we can add Day 4 to the list of  "not Paleo."  I did have a better breakfast today, and my morning went well overall.  My day fell apart at lunch.  I had a piece of the frittata I made yesterday, 2 sausage links, and some cantaloupe.  I had a cup of hot tea on my drive to work.  During a training class I had half of an orange as a snack. 

Then came post training lunch with two of my coworkers.  Mexican  (again) was the choice.  This time I explored the lunch menu for "paleo" options.  Huevos rancheros in three variations.  Have I mentioned that I'm not a huge fan of eggs, and that my morning serving was about all I could handle in one day.  So I ended up having a chicken enchilada and a chicken taco.  I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of my lunch.

Next was dinner.  I worked late getting my classroom together, and got home with little patience to cook again.  Plus I still had a sink full of dishes from last night and this morning (had to empty the dishwasher).  Anyway, dinner turned into a trip to the Buckhead Food Truck Thursdays event where I enjoyed BBQ pork and some mac & cheese.  (I can hear the wheels turning in some of your heads as you read this "we have to help encourage her to stick with it. get her to eat eggs." . )

Give me some credit my friends...at least I'm being honest! Just keep reading.  I'm not throwing in the towel.  Just making some modifications for myself so I work toward success instead of failure.  I decided to do some reading on Mark's Daily Apple where I found this quote:
"Perhaps there’s a particular offender, a persevering and pesky element of your diet that will take special time and energy to ditch. We’re not talking here about an occasional indulgence item but a regular player in the lineup. Whether it’s your favorite creamy stout, morning danish or afternoon microwave popcorn fix, you might find it easier to isolate and conquer before expanding the battle." 
 This made me think (as did the rest of that particular blog entry) that it's not that I can't stick to a paleo menu, just that the cold turkey approach isn't the best approach for me as I try to find new breakfast choices.  I am going to work toward a daily paleo breakfast, 3 days this week (which I have already accomplished, and will try to exceed), 4 days next week, 5 days the following week, and ultimately a full week of paleo breakfast.  My hope is that by weaning myself off of my oatmeal made with milk (go ahead you strict paleo peeps and cringe now) slowly, I will not be as frustrated by trying so many new things and not liking them.  The frittata was good, but not that good (I just don't like eggs enough to eat that everyday.)

I doubt I'll win the challenge, and I doubt I'll ever be a "strict" paleo follower, but I do believe the plan has benefits.  My main belief is that diet in general is about making daily smart choices, enjoying those not-so-good-for-you treats in moderation, and  getting exercise.  I may eat dairy, grains, and legumes after this challenge, but in moderation. I will find new and interesting snacks that will become regular favorites that I may not have discovered before trying the paleo plan.  I will be better for it.