HOG WILD ^(￣(∞￣)^

I will be nothing but 100% honest in this space. See those emojis? I have felt every single one of those emotions throughout my clean eating journey.

Over the weekend, we attended a 50th birthday party for a friend in San Francisco. I was soooo good. I had one clean cocktail, I paid special attention to what I was eating, and we left at a (fairly) appropriate time in order to get decent weekend sleep. I was proud of myself and I felt great! HUGE success! :-)

On Sunday night, however, we entertained in our home for the first time since I started The 30 Clean. It's important to note that I am not currently on a cleanse - so I wasn't *really* constrained by any limitations. Nonetheless, after eating/drinking clean for 5+ weeks, my body wasn't prepared for what I was about to subject it to. I wasn't driving. I was in my own kitchen even though the menu wasn't mine. And, I was just having a good time. As such, I let my guard down. (゜_゜)

While I stuck with clean cocktails, there were too many food choices, some more unworthy than others: tortilla chips and salsa, and guacamole, and flatbread with cheese, and pickled vegetables, and homegrown Tillamook Sweet oysters that our friend harvested and brought plus a buttery sauce for said oysters. All foods I hadn't consumed and then...consumed too much of over the course of one evening. You all know where this is going. Success? Not so much. :-(

Suffice it to say, reintroducing several inflammatory foods all at once wasn't worth it. Ugh. So stupid! Trust me when I say - Don't. Do. It!! Total rookie move. The result was a swirling tornado of discomfort, both physically and mentally that left a path of destruction in its wake. I lost Monday to feeling horrible, I was sick to my stomach, and I was tired. So so tired. It’s now Wednesday and I’m still feeling off. Had I paid more attention to my triggers and temptations, this situation could have been avoided all together. (>_<)

Fortunately, I will be getting a second chance quickly - we are hosting a group of friends for the Memorial Day weekend. You can be sure I will approach this event with much more consciousness and awareness. There is no other way. Priorities, right!? (*_*) Since I am in control of the dinner menus, I am making one of my favorite clean Bon Appetit recipes: Grilled Chicken, Red Onion and Mint Kebabs. I will serve a big green salad on the side as well as an orzo, feta, and pine nut salad for those who eat grains. This is such an awesome meal for a crowd and can be prepped in advance. The next night, we'll go for grilled skirt steak and have a taco bar full of all sorts of healthy toppings (tomato, onion, fresh jalapeno, pepitas, raw salsa, lime) plus good old stand-by add-ons too (yes, including cheese and beans). Sides will include leafy greens, grilled veggies, and of course chips and tortillas for those who can eat them! In my case, I will build a steak salad from all of the healthy options and skip the rest. :-D

Plain and simple -- the more we pay attention to our bodies and its cues, the more likely the patterns for efficiency and effectiveness will arise. I've said this before: please remember that learning a new habit is a process that requires effort, time, and ongoing dialogue with those in your support system. If anyone needs help, has questions, or needs reassurance, please feel free to contact me at kaleandkombucha@gmail.com. I am right there with you and as you can see – I totally understand!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also, I will be joining the The 30 Clean's June cleanse to reinforce my own habits! This will be the last 30-day challenge they will offer until September. If you are thinking about it, join me! Hope to 'see' you there! (✿◠‿◠)

#bodymind