Month Two, Week One

Food month is here! And I'll tell ya, I never realized until just now how much I'd miss ketchup!

Going into this month, the main objective was to acknowledge/think of/send love to those in this world who experience hunger in their daily life. I can't even begin to understand the true, sincere feeling of being hungry and having to field the external factors that accompany that--but I guess I just wanted to take a moment to put a thought out into the world for those who are currently battling that reality, to offer my sincere love and empathy. It isn't always a frequent thought that goes through my mind, living in Northern VA, that hunger is a wide spread struggle that's happening everyday--I'm even way undereducated about the topic to be honest--but a prayer is being said for all those out there right now.

Going into this month, I don't think I ever really let myself think about the reality of what I'd be doing. Now being on day 6, it's starting to really hit me what's goin' on here. Cutting down your diet to have only 7 things--removing EVERYTHING else. I didn't realize how many things I took completely for granted, that I didn't even notice I loved so much. Surprisingly though, similar to last month, this has all come very naturally. I don't find myself having any strong desires to cheat--I've gone in to Chipotle TWICE this past week for my friends to get dinner and the thought didn't even cross my mind to order. I wish my mind/body/soul would be this dedicated to food restrictions during a normal diet!!

I'm lucky to work with a group of very bright eyed, free spirited folks who have shown great interest and support in my project. Chatting with my co-workers in the kitchen during lunch time, some will give me ideas for possible meals, others will ask me if I've gotten bored of the food yet? And then it kind of resinates in my mind, my goodness, I'm going to get so bored of these 7 foods by the end of the month! But I think it was then that it hit me--that is kind of the whole point of this month's challenge. To feel that feeling of boredom of food--not enjoyment. To feel that feeling of craving delicious tastes you wish you could have. To feel that feeling of empty hunger--that the food you're eating is not fulfilling that grumble in your stomach. I haven't fully felt that feeling yet--but I won't lie, I'm kind of nervous for weeks 3 or 4 when I have a feeling that pain might pop up.

Ps, week 5 song dedication is one that lightens the mood of any moment of any day.

"I'll be the sun, you be the shining. You be the clock, I'll be the timing. Forever no matter what, you've got my love to lean on darlin, that's what's up."