[pilgrim]

Choices, I'm not really sure how I fit it in! I often check these boards in my lunch hour at work or last thing at night, but that just means there are other things I am not doing. I try to trust my intuition on what is the best thing for me to do at any given point.

That naturopath's recommendations sound a bit extreme - I don't think I would be able to stick to that. I agree with you it may not be worth it to lose all the pleasure from eating, and that's a very un-Sonoma/un-Mediterranean approach. Feeling miserable all the time is also not good for your health - in fact, I'd say it's more dangerous in many ways than being overweight. Eating them only occasionally sounds like a better approach, if you're certain they are doing you harm. I know soy can be a problem for some women because it contains estrogen analogues, but broccoli is so good for you in other ways - one of the Sonoma Power Foods! I hope you will be able to figure out something that balances all your health goals and doesn't leave you feeling deprived.

[pilgrim]

Wave 1, day 6. We went hiking today and had a pub lunch along the way - first time I've eaten out since starting the diet. I think I did okay.

B: Crunchy Bran with low-fat milk
S: Small handful of blackberries, picked fresh from the hedgerow!
L: Cheese and mushroom omelette with large salad of lettuce, tomato and cucumber. I asked them not to give me the baked potato that was advertised as coming with it, so they gave me extra salad. It was a delicious omelette, too! It had a bit more cheese than I should really eat on this diet, but I think it was the best option on the menu. The proportions were about right.
D: Wholewheat pasta with bell peppers, mushrooms, tofu wieners and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Exercise: 30 mins yoga, 5 hrs 20 mins walking! We go hiking about once a month and have been doing this for about three years now - it's a great way for me to boost my exercise and has really improved my fitness.

[pilgrim]

Wave 1, day 7:

B: Wholewheat crepes with vegetarian sausages. It's a family tradition to have crepes on Sunday mornings - up to now, they've been white flour, but today I replaced that with half wholewheat and half gram flour, which is made out of chickpeas and so adds protein. I also replaced the sugar with maple syrup. I think the proportions worked out about right.

L: We're all big motor racing fans, so another family tradition is to serve a festive buffet when the British Formula 1 GP is on TV, and that was today. I made sure we had a good selection of healthy foods on there as well as some treats for those who are not dieting. I did quite well - filled my plate to the Sonoma proportions and didn't go back for seconds. I had small servings of Quorn, vegetarian pate and hummus for the protein and salad leaves and tomato for the veg, plus a spoonful of guacamole and a small handful of olives. Probably a bit more fat than I should have had, but not bad at all for a family celebration.

S: Mini Babybel cheese and a handful of cherries.

D: Brown rice with White Bean Ratatouille from the book, but served warm rather than chilled. It was good - I will keep it in mind as comfort food for the future!

Exercise: 15 mins yoga, 30 mins walking.

Where's everyone else? Is it just quieter because it's the weekend?