I’m still going strong on the “Meat & Dairy Free” eating plan! I am on day 12. I was on the road for the past couple of days (driving back to Sedona) and didn’t once cave in to all the many greasy, sugary, dairy-laden goodies that tempt one every time they stop for gas or anywhere else while on a road trip. I actually impressed myself, because usually road trips are the hardest times for me to eat vegan or even remotely healthy. I’m not going to lie – there were some times on this trip where I wanted to cave in. But I did not. This experience is really teaching me how much I have relied on food to give me comfort over the past several years.

To anyone reading this who binge eats and wants desperately to break the habit, here is something I learned that might be of use to you: Binge eating certain foods (especially dairy, sugar and/or fatty foods) brings immense amounts of comfort to us, both emotionally and physically. In a world where everything is ever-changing, many of us rely on that one comfort we know we can find in food. The only way I’m finding to break the habit is by experimenting with making myself uncomfortable. For instance, the spiritual purifications I’ve been doing every day are not always comfortable. Sure, a nice hot bath is wonderful, but forcing yourself to stay in for a full hour isn’t always fun. Sitting near fire for an hour at a time can also become very uncomfortable. (I’m not talking about sitting close enough to burn yourself – just the act of sitting in one place for an hour is difficult at first). But through doing these things (and more) every single day, I am learning within myself that I don’t always have to be comfortable. The more I allow myself to be in uncomfortable situations, the more I see that I don’t have to comfort myself with food. Exercise is a great example of this as well – it’s hardly comfortable (until you get into a groove, then it starts feeling amazing!)

Anyway, moving on… I’m back in Arizona, enjoying the beautiful desert and mountains, until the 20th or 21st. I plan to get a lot of walking and earth purification in while here. I have to take care of my front and back yard here (watering the trees, weeding, etc) and it is so cleansing and enjoyable. Every time I’m in nature, I wonder how I went so long without it. My place in Tulsa is about as non-nature as it gets. All the windows face east, so there is limited natural light for the apartment. I have to turn on lights from about 2pm onward. But here in Sedona, there are windows throughout facing all different directions, so a lot of natural light gets in. There are often bunnies hopping around in the back or front yard, plus birds all over the place, and it’s really nice.

So far today I’ve had oatmeal, coffee (my Keurig machine is here and I couldn’t resist!) and a peanut butter sandwich. Later I’m planning to grill up some portobello mushrooms, steam some cauliflower and maybe have some brown rice. Maybe some Boca fake chicken nuggets. We’ll see.