Day 8

Happy Easter!!!

Today was the first major holiday I experienced since committing to a new eating lifestyle.
Pretty quick for this to come up, but I'll take the challenge.

Holiday traditions have usually been highlighted by food for me.

I love Christmas because it's Jesus' birthday, I get to spend time with my family... and eat yummy food.
I love my birthday because I'm a nut about birthdays... and I get to pick the yummy food.
I love Easter because it is the most important part of salvation and grace, my family is together again... and I get a basket full of yummy food.

The common thread of family time can certainly stay, but the preoccupation with food has got to go.

My family did an amazing job supporting me today.

The Easter meal - usually one focused on ham (secretly laden with sugar), mashed potatoes, and other forms of carbs - was magically transformed into a mostly Whole30 approved meal.

I filled my plate with herb crusted, grilled pork chops, asparagus, peas, and roasted sweet potatoes.

For the non-paleo eaters at the table, there were rolls and butter... and my mom made an amazing looking key lime angel food cake with coconut icing.
Those items, I could only look at. But I didn't feel any sort of loss because my tummy was full of all the other yummy things that had been made.

My grandmother was shocked that I refused dessert and even asked my mom if I was ok.
(Just goes to show you how much of a habitual poor eater I was)
A quick brief on my current health endeavor relieved all worries, though... and soon enough, I think everyone will be able to see that I am more than ok.

The next Easter hurdle to overcome was the Easter basket.
Yes, I am a 22 year old, full grown adult and I still get an Easter basket when I go to my parents' house - one that I must search high and low to find.
No shame.

This lovely tradition usually results in a bag full of chocolate and candy and yummy-ness forced into the shapes of bunnies and eggs.
I was curious what my bag would have in it this time.
Can't have chocolate.
Can't have candy.
Yummy-ness is possible, but the forms are limited.

When I finally found my bag (hidden in the dryer of all places), I was delighted to find non-edible items.
My parents... I mean... the Easter Bunny... had, indeed, given me some snack items (dried fruit, almond butter, etc.), but I also found nail polish, lip gloss, and other fun things.

It wasn't all about food.
And that was so important this time around.

I don't want every enjoyable tradition or holiday that I look forward to throughout the year to revolve around what food I get to eat or what goodies I can  finally enjoy.
I want the focus to be on the reason for the day and the people I get to spend it with.

I didn't die today because I didn't eat jellybeans or a chocolate bunny.
In fact, I probably feel much better than I would have if I did.

It truly demonstrated that a holiday can still be a holiday even if you make healthy food choices and don't have a piece of cake.

Let's consider Day 8 a very Happy Easter.