Welcoming Challenges for 2017

Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve. ~Mary Kay Ash

It is hard to believe that the first month of 2017 is almost over. It has been a busy few weeks for me especially at work facing some tough and unexpected challenges. At times, I wish I could skip 2017 and move on to 2018. However, through this experience I learn that I am tougher than I thought I was mentally. With this realization, I set out my own challenges to continue the year and control my own path.

My first challenge is to start another round of the elimination diet that I did last year. There is a list of food that you will need to completely avoid for three weeks, then adding them back one at a time for a few days each and note any kind of reactions towards the added food. Since I have already identified food that I cannot consume, I treat this as a yearly cleansing. Here’s what to avoid – dairy, sugar (use honey or real maple syrup), corn, eggs, wheat/gluten, soy, coffee, tea, chocolate, alcohol (except Tequila), citrus and citric acid, nightshades (such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplants, paprika etc.). This feat requires lots of will power and family or friends support. I hope the tips below will help you get through your weeks with some ease.

1. Before you start, please talk to your doctor first if you are being treated for any health conditions.
2. Set a start date and slowly wean yourself off some of these items, especially coffee and tea.
3. I always plan my weekly meals and prepare a grocery list before the weekend. Sunday is usually my food prep/cooking day. Since my son will be joining me, I have to plan for his school lunch too.
4. I find that paleo recipes are the best and with the least amount of substitution required. My favorites are Nom Nom Paleo and The Domestic Man. I own their cookbooks and love those recipes. Vegan or gluten free recipes will sometimes work too.
5. Asian cooking is the hardest to change since we use a lot of soy sauce. The best substitute is coconut aminos with some fish sauce (Red Boat brand). My favorite website to buy specialty products is Thrive Market.
6. Refer to my previous blog post for breakfast recipes.
7. This plan is what I learned from my doctor and please consult your own doctor before starting.

The next challenge is to accomplish at least 10 hikes this year. After a year break to get my health back it is time to return to my favorite outdoor activity. Maybe along the way, I can learn to take better pictures of our beautiful Pacific Northwest. What’s in store for you in 2017?