This is a lifestyle.

Technically, "diet" is anything we put in our mouths. Nourishment. Nutrition. And mine wasn't necessarily garbage, but it wasn't very beneficial either. So, I'm changing that. Obviously, I'm here. But it isn't JUST what I'm buying at the store either. I am going to garden some this summer also. So, some of my bounty, I grew with my own hands.

I'm trying to get myself as close to the source as possible. Michael Pollan once said, you can eat anything if you make it yourself. Want those potato chips, cut you a potato and fry that bad boy up. Want that cake or cookie, make it. This isn't meaning go to the cabinet and grab a box and add an egg and some oil and water. No, get the flour, the eggs, oil, milk, cocoa, sugar, etc. The point is, after spending all that time taking the convenience away from those foods, makes them not as palatable anymore. Sure, we'll want to eat it, and if we're truly jonesing for it, we'll make it. If it's a passing fancy type of craving though, is it worth all that effort?

So, this year in my garden I'm growing Amish paste tomatoes, sweet potatoes, jalapenos, onions, pumpkins, and slicing tomatoes. I'm hoping to be able to can some peppers and tomato sauce and salsa. Next year, I'm hoping to add lettuces, cabbages, carrots, asparagus, broccoli, and kitchen herbs to the mix.

And in this I've been mighty blessed. My husband is right there with me. Willing to build my garden boxes and fences. He isn't a picky eater, so he's happy with whatever I can grow and bring inside. My brother-in-law is very picky, BUT will eat pretty much whatever I put in front of him. Even the stuff he doesn't like if it is IN something he does. Like last night we had stirfry and he hates MOST of the veggies IN the stirfry, but LOVED the dinner anyway. Enough to have seconds. (he's on the autism spectrum, so I count this as a MIGHTY HUGE win) My son is an issue, because he judges foods based on how it looks, sounds, familiarity. BUT I'm hoping that with us being close to the source, it'll help him engage more with his dinner.

All that to say, I'm not looking at this like a diet that will help me accomplish a goal and then head back to my old ways. No, I'm looking at this as simply, how I have to eat from now on. Taking a page from Michael Pollan. Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.