Wednesday:
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Susan V's Green-On-Green Soup
Exercise: Run with Cammie
Dinner: Wrap with baba ganoush, falafel, romaine, carrots, onion, cucumber
Fuhrmometer: 9 - broccoli

Earlier today in the Dr. Fuhrman forums...

Paige wrote:
I'm most impressed with you because you are able to mess up one meal and then pick back up at the next, or mess up for a week and then pick up the next.

I responded to her that I think that part of my reason for being able to do this is that I do my best not to view ETL as an "all or nothing" diet. I try to be the best that I can, but if there are days where I don't eat a good meal, or I have a bad day or a bad week I don't view myself as an ETL failure. Every time I start up again after going astray I feel stronger and more dedicated to the plan.

I'm also finding that as time goes on, I am naturally becoming more "in tune" with the plan as written. When I first started ETL I didn't want to give up cheese - these days I may still have it occasionally, but most of the time I don't want it at all.

A similar thing has happened with salt. I used to feel the need to add Braggs to soups to make them taste "right" but after finding some excellent recipes that taste good without it (Quinoa Paella, Springtime Soup, Susan V's Green on Green Soup), I've realized that I don't miss it in other things and when I have expected to think that I would need it, I haven't.

I think that these developments are in part due to the fact that they sort of evolved - I didn't force myself to eat food that I didn't think tasted good to kick the salt habit - that one is really all about having good recipes that genuinely don't need it. My growing lack of interest in dairy is very similar, it's not something forcerd; it's just happening that way, and that is because I have allowed myself to have some meals (or whatever) that are not perfectly ETL, but I've done my best to get back on the plan as quickly as I can, and I know that my next meal is always an opportunity to be back on track.