Let's all say a prayer for the cheese

New Health Mantra: "Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much."

It was bound to happen. I mean, honestly, who were we kidding? The math was against us from the start:

Alcohol-Free + Sunny Weather = Pipe Dream

Yep. Derek and I totally fell off the health craze wagon this weekend. There was yummy BBQ and gooey enchiladas, there was sweet dessert, there was ice-cold beer. Lots and lots of ice-cold beer.

Ok, so we fell off and then were run over by the health craze wagon this weekend. Well, I was. Adonis probably lost weight.

Anyhoo, I have managed to hoist myself back on the wagon. In fact, I’ve decided to undertake a major detox/renovation project. It was inspired by Michael Pollan’s two sensational books: Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, which are all about getting back to a food-based, heavy-on-the-plants diet. As opposed to the packaged, processed, can’t-pronounce-the-ingredients-test-tube concoctions overrunning our grocery stores these days.

Plus, I love that his philosophy can be boiled down to 7 words:

"Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much."

So, Week 1 (which starts next week) consists of a clear-the-slate detox. In other words, no meat, no wheat, no added sugar, no dairy, no caffeine, no alcohol and absolutely nothing you can’t pronounce. The goal is to eliminate potential allergens from my diet for a week (I have a sneaky suspicion I might be lactose intolerant. Tear.) and gradually add back those groups of food that don’t put me into a bloated, fog-like state.

Fingers crossed that cheese can stay!

Have you read Michael Pollan’s books? What do you think of his take on food?

{Images via Elizabeth Farrar for Bella Vita}