Sandi Kaplan, MS, RD, Associate Director, Clinical Development & Support:

I have an announcement to make – I have not reached for a sugary treat to boost my energy level s for 17 days.

Work continues to be fast-paced and demanding, the household is not running itself, and the kids still need the same amount of attention. But I have more energy for it all.

I have been tracking my energy levels and I am noticing that my mid-afternoon slump is far less pronounced and that I am not as tired after the kids go to sleep. I am sleeping well and am waking up feeling refreshed. I still do get tired but the real food I am eating is supporting my need for high energy levels.

My cravings have decreased significantly since last week. The chocolate still looks good but it’s not calling my name as it was last week.

I am really enjoying having delicious food ready prepared for me. I have two new favorite meals this week:  first, a black bean burger with wild rice and grilled asparagus; second, a simply delicious beet soup.

I have had a couple of last-minute social events that did not allow me the time to head home and grab my own food. On one occasion, the host had ordered gluten-free pizza for our family (we have celiac disease) and I ate one slice and heaped my plate with a fresh green salad. Another time, the meal actually turned out to be whole foods friendly - there was grilled salmon, a Greek salad made with organic feta cheese, hummus, and veggies. It did not feel challenging to skip the ice cream for dessert.

As I move into the last week of the challenge, I am starting to think about how to sustain these changes without having meals delivered to my doorstep. As I mentioned in my last post, I am noticing that the variety of veggies I am eating has increased significantly. It’s so easy to get into a rut with the same handful of veggies all the time. So I’ll be doing some problem solving so I can keep up more of the variety.

This challenge is also helping me to realize how much I can tend to rely on processed grain products – crackers, corn chips, even tortillas. Some of these are just fine to include on occasion, but they are pretty low in nutrition. I definitely feel more energized when my snack is jicama, berries, and hummus than when it is corn chips and hummus.

What I've Learned This Week

• A somewhat healthy diet can be made a whole lot healthier with the addition of fruit, veggies, whole grains, and beans. These replace so many nutritionally poor choices.
• Taste buds change quickly. Fruit tastes sweeter when sugary treats are not a daily occurrence.
• What we eat really does affect our energy levels – our bodies use food for energy. High quality food makes for high quality energy.

I’m about to start the last week….more to come soon and thanks for reading.

PS: The product I happen to be trying is Delicious Planet in Seattle, but there are other organizations out there such as Paleta in Los Angeles and Eat Like the Pros in Chicago. Also, check out sites like Local Harvest to discover where you can pick up fresh, local, organic produce yourself.