Thanks for updating the thread Jana!

I'm still plugging away at the 8 Minutes in the Morning and the 3-Hour Diet, though Aunt Flo's recent visit, my mom's recent visit, and my current cold have really made things challenging. Still after 3 weeks I'm down about 4.5 pounds, so I'm happy!

I have noticed that eating a mid-morning snack about 3 hours after breakfast is making a HUGE difference in how I eat the rest of the day. Mainly I am not starving in the afternoon (when I also have a snack) and at dinner. I feel full after dinner and don't feel like snacking later. And after eating so many more fruits and veggies I am noticing that my appetite has changed a bit. Last night (when the water was shut off and we were going to go out) I insisted on no pizza or Joe's Crab Shack and we went to Big Bowl (a newfangled Asian place) where I could have soup and salad rolls, not because I wanted to be virtuous but because that is what I really wanted, and the idea of heavy food sounded so awful.

I have gotten much better at making salads (I like mixed baby greens with dried cranberries, a bit of feta, and a few chopped walnuts, with balsamic viniagrette). And I am have discovered a new favorite soup -- basically make a quasi-Asian broth by steeping ginger, garlic, and mirin in veggie broth, then add veggies and tofu or shrimp. Stir in a bit of miso and chili oil to finish. We're having it tonight with bok choy, shitakes, green beans, and shrimp -- yum!

I've been thinking about our shopping habits since you started writing about it Jana, and I realized that so much of our food now is perishable, which is a good thing. Packaged groceries make up a really small part of our budget compared to dairy, veggies, tofu, fish, etc.

Jo, I sometimes feel like you do -- I have been sooooooo much healthier in the past, but many events have taken their toll on me, especially since I kept putting myself last. But I feel like the changes I have made recently are manageable, and I have to stop myself from adding more and more goals or "habits" so that I don't burn out.