"Just Say No" to Sugar, Dairy, Wheat and Caffeine

Could you give up sugar, dairy, wheat and caffeine for 30 days? Could you also give up all processed foods, too?

For health reasons, a friend of mine is attempting to give up all that for the entire month, and at the last minute, I agreed to be her buddy and give them up with her. Around 3:30 in the afternoon, I found myself wishing I wasn't such a good friend.

I caught myself doodling "Earl Grey" on my notebook. An imaginary cup of chai began calling my name, and I could smell all the Halloween candy around me. I pulled a peach out of my bag and it was a little mushy and gross so I chucked it in the trash - meaning there was nothing else for me to eat in my office. At least, nothing that didn't include sugar, dairy, wheat or caffeine. SOB!

At 6 p.m. I picked up my kids and had to listen to them munch on Ritz crackers in the backseat. I don't even like Ritz crackers all that much, but I was hungry! I found myself empathizing with all the 1980's crack-heads who heard Nancy Reagan saying, "Just say no!"

Thank you, Mrs. Reagan, because I made it home without smoking the crack eating any crackers. While trying to decide what to make for dinner, I realized pasta is not allowed because it's made from wheat. I also cursed the ginormous bag of Pop Chips my husband bought at Costco. Sigh.

I made it through dinner with some brown rice and stir fry, and now it's just a mental game to avoid my boy's Halloween candy.

I'm going to do my best and keep this going all month. Yes, I might take Thanksgiving off because, well, it's Thanksgiving - and what is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce?

And now I want to eat that right now! Can Thanksgiving be tomorrow?