I feel good! (nee-ner-nee-ner-nee-ner-nuh)

I have officially been on the alcohol cleanse for 9 days, and the complete cleanse (including food and lifestyle) for 6 days, and I must say, I feel better than I have in ages. The food I was eating, the alcohol I was drinking, and the stressful, unbalanced lifestyle I was living clearly were not working for me, and it was time for a change. Right now I feel not only healthy, but also proud to have taken this on in a city that doesn't make it easy! Every day I face challenges to my diet, and peer pressure from those around me to eat/ drink/ do things that I have chosen to eliminate. But the fact that I have said "no" to all of those things now for over a week has been an empowering experience, and the fact that this Cleanse is more difficult than any I have done before has made it only that much more worthwhile.

I had a great long weekend with friends (today is Flag Day, or something, so I didn't have to work), and I watched them eat and imbibe as usual, and I happily sipped my water, ate my lentils, and enjoyed the show. I still went out 3 nights and had a great time! I also threw a little dinner party last night with some close friends (my roommates Julie and Andrea, friends Claire, Marisa, Charlotte, and Bata) and subjected them to my cleanse-friendly dinner of salad, hearty lentil stew, and brown rice. Everyone loved the food and had a blast, and we even played drinking games-- every time I had to "drink" I took a big slurp off my mate. That'll give you a buzz!

Anyway, I'm lucky I have supportive friends, and I'm proud to have taken this on. Really, my body and more importantly my soul are feeling good. I am acutely aware at this point how very necessary these changes were to my happiness and sanity.

I'll leave it at that-- 3 weeks to go!