Just to recap, I inflicted a personal challenge on myself (and my willing family members). We set out to eat only foods that we raised, killed, grew, or picked with our own hands for 101 days.
This challenge was unique from other food related challenges in that no matter where I ate, I only ate foods from my own hands. This made for a summer where I was hauling around a cooler of food wherever I went. I took my own dinner to restaurants. I packed my own foods to friends and families houses. I turned down things like grass fed ribeyes and king crab legs because I did not raise them.
It was a crazy sacrifice that involved extreme willpower, hours in the kitchen and lots of gardening.
It started out with pain and suffering as I detoxed all the carbs and sugar out of my body. Once the nauseous, headachey, miserable withdrawals were over the diet became a way of living and tons of fun.
The first month was a time of figuring out what to eat & what to grow.
The second month was a time of creativity in the kitchen and exploring new culinary worlds.
The third month was a breeze as I settled into a new way of eating.
Here I am 3 days from the end & I’m like a 4 year old banging his fists on the floor because I’m done.
Let me tell you, the last week is almost worst than the first.
As I count down this incredible adventure of raising my own food I am finding myself practically unable to make it 3 more days.
It is soooooooo crazy to think that I could make it 98 days, but am struggling through the last 3 – but I am.
I guess it’s the light at the end of the tunnel. I can see the finish line and I just want it to be behind me.
Why?
I’m tired.
- I’m so tired of digging up potatoes if I want potatoes for dinner.
- I’m tired of waking up in the middle of the night hungry because I ate turnip greens and steak for dinner.
- I’m tired of making crackers & pasta from scratch (and I mean really scratchy).
- I’m tired of watching everyone else eat out at restaurants while I eat a hard boiled egg and veggies I packed.
- I’m tired of eating quarts of green beans for lunch because I didn’t have time to pack anything else.
I know it’s only 3 days, but these last few hours are slower than Christmas.
My kids are my champions and my cheerleaders they are rooting for me and won’t let me quit.
Because, I promise, if I lived here alone and no one was around – I’d be revising this into a 98 day Challenge and Calling it, “done.”
I’ll be sure to report back in 3 days & let ya’ll know if I was able to survive!
Be sure to sign up for the newsletter here – you’ll get the free Eating Guide when you do.
love to you all!
-Candi
PS. If you want to hear all about this food challenge here’s the back stories:
- Homesteaders Food Challenge – What it is
- Headaches, cravings, cooking & starvation – Week 1 Survival
- Can I Grow All My Own Food – A Diet is Born – Week 2
- Never Diet Again – Weight Loss, Sugar Detox & Finding your Ideal weight – Week 3
- One Month – No preservatives, no additives, no artifical ingredients, no sugar, no GMOs, nothing but homegrown goodness – Week 4
- Growing all my Food – What Country Does Your Food Come From?
- Can You Say, “NO?” Losing Weight, Feeling Healthier & Having more Energy
- 10 Days Left!!!
Melanie Wilkes
09/10/2016So proud of you girl! It was amazing to read about your quest through your posts. Love reading the successes you have and failures. Real life. You are such an amazing role model for your kids.
Candi
09/11/2016Oh thanks, Honey. What an experience it has been – I think I’m gonna finish this race. 🙂 Your words are so encouraging.