Day 18   Shall I build an ark?

I can't remember what it's like to have a day with no rain.  It's rained every day for at least the past week, maybe longer.  And it's cold.  It's depressing.

I've noticed that my fellow Whole30 challengers are beginning to feel stressed and tempted.  The posts in our Facebook group have been about how difficult these days have been for them and I am right there myself!  I've noticed that everywhere I go, people are a little more cranky and impatient, I hear of headaches and coughs, and it's been difficult to get my kids out of bed.  It's depressing, and it makes me want to hunker down and eat gooey food.

One would think that by day 18, it would be easier, but this mid point is just as difficult as those early days.  I feel better physically, but I seem to be more tempted and have more cravings.  I keep telling myself that it will pass and eat more celery.  What am I craving?  Mostly wine!  I think some of that is from the habit I had developed of having a glass (or more) most evenings after work.  And I would love to have a muffin some morning; not a typical muffin, but one with almond flour and honey.

I think some of the cravings are really a craving for being outside and getting some sun.  If I could get out and take a walk or start my garden, I really believe that I wouldn't even be thinking about food.  I've always known that I have some issues with seasonal depression and how the sun affects my mood, but I'm feeling it more strongly right now.

All of these are good lessons.  Learning how food affects me, my moods, my life will help me to make better choices for myself and my family.  Learning to find ways to deal with times of stress and the weather related blues in something other than food and wine is hard, but so worth it in the long run.