I haven't eaten meat in 18 days, and I don't miss it at all! I really thought I would. (A year ago, I was eating meat almost daily. Six months ago, I started cutting back to save money. Now I am flirting with the Kind Diet because what I've learned about factory farming and industrial food processing grosses me out.)

Last night, a friend called me up last minute and invited me out for steak. I caught my breath. Ooh, steak sounds good, I thought. But then... no, actually it doesn't because I now know what happened to it before it got on my plate! (Just finished reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals.) I went to dinner and ordered mushroom fajitas, ate them without the tortilla, and it was delicious!

I've lost 4 lbs in 2 & 1/2 weeks - at 116 lbs, I didn't need to lose weight, but okay! Still, I was a little alarmed at how fast those 4 lbs came off just by cutting back on sugar and starches, and cutting out meat. I was still eating a few pieces of cheese every day, and chocolate after dinner. But I was dizzy, and worried that I wasn't getting enough protein or iron. So I went to Whole Foods after breakfast on Saturday and stood in the produce section until inspiration struck. It was probably the first time in my whole life that my body instinctively told me what I needed to eat: dark green salad with fresh watercress, bean and broccoli sprouts, quinoa, adzuki beans, and raw cashews. It was delicious. 

In fact, in the last 18 days, everything I've eaten has been delicious! I feel my body thanking me. 
Thanks Alicia, for putting all these concepts about healthy eating into one place! This is way easier than I thought it would be!

Update: It's been 5 & 1/2 weeks now, and I feel great. No more dizziness. I am eating lots of protein and no sweets except fruit. My weight has evened out at 113 lbs. (I am 5'4" tall.) My waistline looks amazing! Before, I was thin but always had a puffy tummy. Now I can actually see an indent at the sides. My skin is clearer and smoother. And I feel lighter, calmer, and just plain happier! 
For any singers or actresses out there: The best part is, my voice sounds amazing!!! I quit music school in 2001 because singing was just too hard. I was always a little bit phlegmy and congested, and I struggled to breathe and relax my voice muscles. I guess there was inflammation in my throat before and I just didn't realize it then. Now it's easy, my throat is always relaxed and the music just comes out, clear and easy. My voice comes out, and I can't help but think, "I sound GOOD!" It's such a delight to sing that I'm even thinking of getting back into performing!