Tomorrow is the Beginning of October, October 1, the First of October

I wonder if other people look at the first day of a new month as a chance for a new beginning, a great time to start a new habit or stop a bad habit. 

Tomorrow begins Syl's October challenge of doing the 30 Day Shred everyday.  I'm really looking forward to it because while I've tried to get hooked on other forms of exercising besides running before, I haven't had any reason to stick with them (well except for the health reasons, of course, but who really looks at those anyway).  This challenge brings a great reason to start something new and stick with it for at least 30 days.

As part of the October challenge, and just to keep things interesting, I've decided to try cutting way down on dairy too. I realize one thing ( the Shred) has nothing to do with the other (dairy), it's just that the dairy thing is something I've been thinking about doing for awhile but just never got around to it.  Now, since I'm already starting another challenge in October, it seems like as good a time as any. 

This decision comes from having talked to several people who have had great results from cutting dairy from their diets.  Some think it helps their weight loss, many say their skin improves, and most say they have more energy and are less lethargic.  All those benefits sound great to me so I'm intrigued enough to try it myself.  I don't think I am hard core enough to eliminate dairy completely because I still believe in cooking meals for my family that they will eat AND enjoy.  I make fairly healthy things, but some beloved recipes just require cheese or milk.  But for my personal meal planning, like when it's just my breakfast or lunch, it should be easy enough to cut down on my daily cheese, yogurt and milk consumption.

It's not like I eat tons and tons of dairy, but I do eat at least one container of yogurt a day, sometimes two.  It's very common for me to eat a piece of string cheese while making dinner, and of course there's my daily latte habit.  One concern is that dairy is a large source of protein for me, so I'll be needing to find enjoyable alternatives.   Luckily, I like beans, nuts and whole grains.

Right now I feel kind of like I cannot live without yogurt, but who knows.  If my body performs better and I feel better without it, I just might decide I like life without it.  Pizza is a different story.  I'm not sure I could say no to pizza forever.  But for a month, I think I can do it.  I guess we'll see.