When Erin posted about the Whole Living 28-day challenge I thought it sounded pretty interesting. I had looked into “Clean Eating” a bit before and this seemed similar, although more focused on the whole person not just the diet. So, Ryan and I decided to try it. Having him on board makes it a lot easier (and harder) to do. It's easier in that I have someone there to be accountable to, someone there to motivate me, someone to discuss the recipes with and to hold my hand on the bad days. But it's also harder to cheat. HA!
So far it's been rough and getting rougher every day. I really want to say that it's been fantastic, that I feel great, that my energy level is higher but I. just. can't. I am proud of the small victories. I passed up coffee and doughnuts at my bi-monthly bookclub meeting, I skipped a lunch at the bowling alley with the playgroup. I didn't steal a fry when I grabbed lunch for my oldest at a drive-thru the other day. Which is another problem, the kids. Their treats are still in the cabinet, I still prepare “regular” food for them, milk, cheese, eggs and bread. They eat some of the meals, but the big one won't touch green food with a 10 foot pole since he eats like the picky 3 year old he is. The baby, on the other hand, loves the smoothies, granola and brown rice, he even ate a decent portion of the vegan risotto I made. I have managed to maintain my willpower and have stuck to the diet and the recipes on the website. (Full disclosure I have had 2 cups of full caf tea, a week ago now, to stop the raging withdrawal migraine but none since then) The food has actually been really tasty, and there are definitely a few keeper recipes in there. But the cravings are not going away, and in fact are getting worse. I would sell my soul for a Dr. Pepper.
The program focus not just on the food but on the mind and body as well. Yoga is part of the daily routine and I only missed one day, hurray me! You are also supposed to de-clutter, reorganize and de-stress. But, I am HUNGRY. I don't feel satisfied after meals and snacks and my mind is constantly on the next meal, even though I am not calorie restricting myself at all. Since I now cook for both lunch and dinner plus the 3 daily snacks I find myself prepping, cooking, eating, cleaning up and starting the prep all over again. Toss in the kids needing attention and I just don't have time to do the other prompts. This is even accounting for the fact that I did a partial media fast. I checked in on twitter on my iphone but I stayed off my computer until after the kids were in bed and I haven't watched any of “my” tv in over a week now. I found a restaurant that offers vegan meals and will prepare anything gluten-free as well if you ask, it that was a marvelous day. I stuck to the diet and got a break from cooking! But when the big one spilled my leftovers I wanted to cry.
Honestly, I shouldn't even be writing this post. I am not supposed to complain anymore and that's all this is. What do you think? Should I give it more time? Am I expecting too much? I feel like I am doing this all wrong because I am not getting the results I am supposed to get. I am supposed to be feeling amazing and all I feel is... cranky.
6 comments:
Did I mention I am scheduled to bring the dessert/treat for playgroup tomorrow? Anyone know of a good dessert that doesn't have any processed sugar in it? That's still kid friendly?
IMHO Hannah, I don't even know how you have gone this far with this diet. It's very extreme (albeit healthy and result orientated!) and it would be hard with the two children, and all the time that needs to be spent cooking.
Kev has some gluten free dessert recipes, but nothing that has NO sugar in it. Would you like any of those?
this will probably the least helpful comment, but you're not cheating enough. seriously? i'm making it because i have a piece of chocolate here and there. because i had bread in the first week. but i'm learning a lot about new foods to make, and i'm not splurging as often, or as hard.
i think it's about retraining our tastebuds, which is NOT easy after 30-ish years of syrup, butter, fat......
Yeah, I wanted to stay true to the "detox" part of the first week so cheating was out. But this week, now that they are allowing different things back in, it will get easier.
I have so much respect for everyone who tries this detox/diet, honestly. Especially given the amount of people that you have to cook for and the temptations that are out there in your face, every day.
From reading what you're going through, it sounds like your body is telling you something. Erin could be right, you know, maybe you're not allowing yourself to cheat enough. I mean, you've spent (probably) many years teaching your body it could have whatever it wanted, and now you're cutting it off cold turkey. It seems only natural that your body would protest, and it reads every need that you have as HUNGER.
Every GOOD thing that you're doing for yourself is a BIIIIIG step. Don't beat yourself up over the little missteps. Allow yourself a splurge (Erin's word, cheat) every now and then, and remind yourself of the other good choices you're making. You're doing fabulously!
Wow, I have mad respect for you. I just can't even imagine how hard this diet/detox thing is. Most of the time, when I read about different diets, I think, "I can do that!" and then I go good for a week or two and then I quit. I knew I couldn't even complete a week when I read about this diet, so yay for you!
But I tend to agree with Scarlett, your body is telling you something. If it doesn't get better, I'd try to figure out what you can add in to help you stay satisfied. I know that if I'm constantly hungry when I'm on a diet, I won't be on that diet for very long.
Keep up the good work!
Post a Comment