Clean Eating Update

It has been about a month and a half since I started this clean eating adventure. Honestly, I didn't think that I would still be on this journey. There have been a few hiccups, but I got right back on track after my body clearly let me know that all of the junk I was trying to sneak in was not good for me.

The 17 Day Diet was great to jumpstart this thing, but I haven't really stuck to that particular diet past the first 17 days. My rules now are. . . and I hate to call them rules because that just makes my stubborn self want to break them right away. So, we'll go with guidelines. My guidelines now are:

Occasionally, I'll take a bite of my daughter's pb & j or finish off her bowl of rice, but I am proud to report that I am no longer craving any of those bready starches. We even have a bag of Sister Schubert yeast rolls (my FAVORITE!) in the freezer and I have absolutely no desire to sneak a bite of one or two - or the entire bag as I probably would have done previously.

No, I'm not superwoman (because that what you were thinking, right?). I have had some cravings and I have given into every one of those cravings - in moderation, of course. Following a not so pleasant experience after indulging in a bowl of ice-cream and a horrible headache after eating a veggie pancake made with white flour, I think I have learned my lesson. I am now focusing on replacing my bad-habit cravings with healthy alternatives. Here are a few of my favorite healthy replacements:

Y'all, the sweet craving thing has been the hardest for me. I still haven't found a good snack to satisfy my sweet tooth fully. All of the above snacks work pretty well, but I find myself craving sweets again about an hour after I eat my sweet snack. I even tried a raw chocolate bar this weekend from a local vendor, Triangle Raw Foods. Unfortunately, I ate the entire bar within 30 minutes. . . it was supposed to be my sweet treat to last the rest of the week. Ooops.

This is starting to feel more like a lifestyle change and I am loving the benefits! No more migraines: I have suffered from migraines since high school and they have disappeared (with the exception of that small headache after eating white flour)!  More Energy: I no longer wake up in a fog with a puffy face and dragging my feet. Better Skin: I am just now starting to see clearer skin. Initially, as my body was detoxing, I saw more breakouts. Weight Loss: The most dramatic weight loss happened during my first 17 days on this adventure, but I have continued to lose weight. Down 24 pounds since starting! Loving it!

Side Note: Not surprising, I discovered that I am definitely a stress eater. As in, I make very poor eating decisions when I am stressed. John was gone this past weekend, so I was left to entertain two little ones with no break for the entire weekend. After one night and an early morning toddler wake-up call, I was ready to stuff my face with cake. Instead of stuffing my face, I recognized that I was stressed and not actually hungry. I ended up putting the littlest one down for a nap and distracting the toddler with playdoh before pouring my self a cup of coffee and sitting down to read a few of my favorite blogs in peace and semi-quiet. It was just enough me-time to recharge my batteries and keep me from diving into a bowl of brownie batter.

I hope everyone else is succeeding in their clean eating! And if you're not, or haven't decided to clean up your diet, enjoy a piece a cake or two for me.