Eating Clean--YES, YOU CAN

I eat clean 95% of the time. I started out slow--eating clean on an 80/20% basis (which is what i often recommend to people just starting out). Starting with the 80/20 makes this jump more realistic, and once you get the hang of it, it's easy to make a larger transition. I had posted, a few months back, a partial grocery shopping list; this one is more exhaustive, and will really help you to learn what is/isn't clean.

To get started right, you want to instill a few new habits: 1) Shop the perimeter (I know you've heard this before) 2) Read the labels 3) Don't be afraid to try new things.
Breads

• Trader Joe's brand--Their 'whole grain breads' are clean. I've never tried them, but I've heard they're good. Particularly the Sprouted Multi-Gran and California Protein.
• Ezekiel brand breads--In the freezer section. There are several different varieties--ALL OF WHICH ARE NOT CLEAN--but most are. Read the label.
• Alvarado Street Bakery brand breads--Great selection of rolls, loaves, buns, etc. All of these are clean.
• Tortillas--Hard to find. They should contain only corn, lime, and water. Again, I've heard Trader Joe's carries a sprouted wheat tortilla that is clean, but I've never tried it.

Dairy & Non-Dairy
If you're going to eat clean, personally, I don't recommend dairy. I limit it to cheese, which I only 'treat' myself with--it's not part of my regular eating plan.

• Greek yogurt
• Unsweetened almond milk
• Unsweetened rice milk (made from brown rice)
• Unsweetened soy (always buy organic to avoid GMOs)
• Unsweetened coconut milk (buy 'light')

Meat

• Poultry--Eggs. Mostly the whites, but the yolks, in moderation. Buy organic, please. Boneless, skinless chicken/turkey breasts are awesome.
• Beef--not considered 'clean', but if you want to eat it, buy organic, lean cuts.
• Wild game--Go for it.
• Pork--Generally not part of a clean diet. Skip it.
• Duck--Too fatty.
• Fish--Go for it.

Produce

Stock up, and do your best to buy organic! MOST of your diet should come from this section!
Fruits: All of it.
Veggies: All of it.



The Aisles

Try to keep out of 'em, except for:

• Green Tea
• Decaf coffee (if you must)
• Oatmeal--steel cut or traditional rolled oats.
• Canned items--eeeee...try to stay away, but if you must, read the label. Go for no added sugar and watch the sodium content.
• Dry beans and legumes (I DO buy canned, organic)
• Brown rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• Other grains
• Sweeteners/condiments: Truvia, Aminos, pure maple syrup, spices (no seasoning packets!)
• Flour: oat flour, whole wheat flour
• Chips: There are some really tasty, clean organic chips out there! I buy a flaxseed/red quinoa chip that i love!

That should do it!

Shop away, my friends!

Post Ultimate Reset

So, it's around 2 weeks post Ultimate Reset, and i've noticed a few things:
1) I've put on 3lbs
2) I crave green vegetables
3) I no longer crave crap food on the weekends, NOR alcoholic beverages

In fact, in relation to number 3: My husband and i usually drink on the weekends. We'll buy a bottle of wine/sangria, he'll drink beer while hanging in the pool, etc. This past weekend, I had a few "Mike's Hard Lemonades." They made me feel gross. Like really gross. Not 'drunk' gross, but just bloated and nasty. Ew. I'm a big red wine drinker. The last few times i've had red wine, I feel gross. I get all stuffed up, and feel sluggish the next day. White wine, however, doesn't have that affect on me. What's weird, is i've NEVER been a white wine drinker. Okay...end alcohol rant.

In relation to number 1: I know it's because i've a) had alcohol on the weekends b) not been drinking a gallon and a half of water every day and c) not working out as hard as i usually do. That's all about to change. It's amazing how, when you reset your system, you actually NOTICE, once you start back into your old habits, which of those habits are holding you back from the results you want. BINGO.

In relation to matter 2: Kale. Really. Kale. Never saw that one coming. I want to eat it every day. Weird, I know.

Even my morning coffee doesn't seem to give me the same satisfaction that it used to. Although I complained about the structure of the Reset while I was doing it, it actually gave me a great sense of satisfaction. I'm not saying i'm going to go BACK to that kind of massive structure, but i definitely, after these past 2 weeks, see how much that structure helped me to be my best.

SO...today: adding more vegetables, skipping the morning coffee (already had one this morning, so that'll have to wait until tomorrow), and going back to my water-drinking ways.

Also, i've been doing the Muscle and Fitness Hers 12-week Trainer program. Unfortch, i'm not impressed with it at all. I'm on day 15 of it, and although I LIKE it, i don't feel like i'm getting much out of it at all. I do believe, that i'm going to go back to Asylum and the bain of my existence, Shaun T.

Eat Clean. Be Fit.

Ultimate Reset--Day 22!

I did it! I successfully completed the 21-day Ultimate Reset, and I'm proud to say that I cheated ONCE. And that was on Day 21. I had a tiny piece of a brownie. And guess what? It wasn't worth it. So...my thoughts:

I dropped 9lbs. I didn't think i had 9lbs to lose, but apparently, I did. I always weigh myself first thing in the morning--that's the best, and most true time to weigh-in. For 21 days, I had a love/hate relationship with the reset. It went something like this:

Phase 1: WOW! Look at all this cool food i've never tried! I'm cooking so much! I love cooking! And salad! Good thing I love salad!! YAY!
Phase 2: WOW. Look at all this cool food i've never tried. I'm cooking so much. Cooking is getting old. MORE salad? What the hell is 'millet'? I think that's what's in the bird feeder.
Phase 3: MORE FRUIT?? Can't I just have oatmeal, for the love of GOD. I hate salad. I refuse to cook. All of my vegetables will be eaten raw. I want my chocolate shakeology. Stat.

Day 22: Holy crap. Look how thin I am. My skin is glowing. Most of the cheese on the back of my thighs has gone away. My thighs are SMALLER. I LOVE THE ULTIMATE RESET! :D

See? Love/Hate.

I'm going to be straight with you--it's tough. Now, if you are a single woman with no kids, or a married woman whose husband was doing this with you, it would be much easier. Here's why: It is ridiculously tough to cook your family meals, and watch them eat delicious nums like turkey spaghetti, grilled brisket, and baked chicken--while you sit there with a pile of beets and a salad. Granted, the pile 'o beets and the salad are equally delectable, but let's face it--it's not a grilled brisket. Have you ever pulled a pot roast out of a crock pot, and it's falling apart because it's so tender? And then you sit at the stove and make gravy with the drippings and it smells delightful? Yes, me too. Except I didn't get to eat it. I had to ask my husband if it tasted okay because i'm so good, i didn't even taste it. However, I cannot lie: When I made the brisket, I put a piece in my mouth, chewed it until it was liquified, then spit it out. I had to. It was a briskit. I know you people understand the conundrum I was in.

Anyways...you also can't work out while doing this. I LOVE to workout. It's my stress relief for the day. If i'm not yelling at Shaun T for kicking my rear, my day is not complete. With the Ultimate Reset, you're allowed 'brisk' walks and Tai-Cheng or Yoga. That's it. That simply doesn't cut it for me. By week two, i'd walk into my workout room, roll on my rumble roller, lovingly caress my weights, and kiss my workout shoes. Awful, i tell you.

How do I feel? The Ultimate Reset says, and I quote: "After just 21 days on the Beachbody Ultimate Reset, you'll be feeling dramatically better--physically, mentally, and emotionally." So...do I? Physically, I feel awesome. Mentally and emotionally? I feel more...calm. More centered with my body. Anything extravagant? No, not at all. But let's face it--I ate 90% clean before. I CAN imagine, that if you don't eat clean and do this, you'd feel all kinds of amazing. Even though i eat clean, about mid-way through the 2nd phase, my body felt...different. I just feel better. Definitely more energized.

What am I going to do now that it's over: Eat oatmeal and drink chocolate Shakeology. Those are the two things that are high on my priority list. :) The oatmeal has been eaten (steel cut oats, a heaping tsp of flaxseed, and soy milk---YUM). The Shake-O is next. I'm going to ride out the next 2 weeks and see how I feel. I will most likely be purchasing some of the supplements from the Reset so I can continue taking them. Am I going to eat meat? Probably. I'm certainly not vegan. And I like meat occansionally. I consider myself 'Flexitarian.' I eat mostly vegetarian, but I like ground turkey in my spaghetti and i enjoy the occasional, weekend briskit.

Do I recommend the Ultimate Reset? Heck, yes. It's hard. It takes dedication. It takes absolute determination. But you can do it. I'm so proud of myself that I did it! :)

Here's to your health, my friends! You have one life--make it count!