The minute I or anybody else says that they are on a diet, I pull out my watch and begin counting down the minutes to the inevitable:
RELAPSE!
Six weeks ago, I began, not a diet, but a whole new way of eating. The idea behind this whole new way of eating was that if I filled my diet with highly nutritious foods, I would eventually lose my taste for the “bad” foods like sugar, processed foods, etc.
My rules for this whole new way of eating were:
RULE #1: EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT
RULE #2: IN ADDITION TO EATING WHATEVER YOU WANT, EAT THE FOLLOWING:
Therefore, every day I made sure to eat the following:
1. 8 oz water with 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2. A pre-breakfast smoothie made with Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons chia seeds, berries, half a banana and a handful of parsley
3. Replace my morning cereal with a bowl of oatmeal, cinnamon, raisins and pecans
4. At least one green salad with either lunch or dinner
5. At least one apple a day
(I also made sure to exercise at least 3 or more hours a week.)
Since the words “YOU CAN’T HAVE THAT” make me want to run for the hills, I felt very optimistic about this new plan.
So…how did it go?
Weeks 1-3
Over week 1, I ate two pieces of chocolate cake, a few dishes of ice cream, a bag of Doritos, a frozen pizza AND every bit of my good foods. Needless to say, my sweet tooth was still very much alive, but I did not attempt to curb it.
By week 3, I began to feel less of a need for sugar, but still managed to have at least one serving of dessert a day. I also still craved frozen pizza and chips. Still, I noticed that my energy at the gym was greater and that I could go harder and faster without feeling so depleted.
Weeks 4-6
By week 4, I reigned myself in by recording what I ate each day. I also began preparing healthy substitutes like sweet potato and kale chips to combat my Dorito cravings. After doing this, I found that I preferred my healthy substitutes to the real thing.
During week 5, I began experiencing days where I did not want sugar. I had started nibbling 75% dark chocolate whenever I wanted something sweet, but after a while I did not even want the chocolate.
Week 6 was somewhat of a mess. I lost my father and did a lot of traveling which threw my eating off a little. Still, my cravings were very much under control.
For instance, usually when I go home, I want to eat lots of Mexican cookies and breads. I wound up eating only 2 cookies over 6 days and was more than satisfied with that amount. (I usually eat at least 2 cookies a day while I am home and then buy some more for the drive home.)
Week 7 and Beyond….
I am still going strong–no, wait–STRONGER than I ever thought I could.
Each week, I challenge myself a little more. For instance, I recently began drinking cinnamon and honey tea in the morning and at night and have found that it greatly reduces my cravings for breads and sugars. I’ve also started drinking an 8 oz protein shake after my hard workouts to aid in muscle tissue repair. (I use IsoPure–no sugar, low in carbs.)
For those of you who do not struggle with cravings and blood sugar crashes, my progress may not seem like a big deal.
To me, however, I am so very proud! Forgetting to eat dessert? Turning down pizza? This girl just doesn’t do that.
I still splurge because I’m human, but those splurges happen only a couple times a week versus a couple times a day.
As for weight loss….?
I have lost about an inch or so in my middle and about 3-4 pounds. Trust me, I would like to lose more, but here’s the deal:
It is much more difficult to change your mind than your body.
I’m not looking to lose 10 pounds in 3 weeks only to relapse once my diet is over.
Instead, I’m slowly and steadily paving a strong foundation of healthy habits which will serve me for the rest of my life.
Me at Week 4
Here’s to seven more weeks!
And maybe a few more pounds lost? 
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