made it through Christmas!

I think I did ok through the Christmas get togethers.  I love that I am now so much more aware of the items I choose to put on my plate.  I made a conscious decision to load up my plate with salad first and then add in some of the other goodies in the small amount of room that was left over.  I've never done that before and I think it was a good choice.  I still indulged a bit here and there but honestly, I feel pretty successful overall.  I even kept up the work outs :)  It's a pretty good start for such a challenging time of the year!

Day 1: Post Reset

I did indulge in a cup of coffee this morning...and promptly ended up with a racing heart!  Soooo, I didn't get to finish it but that sure is amazing how much caffeine really does affect the body!  I was also able to enjoy my Chocolate Shakeology by Beachbody.  Since it is not vegan, I haven't been able to have it during the past 21 days and I really did miss it.  The other awesome thing I was able to resume was EXCERCISE!!!!  And, I got an early Christmas gift from my hubby...an eliptical!  I LOVE it!!!  I only made it a couple miles (guess I got out of my rhythm a bit with a toe surgery a month ago and the last 21 days of dieting) but I'm pretty sure I'll catch up to a regular 5 mile run for my training for my 25k this spring.  I sure do feel good :)

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's completed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Although I am so excited to have completed something so life changing I am also kinda sad that I won't be remaining so focused on my great nutrition, which does make me a little nervous.  I plan to keep this blog going for the next year and hope to use it as an accountability tool, so feel free to call me out if you aren't seeing a post on here once in a while.  It probably won't be daily but hopefully at least weekly :)

I was able to try 24 new recipes on this detoxifying and cleansing diet.  They were almost all fantastic!  I still cannot believe the amount of energy that I had during the entire 21 days without ANY caffeine!!!  And, I found out how amazing foods really taste with all fresh ingredients.  What a cool Christmas gift I have given myself!  In total, I lost 11 pounds and feel the best I've felt in a long time.  The ability to sleep and wake up completely rested has also been a thrilling "side effect" that I hope to continue to remember as incentive to regularly eat clean!

Check out my before and after pics below, since a picture's worth a thousand words...or perhaps a thousand calories in this case ;)

24 hours and counting :)

I'm almost there!!!!!  24 hours to go!!!!!  I cannot get over how much I have learned on this Ultimate Reset.  I've lost 10 lbs over the past 20 days, nice side effect for eating clean :)  Seriously though, it has been 20 days since I've had any caffeine as well and I cannot get over how much energy I have from the foods that I am consuming.  Absolutely fabulous!!!!!

a new day

I just love that we have the ability to start a new day every day.  I feel refreshed and ready to wrap up this Reset this weekend :) Two more days to go...

tough day

I hit a really challenging day today.  Started fine but then work just erupted!!! I caved at dinner time after I missed my lunch supplements and I was STARVING because I was running like a mad woman at work (and NOT the good kind of running).  I actually ate a fast food grilled chicken sandwich  when I was ordering my daughter's food during the rush to get her to ballet after work.  I'm not thrilled with my decision but I WILL get back on track for my last 3 days.  I guess it just goes to show that I'm human. This is when I'm thankful that I get to start over the next day :)

They're noticing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For some reason today, I received several compliments with people asking what I was doing to look so good :)  I'm so excited that others are finally noticing all the work I've put in to this so far.  Day 17 is complete; only 4 left!

LOVE these recipes!!!

I'm pretty sure that I just might have mentioned this before, but...I cannot believe how awesome so many of these recipes are!!!!  Tonight I had curry cauliflower.  I'm pretty sure that I would never have tried that before and I am sooooo glad that I did now. Fantastic!

Restaurant eating

I cannot get over how much I've learned (I know I keep saying that; but it is so amazing!).  I am able to successfully go out to eat and order foods on the UR diet.  It's actually quite simple.  When you look for rice, beans, fruit or veggies.  I still enjoy the conversation and it really doesn't seem weird any more.  I'm sure that you just become a bit desensitized to it but I'm thrilled that I'm there :)  And that I am surviving just fine!

mindful eating

I'm excited to say that I am learning about mindful eating.  It's no big secret and we all know how to do this but in our wild and crazy days so full of this and that, we tend to forget to slow down long enough to really think about what you are choosing to eat and what kind of energy that food/beverage will provide for your body.  This is probably the most profound thing that has occurred to me during the Reset.  How have I slowed down?  Well, when you are taking these supplements, you have to wait 30 minutes before you eat.  During that 30 min. I find the time to reflect on what I've prepared or am preparing to eat.  I am hoping that I do not forget this new found ability in the future :)

Chef in the making???

I'm amazed how much time I've spent in the kitchen these last 2 weeks AND how much I've enjoyed it!  I'm learning so much about how to prepare my food to allow it to provide me it's best tastes!  As I have mentioned before...there is nothing like fresh food, but this is especially true when I use fresh herbs and spices.  I may need to seriously consider growing my own herb garden :)  I've also learned the power of baking and steaming to unlock so many interesting tastes.  I love this program for this gift!  Merry Christmas to me!!!

missing my running

As part of this diet, I am unable to do any vigorous excercise.  Walking is encouraged but definitely not running.  I just received in the mail the training schedule for the 25k race that I ran last year and I plan to run this year.  Training started in December.  Now, I know that I will be able to catch up but I'm still bummed that I can't start right at the beginning.  Also, as I drove through my neighborhood this evening, I was admiring the Christmas lights.  I LOVE running outside this month of the year.  It's just so peaceful.  The saving grace that I have right now is that I just had toe surgery a couple weeks ago and can't run anyway for a month (at least), so even without the diet I couldn't run.  This too shall pass.

Half Way There!!!!

I can't believe I've made to the mid point.  This is truly an adventure in learning about food and healthy eating.  I cannot get over what a difference fresh foods and spices can make.  Although time consuming to prepare everything, it really is worth it!  This has been one of the more challenging things I've ever done and it's all good.  There is a natural "high" that you get from doing something this good for your body.  I am still not bored with the food...there's soooooo many choices and so many of them are absolutely delicious!  If you have ever thought about attempting a cleanse or just plain want to feel good and well-rested and healthy, I highly suggest you consider trying the Beachbody Ultimate Reset.

Oh ya...and I wish I had a bigger fridge :)

Clean & Clutter Free

I remember reading about previous particpants having the urge to purge not only their bodies but also their surroundings.  It is TRUE!  My office at work is the cleanest it has ever been!  Even my staff were commenting on it when they walked in.  If I had more minutes in the day, I'm pretty sure I'd be working on the house a bunch too.  I still cannot get over the high energy that I have...I LOVE it!!!  This is truly worth it and I highly recommend it.  It's tough but I'm tougher :)  Just about halfway there!

just another day

So I think I actually feel like this diet is really "just another day".  By this I mean, it doesn't seem hard to eat clean or drink tons of water...it just seems normal!  Ahhhhhhhh health!!!!!

Like minded people

I absolutely love hanging with this wonderful and inspiring group of women!  They are the Fit & Fierce!!!!  Where else could I attend a holiday party and find not one, not two, but at least 4 items on the buffet that are Reset friendly?!  You guys rock!  And, I'm thankful to meet the newest member of this group, Mary (standing to my left in the white shirt) who is on the same day of Reset as me.  When you decide to commit to something of this magnitude you absolutely NEED people who will cheer you on and support you during the most challenging times.

Today was the first day of the second week which means that I've added another component...Detox.  This stuff is not so great tasting but with a squeezed lemon slice in it, I think I can tolerate it for a week.  It's 3 times a day for the week.  Here we go...

weekends are tough

I gotta say weekends are a bit more challenging than during the week.  Weekends are just so chaotic, there isn't any structure.  I found that I didn't have as much time to do the food preperation like during the week.  This diet does ask you to sacrifice probably a bit more time than you are used to with prep work.  Also, I simply cannot believe how many dishes I'm doing!  I still say that putting time into making myself healthier is definitely worth it though!   I think it's just a bit difficult when you are flying solo on this adventure.  I am happy to report that I made it through the weekend and was able to eat clean!!!  I just didn't get to make all the recipes, but I have a feeling I'll be utilizing this book again soon enough even after the diet is over :)

Too much food!!!!

So, I know that some people worry that they won't get enough to eat when they are on a special diet such as the Ultimate Reset and let me reassure you that with this diet...there is too much food!  Honestly, I have had at least 2 days that I simply could not eat everything that was available to me for the day :)  I feel so content!  Today I tried Tempeh for the first time...not my favorite.  I've had tofu before and thought it was okay but this tempeh is not really for me.  But, I really enjoyed the zucchini and cashew soup and LOVED the roasted root medley (yam/carrot/beet)!  Good stuff!!!

Eating Out during the Reset

Have you ever wondered what nut would ever order that "veggie bowl" on the menu at Buffalo Wild Wings?  Well, now you know...it's crazies like me!  I was very proud of myself tonight.  My 3 year old daughter just LOVES BW3 and we do too and she really wanted to go there tonight so after I went home and ate my UR dinner; we took off for the restaurant.  I wasn't even going to get anything except water and then I saw the "bowl" (which is nothing more than celery and carrots) I thought that might help me out a bit by occupying my mouth while I watched my hubby and daughter enjoy their dinners.  It worked!  I didn't cheat!  The other interesting thing is that I had a lunch meeting out to eat today too...seriously?!  I had brought my UR lunch and ate it in the car before going in for lunch and ordered a simple salad and drank water of course.  That was good but then they wanted to go down the street for desert and coffee...oh dear!  Again, I ordered tea and only drank 1/3 of it!  I can't believe I said no to some pretty awesome looking deserts but I gotta say; I cannot get over how my cravings are pretty well controlled (obviously) on this Reset.  5 days down; 16 to go...

Restful Sleep

When I was reading up on the Ultimate Reset I remembered seeing something about some participants noticing that they felt more well rested after a night's sleep.  I thought that this would be another nice "side effect" of pursuing good health.  I'm happy to report that I am one of those people that is feeling much more rested after sleeping!!!!  Now, the reason this is such a great big deal to me is that I was one of those people who nearly every night took Tylenol PM or Benadryl to use as a sleep aid.  Obviously I am not taking any medications while I am on the Reset; and I definitely had some anxiety about how I would be able to sleep at night.  I am thrilled to report that I am experiencing this blissful sleep.  It's sweeeeeet!!!!!!!!!

Challenges in the evening

Sooooo my worst temptations are ALWAYS found in the evenings while Dave and I are relaxing.  As I type this I am forced to attempt to ignore the bag of potatoe chips sitting on the table between us.  UGH!!!!!!!!!!  This is definitely the biggest challenge.  I am thankful that my body seems to like "eating clean" and I do not have significant cravings at all.  But C'MON...chips...sitting right next to me!  I am proud of myself for saying no!  The more often I say no to the junk the happier my body is and for those of you who know me and a challenge...well let's just say... I won't be defeated!  I feel stronger every day and hey, the scale shows a 3 pound weight loss already.  That's a nice side effect :) 

managing the diet at work

So today was my first chance to see what it would be like to manage the ultimate reset while busy at work.  It actually went pretty good.  I think the most challenging thing was not getting enough water in.  That is always a challenge at work for me.  I literally fly between meetings and have barely enough time to eat lunch (at my desk).  My committment to the reset is pretty solid though!  I got everything in without much difficulty :) And, I cannot get over how the cravings for junk are jus non-existent already!  I was by some good looking snacks (aka temptations) and found that I wasn not even drawn to them!  My Shakeology has helped me with cravings before but it is definitely stronger with the reset...I love this!  The other thing I'm loving today...my dinner...it was black bean and rice tacos...this will be a repeat recipe for sure!  I have to say that since I am a major food explorer, I can actually become giddy while I flip through all the recipes and new ingredients I get to try while on this reset!!!

Day 1

Day 1 of the Ultimate Reset is complete!  Here are a couple of the delicious meals I had today.  Breakfast: eggs, whole grain toast and steamed kale. Lunch: Grilled chicken Ceasar Salad (I absolutely loved the homemade dressing!).  Dinner was grilled Salmon, baby red potatoes and asparagus.  I didn't get a pic because I had family over and was busy setting up dinner for them.  I'm thrilled that this food can be enjoyed by anyone and not just "the person on the special diet".

I feel pretty good, I did end up with the caffeine free headache by late afternoon.  I anticipated this.  I think that should start feeling better tomorrow.  It took a little longer than usual to prepare my food but not as bad as I thought it might.  I'm loving all of the fresh ingredients being used and it is awesome actually learning to stop and enjoy my food.  I really never did that before and I see why it works :)  I was off work today which was a great perk to starting my Reset off on the right foot.  We'll see how tomorrow goes... 

Fit by 40!!!!

As many of you have done or will do; I have joined the popular journey to become fit by 40.  That means I've got about 11 months at this point.  Now, I will say that I made great strides this past year, mostly with my improved dedication to my running.  I've been completing 5k's and 10 k's over the past 8 years or so but this past May (2012), I trained for and completed my first long race...a 25k!  Yes, that's 15.5 miles!!!  I was elated!  I even followed that up with my first half marathon (13.1 miles) in October!  So, I'm feeling quite a bit more fit than ever before as far as exercise is concerned.  But like every coin, there are 2 sides to this story.  My diet is horrible!  I'm sure it could be worse but it is definitely not great.  I am gearing up for a pretty big change that is kicking off with a cleanse starting tomorrow.  This is not one of those crazy liquid diets or anything; I actually get to "chew" something every day with this "cleanse".  It is the Beachbody Ultimate Reset and it uses minerals, salts and CLEAN eating for 21 days!  I'm so excited at the opportunities this will give me and yet, I'm a bit scared too.  I've never done something like this but I'm so tired of eating so poorly and feel like I really do need a RESET to change the game.  I'm not saying I'll be a perfect vegan after this reset but I do know that I will learn a great deal about healthy eating and making better choices and that's what I'm going for here.  I'm starting this blog for myself more than anyone so that I can "journal" the thoughts and feelings and triumphs as I go through this next year of my life.  Stay tuned if this helps inspire you in any way.  Maybe then YOU can lift me up when I'm feeling down and we can share this journey together.  Here's to a healthier me!!!!