Just FYI for those who read my words almost a year ago in April, I also completed the 10,000 Swings in 30 Days challenge. I did 10,001 ... just because I wanted to exceed my expectations.
Coach challenged me at the beginning of January to row 50,000 meters before the end of the month. I have just over 700 meters to go to finish that challenge, and will do so today. Figured I should write it now, as most likely I will forget all about it after I accomplish it. That seems to be my trend.
I'm not quite sure why ... maybe it's "checked off in the completed category" and therefore forgotten as I move onto the next big TO-DO in my life. For whatever reason, I don't seem to stop and celebrate the little successes I have in my life.
But, BOY, do I sure lament about and dwell upon the failures. I can spend HOURS writing about all the ways I have let myself down, all the ways in which I have quit, been defeated or flat out failed. Those things, I seem to have plenty of words for and time with which to write them.
There's something wrong with that philosophy, isn't there? Why do we spend so much time beating ourselves up, and so little time edifying? Why is it so much easier to hear the bad stuff than the good? Why is our success never quite enough, while our failure is so complete?
The 21 Day Sugar Detox was eye opening in a lot of ways. I embarked upon the quest as an experiment upon my body. How would I react to complete depletion of my carbohydrate stores? Are grains something I will feel deprived of? Will I forget how to behave as a human while I limit these things from my diet? Is it a lifestyle I can (or want to) maintain 90% of the rest of my days? Well ...
- My body actually responded very well to limiting the carbs. In the first week I had some very mild fuzziness and low energy levels. However, these were not much more that I would normally feel after getting slightly less sleep than I prefer (I am an 8 hour per night girl, but regularly only get 7 hours.) I was a bit forgetful, but lets face it ... I am forgetful anyway (early onset Alzheimer's, I'm convinced!).
- I did not miss grains a bit. Granted, sandwiches are much easier to eat on the road than a salad and in that way, I guess I might have missed them a bit, but otherwise? Nope. Making a protein breakfast has no longer prep time than making a bowl of oatmeal (I always used the slow cook, steel cut variety). Scrambling some eggs with chopped veggies and maybe a couple slices of bacon did not cut into my morning time at all. Not even the clean up time. (That oatmeal pan was a B*#$%!)
- Well, maybe I did become a bit more grumpy than normal. I certainly found my temper a little shorter. Things that bugged me previously, I could swallow and bite my tongue on (or close the laptop and still my fingers on) whereas, now? I unleashed my full rage far faster than before. (All Giants fans who tried to draw me into their little football world were unlucky recipients of this rage.) But it did seem to get a little better towards the end. I'm still uncertain as to whether this was me getting used to this way of eating, or just that I realized I was turning into a monster and started reining in some control ...)
- Yes, I do believe I can maintain this lifestyle 90% of the rest of my life. I say 90% because, let's face it, I will want to have a piece of cake at some time in the future. I am sure that I will go out for sushi eventually ... and want a roll, instead of straight sashimi. When I visit family members, there is sure to be pasta offered up and I can't be the crazy rude one who refuses to eat. But, most of the time? It is really easy. If I go out to dinner, I can order grilled meat and steamed veggies or a salad (bring my own dressing, of course!) When I am home, it is easy to fix a pasta or rice side for my husband and son, but stick with the meat and potatoes for myself. I can enjoy an occasional glass of wine, if I want.
There's another challenge out there, a little stricter, a little longer, called the Whole30. I am reading through the literature on that one and deciding when and how to stick it in, or even if I want to. I think that I do, because I like the results I have seen on this "precursor" plan (did I tell you I am down 12 lbs from when I started? Nice side effect!) My digestive track is really happy (no more IBS ... think I might be one of the 5-10% who has a gluten intolerance and did not know it??), my skin is happy, my scale is happy ... all around good things. My depression has ebbed (could be just a general ebbing, or could be diet-related), my energy, while it has not increased, it has not decreased, which is normally what occurs when I hit winter.
Although the Detox has ended, I haven't really changed much. I have added some fruit back in, but not daily ... just as I have wanted it. And the fruit I added back in were actually the Granny Smith apple and the green-tinged banana that I was allowed during the Detox. I also ate a handful of dried figs with my almonds for an afternoon snack yesterday. That's it. I intend to enjoy a glass of wine Friday night with my husband. Those are my big cheats (treats), but for all intents and purposes, I am sticking with the basic plan until, well, until I change my mind or try something different.
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