On Friday I completed the 14 day kickstart plan and I have lost 10lbs so far!!! (so chuffed!) Best of all I feel brilliant. My energy levels are up and maintained through the day (no peaks and troughs as before)
As well as cutting out the C.R.A.P. (carbohydrates, refined sugar, alcohol and processed food) I have spent the last two weeks off caffeine (I only read on day 4 that I could have had one cup of organic coffee a day on the kick start!!! So I thought since I'd got that far I'd stay off it for the remaining 10 days) Coffee and tea were the hardest for me- I usually spend all day drinking one or the other. I had bad headaches for the first 3 days off caffeine but by day 4 I felt wonderful! I practically sprung out of bed that day!!
I took a trendy thermal water jug we had been given as a wedding present into work and filled it with hot water so I had a supply at my desk all day. I put a sliced lemon in my mug and kept filling it up. I did miss my trips to the canteen and coffee shop from a social aspect- but my wallet was thankful!! So too was my body- I have fancy scales I bought in John Lewis and according to them I am now made up of +2.7% more water!!
The lack of alcohol hasn't been too difficult. We have a regular games night (when we can all squeeze it in our busy schedules) and I was the only one not drinking- it wasn't a wild night so I was okay and with the board game going on it kept my mind off missing a cheeky G&T!!
However this past Friday was harder as it was a good friend's birthday and they had organised pink fizz with berries for everyone to be on the table when we arrived ...and it kept coming... all night!! I ordered water in a tall glass with sliced cucumber so the water tasted a bit like a Hendricks and tonic but without the alcohol!! I number of people at our table thought that's what I had been drinking!
As if the pink fizz wasn't tempting enough then came out pink cupcakes with a candle for the birthday girl to blow out. It took all the willpower I had not to eat the icing from the top of one of these lovely sugary treats! But I refrained!! I have to add that apart from the pink cupcakes and chocolate dessert at games night ( that I also passed on) I haven't craved sugar at all. I think in these cases it was because they were right in front of me- tempting me!! I have been really surprised about not missing sugar as I am a sugar fiend. It has always been my 'energy booster' 'emotional pick me up' and general 'go to' but having read James Duigan's Clean and Lean diet I feel I am learning the negative patterns I have got myself in and they have not been making me feel better or happier. Clean and lean has however made me feel much more positive.
Another surprise for me has been my new feelings towards carbs. I have genuinely not given carbs a thought these entire 2 weeks. I feel a bit like they are redundant in the world. If feels a little strange as toast is a staple of my life- cake and biscuits too. I had a slice of 100% rye bread for breakfast with mackerel on one of the kickstart days and it was tasty but I'd rather have had green veg and a poached egg with the mackerel than bread- what a genuine shock to my usual outlook.
Eliminating processed food has been an easy one- I have LOVED preparing and cooking this nutritious, colourful and tasty food. All the love I usually pour into baking and making for other people (I am that woman in the office who bakes cakes and treats and brings them in to share or makes the cakes for family birthdays) well it feels like for once I am spending that energy on me but instead of showing love with sugary carb filled treats I am making my body truly happy.
Whilst I have been changing my eating in these last two weeks I have kept up with my Hot Yoga and Pilates classes. I have been attending Pilates for a year and have been doing both since the end of January. I had felt more toned but had not lost any weight over Feb/March. However my new energy levels has given me extra drive and the last two weeks classes have produced real results- my abs are becoming visible ( underneath a layer of chub!) and my flexibility at yoga has gotten much better- perhaps it is because I am pushing myself more and have renewed enthusiasm.
All in all I have had a successful first 2 weeks and can't wait to keep going, try new recipes, do more exercise, try new products, visit new local producers and generally enjoy this experience. Clean and Lean really is the eating plan for foodies- I feel reawakened!!
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