Status: DONE!
21 days in the bag! :) I am really excited to be done and to be drinking a big glass of unsweet iced tea RIGHT NOW! :)
As week 3 went on, we began to notice a real difference in the way we felt. Trevor went back to his regular workout schedule during week 2 and the pounds began to just melt away. I was swamped at school, so I didn't have a lot of time to work out and I didn't lose as much, but I felt great - very light with lots of energy. My clothes are fitting better, and I couldn't be happier with the way this little experiment turned out.
As we begin to add more foods back into our diet, it will be interesting to make note of how certain foods make us feel. To be honest, I wish it was a little easier to eat a gluten-free diet, because I love how I feel now that I have been off for 21 days. However, I think we will try to keep the majority of changes in place the majority of the time. For instance, when I can make a meal gluten free, I will try. We will continue to eat fish - which I learned is delicious when prepared by Trevor Eugene. :) We are going to eat red meat no more than once per week and eat as little processed sugar as possible {with a little room for chocolate now and then}. I also am finding it a lot easier to realize when I am getting full, and easier to stop eating even if there is still food on my plate. I have to remember especially now that we are adding in grains and things that portion size is key to reaching our goals. Speaking of goals...
Alright, are you ready for the results? Here you go...
Trevor:
Starting weight - 255
Goal weight - 220
Current weight - 234
Total weight loss - 21 lbs
Jamie:
Starting weight - 148
Goal weight - 135
Current weight - 137
Total weight loss - 11 lbs.
{I should also mention 5.5 inches lost}
Even though we haven't reached our goals yet, we are more than happy with our weight loss and with how we feel. I am certain that if we stick with a whole foods diet 80-90% of the time, we will reach our goals in no time.
Thanks for following us on this little journey and for the accountability you provided. The first week felt really hard because it was so restrictive, but our morale got better with each passing week. I think we will keep a lot of recipes from week 2 and week 3 in our meal planning rotation because they were just plain tasty and we know they are good for us. How about you? Trying any new healthy eating plans lately?
Monday, January 21, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Cleanse Update #8
Status: Still going strong
Sunday night will mean 2 weeks down and just one to go. This week was busy at school, but we tag teamed the cooking and everything worked out. I would have to say that one of the hardest parts of this cleanse has been having to cook every meal. We love to cook, but with our current restrictions, we can't just go out and grab something that is already prepared to save time after a long day. However, we are both feeling a difference and that feels good. We both agree that we feel more energetic and alert. Here's our progress after two weeks:
Jamie: 138 (-10 lbs)
Trevor: 240 (-15 lbs)
The best parts of the week food-wise were getting to eat fish and beans. Trevor made a wonderful salmon dinner one night and some sort of australian white fish another night. I'm not typically keen on fish, but I'm learning {which is good because it is really healthy}. We made a big pot of lentil soup which was easy and delicious. I think that one will stay in the rotation after the week is over. I have also really enjoyed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus for breakfast. As strange as it feels for this oatmeal/cereal girl to eat sweet potatoes for breakfast, I have found it to be warm, fresh, and satisfying. If you bake a bunch of sweet potatoes in preparation for the week like we did, it makes it really quick and easy in the mornings too. {Trevor wasn't crazy about those for some reason}.
Reflecting on the past two weeks, I think we are really realizing a lot about our food habits. Like I said before, we really know how to eat well, and for the most part, make pretty healthy choices in terms of what we buy and how we prepare our meals. Our downfall is portion control, {eating quickly and going back for seconds}. We also rely too heavily on carbs and not enough on vegetables. Trevor made the comment too that we always feel like we need to have a side dish or two, when we probably don't always need to. Living simply is not just for possessions.
I don't think that after next week we will continue to eat gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free all the time. But I do think that we will focus on eating smaller and waiting until we are hungry {not starving} to eat again. I like having an eating schedule, eating a meal every 3-4 hours. It keeps me from grazing and nibbling all day long, but it gives hope when I'm feeling hungry that the next meal is not far away.
I'd better get back to my lesson planning, but I thought I'd give a quick update first. Thanks for sticking with us. This little blog is providing the accountability we need to follow through and finish strong.
Sunday night will mean 2 weeks down and just one to go. This week was busy at school, but we tag teamed the cooking and everything worked out. I would have to say that one of the hardest parts of this cleanse has been having to cook every meal. We love to cook, but with our current restrictions, we can't just go out and grab something that is already prepared to save time after a long day. However, we are both feeling a difference and that feels good. We both agree that we feel more energetic and alert. Here's our progress after two weeks:
Jamie: 138 (-10 lbs)
Trevor: 240 (-15 lbs)
The best parts of the week food-wise were getting to eat fish and beans. Trevor made a wonderful salmon dinner one night and some sort of australian white fish another night. I'm not typically keen on fish, but I'm learning {which is good because it is really healthy}. We made a big pot of lentil soup which was easy and delicious. I think that one will stay in the rotation after the week is over. I have also really enjoyed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus for breakfast. As strange as it feels for this oatmeal/cereal girl to eat sweet potatoes for breakfast, I have found it to be warm, fresh, and satisfying. If you bake a bunch of sweet potatoes in preparation for the week like we did, it makes it really quick and easy in the mornings too. {Trevor wasn't crazy about those for some reason}.
Reflecting on the past two weeks, I think we are really realizing a lot about our food habits. Like I said before, we really know how to eat well, and for the most part, make pretty healthy choices in terms of what we buy and how we prepare our meals. Our downfall is portion control, {eating quickly and going back for seconds}. We also rely too heavily on carbs and not enough on vegetables. Trevor made the comment too that we always feel like we need to have a side dish or two, when we probably don't always need to. Living simply is not just for possessions.
I don't think that after next week we will continue to eat gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free all the time. But I do think that we will focus on eating smaller and waiting until we are hungry {not starving} to eat again. I like having an eating schedule, eating a meal every 3-4 hours. It keeps me from grazing and nibbling all day long, but it gives hope when I'm feeling hungry that the next meal is not far away.
I'd better get back to my lesson planning, but I thought I'd give a quick update first. Thanks for sticking with us. This little blog is providing the accountability we need to follow through and finish strong.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Cleanse Update #7
Status: Just pretty okay. :)
Yesterday was fairly uneventful food-wise. Trevor was feeling better, so it was back to the grind for him. This was the first real test for his willpower {the coffee pot is just outside his office} and he did great. I made him a smoothie for the road, then he ate leftover veggie soup for lunch and fruit for a snack. Last night we had the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes again and it is just really good. We'll have that one more time before the weekend is over.
We can't say enough how excited we are for next week to add fish, beans and lentils, and soy. Adding a little warmth and substance after a week of salads, slaws, and pureed soups will be a welcome change. Even though the food portion is a little discouraging {because we love bread and coffee/tea}, the weight loss is encouraging. I'm down another pound to 141. That is 7 lbs. in 5 days! That's something to smile about. If I continue my pattern {which the skeptic in me says is surely not sustainable}, I will need to set a new goal by the beginning of next week.
I guess I should be focusing more on how the food makes me feel and how the cleanse is affecting our outlook, but I'm just not sure I really know yet. Sometimes I feel like I have more energy and sometimes I feel more alert. I think it will be easier to judge once I start back to school next week. Now THAT will be a completely different ballgame.
Yesterday was fairly uneventful food-wise. Trevor was feeling better, so it was back to the grind for him. This was the first real test for his willpower {the coffee pot is just outside his office} and he did great. I made him a smoothie for the road, then he ate leftover veggie soup for lunch and fruit for a snack. Last night we had the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes again and it is just really good. We'll have that one more time before the weekend is over.
We can't say enough how excited we are for next week to add fish, beans and lentils, and soy. Adding a little warmth and substance after a week of salads, slaws, and pureed soups will be a welcome change. Even though the food portion is a little discouraging {because we love bread and coffee/tea}, the weight loss is encouraging. I'm down another pound to 141. That is 7 lbs. in 5 days! That's something to smile about. If I continue my pattern {which the skeptic in me says is surely not sustainable}, I will need to set a new goal by the beginning of next week.
I guess I should be focusing more on how the food makes me feel and how the cleanse is affecting our outlook, but I'm just not sure I really know yet. Sometimes I feel like I have more energy and sometimes I feel more alert. I think it will be easier to judge once I start back to school next week. Now THAT will be a completely different ballgame.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Cleanse Update #6
Status: Ready to move on to next week!
We have officially tried all the week 1 recipes except for 1 and we are definitely ready to add fish and legumes next week. We are pretty much entirely veggied out. In fact, last night we made vegetable soup from scratch just so we could have something warm and savory. {The soups in the plan are sort of spicy, sweet, and really thick - not either of our favorites.} Don't worry though, still no processed or off-limits food. We even made our own vegetable stock. It was kind of fun and a much needed lift for our spirits after finishing leftovers of spicy, sweet, really thick soup for lunch. We also roasted some sweet potato wedges with chili powder - delicious.
All in all, yesterday wasn't that eventful. I am down another pound, which means a total of 6 in 4 days! At least that is exciting. I think we are actually going to see this through!
Sorry to be brief and disjointed. We're going to help our friends paint in their new house and since we have to eat cleanse food for dinner, I'm taking some to share. Lucky for them!! :)
We have officially tried all the week 1 recipes except for 1 and we are definitely ready to add fish and legumes next week. We are pretty much entirely veggied out. In fact, last night we made vegetable soup from scratch just so we could have something warm and savory. {The soups in the plan are sort of spicy, sweet, and really thick - not either of our favorites.} Don't worry though, still no processed or off-limits food. We even made our own vegetable stock. It was kind of fun and a much needed lift for our spirits after finishing leftovers of spicy, sweet, really thick soup for lunch. We also roasted some sweet potato wedges with chili powder - delicious.
All in all, yesterday wasn't that eventful. I am down another pound, which means a total of 6 in 4 days! At least that is exciting. I think we are actually going to see this through!
Sorry to be brief and disjointed. We're going to help our friends paint in their new house and since we have to eat cleanse food for dinner, I'm taking some to share. Lucky for them!! :)
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Cleanse Update #5
Status: Rested and alert
I woke up without an alarm this morning and it could be my imagination, but my mind is feeling clearer. I've also lost another pound, which brings me to 5 lbs in 3 days. I'm not noticing a difference in how my clothes fit yet, but as I start adding some light exercise, I'm sure I'll start to notice a difference in inches too.
Yesterday was Trevor's toughest day. He was home sick and on the couch, so he was in the position I was in earlier - too much time to sit around and think about what he couldn't eat. He supplemented his meals with some snacks of fruit and by the time I started fixing dinner, he was in better spirits.
{Sidenote: For those of you who are worried about Trevor being sick and trying to cleanse at the same time - He hasn't had much of an appetite, so we decided to go on with the cleanse even though he was sick because the food is so nutritious and the plan calls for TONs of water, so my thinking was that those were the types of foods he should be eating to get better anyway. Hopefully I'm right.}
The highlight of yesterday was certainly the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes. It was delicious and very filling. I will be making it throughout the cleanse and long after this little shindig is over. I thought I could make it for lunches, but with fresh avocado, I wonder if it would be brown before we could eat it. Maybe I'll use it as dinner next week since I go back to work on Monday.
Dinner last night was Roasted Peppers, Cauliflower, and Almonds. I'm not crazy about cauliflower, but it really wasn't a bad meal. Trevor really liked it. It was very simple, but also warm and pretty satisfying.
Today, I am trying a new smoothie recipe and a new lunch recipe, so I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how it goes. I'm feeling really good, so I hope the hardest part is behind us!
I woke up without an alarm this morning and it could be my imagination, but my mind is feeling clearer. I've also lost another pound, which brings me to 5 lbs in 3 days. I'm not noticing a difference in how my clothes fit yet, but as I start adding some light exercise, I'm sure I'll start to notice a difference in inches too.
Yesterday was Trevor's toughest day. He was home sick and on the couch, so he was in the position I was in earlier - too much time to sit around and think about what he couldn't eat. He supplemented his meals with some snacks of fruit and by the time I started fixing dinner, he was in better spirits.
{Sidenote: For those of you who are worried about Trevor being sick and trying to cleanse at the same time - He hasn't had much of an appetite, so we decided to go on with the cleanse even though he was sick because the food is so nutritious and the plan calls for TONs of water, so my thinking was that those were the types of foods he should be eating to get better anyway. Hopefully I'm right.}
The highlight of yesterday was certainly the Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes. It was delicious and very filling. I will be making it throughout the cleanse and long after this little shindig is over. I thought I could make it for lunches, but with fresh avocado, I wonder if it would be brown before we could eat it. Maybe I'll use it as dinner next week since I go back to work on Monday.
Dinner last night was Roasted Peppers, Cauliflower, and Almonds. I'm not crazy about cauliflower, but it really wasn't a bad meal. Trevor really liked it. It was very simple, but also warm and pretty satisfying.
Today, I am trying a new smoothie recipe and a new lunch recipe, so I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how it goes. I'm feeling really good, so I hope the hardest part is behind us!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Cleanse Update #4
Status: Not as hungry - HOORAY!!
This post will be a little more brief because I'm helping a friend get her house move-in ready. Best part about it - her new house is less than 10 minutes from ours!! I'm headed back over there after a really yummy lunch, but I wanted to post a quick update about yesterday - Day 2.
I can't lie. Day 2 was rough. It didn't help that Trevor is still not feeling well, so we were pretty much camped out on the couch in a big comforter watching movies for most of the day. That much down time gave me way too much time to sit and think about all the things I couldn't eat. I about threw in the towel {not really, because I still have $100 worth of produce in my kitchen and I'm too cheap not to eat it}. I'm also pretty thankful for this blog because even though I'm sure only 3 people read it, {Hi, Jenni!} it gave me some accountability knowing that people would be checking in on our progress.
Yesterday was rough not only because of our down time, but also because the food was not our favorite. I thought it would be really great, and it was okay, but definitely not great. We had another antioxidant smoothie for breakfast, Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and Carrots for lunch, and Roasted Garlic and Beet Soup for dinner. I know I said I was excited about it, but the soup was terribly bland. I doctored it up a little bit with some extra herbs and white pepper, but overall, it just wasn't very good. The Kale Slaw was actually pretty good, so I can't really complain. I just thought it would be a little more flavorful as well. We also cheated a little yesterday - an orange with breakfast, a celery stick with literally 1 teaspoon of peanut butter {we were really hungry, but didn't want to cheat too much}, and then we split an apple with another teaspoon of peanut butter while the beet was roasting for dinner. This sort of cheating is justifiable for 3 reasons:
This post will be a little more brief because I'm helping a friend get her house move-in ready. Best part about it - her new house is less than 10 minutes from ours!! I'm headed back over there after a really yummy lunch, but I wanted to post a quick update about yesterday - Day 2.
I can't lie. Day 2 was rough. It didn't help that Trevor is still not feeling well, so we were pretty much camped out on the couch in a big comforter watching movies for most of the day. That much down time gave me way too much time to sit and think about all the things I couldn't eat. I about threw in the towel {not really, because I still have $100 worth of produce in my kitchen and I'm too cheap not to eat it}. I'm also pretty thankful for this blog because even though I'm sure only 3 people read it, {Hi, Jenni!} it gave me some accountability knowing that people would be checking in on our progress.
Yesterday was rough not only because of our down time, but also because the food was not our favorite. I thought it would be really great, and it was okay, but definitely not great. We had another antioxidant smoothie for breakfast, Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage and Carrots for lunch, and Roasted Garlic and Beet Soup for dinner. I know I said I was excited about it, but the soup was terribly bland. I doctored it up a little bit with some extra herbs and white pepper, but overall, it just wasn't very good. The Kale Slaw was actually pretty good, so I can't really complain. I just thought it would be a little more flavorful as well. We also cheated a little yesterday - an orange with breakfast, a celery stick with literally 1 teaspoon of peanut butter {we were really hungry, but didn't want to cheat too much}, and then we split an apple with another teaspoon of peanut butter while the beet was roasting for dinner. This sort of cheating is justifiable for 3 reasons:
- We stuck with food that was already in the plan (all fruits, veggies, nuts, and plant oils - and our peanut butter is just roasted peanuts and salt)
- We haven't been fixing the snacks that are included in the plan
- We were so HUNGRY all day yesterday
Even though we cheated a little, I think I'm starting to feel a difference. Most of the day we were really tired, but this morning I weighed in at 144 (- 4lbs) and Trevor weighed in at 247 (- 9lbs). I know this is probably mostly water weight for me and Trevor's is due to sickness, but it's still encouraging. I won't spoil my Day 3 post too much, but I am feeling much better today - definitely more optimistic about continuing the plan. :)
Well, I need to head back over to LW's house to help sand wall paper glue off the walls. I'm telling you, having our good friends within a 10 minute drive makes any amount of work worth it.
I'll be back soon to tell you all about Day 3 and about the most delicious meal we just ate {that will be a part of our lunch rotation long after the cleanse is over}.
Until then, is anyone else trying to eat differently these days?
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Cleanse Update #3
Status: Still Hungry :)
Day 1 is in the books. Good news: I survived the broccoli! I actually almost liked it. Many thanks to a sweet friend who suggested roasted over steaming. I don't know how the nutritional value stacks up between roasted and steamed, but I'm assuming that roasted broccoli is better than no broccoli at all.
The evening meal as a whole was kind of - meh - even according to my broccoli-loving better half. The real downer was the tahini sauce that was supposed to be drizzled over the broccoli and squash. Please believe me when I tell you that it was so bad. I just kept tweaking and adding a bit more of this and a dash of that {I stuck with the recipe ingredients} and it just kept getting worse. I served it on the side and once everything came together it was tolerable. I think we have to eat it one more time, so I saved just enough, but it's pretty safe to say that it won't be making its way into our regular rotation. In fact, it's pretty safe to say that I will never make that particular sauce again.
Even though it has only been about 36 hours and even though Trevor hasn't been feeling well since Sunday, I think we will begin to feel a difference soon {besides the constant hunger pangs, that is}. I think I'm already realizing somethings about my eating habits that have contributed to my current predicament {being over my optimal weight, low on energy, etc.} Here they are in no particular order:
#1: I rarely allow myself to feel real hunger and if I do, I almost always eat way to fast and eat way more than I need to in order to satisfy my appetite.
#2: We eat in front of the TV too much. Something that I hope will last after these 3 weeks is that we will make an effort to eat more at the table. When it's just the two of us, it is all too easy to eat in front of the TV. We need to switch off the tube (or phones or computers or...) and take time to think about the food we are eating.
#3: I do not like to quit eating until I feel full. We are trying to be careful to match the serving sizes that are part of the plan and I am usually still hungry when the serving is gone. I am learning though, that after about 20 minutes, I do feel satisfied. I hope to take that lesson with me after the cleanse. Maybe mastering #2 {above, not anything having to do with the restroom} will help with that.
Moving forward - today's food seems much more appealing than yesterday. We had a berry and pomegranate smoothie for breakfast, Kale Slaw with Cabbage and Carrots for lunch, and I'm making a Roasted Garlic and Beet Soup for dinner. For those of you who are scared of beets, I encourage you to try them. Especially roasted, they are wonderful. We are very excited to try this soup. It looks fantastic.
We have been pretty tired {maybe due in part to sickness, maybe due to cleanse} so if we make it past 8:00 tonight, I might make Cinnamon Poached Apples with Toasted Walnuts for an after dinner snack. Thinking about the evening fare helps me keep motivated to continue.
This is getting lengthy and I might take advantage of my day off to take a nap. I'll be back tomorrow with an update on Day 2.
Day 1 is in the books. Good news: I survived the broccoli! I actually almost liked it. Many thanks to a sweet friend who suggested roasted over steaming. I don't know how the nutritional value stacks up between roasted and steamed, but I'm assuming that roasted broccoli is better than no broccoli at all.
The evening meal as a whole was kind of - meh - even according to my broccoli-loving better half. The real downer was the tahini sauce that was supposed to be drizzled over the broccoli and squash. Please believe me when I tell you that it was so bad. I just kept tweaking and adding a bit more of this and a dash of that {I stuck with the recipe ingredients} and it just kept getting worse. I served it on the side and once everything came together it was tolerable. I think we have to eat it one more time, so I saved just enough, but it's pretty safe to say that it won't be making its way into our regular rotation. In fact, it's pretty safe to say that I will never make that particular sauce again.
Even though it has only been about 36 hours and even though Trevor hasn't been feeling well since Sunday, I think we will begin to feel a difference soon {besides the constant hunger pangs, that is}. I think I'm already realizing somethings about my eating habits that have contributed to my current predicament {being over my optimal weight, low on energy, etc.} Here they are in no particular order:
#1: I rarely allow myself to feel real hunger and if I do, I almost always eat way to fast and eat way more than I need to in order to satisfy my appetite.
#2: We eat in front of the TV too much. Something that I hope will last after these 3 weeks is that we will make an effort to eat more at the table. When it's just the two of us, it is all too easy to eat in front of the TV. We need to switch off the tube (or phones or computers or...) and take time to think about the food we are eating.
#3: I do not like to quit eating until I feel full. We are trying to be careful to match the serving sizes that are part of the plan and I am usually still hungry when the serving is gone. I am learning though, that after about 20 minutes, I do feel satisfied. I hope to take that lesson with me after the cleanse. Maybe mastering #2 {above, not anything having to do with the restroom} will help with that.
Moving forward - today's food seems much more appealing than yesterday. We had a berry and pomegranate smoothie for breakfast, Kale Slaw with Cabbage and Carrots for lunch, and I'm making a Roasted Garlic and Beet Soup for dinner. For those of you who are scared of beets, I encourage you to try them. Especially roasted, they are wonderful. We are very excited to try this soup. It looks fantastic.
We have been pretty tired {maybe due in part to sickness, maybe due to cleanse} so if we make it past 8:00 tonight, I might make Cinnamon Poached Apples with Toasted Walnuts for an after dinner snack. Thinking about the evening fare helps me keep motivated to continue.
This is getting lengthy and I might take advantage of my day off to take a nap. I'll be back tomorrow with an update on Day 2.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
