It has been a while since I have even mentioned my attempt at 30 days of fairly strict clean eating. Today is actually Day 29, but it just seems like a good time for a recap, even a day ahead of schedule. I actually started this yesterday and then a 2 year old and a little (outside the home) work got in front of me.
I guess the biggest thing to report is how I did on this challenge. I did great for 2 weeks. I had my coffee creamer each morning and otherwise did not indulge in any processed sugars. The following 2 weeks I did great during the weekdays. But on the weekends, I loosened the reins. I definitely had ice cream.
And here's what I learned - when you go off a LOT of sugar, and then you eat something like ice cream (perhaps a blizzard.....), at least if you're me, you wake up the next morning with a VERY upset stomach. If I consumed very little sugar, and then had something very sugary in comparison, I felt terrible very soon after. I'm sure this isn't rocket science.
Now. Let's be real. Will I ever give up real ice cream entirely? Uh, yeah, that's a big fat NOPE.
It is disappointing that so much packaged food has a TON of processed sugar in it. And products that really do seem "healthy" can be packed with so much high-fructose corn syrup. The cereal I would usually give James on a given morning - mind you, it's not what I would deem a "junk" - has the same sugar content as some cookies from Trader Joe's that he loves! So sometimes it is tempting to just give in when he's asking for cookies because, nutritionally, they are the same.
I've also learned that people can easily fall into the "it might be packaged, but as long as it's from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods", it's healthy. So not necessarily true. And don't get me wrong - I love me some Trader Joe's and Whole Foods - I'm not a hater! I just think that we could all stand to be more informed.
Now, if you eat a pretty healthy diet in general, as I feel I do, is it necessarily worth stressing yourself over all of this? I really do not think so. Is it worth the judgment that I've seen on so many blogs making fun of others' decisions to be vegan/paleo/clean/whole/whatever? Nope. You have to do what is right for you, preferably without making anyone else feel "wrong" for not following YOUR choice.
Side note - if anyone I know felt that way from my decision to try to be "clean", I am very sorry.
Looking forward, I see myself staying mostly the same - strive to eat pretty clean, or let's just say healthy, through the week, and if I want a treat on the weekend, I'm probably going to have it. Nothing wrong with that. I will continue to make my own nut butters, mainly because I have fallen in love with them (and there is just something so satisfying with watching those little peanuts turn into goop), and I'll probably stick with clean pita for my bread and a very unsweetened cereal - but those are just my choices, things for which I really developed a taste and truly enjoy.
What are your thoughts, friends? Do you follow any specific nutritional lifestyles? Have you encountered the people who think their way is the only way?
I guess the biggest thing to report is how I did on this challenge. I did great for 2 weeks. I had my coffee creamer each morning and otherwise did not indulge in any processed sugars. The following 2 weeks I did great during the weekdays. But on the weekends, I loosened the reins. I definitely had ice cream.
And here's what I learned - when you go off a LOT of sugar, and then you eat something like ice cream (perhaps a blizzard.....), at least if you're me, you wake up the next morning with a VERY upset stomach. If I consumed very little sugar, and then had something very sugary in comparison, I felt terrible very soon after. I'm sure this isn't rocket science.
Now. Let's be real. Will I ever give up real ice cream entirely? Uh, yeah, that's a big fat NOPE.
It is disappointing that so much packaged food has a TON of processed sugar in it. And products that really do seem "healthy" can be packed with so much high-fructose corn syrup. The cereal I would usually give James on a given morning - mind you, it's not what I would deem a "junk" - has the same sugar content as some cookies from Trader Joe's that he loves! So sometimes it is tempting to just give in when he's asking for cookies because, nutritionally, they are the same.
I've also learned that people can easily fall into the "it might be packaged, but as long as it's from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods", it's healthy. So not necessarily true. And don't get me wrong - I love me some Trader Joe's and Whole Foods - I'm not a hater! I just think that we could all stand to be more informed.
Now, if you eat a pretty healthy diet in general, as I feel I do, is it necessarily worth stressing yourself over all of this? I really do not think so. Is it worth the judgment that I've seen on so many blogs making fun of others' decisions to be vegan/paleo/clean/whole/whatever? Nope. You have to do what is right for you, preferably without making anyone else feel "wrong" for not following YOUR choice.
Side note - if anyone I know felt that way from my decision to try to be "clean", I am very sorry.
Looking forward, I see myself staying mostly the same - strive to eat pretty clean, or let's just say healthy, through the week, and if I want a treat on the weekend, I'm probably going to have it. Nothing wrong with that. I will continue to make my own nut butters, mainly because I have fallen in love with them (and there is just something so satisfying with watching those little peanuts turn into goop), and I'll probably stick with clean pita for my bread and a very unsweetened cereal - but those are just my choices, things for which I really developed a taste and truly enjoy.
What are your thoughts, friends? Do you follow any specific nutritional lifestyles? Have you encountered the people who think their way is the only way?
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