I made a HUGE lifestyle decision, I was going to start "clean eating" and religiously working out. Like any other smart person I decided to start the week before Memorial Day Weekend. What the $*&# was I thinking?!? As someone who considers herself a foodie and is always ready to go out to eat, while enjoying some beer and wine; I had convinced myself I was going to be homicidal by the end of the first week.
Background Story.
Many have asked "why are you doing this," "what's wrong with you," and I've gotten to occasional "are you sick?" I am doing this because I was inspired by a friend. More on her below, but check her out for some crazy good food on Instagram @hangrygirl; you won't be disappointed! At the same time I was being inspired, I was becoming seriously upset with myself and how uncomfortable I felt every day with the way I looked. There's nothing wrong with me. I had gotten into a rut that I couldn't get myself out of. I was constantly eating out, or "grabbing something on the go," and it was starting to show. My metabolism was never fast, but now that I'm "older" I started to become more attentive of areas that weren't necessarily my trouble spots. My mom always says "a minute on the lips forever on the hips." That meant nothing to me until my mid twenties, and now I can fully grasp the concept. Why is it that because someone is clean eating people assume that I'm sick? I'm not sick. I was sick of all of the crap that I was eating, the clothes that didn't fit me, or clothes that 'fit' but looked like spandex when they weren't supposed to. I wanted to be healthier and I wanted to feel better about myself.
Here's the difference after one month:
While I'm quite sure you can see the differences yourself, allow me to indulge and point out some of my favorites! I still have chubby cheeks, but I don't look like a squirrel hoarding acorns; my eyes don't look like they're peeking out of hot dog buns, meet my neck because you can actually see it, my nose looks smaller- which is still quite odd; and my chin actually has a shape, albeit pointy, but it's "prominent!"
July 6th.
Tomorrow, I will be 7 weeks in...and obviously I didn't go on a homicidal tirade. I've grown to love the things that I am eating, although I really don't like Sundays and prepping food for an entire week. I feel much better, I have more energy throughout the work day, and this will sound odd, but I am more alert. It's kind of like a fog has been lifted. My skin has never been better; it's not as oily, NO blemishes, and it's certainly not as dry! I have a cheat meal once a week. Sometimes if I am feeling really good about a week, I will allow myself two cheat meals, but NEVER on the same day. Clothes are starting to fall off me, things that I couldn't fit into are now too big. Yes, I've lost weight, but that really isn't the point. I wanted to be comfortable being me.
I ordered the shirt that I'm wearing below from RueLaLa after the Boston Marathon bombings. I was so excited when it arrived, and immediately tried it on. I had ordered a Large, which is what I always wore. When I say that I had a breakdown and cried when I put the shirt on, I am being 110% honest. It was like stuffing myself into a wet suit and I couldn't breathe. I was so uncomfortable that I checked the tag to see if they sent the wrong size. They didn't. I've worn this shirt once, and had a hoodie on over it so you couldn't see that the letters were pulling apart because of the shirt stretching. Sounds pretty, doesn't it?
Well...here's me wearing the shirt yesterday. It fits loosely, and I didn't have to hide it under a hoodie.
Eating & My Tricks
1. Vegetables, vegetables, vegetables. Eat them ALL of the time. Eat them with breakfast. Eat them as a snack. East as many veggies as you want!
2. Food preparation. I cook my lunch & dinner for the week on Sunday nights. It's my "you have no excuse to say lunch wasn't ready." It's pretty hard to open your fridge, see it full of Tupperware with various meals that are literally grab and go.
3. Take the stairs. Park far away from the building entrance. It's forced me to get in more exercise than I would normally. This doesn't mean I take the stairs every single time, but I make a conscious effort!
4. Water, seltzer, black coffee, black tea. No sugars. No sweeteners. It really is not as bad as you are thinking.
5. MOVE! Go to the gym, go for a walk, take a Zumba class. You have to start somewhere, and you need the exercise to truly get the benefits.
6. The most important: you MUST eat! Starving yourself isn't going to work. You will crash and burn. I eat 3 meals a day and have 2 decent sized snacks. Here's an example of a typical day:
- Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal made with almond milk topped with whole berries or some type of fruit. Black hazelnut iced coffee.
- Lunch: Cooked chicken breast with Mrs. Dash seasoning over a bed of baby spinach. Bed of spinach= 2 handfuls. Side of cinnamon coated baked sweet potatoes.
- Snack 1: Handful of almonds and a piece of fruit. Right now I'm obsessed with white nectarines.
- Dinner: A piece of haddock topped with diced red and green peppers, sweet corn kernels, chopped red onion, black beans, minced jalapeno, and a squirt of lime juice.
- Snack 2: Rice cake with almond butter...or maple butter...or pumpkin spice almond butter. You get the idea. Cup of almond milk and two glasses of water.
- Drinks: I have a black coffee every morning with NOTHING in it. I drink 2 bottles of seltzer a day while at work. Usually at work I will also have 3-4 travel cups of iced water. Once I get home I am always refilling my water bottle. Bottom line, I am always drinking! Which means I can always tell you where the closest bathroom is!
Weight Loss!Pretty much everyone I know has asked "how much weight have you lost?" While I am keeping track of that, and a select few people know, that is NOT the focus of this. Does it hurt that I've lost weight? Certainly not. If anything it's an added bonus. Maybe I will share that story another day. I can guarantee you that I am sparing you from some of the before and after/current pictures. The most you'll ever see is a headshot difference, or a fully clothed before & after in the same clothes. That my friends is a promise. If you want specifics of what I am doing, comment/email me, or see me on Instagram @clasea116 ...please remember, I am doing what works for ME and I can't promise the same will work for you. I'm not a doctor, and I don't pretend to be one and I have no nutritional background...I am just making smart life choices.
My Inspiration?
The HANGRYGIRL! She's one of my favoritest people in the world, yes, I know that's not a word! She's one of my closest friends, my work wifey, my volunteer buddy, and a fitness bikini competitor! No worries readers, I am leaving the strutting across the stage to her! You can check her out here: www.hangrygirldiaries.com. If you want a lesson in dedication and self commitment, read her story. She has been instrumental to keeping me on track, and commiserating with me when I've had a "blah" kind of day! She is AMAZEBALLS!
Keep it ClaSea
xox
