It’s hard to believe I’m over two weeks into the 24-day challenge!* Even though I’ve had my moments of temptation and frustration, these new eating habits have really started to become second nature. More on that below.
First, here are today’s stats:
Breakfast: Meal replacement shake
Lunch: Scrambled eggs; Kiwi
Supper: Skinny tuna cakes (Recipe found HERE – I crushed up three Wasa crispbreads in place of the Panko breadcrumbs.); Baked potato; Steamed veggies
Snacks: Spoonful of crunchy peanut butter; Cucumber with hummus; Lowfat plain yogurt topped with diced apple and sprinkled with cinnamon (A little side note: Some clean diets discourage dairy, but it’s allowed in moderation on the 24-day challenge, as long as it’s low-fat with no added flavors/sugars.)
Tea of Choice: Apricot & peach green tea
Exercise: Whole-body toning class
Energy Level: Great! Now that I’m back home from vacation, it’s nice to settle into my old routine and feel the difference in my energy levels throughout the day.
Other Observations:
One of my main goals in doing the challenge was to reset my taste buds after letting my sugar addiction get out of hand post-surgery. I’ve had some ups and downs as my body has adjusted to being off sugar, including cravings for my old go-to snacks (especially the first week), some headaches and irritability, and an overall “foggy” feeling early on in the challenge.
I’m happy to report that my taste buds have been officially converted! Foods that would have been semisweet or unsatisfying to me before now taste like dessert. I couldn’t believe how candy-like the kiwi tasted at lunch today. In fact, it was almost TOO sweet, if you can believe it. And the yogurt snack tasted sooo good! It was a perfect treat after supper, when my old self would have reached for a bowl of ice cream instead.
A word of encouragement: If you’re thinking of detoxing off of sugar, don’t let the first week or two discourage you. The farther you get, the greater the change you’ll notice in your taste buds. And once they’re fully converted, you won’t want to go back!
All right, that does it for Day 16. See you back here tomorrow!
*My completion of Advocare’s 24-day challenge is not a personal endorsement of Advocare or any of its products. Advocare’s products may cause adverse health effects in some people and shouldn’t be entered without full understanding and consultation with a physician.
*grapefruit photo by Ivory Mix/CreativeMarket.com
