The fact that I didn’t run out yesterday and shove my face full of granola bars and crackers tells me one thing: the Cleaner Life Month has affected me. It has affected the way I look at food, the way I eat and the way I plan. There have been ups and downs throughout the month (especially with all the trips and holidays) but at the end of the day – I can say that this challenge was worth it.
Looking back at “the rules,” there are a few things I noticed about myself over the past month:
The Good
Milk. Organic milk tastes better to me. It makes my oatmeal taste better. It’s been a good investment. I prefer it.
Artificial sweeteners. I can’t even believe how much I’ve cut back on this. I used to be a two Sweet N’ Low packets kind of gal. I haven’t had an artificial sweetener packet in almost two months. Don’t get me wrong – I still like diet coke/pepsi, and I drank a couple of them throughout the challenge. The good thing is I’ve never been a big soda drinker, so it’s not too hard to cut out.
Processed foods. Like artificial sweeteners, I am surprised at how much I cut back on this. It’s interesting how you go several weeks without eating packaged granola bars or crackers and you almost don’t crave them at all anymore. The only thing I did miss was the occasional cereal on top my oatmeal. But limiting processed foods caused me to become more resourceful and come up with better, homemade alternatives.
Caffeine. Most days, I did well with this. There was only a day or two that I can remember having a ton of caffeine, and that usually happened when I was out for the weekend. I also drank a couple 5-hour energy bottles at Bonnaroo, which was ridiculous.
Produce. This has improved in LEAPS AND BOUNDS. For starters, I finally had the motivation to join a Co-op, which was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I really got into locally-grown foods and seeing Food, Inc. during this time only inspired that further. I can tell that this part of the challenge has affected me most. I am very concerned with where my food is coming from – much more than ever before, especially with produce and meat.
The “Bad”
White sugar. This was one of the items on the list that I didn’t pay as close attention to and probably should have. I didn’t inquire with friends about their recipes and whether they contained white sugar. I did limit my processed food, for the most part, to only organic sugars or sugar in the raw. Again, I think I could have kept a better eye on this.
Researching products. I slacked on this. My research included looking at the ingredient list quickly. Most of the time, everything I chose were foods that fit the criteria of the challenge. I did have trouble with bread specifically. That was one product I didn’t care to research – so I didn’t, more than likely out of laziness.
Soy. I know I didn’t watch this as carefully because it depressed me to see that most everything had soy.
The Ugly
While I felt this challenge improved the way I eat, it had a few personal drawbacks for me.
Guilt. In the beginning, there was a lot of this. I was coming down really hard on myself about it. I continually emailed Heather for advice. I would have to say that she really helped me through it. Her constant reminders that I didn’t have to be perfect were what kept me going.
Stress. I started looking at certain foods (white sugar, soda, etc.) as “no-no foods.” And in my book, every food can be eaten in moderation. I don’t believe in diets that cut out anything. I believe in healthy lifestyles with balanced eating. Throughout the challenge, I saw myself becoming stressed because “I messed up.”
Soy. I understand watching hidden soy. But I don’t understand giving up tofu. That was the only food that I actually craved the entire time. And one time, I even ate it.
What I Learned:
On Day 1 of the Challenge, I wrote out a list of goals I wanted to achieve. I have bolded those that happened:
- I want to quit eating convenient foods that are not convenient for my body.
- I want to stop wasting produce and instead cook more regularly and eat meals that are mostly made from my two hands.
- I want to know where my food is coming from.
- I want to know what ingredients are going into my body.
- I want to feel better physically.
I did waste some food in this process, and I don’t think I was as good a label-checker as I could have been. But what I’ve taken away from this more than anything is awareness. I am so much more aware of where my food is coming from and what I’m putting in my body. I’ve also given up a lot of my convenience food for home-cooked meals. And I have a feeling these things are going to stick. Like I said in the beginning of this post, the fact that I didn’t want to run out and break every rule on the list says something to me. This has stuck with me.
Oh, and for kicks – I weighed myself this morning, and I lost 4 lbs this month.
Allison tried out the challenge, and she wrote a great recap about her experience here. I think Heather will be including her recap soon, so check it out. I want to thank Heather personally for her continuous support throughout the journey. She is strong, inspiring and passionate about health. Definitely a good friend to have.
LUNCH
Since that was so long-winded, here’s some pictures for the rest of it.



