Week 4
As my real food challenge comes to the
end, I'm just a few days from turning 30. I realize that I have
actually learned a lot about myself with this silly challenge. I have
been abiding by the rules for the most part (especially in the first
two weeks) and bending the rules to justify the packaged goods when
need be. Bottom line, just because I'm a nutritionist doesn't mean
I'm perfect with my diet (or a 30 day real food challenge.) Just as I
tell my clients, being perfect with your diet isn't any fun, or very
sustainable.
This past month has been a great way
for me to create more awareness. Though I certainly had moments where
I cheated and ate food from a package, I tried to upgrade my food
choices whenever possible. From the homemade margarita mix to my ice
cream 'milkshake,' I definitely think I made some lasting changes
that I will continue in my daily life.
This challenge has been a great
reminder that just because packaged goods come from the health food
store, it doesn't make them healthy. As I'm re-stocking my pantry
with packaged goods I'm examining the ingredients with a fine tooth
comb. Sugar seems to sneak it's way into many items, and it's really
paying off to read labels and know exactly what I am eating. Another
low quality bad-for-you ingredient that is almost everywhere is
soybean oil. Creating awareness around what I was actually consuming
daily was crucial. A simple tip is: if you can't pronounce it,
then you shouldn't eat it. One of the best parts about my real
food challenge was, I didn't have to worry about poor food quality
and cheap ingredients making it into my diet because most everything
I ate was fresh and unprocessed.
As for my 80/20 rule, I think I did
pretty well. Besides my few alcoholic beverages, the other places I
needed flexibility was with packaged tortilla chips and brown rice
wraps. I occasionally used a collard green leaf as a tortilla, but I
kept reaching for my favorite brown rice tortillas. Other packaged
goods that made their way into my challenge were a few crackers, some
70% cacao chocolate and special occasions when I added half 'n' half
to my coffee.
One go-to quick meal was: sauteed
vegetables in chicken bone broth. I love to make a bone broth from
scratch in my crock pot, and then freeze the broth into ice cubes. I
take a few cubes and add it to some fresh cut vegetables. This adds
amazing flavor and nutrients to whatever you are cooking. I often
had the veggies with a baked or grilled chicken breast. I found that
preparing ahead was an incredibly important part of the challenge,
and I made sure to always keep some baked chicken in the
refrigerator.
My biggest victory over the past month
was my solutions for sugar cravings. This week I rediscovered an old
favorite treat: frozen raspberries, drizzled with warmed coconut
butter, topped with cacao nibs and a sprinkle of coconut
sugar--simple, easy and very satisfying. It was the perfect treat
following dinner, when my desire to snack is the worst.
Just as I had hoped, I noticed a
pretty awesome energy shift while doing this challenge. As my diet
became cleaner, my energy was better. There were a few afternoons
where I considered taking a nap with my new baby, but I felt so great
that instead, I used my time making his baby book, blogging or
reading some new books. I have also noticed a difference in my skin.
It is clearer and brighter than before. The dark circles under my
eyes are gone, and I truly do feel refreshed. I'm so pleased that I
took on this challenge during a pivotal time in my life.
Eating real food shouldn't have
to be a challenge, but unfortunately in this day and age it is
just that... a huge challenge. My new found awareness has not only
been a huge benefit to me, but also my new baby boy. As this
challenge has come up in conversations, I believe I have inspired a
few friends and family members along the way to think about their
food in a different light. Perhaps it will do the same for my
readers.
Emily Potter
Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health
counselor
www.nourishmintwellness.com
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