Week Three-Finish Strong!

Kale? Who knew?

 

Week Three! Who's still out there? It's been quite an experience. And it's been fun, I have to admit. I was telling someone about this experience yesterday. I found myself doing a mini-"air PowerPoint" presentation about all of the benefits I've counted;

• Stabilized blood sugars
• A few pounds shed
• New energy
• An awareness of what should and should not go into my body
• Hope that I can build on this new foundation







I spoke animatedly and waxed poetic about how I'd overcome my skepticism and sense of deprivation. I actually said out loud that I looked forward to, of all things, smoothies and beans.

Let me be clear...I'm not a model convert. I have been motivated to exercise on some days and defiantly thrown myself in bed and under my covers on others. Over the course of last Thursday and Friday, navigating the back to back reception, luncheon and dinner was like playing "whack-a-mole". There's always a pasta dish, or potato, chicken wings and a wilting "lettuce-only" salad the size of a bottle cap. During the luncheon I had to go into the kitchen and beg for more cucumbers. If you ask a server for more of anything and they give you a blank stare, you know what comes next..."uh well, you can ask the kitchen?" That translates to, "Are you kidding? I ain't going in there. That lady has a knife". I did what I had to do. The customer is always right. I couldn't show any fear. I got more cucumbers and more mushrooms. It's all about the approach.

I advocated for myself at the luncheon. I gave in to a few chicken wings at the reception, totally lost my resolve with the roast beef at the dinner. But ladies (and gentlemen), I have met the devil and his name is "Apple Pie". I tried. Anyone sitting at my table can tell you that. Those who had just listened to my diatribe on clean eating until their eyes glazed over, sat dumbstruck, speechless, while I inhaled that heaping piece of pie. The first gooey, sweet delectable treat I'd had in 12 days. While they were picking out which fork to use for dessert,  I was done before they could pass the coffee carafe around the table.

Kristie says that a slip up is normal and you just have to get up, dust yourself off and get back on track. Don't I know it. That's usually the point where I declare that apple pie is actually a granola bar since it's made of apples and the wheat flour crust is a grain. This would be where I usually get off the bus. I usually believe that I had done irreparable damage to the process, especially since, after the three wings, I swear I could hear a seam rip in my pants. I didn't this time. What I heard was probably guilt and Kristie.

I have been mostly true to my cleanse (with those minor exceptions) and I'm past the point of no return. I got back on track. I restocked and recommitted to the upcoming week. More organic carrot juice, more protein powder, almonds, veggies, apples, etc. I found a new coconut/almond milk blend. I got some weird looks when I did a little happy dance in the dairy aisle. The real celebration came at the frozen fruit aisle at Wal-Mart. I reached for my usual bag of low-glycemic index fruits; blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. I gasped and then exclaimed, "Oh, snap! Whaaaat up?! It's on now. Go, Char! Go Char!". And then, oblivious to the shock, wonder and amusement of the marketers surrounding me, I did the "cabbage patch". I had found the TRUTH...Wyman's frozen whole fruit blend with KALE...only 15 grams of carbohydrates and no added sugars. Right?! More and more companies out there are finally taking this smoothie thing seriously. Now, go ahead. You know you want to...DANCE.

We've got one more week to go. Week three hasn't changed much from last week. I'm sure I can do this. I'm sure "we" can do this, "Clean Eaters". My poor husband has had a reckoning, a moment of clarity. Finally, he's noticing, two weeks later, as men are wont to do, declaring, "I bought some more apples and some veggies. I'm gonna have to start eating like you, less sugars". He asked, "uh, apples, don't have too much sugar, do they?" He's going to need a bit of work.

Let's take our show on the road. Let's get all "gussied up" in our skinny jeans and hit a restaurant, a club, or a nice blues/jazz joint. Start thinking about that. Let's celebrate!

Good luck, everyone. Finish strong!