Taking chances, making changes

How is everyone? I'm scared to admit but I'm feeling pretty good. The reason why I am scared to admit is because I haven't felt well in a long time. I have been eating clean since a week, and I notice the difference. I've had no artifical/added sugar, only from fruits, and it makes such a big difference. I have always been sensitive towards eating foods with sugar, as cookies, pie, cake, sweets and so many more things I love(d). But whenever I would eat such a thing I would feel on top of the world for 30 minutes, and afterwards I just wanted to lay in bed. This got me thinking..if that is the result, how healthy is it for my body and mind? I don't feel sluggish anymore..well thats a first! And you know, there are really nice recipes out there to eat clean and not feel hungry or like a rabbit. 

All about vitamins

I don't know about you, but whenever commercials are playing on TV I start to feel unhealthy. Ads about everything, ranging from carbs making you fat to shoes that will help you to loose weight. But what seems to be a real booming business is the little bottle with pills that will make your life even better…called vitamins. Who has time to to cook a well balanced meal everyday to ensure they get everything they need to stay healthy. Well, these tiny things will help you out…or will they?

Post detox

This post is later than planned, but due to personal circumstances I was not able to update. 

So last week I did a 5 day detox, just to try it out. I did not make use of any professional guidance, but did my research on the internet and the library and found the right recipes and tips. 

Overall it was harder than I thought it would be. The most difficult day was definitely day 2, and maybe day 3. During day 2 I thought about quitting like a 1000 times. My body was craving carbs and peanutbutter. I was wondering why I was doing this and found about 100 excuses why I should just stop and have a big feast. I cannot even put into words how bad I wanted to stop and why on earth I thought this was a good idea. I decided to just go to bed, as this would take my mind of the thing that was on my mind: Fooood!

However, I did not stop, and as this day went by it became easier. I noticed that during the week I became less present, as my head was kind of empty. I didn't really interact and felt sleepy.  However, I could feel that my body was 'enjoying' it. And one positive outcome was my face. It started glowing and when I told my mom that I did a detox the past week she said she could tell by my face. It was more shining and looked healthy. 

After the detox I noticed that I my stomach was full much quicker, however after a week I have my before appetite again.  ( It was a nice feeling, I think I will try to eat smaller meals. I have the tendency to eat three big meals because I like that feeling. However, this can result in an addiction, and you can make those three big meals into 6 each day. Therefore eating smaller portions will be much better for me personally.)

I would recommend something like this after your work or school is over. Take a week off, have no meetings or gym appointments and treat yourself on raw spinach, lettuce and apples. I will do this again when I feel I had a busy period or had too much junk to eat. For next time I will plan something to do on day 2. Because I was by myself I had the temptation to go to the store and buy food. Being around people that are aware of your detox, they will be able to motivate you and stop you from taking decision you will regret later on.  

(And for the people wanting to loose weight by a detox, I lost like two pounds, but they are back again )

Detox - day 1

Today was the first day of my detox, and I was a bit worried what to expect. It was both better and worse than expected. I got 2 questions, one concerning making juices and another about prices.  At the moment I don't have a blender/mixer, so therefore I bought juices that consists of only fruits. And this goes together with the second question, whether or not it is expensive. It can cost as much as you allow yourself. 

For this weeks groceries I got lettuce, spinach, advocados, lemon juice (2x), lime juice, 3 limes, oranges, cilantro, celery, cervil, 5x pure fruit juice, watermelon, apples and a different kind of lettuce for 23 dollars. I think this is alright as that is just a little more on what I spend on groceries (usually 17). But again, it is up to what you think you want or need. Most expensive for me were the fruit juices. As I cannot blend anything I need to buy them..however it is always more expensive in the store, especially if you want the clean juice, without any sugar. The store needs more fruit for that, so it is going to cost some more.

Breakfast
This morning I had a mash up of two fruit juice drinks. They were natural, so nothing added but the pure fruit, like a smoothie. I had a mix of red fruit and orange juice. The first one contained strawberries, blackberries and cherries. Together with the orange juice it was actually quite tasty... this accounted for around 13 ounces. 

Lunch

For lunch I had a salad consisting of :
- ice berg lettuce
- raw spinach leaves
- three slices of lime
- half of an avocado
- cilantro
- celery
- chervil
- +/- 12 cherry tomatoes
- squeezed lemon juice as dressing

I am not a fan of the cilantro, celery and chervil (C^3), but have read several times that they are good to use when detoxing. Too bad that I cannot mix anything, otherwise I didn't have to taste them. (This took me like 30 minutes to eat...not sure why)

Snack

About 1.5 hrs after I had lunch my stomach was asking for food. Therefore I ate half an orange and some slices of watermelon. (Watermelon was not that yummy yet, we need more sun). A little after this I had a glass of juice consisting of apple, pear and raspberry, which was very yummy but not that filling. 

Dinner

I had the same salad as I had for lunch, expect not the 3 C's...I am trying to open up to their taste but it might take some time before we are friends. I also had a glass of warm water and lemon. 

Feelings

About 30 minutes after lunch my stomach started to irritate. After that it settled, but it didn't take long before it was hungry again. What I don't like is that you cannot really control  your blood sugar levels. Fruit is high in (natural) sugar, which gives you a high. But a little while after, you land back down and it really hits you. You start feeling sleep, lazy and don't feel like doing anything. So I have to find a good balance between what I can eat and avoid getting such a high. Apart from feeling drowsy I am actually alright...Although I can tell my body is already craving a peanutbutter sandwich. Oh man...this is going to be a loooong week.

Detox

I actually wanted to do a detox over Christmas break because during the fall semester it was hard to take care of myself. I had lots of energydrinks, coffee, salty foods and products with artifical sugars (diet coke etc.) As the spring semester is ending, I have three weeks left with no exams..I thought it be a good idea to try it out. I have read a lot about it, searched for recipes and decided to try as hard as I can. 

I know a lot of companies and people are out there offering and selling detox plans, supplements etc. But honestly, I think that is BS. You can figure it out on your own, so much information is available on the internet. Not only do I hope to clean my body, but my mind as well. So many negative thoughts and feeling; perhaps if I feel better physically, my mind will also feel better. Besides that, I think it will have great benefits for my liver, kidney and other organs that need to be taken care of.

Food and Exercise

For the past four days I have consumed less products as coffee (only drinking water) and eating fruits and veggies. I don't want my body to go in total shock, and normally I already eat healthy so I think it will be alright. As far for my energy levels I cannot do my regular exercise routines. I will do yoga and less intense pilates, so just to keep up and stay in shape. In one way this detox is a perfect excuse not having intense workouts, although I will miss them. 

I will post everyday as I am doing this detox, for atleast 5 days. Posting pictures and blogging about what I have or will eat(en). As though I want to encourage everyone to take care of their bodies, I am not telling you to do this. I am just curious and want to try it out. I will talk about my experience, how I feel and whether I would recommend it. If you feel like joining, feel free to do so. We can encourage and motivate each other. But please do read into it..and prepare yourself and your body. If you are a hardcore drinker of coffee, energydrinks, alchohol or soda's you probably want to take it slow. And plan it in a week where you don't have (too many) appointments, exams or phyiscal activities taking place. 

But...

Also, I am not doing this to loose weight, but to cleanse my body. Just wanted to point that out. If you want to loose weight you should probably change your lifestyle rather than crashing it. Also, I kind of invented my own diet; I took 'approperiate' foods and play with it. There is no existing meal plan I am following as they are pretty costly. 

So in this picture I want to point out that this isn't a diet. You can have a look at the differences and decided for yourself. In the end it is about taking  care of yourself and fueling your body with the right nutrients. 

Healthy Living

I remember my mom taught me all about nutrition from a very young age. What we need (and don't need) and what it does to our bodies. We went to the grocery story and market together, picked out ingredients and cooked together. I strongly believe that healthy living = happy living. It is amazing how nutrition can influence our well being, our thoughts and our happiness. Does this mean that I am always eating healthy? Hell no. You know, we are only human, and we all have cravings. So they key word you are looking for is *ding ding ding*, moderation. Yes you can have that piece of chocolate, or those crisps. But, you also need to eat your fruits and veggies.

So don't eliminate your snacks, do exercise and make your own meals. Try to limit salt intake and measure your blood pressure just to be sure. You can develop a healthy lifestyle by looking at the food pyramid. What should my diet look like? What is the right composition? And avoid dieting because you are most likely to bounce back to your starting weight, if not more. (Believe me, gained 15 pounds plus an extra 10 pounds right back). 

Breakfast

- 1 or 2 whole grain sandwiches with peanut butter or cheese, or whatever you enjoy

- Blueberry soy yogurt + flaxseeds and 1 apple or banana

- Scrambled eggs with low fat cheese

Lunch

- 2 whole grain sandwiches with peanut butter 2 and tangerines (or any fruit)

- Salad, in which you can throw in anything, like rice, couscous, beets, avocado. 

Dinner

- Whole grain macaroni/spaghetti with veggies and, preferably home made, tomato sauce

- Potatoes with veggies and soy meat

- 2 whole grain wraps with veggies and soy meat

- 2 tacos, veggies, soy meat and/or low fat cheese

- Dinner salad e.g. lettuce, boiled egg, tomatoes, cucumber, croutons and bell pepper)

Many options are available as snacks, it depends the mood you are in. Sometimes you prefer sweet and sometimes more salty. Listen to what you are craving, and try yo use the healthy option available. Think of tangerines, oranges, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, almonds, nuts, carrots, dried cranberries, yogurt, rice crackers etc. 

And I think that is it about my diet. When I am home during the weekends it is a little bit harder, as I cannot control what my parents buy. When you get your own groceries it is easier, because you are in control what goes in or what stays in the store. If you live at home you could ask your parents for a small part of their budget to get healthy options for yourself, or go shopping together and teach them about their food choices. 

Tips for grocery shopping

1. Make a list --> This will prevent you from making spontaneous purchases
2. Eat before shopping --> Having a full stomach will prevent you from buying too much food
3. Fresh food vs. canned --> Basically, every food that has a wrap or can around it is unhealthy. (no, not the lettuce)...Canned food has a lot of added salt, sugar and has a low amount of 'real' nutrients. On one hand it is cheaper, but less healthy. Besides, my mom grows all the veggies herself, and having grown up eating these foods, the differences are huge! Honestly, I cannot even eat canned food, the taste is not yummy. I would say go for fresh, than frozen, and at last canned. 
4. Don't get distracted. If there are certain aisles that you know will tempt you into buying something you shouldn't have, then don't enter. If you go to one store only, then you know your route. Spend a lot of time around veggies and fruits, and avoid the 'bad' places that might seduce you.

Diet tips

1. Treat yourself. Don't eliminate sweets or snacks, keep it in moderation. You should enjoy life, not punish yourself. 
2. Don't add salt to your dish. We don't realize it, but almost everything we eat already has salt in it. People in western countries eat more salt than they need, which results in the huge increase of cardiovascular diseases. I do want to stress the point that one pizza has your daily intake of salt already...So be creative and make your own. Ready to go tomato sauce also has a lot of salt, so think of making your own signature sauce (and limit the cheese)
3. Drink enough water. This for me is almost the key to feel fit. Our organs need water to function. When you don't drink enough water your body will retain the water that is in it because it is not being 'fed' with new fluids. Besides taking care of your organs, your skin and hair will thank you as well :)
4. Eat enough! Your body needs at least 1200 calories to function properly. Go below that number and your heart will eat its own muscle. Again, your body is a temple, give it the food that it needs to be strong and fit. 

Exercise

I do pilates 3x a week and more home workouts. And unfortunately, no excuses because no gym membership is needed. Just open Youtube and type in whatever you like to do, or what part of your body you want to focus on. I do have a gym membership, but get bored soon, and tend to stop for a little bit. And then I receive an e-mail from the gym saying I haven't been there for a while...great :)

I think the most important thing to living healthy is because YOU want to. It is not about dieting, it is about creating a lifestyle that does not go up and down. Don't follow some kind of diet, but change your lifestyle. Diets are temporarily...which means after a while you will go back to your old eating habits. Don't say you are on a diet, even if you are trying to lose weight. Say you changed your lifestyle, and try to eat more healthy. Your body and mind will be thankful. We need to nourish our bodies, and take care of them. 

If you have any recipes to share, either vegetarian, vegan or 'normal' let me know! What is your ultimate diet/stay healthy tip?

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