What they don't tell you about clean eating

I am two weeks into clean eating. The meals are not a problem for me. I have done really well with sticking to raw fruits and vegetables, brown rice, whole grain pastas and bread, and lean meats. I feel fit and energized throughout the entire day. Snacking is where I am most tempted to reach for the wrong thing.
It's taken some time to get used to, but I am making more and more small changes every day.
For example, I've switched from coffee creamer (even the sugar free) to almond milk. Almond milk is much creamier than regular coffee creamer, and it doesn't leave me feeling bloated or full.

Throughout this process, I've had several "ah-ha!" moments that, I feel, are worth sharing incase any of you are looking into making the change to a clean diet.

1. It's impossible to change over night. I know I "started" eating clean two weeks ago, but I was not fully equipped to eat 100% clean, and I was not willing to throw away the entire contents of my pantry and fridge to make room for the clean stuff. It really is a process that takes preparation and planning. Jumping into it was a mistake on my part and sadly, I've wasted a lot of food and money.  Slowly integrate new items into your kitchen that will take the place of the processed items.

2. There is nothing that calms my cravings for chocolate except the delicious, processed, UNCLEAN goodness itself. I thought I would find something, anything to take the place of wanting to snack on chocolate. Unfortunately, I have yet to find an alternative, and to be completely honest, I'm not sure I want to.
**RANT**
I wake up at 5 a.m. (sometimes before) every morning and teach children for 8 hours each day. If I am not in class until 9 o'clock, I come home and workout for at least 2 hours before I start on the insane amount of homework that is due at the end of every week for my grad classes. I deserve all the chocolate, cupcakes, ice cream, and candy that my fat self can eat! Do I over-indulge? Absolutely, but is there really a reason for me to feel bad about it? I think not.

3. Eating 5-7 meals a day is HARD. I eat oatmeal and fruit everyday for breakfast, and I usually don't feel hungry again until 9:45-10. Unfortunately, my work schedule doesn't always allow me 5 minutes to sit down and have an apple or a cup of yogurt. I try to eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, but it isn't always a priority. Part of me still believes that dinner should be my big meal of the day because it is after my workout and I've eaten lightly throughout the day.

4. Clean eating is expensive! Produce isn't cheap, and it doesn't last long. I find myself grocery shopping at least twice every week with this new diet. Eating right shouldn't feel be a financial burden.

It sounds like a lot of complaining, but I really do feel like clean eating is the best choice for me. It's just taking me a little longer to get used to all of these changes than I'd like...
Don't let me scare you away from it! You will feel better in a matter of days when you begin fueling your body with the right things. It is definitely going to take longer than a month to adjust to this lifestyle, but I am willing to take the time to do it right.

I have been pain free for almost 2 weeks. I've really thrown myself back into running. Last Friday was a hard day. My kids were out of sorts, and I was feeling a little out of sync myself. I came home and went for a run. I set out to do 5 miles but ended up running 9, my new record. Even my trail run wasn't a true 9.6 because I couldn't run up the hills. This time was legit. After every mile, I asked myself "are you going to die?". If the answer was no, I kept going. Even at 9, I probably could have continued. By the time I reached that point though, the temperature had dropped significantly and it was almost 7:30 p.m. My nose was frozen and I could barely feel my fingertips but I was over the moon!

Since then, I have been running every other day 6-8 miles minimum. It's an odd feeling when 6 miles is considered your "light run". I'm more determined than I ever thought possible. This race will not get the best of me like that trail run. I want to feel completely prepared when the big day comes, so I'm not allowing myself to make excuses. Even on my fattest days, I am out there killing those miles.

Here are a few things on the menu for this week and a couple of workouts that I am going to try out:

Squash and Wild Rice Casserole

Broccoli Bites

I'm kind of interested in CrossFit. It might be something I try after my half marathon, so here are some CrossFit exercises that I am going to tryout this week at the gym!

CrossFit Burn and Firm

Good luck this week in your pursuit to live a happier and healthier life! 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us."