Clean Eating: 2 weeks later

I resolved to go on a clean eating streak from my birthday (October 29th) to Thanksgiving. My thoughts on clean eating are this: it's super easy to do... but it means really cooking food. Not food out of boxes, by the way. All fresh ingredients. If you're doing it for every single meal, it can be fairly time consuming. If you're me, then you find ways to cheat. How? Become intimately acquainted with your crock pot!

I frequent The Gracious Pantry web site, which is where I got this recipe. I'm starting branch out from there. For example, did you know there's a Clean Eating Magazine? My friend bought me an issue for my birthday & it looks like the Nov/Dec issue focuses on slow cooker/crock pot recipes. Yes, I'm picking that one up; I might even buy a subscription!

Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili w/Ground Turkey

This recipe make 4-freaking-quarts of chili. I've had chili all week and gave some away. That's my favorite thing about crock pot recipes: there's left overs to last all week. So you can eat clean without trying to hard.
Eating clean does not mean crossing desserts off the menu. It just means eating the right type of dessert as a treat. I was at a friend's house for dinner; she knows I'm on a clean eating streak, so she made baked apples with an oatmeal cinnamon raisin topping.


My first-ever baked apple!


Wow... it was yummy! I wanted to take the topping off, mix some protein powder into it, & make homemade protein bars. It was seriously delicious. And it doesn't hurt to have supportive friends who #1. like to cook, & #2. are willing to try new recipes so you can be included in the Sunday evening get-togethers.

I was feeling super good. Evidence? I finally wore a dress that I bought & left sitting in my closet for about 2 months. There's no real reason I left it sitting; I forgot about it for awhile, then we had a cold streak & it was a bit too chilly to wear it.


Party Rock at Work? Why not?


New dress, shoes... everything. And it felt great. I got a ton of compliments from everyone who saw me & saw this picture. I know we're not supposed to look to others for validation... that we all need to find self-satisfaction & all that self-esteem crap, but it definitely feels good when others compliment you after working really hard to achieve fitness goals.

Yesterday, my friend Lisa stopped by my office. She ordered a birthday present for me that did not arrive in time... but who cares about time when it's THIS EPIC??!!!

Size increased for epic-ness

ZOMG! I can't even express how much I love this shirt. It's perfect... there's really not much else to say. I have to say I'm incredibly grateful for my friends here in Italy. They're incredibly supportive, they encourage me & don't sabotage me. It's awesome.

Now it's Friday. It's official weigh-in day, as promised. I want to document how a focus on clean eating is affecting my body. And here are the results:

Whoa...

I was expecting a bit of weight loss, but this is pretty dramatic based on my expectation. I'm sure the addition of running during lunch (more on that later) helps to burn those calories, but this is pretty incredible. And I don't remember the last time I've ever weighed under 135 lbs. Clean eating works!

There you have it: 2 weeks of clean eating in the can. Approx. 1.5 weeks to go. It's a great lifestyle choice & my body feels so much better. Tons of healthy energy. And to answer a burning question: NO! I did not give up my coffee. I will not give up my only vice.  ;)