Clean Eating Part 2

Happy Monday guys!

Today marks 3 full weeks of my clean eating journey, so I'm rounding up my thoughts, results, recipes, and anything else I feel is worth sharing!

Pros

So you know that more energy thing?  It's still there, and possibly even better!  I love how great I feel day to day, especially after I eat!  But even more I love how it's consistent.  Au revoir sugar highs and crashes.

I definitely feel like I slimmed down/toned up after the first part.  I've been exercising nearly every day along with eating clean, but I was already exercising regularly, so I feel like this was the boost I needed to see more results!  I also am able to go harder at the gym/on runs usually, another bonus of the more energy thing.  This past week it slowed down some, but I had a ton of stress from a bad family situation and ended up missing a few gym sessions, drinking more wine & eating more PB than I meant to, so going to try to get all 3 of those things minimized this week!  Especially the stress... it def causes weight retention!

Living this way is a positive feed loop and I see improvements in non-physical areas.  Eating well makes you want to workout, which makes you want to eat well, which makes you overall just want to take care of yourself... I'm going to bed earlier most nights, practicing self-care more, and remembering to do things like add lemon to my water and take my vitamins.  I'm also more emotionally stable and happier.  It really was a lifestyle change and it's affected my whole life and mood in a really positive way!

A lot of the cons from my last post have diminished.  Cravings are much lower, except for wine cravings (which I've caved into a few times I wasn't supposed to 🙈), I'm really enjoying what I'm eating now that I'm cooking more, and I feel satisfied after meals.  Eating is just really awesome lately to be honest.  Now that I'm cooking more, everything is so delicious but I feel great after!

Related to that, I'm cooking more!  I am suchhh a snacker, but I love that I've gotten more into the habit of cooking.  Even if I eat what I cook as 5 small meals the next day, it's so much better and more satisfying as a handful of nuts here, some dried mango there, etc.  It's also meant sitting down with Ross for dinner a bit here and there, something we never used to do.  We struggle to spend enough time together, so I love that it's helped with that!

Now that my palette is cleansed from sugar and chemicals, I'm really enjoying REAL food.  I taste them so much more and appreciate them!  This rings true for wine, my fellow wine-lovers out there...

My skin has cleared up a good bit and looks healthy & bright!  I still had some breakouts this week and last, but overall it was reduced and it seems like most of them stemmed from either it being 'that time of the month', my cheating that one day in NYC last week and having dairy, or my trying dermaplaning on my own at home (might have been worth it though... tbd).  I love that I'm starting to be able to see what is cause flare-ups, as before they were nearly always happening and it was hard to pinpoint!

Cons

My digestive system struggled at first, and is still catching up to the volume.  1700-1800 calories in cookies is a heck of a lot less volume than the same number calories in cauliflower... While my diet wasn't 100% cookies in December, I was definitely consuming a lot more calorie dense foods and less veggies and fruits, so I've had some days where my digestive system was struggling a bit and I had a food baby that could've passed for a real one.  I'm eating calorie dense foods like nut butters, oils, salmon, and dried fruit, but even still, it's a lot more volume and I'm eating so many more veggies than I used to.  It's a good thing though, and it's definitely getting better slowly!

Clean Eating Part 2

Hacks

Salted Peanut Butter on dates is a dream.  So so so satisfying, especially if you used to like/do like candy.  Even my younger brother admitted it was a pretty amazing combo!  You have try it!

I finally figured out how to enjoy my morning coffee again, and it's by making my own date almond milk.... it's good enough that I am back to looking forward to my morning cup of coffee each AM!  I mix 1/2 cup of my date milk with a vegan coconut/almond creamer and it's delish.  Recipe below!

I figured out that you can swap potato 'slices' for toast and recreate avocado toast.  It's HEAVEN.  Kind of like putting eggs and avocado on your hash browns.  Recipe below as well!

Adding raisins and/or almonds to anything your sautéing adds so much flavor and character!  I love to chop up brussel sprouts and do this. Another recipe below!  Also raisins in general are a great sweet tooth fix!

Beans and potatoes are filling and satisfying.  If I'm feeling 'empty' or craving something, sometimes a half cup-one cup of either of these does the trick and keeps me from snacking any more!

Coconut Aminos make a great soy sauce substitute, especially when you add a bit of salt!

That's a wrap for part 2, but I hope you enjoyed!  The recipes for what I mentioned are below, and as always, I'd love hear your thoughts or suggestions!

Bisous.

Laurelle