Good morning!
As I said in last night’s post, I started Crap Free Week on Saturday! I have been following so many of you doing Crap Free Week, but I had to mentally prepare myself before I knew I was ready!
The truth is, I have been eating way too many sweets this winter, especially since my injury. I tend to still have this all-or-none approach to health at times which is still something I am working on.
I am much better than I used to be. In the past if I went over my calorie limit, it would likely lead to a binge or over-eating. Not good. Luckily, I have come a long way since then, however I still struggle with that all or none thinking.
Since my injury, some days I feel very frustrated because I think (subconsciously) “Well if I’m not exercising then I might as well not watch what I eat as much either.”
I know it doesn’t make sense, but if you’ve have been there you understand!
It is much easier for me to eat healthy when I am working out.
Does this make sense to anyone? Surely it isn’t just me!
I know after a great workout I am much less likely to sabotage the workout with bad food. And research actually shows this too.
It is more logical perhaps to think, well if I am moving less, I will eat less. However, when emotions get involved, it complicates the picture much more so.
So that brought me to Saturday. I woke up after a Friday night of indulgences, and I decided that Crap Free Week had to start now.
If you recall, I had a Neon Green Smoothie.
Here is what Other’s have done with their Crap Free week:
Ashley from Daily Goods said,
“I have declared this week my CFW and can’t wait to start feeling great. These are the rules that I have made for myself:
- no refined carbs
- no refined sugars
- no frozen meals
- lots of fruits/veggies
- no dairy
- no bars
- no caffeine
- no dessert
I will let you guys know how the week is going for me, i’m hoping it won’t be tooo difficult, but i’m going to need to do a lot of meal planning and be prepared. I have really been relying on my bars to get me through the day and have been eating at least 1 a day for a while now. I want to try and wean myself off them a little so that they are more like treats and for emergency purposes rather than every day snacks. They’re pretty expensive to have as daily snacks and i think this will save me a little money too. This is going to be the toughest part of my CFW I think for the week right along with DESSERTS.”
Caitlin from Healthy Tipping Point said,
“a nutshell, Crap Free Week was a very interesting challenge. First, I want to review what Crap Free Week entailed:
- Enjoy!Chicken, Fish, Eggs, Dairy Oatmeal, Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Canned Beans, PB, Quinoa, Rice, Lentils, EVOO, dried fruit, and similar
- Avoid!Protein powder, bread, artificial sweeteners, deli meat, bars, cereals, maple syrup, ALCOHOL, butter, packaged pancake batter, granola, extra salt, canned soups, anything else processed, salted, or caffeinated.
- Exceptions… I couldn’t cut out caffeine right away. I switched to tea for the first 3 days and then went cold turkey. Also, I had my dad’s birthday and Meghann’s birthday on Sunday and I ate both meals out (and had dessert and drank a little champagne).”
Caitlin also stated the benefits of doing CFW:
- I’m really pleased I managed to break my caffeine addiction. I just hope I can learn how to incorporate coffee back into my life (it’s one of the world’s best pleasures!) without getting re-addicted.
- I became more creative in my meals and snacks and incorporated protein in new ways.
- I learned I DON’T have to put table salt on most things I*think* I do.
- This was NOT a point of Crap Free Week, but I do think Crap Free Week helped me shed the last two pounds of my honeymoon weight gain. I’m back at maintenance weight! Woo hoo!”
Oh She Glows’ Crap Free Week
I will admit, I don’t have much to avoid for crap free week because I have been very successful in eliminating caffeine and artificial sweetener from my diet for over a year now. I also don’t eat much meat or dairy, and stick to mostly a vegetarian, if not vegan, diet. I don’t eat processed foods much, save for my Tofurkey. And as you know, I eat low-salt products.
However, My big issue is SUGAR- at night time. This is when cravings hit for me. We all know how powerfully addictive sugar is. For me, one cookie leads to two, two leads to three, etc etc. I have always had a very hard time eating sugar moderately. For whatever reason, when I eat sugar it spikes cravings and they are really hard to reign in.
So my challenge for Crap Free Week is simple. Well, simple in that it only has one restriction. Extremely difficult if you are a sugar addict like myself.
NO SUGAR!
Zilch, nadda, none.
This is quite possibly the hardest challenge I have ever done because I am a HUGE sweet tooth.
As I mentioned, I started CFW on Saturday. Not a sprinkle of sugar has crossed these lips for 2 days now!
Please note. I am NOT cutting out naturally occuring sugars (duh fruit!) or foods that contain a small amount of sugar like soy milk or almond breeze (cane sugar) or whole wheat bread. However, I will be making every effort to make my own versions (for example, I am making another batch of organic spelt tortilla wraps this week- with no sugar!).
And I must say I feel F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. I really do feel amazing. Eric has noticed an improvement in my mood as well.
As part of CFW, I am having 2 Green Monsters each day:
1) All Veggie Green Monster (Carrots, Kale, Spinach, etc) + Liquid (Soy or Almond Breeze)
2) Veggie + Fruit Green Monster (usually incorporates a single banana)
These green drinks make my skin glow and leave me feeling energized and happy. I also believe that they prevent my blood sugar from spiking, which helps prevent sugar cravings.
I hope you will follow me throughout this tough challenge! I will be updating each day on my progress, triumphs, as well as the challenges. I will talk about what benefitsI had from doing CFW as well.
Monday AM Veggie Smoothie
The goods:
-
1 cup Low Fat Soy Milk
-
1 Tbsp flax
-
1 handful baby organic spinach
-
2 organic kale leaves
-
1 medium organic carrot
Neon Green Sunlight:
Delicious!
It’s funny- I am actually used to these all veggie smoothies now! It is amazing how the taste buds adapt over time.
I hope this week will be the start of getting back on track. I have my bone scan Wednesday and I am praying for good news. My injury continues to improve, and I will be starting light exercise this week.
I did 7 mins on the treadmill at 1.5 mph (oh yea I was FLYING around that track!! LMAO) and I am so excited to just be moving again, albeit slowly.
Well, I have to tackle the to-do list! Have a great day everyone! See you this afternoon as always.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Any change, any loss, does not make us victims. Others can shake you, surprise you, disappoint you, but they can’t prevent you from acting, from taking the situation you’re presented with and moving on. No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation, you can always do something. You always have a choice and the choice can be power.
~Blaine Lee
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:13 am
yay ang! thanks for the sweet shoutout. youre going to rock this cfw, and you’re already a couple days into it! i’m going to post today how my week went, and i’m sure you’re going to feel amazinggg all week <3
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
I think you are brave for giving up sugar entirely!! I have the same issues, I eat fairly well, but once I start thinking about having some sweets, I can’t stop!! I’m looking forward to following this challenge, hopefully it will inspire me to do the same!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:27 am
I am the exact same way with sugar after dinner. It is my witching hour and I am trying like heck to beat it without having to do something extreme. I have been contemplating a crap-free week, but I really just want to be able to manage it and eat sugar in moderation like a normal person! It’s so difficult. Good job for being so strict with yourself. I’ll think of you tonight after dinner when I get that urge!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
as i just wrote about, i have the opposite problem — when i’m running a lot, i give myself license to eat whatever and then go overboard! i don’t think i will go for CFW per se, but i’m definitely trying to clean up my eating for spring
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
as i just wrote about today, i have the opposite problem — when i’m running a lot, i give myself license to eat whatever and then go overboard! i don’t think i will go for CFW per se, but i’m definitely trying to clean up my eating for spring
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Good luck giving up sugar! I know that would be tough for me. Even cutting back has been challenging.
Great to hear that you got on the treadmill! I know it’s definitely hard not being able to exercise. In January I slipped down the stairs and badly bruised by ankle and foot (thankfully it wasn’t sprained!). It hurt to bend it, meaning that even walking around the house was painful. It only took about a week to heal but even one week without exercise had me itching to get going again – especially since my weight loss was stalled because of it. Hope you get good news on Wednesday and can ease back into exercise again!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:39 am
yay for crap free week…i think i am going to try it next week!!!!!!!
i gave up coffee recently…it was hard and now…not so much.
sugar is my worst habit. i love it after dinner.
put some cinnamon on an apple…sometimes that is a better desert for me than anything else…and its kinda sweet.
good lucK!!!!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:45 am
i always eat better when i work out. it just puts me in a better state of mind, a healthier one definitely.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:48 am
Hooray for feeling fabulous and crap-free!!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
Good luck with CFW!
Your green monster smoothies look great!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Like you and Sarah I eat WAAAAAAY better when I work out than when I don’t. It’s like self-sabotage. Angela, I felt like you were talking about me with your sweet-tooth reference. It’s like I lose all self-control. I’ve tried eating more throughout the day and that helps a little bit with my overindulgence, but I still want SWEETS! It’s very difficult not to give them up. Please keep us updated on how you feel each night.
I tried to give up sweets during the week for my NY’s resolution (and only have indulgences on the weekends), but that just made me a million times worse.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
Wow!!!! Congrats on your progress so far, that’s awesome! You will do great!!!
Kaneil, balanceisbest
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
CFW sounds fun! I think I will follow you through yours and then decide if I should do my own! Good Luck – I know you’ll do great!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
I did something very similar for 10 days… I didn’t eat anything that wasn’t on this list of the “World’s Healthiest Foods”: http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php. So basically, I didn’t eat any white sugar, white flour, or butter.
I also have sugar cravings like you do, and I found that they virtually disappeared after 10 days without any. For me, I know that having just a little sugar to satisfy a craving just makes me crave more! That being said, I don’t want to ban sugar from my life completely so I’m working to re-train my mind to be satisfied with just a little. Good luck with your challenge!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 am
I have the same problem– I had been sick for a couple of weeks with a sinus infection, and so I hadn’t been eating well recently — snacking on all kinds of carbs and sugar. It’s so much easier to eat healthier when exercising. I’m trying to get back to normal again.
I’ve found that I don’t have as many carb cravings when I do eat more protein throughout the day. I love cottage cheese, so I snack on that with plain yogurt, a little almond extract, fruit and nuts.
I also know what you mean about wanting something sweet at night. I’ve gotten better about it by drinking an herbal tea after dinner that has a lot of spice (chai) or fruity flavor. Also when I am full and completely satieted from dinner, I brush my teeth. If I get hungry later, I will eat something (not sugary), but I really have to be hungry (physically, not emotionally), because I know I’ll have to spend another three minutes brushing and flossing my teeth afterwards!
Good luck with the challenge this week!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:12 am
Oooh I need to do this. I am a sugar fiend. It’s awful!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am
Good luck with your CFW! I have the exact same attitude. If I eat bad, then I think there is no point in exercising, and also vice versa. Or I have one “bad” thing, and that’s it – I have many more “bad” things! Messed up! lol
I might try this CFW, but want to see how you get on first!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:25 am
Can’t wait to see how your week goes. I think sugar at night would be the hardest for me to give up too.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:37 am
good luck with your CFW! Are you having the other green smoothie as a meal on its own, or with lunch/dinner?
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 am
Oh my goodness, I know exactly what you are saying about not being able to work out and the food feelings. When I was out with an overuse injury a year or so ago, I was terrified of gaining weight b/c I was used to doing an hour or more of exercise a day, down to nothing for months. However, after the initial slump, this is actually where I got into my journey of searching out whole foods and nutritious recipes. I think b/c of this injury I learned to love cooking and baking healthy recipes and being more conscious about what I put into my body! Just remember your body WILL heal, it may take some time and it is so frustrating, but you will get better and be able to get back to the point you were before your injury! Hang in there girl and use your extra time well!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 11:43 am
I definitely know what you mean; when I don’t exercise it’s almost too easy not to eat very well. Good luck on busting those sugar cravings! You eat so healthy anyways, I think you always go crap-free!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:09 pm
I think I am going to give up sugar for Lent, 40 day fast!!!! Do you drink your juices as a meal replacement?
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Good luck!! I cut out sugar for 2 weeks (mostly) with my macrobiotic diet and the results were pretty amazing. The first 2 days I was a grumpy, sugar-withdrawal monster, but after that I was much happier. AND my skin cleared up completely. I have been on acne meds for years and they have never ever worked. My skin is now as clear as it was in MIDDLE SCHOOL. It’s amazing. I’m actually continuing to avoid it, but I found this awesome sweetener called brown rice syrup that is VERY natural and tastes delicious. You should try it!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Girl I am SO with you! My last post was just a rant on how bad I feel when I fall into ‘all or nothing’ habits! I had an aaaaalllll of everything sort of week last week, and my mind (not only body) can’t handle the lack of eating well! I think it’s a challenge for everyone to get to that pt of pure balance, but I am def cheering you on w/ your CFW! Just remember if you ever do fall of the wagon, the biggest accomplishment is getting back on track:)
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Angela! Im so glad you are going crap-free this week! I am too! I am definitely looking to you for inspiration!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Gorgeous smoothie, and interesting challenge for CFW (this is the first I’ve heard of it). In the past, I’ve attempted to cut out coffee from my daily consumption, and have suffered from withdrawal headaches – I guess that’s a clear cut sign that I’m addicted! Sugar is another downfall of mine – I rarely eat foods made with white sugar, but often eat foods with cane juice, agave, honey, pure maple syrup etc. Good for you for taking on the challenge!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
I am in for the Crap free week starting tomorrow. I have laid down the ground work for it today and starting tomorrow I’ll be in it too!! My purpose is to get rid of this plateau I am on with respect to the weighing scale.
WTG on the lite walk. Remember just take it easy!!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I did a CFW awhile back, and I felt great doing it but the main problem for me was I spending too much time thinking about my meals and planning them out. I know it’s good to do that, but knowing so many things were “off limits,” I was going a little nuts with it.
I was also trying to wean myself of my sugar cravings. And it helped, but I think I didn’t do it long enough or change my post-cleanse diet enough to make that much of a difference. But just knowing that I HAD the willpower to do it gave me a confidence boost. I think I’ll probably do it again in a few months, maybe for longer like 10 days.
Good luck with your CFW! I know you’ll do great.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Great CFW recap!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm
[...] when I was thinking of doing the Phase 1 of South beach diet ( my version) for the next 10 days, here I come across the Crap free week. I am not a very Weight scale kind of person, but lately I am [...]
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Hi there,
I gave up sugar a year and 2 months ago, and here’s a small piece of advice – get protein and oil!! If i make sure to get enough quality protein, as well as a shot of coldpressed flax oil a couple of times a day (2-3 tbsp of oil in 4 tbsp of juice – and then just down it quickly), then there’s no sugar cravings for this lady!
It can be a hard task, so all the luck to you!
Julie
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February 23rd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Wow, based on all these comments you nor I are alone in being able to have supremely healthy habits, sans that crazy sweet tooth! I need to do some sort of sugar-free fest for myself.
Also – I saw Bobbi’s comment and I too am curious if your smoothies or meal replacements or if you enjoy a green smoothie in the AM with a small portion of oats or what?
AND – with your sugar free week, are you eliminating sugar from your whole house or are you finding ways to distract yourself while Eric eats sweets or what?? I can’t wait to hear your strategies for coping with sweet temptation in the evenings!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I hear you on the sweet tooth. Mine is SO out of control. I’m giving up all sweets for Lent so starting Wednesday I’ll be sugar free until Easter. I managed to do it last year and I’m hoping this year I’ll realize I don’t need sugar and be able to eat it in moderation without intense cravings after Lent.
1.5 on the treadmill is slow. I’m recovering from knee surgery and last week was the first time the therapist let me walk on the treadmill – 7 minutes at 1 MPH! The sad part was that I could barely keep up.
Good luck with your CFW!
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February 23rd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Hi Angela,
I love visiting your blog (several times a day!) It’s funny because a friend and I are eating vegan and gluten-free this week. I guess it’s a little like your CFW. I think it will be a great cleansing process and hope to feel energized by the end! I haven’t given up coffee, though. It’s my only vice, and this momma needs her coffee! Good luck…I’ll be reading!
xoxo
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February 23rd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
[...] was Crap Free and [...]
February 24th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Ok i’ve been going back and reading all your posts on this because I’ve been considering my own version. thanks for doing this!
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February 25th, 2009 at 4:37 am
[...] this kind of stuff. I think it was the broccoli stem that is putting me over the edge. How do you girls do it? This is crazy. Luckily I’m cheap and can’t stand to waste food, or this thing [...]
February 27th, 2009 at 10:45 am
[...] a comment As I write this I am struggling to scarf down a green monster breakfast. I need a little encouragement and no one is around to give me a gold star, so I am [...]
February 28th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I totally understand where you are coming from because when I eat unhealthy, my head also tells me to skip exercise, too. So eating healthy lends itself to exercise. I am also an all or none person; once I make a mistake, i can’t help but make more the rest of the day
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