July Results!

First, I’d like to thank Mark Hulme for his excellent contributions this month. Without his dedicated research and thought this challenge would not have seen the light of day. I thoroughly enjoyed his posts this month. (so much so, I found myself going most of the month without posting or adding much to his.) There is so much food for thought. (pun intended and planned)

Going into this challenge Mark, Shanna and I decided to make this a lifestyle change, not a diet. We understood that we may find our selves in a situation where we couldn’t be 100% perfect but if could without offending; we would stick to our lifestyle. The only real way to fail this challenge would be if we made the decision to go against the challenge because if we made the decision to “eat this regardless of the challenge because I want it...”

Watching sports entertainment with some friends doesn’t give you a pass to eat a cheeseburger (unless it’s wrapped in lettuce) but if a lady invites you over for a meal, and there is an ingredient in the main dish you aren’t eating, you eat, at least as much as you can. This is Living Challenged, not Living Stupid. But just because the office brings in a cake or some donuts, doesn’t mean you can skip out on the challenge.

Could I go the distance? For 30 days?

Challenge Result: Passed

Image Credit: http://tinyurl.com/4xmfe68

Analysis:

After the first few days of this challenge, my body shifted from burning sugar to stored fat. My head hurt, I felt ill, and I wanted to cave in. I felt catawampus with an odd feeling in my stomach and a nagging headache. Even my behavior was altered during these first few days. I've since had several friends comment that I should be more understanding when certain others behaviors/emotions change outside of their control.

After the initial "sugar withdrawals", I was shocked at how great I felt. I initially worried that I wouldn't be able to eat this way because it required preparation and work to make appropriate dinners. I quickly found out that once I started eating this way, I actually had the energy and motivation to cook after I got home from work. I didn't want to just come home and crash.

There were some tight spots, there were some temptations, but the joys of nachos, pub food and pies were nothing compared to the joys of increased energy and feeling healthy. After meals I wouldn't feel weighed down or sluggish, I actually got nourishment from my meals and energy to accomplish productive tasks.  If I needed a snack I wasn't going to poison my body with processed foods but give it something it could actually use. Almonds, home-made jerky, or sunflower seeds sound better to me now than chips or cookies.

I didn't want to have such a positive experience this month, I wanted to learn something, but I didn't want to like it. Liking it and seeing this much value would leave me little choice but to change my habits on a more permanent basis. Re-reading (About Living Challenged) why I did this in the first place made me realize that change is what I signed up for.

Somewhere people started eating improperly. I'm not sure the rules we followed this month are 100% scientifically or biologically correct. I'm not trying to tell any of you (all three of you) how to eat. But I will urge you to try something different. To test how your body reacts to certain foods/chemicals because you may not notice it now, but it may shock you in the future. I'm not going to eat that chocolate croissant that haunted me earlier this month. I'm going to slowly introduce various foods in, and pay attention to how my body reacts. This challenge really isn't over. None of this is.