30 day challenge complete!

I DID IT!  i can't believe it.

for the past 30 days i have participated in a green smoothie challenge.  gordon and i have been drinking green smoothies just about daily since january.  we (i) decided to participate in the simple green smoothie challenge and amp it up a bit by following a clean-eating lifestyle which means we avoided (and for me, cut out completely) dairy, gluten, any added sugar, and processed foods (anything with additives, refined, or enriched ingredients).  and we made sure to keep ourselves hydrated by drinking plenty of water.  (if you drink alcohol or coffee, avoiding these is also part of clean-eating.  herbal tea is okay though)

at first i thought it was going to kill me.  the first week i was sluggish and craved every unclean food i could think of.  and i spent way more time in the kitchen then i ever had before.  lots of meal prepping.  

and then week two came.  i felt good.  my stomach didn't hurt everyday.  my mind was clearer.  i wasn't fatigued like the week before.  and i spent less time in the kitchen each day because i was more use to chopping and dicing, and i would prep more on one day to be used on a different day.

as the days went on, these good feelings just kept increasing.  and my physical activity totally benefited from it as well.  my runs have been longer and faster.  my muscles are leaner and more visible, and i am not fatiguing as quickly while practicing yoga and pilates.  and i have lost inches in those hard to lose places - butt and thighs!  i have more energy and crave fruit and vegetables all of the time.  and my skin is glowing and i swear my hair is shinier and healthier too.  (i feel extra awesome because we maintained this while on our camping adventure too...high five for me!)

today is the first day i can eat whatever i want.  and guess what?  i want a green smoothie for breakfast, a handful of almonds for a mid morning snack, a sweet potato with broccoli and cauliflower for lunch, probably an apple and pb for a mid afternoon snack, and then for dinner we'll have a spinach, kale, green lettuce salad with raspberries, tomatoes, avocado, mango, and grilled chicken on top and a fresh cilantro mango puree as the dressing.  and i'll probably have a drink of dark chocolate almond milk for a evening treat too!  why not keep this going...i feel so dang great!

note: this isn't that far off from how we normally eat.

i was really surprised by that.

however, we did eat something sweet everyday.  and went out almost every weekend.

i no longer feel the need to do that.

we also were a little out of control with our portions...like a whole box of cereal between two people in one sitting out of control.

this challenged changed my life.

oh, and gordon is looking goooood!  way to go us! 

the next green smoothie challenge begins july 1.

go here to join.

and be ready to feel your best!