January has come and gone (are you able to even imagine it?!), so I believed I’d verify in and share with you ways the primary month of my resolution for 2024 went. My New Yr’s decision for 2024 was to go a complete yr with out consuming sugar, apart from six free days, which might be my birthday in June, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, plus three further days of my selecting.
The extra I considered it (and after studying some your feedback), I spotted that these six free days will not be a good suggestion. I nonetheless haven’t dominated them out utterly. I’m undoubtedly the kind of one who does a lot better if I utterly abstain slightly than making an attempt the entire “all the things carefully” factor, however I’m additionally the kind of one who struggles if I don’t give myself a tiny little bit of wiggle room. That doesn’t imply I’ll reap the benefits of that wiggle room
Anyway, the excellent news is that I made it the entire month of January with no sugar, and I didn’t even battle a single bit! And y’all, each Wednesday evening once we host our church group, folks carry brownies, cookies, and so on. And I wasn’t even tempted within the least.
I chalk that as much as the truth that I’ve actually been concentrating on consuming a excessive protein food plan. I’ve a pricey pal within the Houston space who could be very into health and diet. She’s been educating health courses for about 20 years (perhaps longer), and at present teaches courses just like the Les Mills Bodypump and Bodycombat courses. She’s been stressing to me how vital it’s to get sufficient protein in my food plan, and once I figured how a lot I had been consuming, I used to be WAY beneath what I wanted. As in, I wasn’t even getting half of what I wanted. No surprise I used to be at all times craving junk!
She’s additionally been encouraging me to focus extra on weight lifting as a substitute of cardio. Not that cardio isn’t vital, however she has inspired me to make the load lifting a precedence. If I’ve an hour to train, I’ll begin with weights after which do cardio. But when I solely have 20 minutes, I prioritize weights. In order that has been enjoyable! I’ve gotten a lot use out of our dwelling gymnasium on this previous month! I like having this devoted house. It’s so handy. (For those who haven’t seen our dwelling gymnasium, you can click here to see more pictures.)
However again to food plan. As quickly as I made protein a precedence, all of these cravings for sweets went away utterly. Along with the excessive protein and no sugar, I’ve mainly been making an attempt to keep up a typically low carb food plan. I’m not doing keto, particularly, in that I’m not counting macros (apart from protein), however after doing keto for thus lengthy, I typically know what I can and might’t eat, or slightly, what I ought to and shouldn’t eat.
Once I shared my New Yr’s decision, I had some folks ask if I used to be speaking about solely sugary desserts, or if I used to be speaking about something that turns to sugar within the physique (like pasta and different processed carbs), or any meals which will have “hidden sugar” in it. My New Yr’s decision was particularly about eliminating sugary treats since these have at all times been my downfall. However once more, as one who has carried out keto on and off for years, I’m fairly good staying away from the opposite issues as nicely.
My routine has been to eat strict low carb/excessive protein on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday — the times I typically keep dwelling and don’t have usually scheduled plans. Matt eats a strict carnivore food plan, and his meals is delivered by Butcherbox each month, so I don’t even have to buy him. And once I store for myself, I keep on with the outer partitions of the grocery retailer — contemporary produce, meat, and some dairy merchandise, like cheese, heavy whipping cream (for my espresso), and butter. That’s just about all I purchase for myself. I virtually by no means eat boxed or canned meals, so I’m not always studying labels to see if there are any of these hidden sugars.
My two extra lenient days of the week are Sunday, once I exit out to eat with my household at a steak home that has yummy bread. I strive to ensure my meal is low carb, however I do permit myself to eat a number of the bread. After which on Wednesday, I’ve lunch with my mother and brother at varied eating places. I strive to decide on my meal correctly, however I’m not religiously counting macros. And if we go to Rosa’s Cafe, I’m at all times going to get fajitas, and I’ll eat one or two of the tortillas, however I’ll swap out the rice and beans for further lettuce and tomatoes. After which we now have a meal with our Wednesday night group, and I’ll eat that meal (no matter it’s) minus the desserts.
Desserts have at all times been my downfall. If I might reside on a food plan of cookies, cake, ice cream, and sweet bars, I’d be as glad as a canine in a mud puddle. So these have been the issues that wanted to go. So what outcomes have I seen within the first month?
I’ve misplaced 11.7 kilos since January 1st. I’ve dropped a dimension in pants (which I attribute not solely to food plan, but in addition to all of these kettlebell swings I’ve been doing day-after-day!), and I really feel extra resolve than I’ve in a really very long time. Consuming all of that protein and specializing in weight lifting can also be leading to a rise in energy, which has grow to be very apparent to me once I do my kettlebell swings. Once I first began, I struggled to do just some swings with 20 kilos. However I saved on, and my energy and endurance elevated. Concerning the center of the month, I elevated my swings to 25 kilos, and that’s feeling too simple for me now. I feel I’m about prepared to extend to 30 kilos quickly. For those who don’t know what a kettlebell swing is, you can learn about it here.
So it’s been a enjoyable journey thus far! And I’ve been so inspired that I’m not regularly fighting cravings for sugary treats. It’s wonderful to me that I went from always occupied with sugar and desserts, to now, not giving it any thought besides on Wednesday nights. And even then, my solely thought is amazement at how simple it’s to say no. That’s the magic of protein! I’m satisfied of it!
I’m excited to see how I do in one other month. I’ll verify in on the finish of February and let y’all know the way it’s going.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
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