2010-05-10
Semi-clean Eating: the Experiment
Ordinarily I regard anything that Gwyneth Paltrow utters with a roll of the eyes so severe that my corneas graze my frontal lobe. But the other day she posted something to her website that actually kind of made me go, "Hmmm."
Gwynnie was kind enough to share with us plebes her secret to losing her "winter weight" (which I imagine amounts to about 3 pounds) prior to going on the "Iron Man 2" junket. Basically, she consumed nothing but juiced kale, almonds, and fairy breath for about 5 days, while doing horrible doggie-at-the-hydrant things for 90 minutes a day.
Now, I draw the line at juiced kale and fairy breath, but I have long heard the benefits of so-called "clean eating." My diet consists of far too much crap, and I had a "come to Jesus" moment a couple of weeks ago when three of my favorite dresses were just a tad too snug for my liking. Just because you can zip it up doesn't mean it fits. I realized I'd become a little too sedentary in the last several months, and had fallen back into some "comfort eating" that's caused me to weigh a little bit more than I'd like to.
I am by no means obese, and believe you me -- there is nothing more irritating than when people go on about how "fat" they are when they maybe need to lose 10 pounds at the MOST. I'm 5'3" and fairly small-boned. When my weight starts crawling up into a certain range, I get uncomfortable.
And, you know, there's the issue of my favorite Karen Millen dresses not fitting. THAT IS A PROBLEM.
This is nothing more than cutting out the crap and getting my ass to the gym won't fix. But I was intrigued by the rigidity of Gwynnie's little mini-diet, and the overall "cleanliness" of it. So for the next week, I'm doing my own version of the "Iron Man 2 Junket Diet" to see A) if I feel markedly better for having cut out said crap, and B) what the scale says after a week of cutting out the crap.
Now, when I say I'm eating "clean," I mean I'm eating considerably cleaner than I do ordinarily. I'm still drinking my morning coffee. I can't give up EVERYTHING. Just in case any food fascists stumble in here and get all up in my organic Kool-Aid about any filth I may still be ingesting. And, yeah, don't embark on any kind of "diet" without consulting your physician. I'm pretty sure Yuko's going to be okay with my not eating pizza and miniature Twix bars for a week.
Today is Day One. This morning I had my bowl of Trader Joe's Fiber O's (which we call "Colon Blow" in my house) with almond milk, and my multivitamin.
At about 10am I had a handful of dried apricots. For lunch I made the following "protein bomb" -
1 whole wheat low-carb wrap
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/8 cup shredded carrots
Then I went to the gym and did a half-hour on the elliptical. Came back to the office and had a Think Thin bar and a cup of green tea.
It's about 4pm now, and I am NOT HUNGRY. This is usually about the time that I'm raiding Meg's candy jar the next cube over, or going upstairs to get something starchy/salty/sweet. Tonight will be some kind of lean protein and a mound of something green and leafy. Haven't planned out that far.
I'm curious what no white sugar/flour is going to "feel like" after a day or so. There's going to be SOME kind of withdrawal. But I've been through fairly serious withdrawal before. I can take a week without snack cakes.
lisamcc at 3:18 p.m.
7 comments so far
Jess
2010-05-10 23:42:07
I somehow managed to GAIN weight eating mostly salads & giving up flour/sugar/caffeine/alcohol/etc... HOWEVER, I did feel much healthier. And I looked pretty good, too. I had been told I wouldn't be able to get pregnant, and SURPRISE... about 2 months (not being completely strict with it, mind you... there was a cookie here and there) into my "diet," I was preggers. The bread was the hardest one for me. In any case, I think it's a great thing to do. I wish I had my chiro/kinesiologist here in Boston 'cause he was really great with the pep talks. If you can find someone who's super knowledgable about nutrition AND won't make you feel guilty about your dietary choices... it really helps. And, after 3+ months of waiting for the "baby weight" to come off magically... I realize I, too, REALLY need to do something. Oh, you know what else really helped me? My morning smoovies. I made them every morning, and they were really good & filling. Protein powder (made w/ stevia), yogurt, frozen blueberries & strawberries, & almond milk. (just check your teeth before you smile at anyone)
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Jess
2010-05-10 23:43:47
In any case, let us know how it goes. I need some inspiration.
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Bridget
2010-05-11 00:01:16
I don't really eat -- or live -- "clean", but even small changes can help. The 10 lbs added to a 5'4" frame last year due to an injury plus the general aging process had me fitting into only 2 pairs of pants and I can't afford to buy all new clothes. In February I substituted cereal for bagels for about 5 weeks: big change in energy level and (sorry) poop quality. As for candy, etc., I keep dark-dark chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, and wasabi peas in my desk for that afternoon pick-me-up. But going completely cold-turkey on carbs has me terrified. Good supplements to add for a "cleanse" are Triphala (an aryuvedic colon-function booster, no harmful side-effects like some of those cleansing products in the infomercials), Pascalite (dietary clay that draws out toxins and embedded fecal matter from your gut -- get the caplets, not the powder, they're easier), and fresh lemon in your water. Small things you can add without completely wigging out your body or rumpling your spirit. Bonne chance! Let us know how it goes. An aside, being away from my desk and all computers and out in fresh air and wind for 2.5 weeks took away 5 lbs from my body and 5 years from my face -- make sure to take a good vacation away from overly urban environments!
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Andrea
2010-05-11 00:28:25
Yes, definitely let us know how it goes. I don't know that cutting out carbs completely will help me get pregnant (have been told that IVF is my best chance due to multiple issues), but it sure can't hurt to eat a lot better than I have been. I gained 18 pounds last year thanks to fertility drugs, my thyroid freaking out, and chronic Achilles tendonitis (I do NOT run, yet of course I get a runner's injury). I have a lot of damage to undo. And now I will stop talking about myself in your diary! Bridget, I'm taking notes! Good ideas, thanks for sharing.
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Jess
2010-05-11 04:04:44
Hey Andrea, just wanted to clear something up: I didn't give up "carbs" as I still ate a lot of beans and fruit. And, in addition to my dietary changes, I was also taking herbs (to regulate my hormones) and seeing a kinesiologist. Fertility issues happen for all kinds of reasons, so I didn't want you to be all "I'll give up carbs and get pregnant!" I highly HIGHLY recommend seeing an alternative medicine doctor, however. They can sometimes work wonders that a "regular" doctor can not. And, even though I don't do it myself because I'm lame (and lazy), I also recommend yoga. It's really kind of amazing and non-impact exercise. The few times I did it, I was blown away by how "easy" it was and yet I really felt it the next day.
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Andrea
2010-05-11 18:31:38
Thanks, Jess! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that. I've been ttc for three years and it basically boils down to crappy hormones and crappy tubes. I've done the pills and the shots and the surgeries to no avail and think I'm about to get off this rollercoaster. I'm not sure what an alternative doctor can do for me at this point, but I am willing to look into that. Yoga sounds good and I want to give it a try.
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Jess
2010-05-11 20:26:19
Andrea: Believe me, I hear you! I tried on-and-off for about 2 years. I finally had tests done that said I wasn't ovulating. My kinesiologist BEGGED me not to go on Clomid (my doctor told me I couldn't conceive without it). He said that my body didn't want to get pregnant and that I shouldn't force it to. That I should work on being healthy as opposed to working on trying to conceive. I think it's good advice. They say when you stop trying is when it actually happens. I do know that when I actually conceived, I thought I wasn't ovulating, and therefore there was less "pressure" that month to do "it" at the "right time." Maybe that helped? I don't know. Good luck! Also, western medicine hasn't done much for me, personally. And, in fact, has done a LOT more harm than good. But alternative medicine (acupuncture, herbs, & kinesiology) has worked wonders. I can't recommend it enough.
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