Green Smoothie Mayhem

Well folks, it has been a week and I successfully consumed a green smoothie before work everyday this week. Additionally, I went 2 or 3 days without any meat (fish, red meat, chicken). I also started reincorporating vitamins into my daily regimen. Here are my results- I have a sinus infection! Seriously...but, that is not the only thing (and there has been a bug going around the office). This week I felt more satisfied and full then over before. And for those of you that know me- I didn't have a stomach ache all week (that is a really big deal)! My findings lead me to believe that I was less hungry as the day went on because I was eating more in the earlier parts of the day- when the body is more able to digestive foods successfully, and had less cravings because I was feeding my body nutrients, not crap. For example, many times, when we are craving chips, our bodies are actually craving salt, and associate salty foods with chips. Because I was essentially pumping my body with nutrients, my cravings had subsided almost completely. I continued to eat my normal oatmeal breakfast, but this week incorporated a larger lunch that was higher in calories, healthy fats, and nutrients. For example, I prepared a quinoa tofu stir fry with veggies. Because the meal wasn't high in oils or unhealthy fats, I did not feel weighed down come 3PM and actually felt more energized. By dinner time, I found that I wasn't sprinting through the door after work in complete starvation, throwing whatever food in my mouth that was most readily available. Instead of mindless eating, I took the time to prepare my dinners, and when it was ready, I was hungry and enjoyed each bite. I also only had dessert once or twice this week, which is HUGE for me, and manly just because I wasn't hungry. One of my favorite findings from this experiment is that I didn't feel left out! Because my cravings had subsided, I didn't feel as though everyone else was partaking in the fun and I just wasn't allowed to join in. I had no desire to join in. And in fact, I brought my own meal over to friend's house this weekend (the gluten and dairy free version of their meal) and was able to be social and enjoy with everyone, but still feel great afterwards! Many people asked what I was eating, which sparked an interesting conversation that I was happy to take part in. My main lesson for the world through this experiment- try incorporating something that is high in nutrients into your diet, without replacing anything else- and see how you feel. Begin to investigate your cravings and what they really mean (are you craving sweets because you are tired and looking for a boost of energy, or because they are a comfort food to you and you've had a bad day). Exploring with these kinds of foods can enable you to feel great, get to know your body better...and feeling left out will no longer be :)
xoxo AA