Like many people, I pretty much forget the meaning of “less than” at the holidays. I overeat, overspend, oversleep…basically overindulge in every possible way. So I tend to be big on New Year’s resolutions (which might be why I’m back here blogging, so let’s not knock the process entirely).
I know resolutions are typically total cliches – eat better, exercise more, do productive things, etc., etc. But I love getting motivated by a brand new year. And I have every intention of 2014 being the best it can be, since I’ll be tying the knot in six short months!!
If that’s not motivation to get in shape now, I don’t know what is. And this year, I thought I better take it beyond just cutting a few calories and hitting the gym. I wanted to truly reset my approach to food and start 2014 in a whole new way.
Enter, the HealthyMe Living “Holiday Healing Detox” – a health program that got me to cut grains, dairy, and all things processed from my diet for an entire week. And that got me to try my first tastes of kale, cauliflower, almond milk, flax seeds, and apple cider vinegar. (The vinegar was not my fave, but you can’t win them all, right?)
Image from facebook.com/HealthyMeLiving
If you know me at all, you know that I do NOT eat like this. I was in shock when I looked at my grocery cart full of produce at the start of the week, thinking there’s no way I will ever eat all of this. But I did, and for the most part, I really enjoyed it!
More importantly, thanks to the detox experience, I feel totally inspired to live healthier in the year ahead. I have been voraciously googling recipes for things I used to buy in a box, and I can’t wait to start cooking my own, un-processed versions of my favorite meals. I feel adventurous and excited about trying new things. I even ordered a cauliflower “steak” for lunch the other day (which my former self would certainly have scoffed at!). Suffice it to say, I am proud of myself, and I truly believe this is the start of something more than your typical New Year’s resolution.
If you’ve ever thought about doing a detox (and here I mean a healthy, structured detox – not a crazy starvation diet), I would highly recommend it. At best, it will change the way you think about yourself and the food you consume; at the very least, it should introduce you to some interesting new recipes.
Have questions about the experience? Feel free to ask me. I’m on a detox high and I’m happy to share!
Less Than Challenge 