The Journey Begins

Yesterday was Day 1 of the 21 Day Sugar Detox (21DSD) that I am participating in.  All in all it was a pretty good first day.

I woke up and had breakfast which was 2 Buffalo Chicken Egg Muffins, steamed spinach and 1/2 an avocado.  The egg muffins were really good - so much so that my hubby and daughter scooped a few. 

My only issue of the day happened after breakfast.  Normally,  I workout on an empty stomach but decided yesterday to eat first.  Big mistake.  First, I ate more food at breakfast than I was used to.  Second, I didn't give it a chance to digest properly.  I felt like I was going to puke for a good hour after my workout which meant lunch wasn't big - a green-tipped banana.

For dinner I made meatloaf and herbed mashed cauliflower.  The meatloaf was a hit but the mashed cauliflower not so much.  I liked it but my husband was thrown by the fact that it looked like mashed potatoes but didn't taste like them!

I didn't have any sugar cravings and I didn't feel that I was starving.

A pretty successful start to the journey.  Now onto Day 2!

You can't start a journey without a plan

When you begin any journey, you need to sit down and map it out.  Where are you going?  How are you going to get there?  How long are you going to stay?  Where are you going to stay?  What will I wear? 

The same is true for your nutrition and fitness journey.  Today, in preparation for the 21 Day Sugar Detox, I sat down and planned out the meals that I will be making as well as wrote out the grocery list for my trip to the store tomorrow.

Meal planning is key for me.  Without it I will just reach into the cupboards and grab any quick processed food - like substance I can find.  By stocking my pantry with good clean eats, I can make sure that I am fueling my body properly.

My fitness plan is to complete Turbo Jam.   This is a program I keep coming back to.  Great music and fun moves that I feel coordinated enough to do!  Started 2015 off right by getting a workout in. 

I also am keeping a food and fitness journal that will help me keep track of how I am doing along the way.

Got the plan....now only a couple more days before we leave on our journey!

Beginning the Journey

On October 6th, 2014, I left work and, upon my arrival to my home, was rushed to the emergency room of Victoria Hospital with complications from Crohn's disease.  I returned home two weeks later after surgery to remove approximately a foot of my intestines.

I was initially diagnosed with Crohn's in 1994.  During the past 20 years, I got used to the disease...the pain, the frequent trips to the bathroom and to the emergency room of the hospital to treat blockages.   But the trip to the hospital this year was different.

After my surgery, I stopped breathing.  My husband was rushed from the room and a Code Blue was called.  Thankfully, the quick actions of the nursing staff (angels from the good Lord above), brought me back to my family.

It has been a long three months of recovery.  It has been frustrating at times but it has also given me a chance to reflect.  Why am I okay with putting up with the pain and frustrations of this disease?  Why is it okay that I have to inject myself with medications that really doesn't seem to have a huge change in my symptoms?  Am I okay with having a surgery like this again?   The answer is a resounding HELL NO!

So I started to research.  And research.   And research some more.  This research has brought me to the conclusion that what I put into my mouth has a direct result on my health...and here is where I start my journey.   A journey of whole foods - lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of fruits and veggies.

I hope that you will join me on my journey...