Concluding the Fresh Start Challenge

The fresh start I began two weeks ago tomorrow is coming to a close. My purpose was to flush out some of the nastiness I had been experiencing and to also give my liver a rest and see if it changed my outlook in life. 

My very important conclusions:

1. Sugar does not agree with me. At ALL. When I eat sugar, even just a little, I become short tempered, emotional, impatient and exhausted. Almost immediately. 

2. Wheat or grains give me a bloated, tired feeling. Again, almost immediately. 

3. Green juices taste nasty going down, but have long-lasting energy and feel-good effects. They also seem to help alleviate my desire for sugar. 

4. I don't want coffee. This makes me sad. But I've discovered a new love of lemon/ginger iced tea. But I miss iced coffee. 

5. I sleep MUCH better when I eat a raw, meat-free meal at night. Tested this the other night by having a large green salad and pork chop. Felt like I'd swallowed a bowling ball. 

Conclusion: I'm going to continue a modified version of the fresh start. I want to feel better longer.

A few life changers that came as a result of this: I discovered that what I eat CAN make my exhausted. If I want to lose weight and actually enjoy my life, I have to focus on eating fresh, live foods and cutting back on the meat, grains and sugar. (PS - Dairy, even raw, has LOTS of sugar. Cream, not so much. I will be sticking to little bits of cream from pastured cows. ) 

This is a 'for now' thing, as I will keep monitoring myself to see when it's time to bring back certain foods again. I am going to cut back to meat 2-3 times a week, always at mid-day. 

Because this gave me more energy, I have been waking up early which has enabled me to begin to exercise before Trey wakes up. This is huge. 20 minutes of intervals up and down the small hills in front of the house (within earshot, so if he wakes up I can hear him) are helping me lose inches and have more energy. 

In short, I see a new lifestyle coming out of the fog. It's a bit inconvenient, as I now have to make two different meals for me and for the rest of the gang, but it's worth it to feel like I have been. 

Thank you so much for following me on this 'real food' journey!  Hope you have been encouraged to try your own 'fresh start'! 

Blessings,
Rosalyn 

Here is a last recipe for you. This is a no-grain breakfast or snack food. Yum! 

Buckwheat Cakes

1 cup buckwheat flour
1 pastured egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp sunflower oil, olive oil or melted butter
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp realsalt
1/2 cup milk (fresh or sour)
pumpkin seeds (optional)
sunflower seeds (optional)
cashew nuts (optional)

Blend together everything but the seeds/nuts. Best if allowed to rest for 30 minutes, but I don't usually have time. Add seeds and nuts, and a bit of water to make it a batter consistency. Heat a cast iron skillet with 2 tsp of olive oil or coconut oil. Fry in small rounds. Use as to-go snacks or add maple syrup for breakfast. I like these smeared with homemade no sugar jam as a snack.