Blog post February 14, 2014

I am behind my weekly-post goal. I got sick, busy, sick again and have been working on this clean-eating challenge. But I’m not quitting on the blogging or my Tar Heel 10-miler race plans.

Clean eating
Do you know what it takes to eat clean?

• Cooking from scratch
• Organization in the kitchen
• Grocery action plan
• Willpower to not eat the young son’s food (that will be another post)

You have to cook, yes, and that takes work and time. But the time is more than a daylong cooking thing. I’ve looked through cookbooks and online cooking sites. I’ve tested different gluten-free protein supplements and foods, looking for what works and doesn’t.

I’ve made vegetable stock from scratch to go in my homemade soups (tastes a lot better than the stuff you buy). I’ve quick-cooked and overnight-soaked beans for the soup, too. No sodium in the dry stuff (or very little, as I haven’t read all of the stuff out there). Again, tastes much better. I’ve been making rice on the stove, boiling water, adding the brown rice and simmering for an hour. I’m not sold on it, but it’s lots cheaper than the quick-cook varieties (and you get a lot more in the bag).

It also involves organization and a thorough grocery action plan, not grab a coffee and make a ‘quick list.’ For me, the list includes a coupon match-up, when applicable. I try to shop the sales because eating this way isn’t cheap, but it’s better than eating crap that’s going to cause tummy trouble, especially when I’m on a run.

The challenge I did eliminated caffeine, dairy, processed foods and, for me, gluten. And you had to do a minimum of 30-minutes of cardio a day (no problem there).

What I learned
It was hard but worth it. Nothing processed: no fast or convenience foods. So I either have it ready and packed to take to work, or I don’t. And some days, at least two days, I didn’t have enough food. And those were bad days. But I planned better the next days.

It worked. For years, I have wondered if it really is as simple as cutting out the food porn. It is. I didn’t buy pills or potions. I took regular multivitamins, ate a few inexpensive supplements and cooked good, whole foods. I opted for chicken and free-range eggs instead of beef (personal preference in taste), and hope to expand to include the organic products.

I cheated. I used organic skim milk in my then-caffeinated coffee. I missed the part of the plan’s list that said no caffeine. But I kept the dairy to less than three tablespoons a day, and it probably helped. I plan to use almond milk on the next run, which starts February 17, 2014.

Running was easier when I followed this eating plan. I don’t see it as a challenge anymore. I see it as a roadmap to feeling well.

For one week, I ate clean. And I lost 3.8 pounds. This current week, which did include wacky weather in the N.C. snowstorm, I half-assed it, and I gained 2.2 pounds. So I’m convinced. And I’m back on this plan. Though I might need to keep the caffeine.