conclusion to Tania McCartney’s 14 day health challenge
Day Eight
Woke on day eight feeling good. I feel lighter. No hungover feeling.
My whoozyness and headaches have stopped.
Husband is waking me at 6.30am – an hour later than usual – and I start the day in front of My Workout on the tele or on the treadmill.
NOT missing dairy. NOT missing wheat.
I can’t believe how ‘bouncy’ the muscles in my thighs are becoming – like an inflated balloon! Sure, there’s still a layer of fat keeping them nice and squidgy, but the tone is incredible.
Whenever I stand on my feet (which is not often given my writing busyness), I find myself automatically squatting, lunging, bending, kicking, pelvic tucking. Good thing.
I was SOOO hungry by the afternoon, it took me by surprise. Drank lots of water and herbal tea and ate a million rice crackers. Stared at the sugar-ridden, fat-rife, wheat-laden Iced Vovos for lengthy periods, without blinking. Then walked away. Not happy, Jan. Aaaaaaaaaargh!
Crashed and burned emotionally in the early evening. Could have been due to ‘that time of the month’. Felt angry, weepy, despairing. So badly wanted a Chardonnay, I could taste it on my lips.
Mood improved after a nutrition-packed tuna and bean salad with lots of raw vegies.
Day Nine
Uh-oh. Day Nine became blow-out day, alas.
It all started well. Woke tired but not at all ‘hungover’ or headachey. Just sleepy.
Felt motivated but also wary that I’m not losing a single gram. Could have been the no-sugar chocolate bar (ok, it was only around 50g but it has to add up) I wolfed down last night to make myself feel better.
Whatever the case, what I am noticing is that even when I start feeling emotionally ratty, I am looking good! Nice little unexpected side-bonus.
As day progressed, I found I had lots of energy and focus. Made another delicious, no-carb dinner and had a little no-sugar chocolate after. Admittedly, my dinner didn’t contain a heap of protein but I was still sated.
At about 8pm, I became starving. This is my food witching hour, it seems. I was so ravenous, it shocked me and I beat off cravings for an hour, drinking lots of water. At 9pm, I caved completely and ate so many rice crackers, my stomach distended and I was so horrified, disappointed and so so sooo upset with myself.
Went to bed feeling lousy and absolutely exhausted. What a way to enter week two.
Day Ten
Woke feeling deflated about rice cracker blow-out last night.
Got on the digital scales and YET AGAIN my weight has not fluctuated a single gram. Banged scales with my first and gathered weighty supplies to hold and re-test weight to see if scales were broken. Alas, they were working perfectly.
Cursed my sedentary career choice and got the kids their breakfast.
Despite blow-out last night, my physical condition was not too bad this morning and the worst of it was that my breath was a little sour again. I guess this is what happens when we force food down our gullets too close to bedtime. Bedtime is when our bodies need to be free of digestive worries – and focus on detoxying, repairing and strengthening.
Had a good day mood-wise and ate well. Didn’t fit exercise in, alas, but did buzz around a little.
Then, I went to the salon. Cannot believe glamorousness oozing from hair follicles. Could it be..? Could it be that I am actually feeling more interested in taking care of myself and my looks again???
Friends and colleagues coming out of woodwork wanting to detox – either through sheer synchronicity, or through cottoning on to what I’m doing and want to know more. Love it.
Day Eleven
Woke feeling great and not ravenously starving, as had no desire to pig out before bed last night.
Again, no exercise today because I had to work in the morning, then guests arrived for the night at 3pm. Did tear around house like frenzied tornado doing last minute cleaning job, so that probably equated to some form of fat-shifting movement.
Have not weighed myself in a few days. Don’t feel like I’m losing weight rapidly, but rather – steadily. It’s unlikely I’ll shed the 5kg I want to, but am aiming for 2 or 3.
I cannot reiterate enough how remarkable the improvement has been in my skin. There is no facial in the world, of any kind, that could so rapidly improve skin than a regime like this, which is another reason I’m feeling pulled towards adopting this diet, or something similar, long-term.
I haven’t snapped at the kids or Husband for a while now. The relief I feel over this is enormous.
Was a little naughty tonight – had a small glass of white wine with my girlfriend, whom I haven’t seen in years. Oh, and I also had some smidgens of blue cheese in a salad. But then I stopped, and I totally resisted dessert.
Only three days to go. But will this be ‘the end’?
Day Twelve
Oh my God. What can a single glass of wine do to the body? I’ll tell you. A lot.
Woke feeling seedy again this morning, for the first time in days and days, and I knew it was the wine with dinner last night.
Badly needed to exercise after two days of nothing solid, but had so much work to catch up on. Nonetheless, dragged myself from the computer chair and flicked the switch on the treadmill (to ON, not OFF).
Had three extra cups of milky tea today to quash any big ideas I had about the packet of Iced Vovos my guest (and dear girlfriend) dared bring into my home yesterday.
Went out for dinner with some girlfriends and stayed away completely from anything forbidden. A very proud moment. Wasn’t even tempted really, because the company and conversation was so fulfilling and subsquently filling. Doesn’t that say something about life? The more fulfilled and contented and filled we are – the less need we will have to fill ourselves with food. Especially comfort food.
Felt so crystal clear in the mind today, despite obsessive thoughts centered on Iced Vovos that threatened to overpower me. Actually starting to wonder if Iced Vovos are really supreme beings of the universe wrapped in crinkly plastic wrapping, and have ultimate power over human bodies and therefore their minds – via subliminal messaging sugar control.
Fear I’m hallucinating due to normal levels of sugar in blood for first time in decades.
Day Thirteen
Was it unlucky number thirteen that did it? Today I didn’t have to worry about my diet in the least, because I spent most of the day throwing it up, not shovelling it down. Sorry to be graphic, but it’s the truth.
You may recall I went to dinner with some lovely friends last night, and how good I was? No wheat, dairy, sugar or alcohol? Well, apparently the salmon and prawn skewers were NOT good and I’ve paid for it with a sleepless night, driving the ‘porcelain bus’.
All I managed was a lemonade icypole today… yes, I know, I know – sugar.
I’m annoyed, but what can I do?
Of course, I also failed to exercise, preferring instead to laze about sleeping until 11am and then on the couch fighting waves of crippling nausea for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Lordy Lord – being sick is just the ultimate time waster.
So, alas, I have not much to report (except a flat but very sensitive belly). It’s an early night for me and tomorrow – LAST DAY – is weigh-in day. Make sure you check back for my results and for my thoughts – pros and cons – on this two-week no sugar, alcohol, dairy or wheat regime.
Was it worth it? Stay tuned.
Day Fourteen
Well. I made it. Two weeks of no sugar, no alcohol, no dairy and no wheat. It had its ups and downs, but it was also totally do-able, and I’m so happy I made the time to try this programme, inspired by Anna Richardson’s Body Blitz Diet.
Today, Day 14, my last day, was a breeze. Recovered nicely from food poisoning episode (24 hours of my life wasted, thanks staphylococcus) and, much to my utter delight, I woke almost as bright, healthy and refreshed as I did on Day One of this regime.
I felt happy, enthusiastic and just… clean. I could literally feel the clean, smooth channel between my mouth and my er… exiting-area – unclogged and clean as a whistle. I felt light, in a great mood and just… HAPPY.
This regime, although it certainly had its moments, was not anywhere near as difficult as I expected it to be. I was never a big wheat- and dairy-eater anyway, so that was easy to cut, and the alcohol I also was fine without, save one or two nights when I could have scraped a drop of Chardy off the floor.
The no-sugar was harder for me, but only because I’m sugar-addicted, and this was remedied by eating more fruit (a body fibre and vitamin bonus!) and the occasional sugar-free chocolate binge.
Exercising more was easier to fit in because I made it a priority. This helped lighten my mood and give me even more energy to exercise and be active. It also inspired me to see my body in a new light, and to want to take care of it more.
Sure, as this programme ends and Normal Life creeps over tomorrow’s horizon, I’ll warmly welcome sinking my teeth into a hot cross bun slathered in butter. I’ll also look forward to toasting my success with a glass of bubbles. But I also know how vital it is to limit these ‘treats’. Just as a plant will keel over and die if you give it too much water, our bodies can only take so much of anything. We need to know our poison and ration our poison as effectively as we would when taking care of a plant.
So. Enough on all the philosophical hoo-ha. Want to know how I fared? Here are the basic stats…
I lost…
- 3kg
- 1 cm from my bust
- 5cm from my waist
- 2cm from my hips
- 1/2cm from my upper arms
- 1cm from my thighs
But I also gained, oh how I gained.
I gained vivacity, energy, happiness, crystal clear skin, mental clarity, more emotional stability, waking in the morning without seediness, a massive reduction in headaches and nausea and bloating, more flexibility, contentedness, an elevated mood overall, greater ability to focus and a noticeable reduction in stress. I am less frustrated, persnickety, intolerant… and more calm, amiable and organised. I also look fabulous (if I may say so myself).
And I also gained a deeper understanding of the value of health and how we can’t put a price on feeling great – physically, mentally, emotionally. This holistic balance is something we strive to give our children, but regularly fail to attain for ourselves. As we age and feel the effects of a lousy lifestyle on our bodies and mind, we come to understand that great health is synonymous with a great life, and that every one of us has the power to turn our lives around and fulfil the best level of health possible.
Let nothing stand in your way. If you can feel anywhere near how wonderful I feel after two weeks on this programme, nothing could stand in your way.
I wish you good health, always.
Tania McCartney is an Aussie author, blogger, editor and sugar-addict who lives in Canberra. This is an abridged version of her full Challenge, which you can see at her blog.
