Happy June! Today is the first day of new beginnings, and I am starting the new month with cleaning up my diet. I have been eating pretty crappy lately, and my body is begging me to fuel it with better food choices. So, last week, I pulled out my copy of The Clean 20 by Dr. Ian K. Smith; it will be my guide for the next 20 days.
My colonoscopy is scheduled for this Friday, so I will be prepping for my procedure all day Thursday and a short time Friday morning. Therefore, today is the perfect day for me to start over with a clean plate.
Basically, these are the rules for the next 20 days:
- Drink lots of water.
- Drink freshly squeezed juice.
- Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.
- Eat dairy foods.
- Focus on the 20 clean foods.
- No alcohol
- No soda
- No added sugar
- No artificial sweeteners
- No juice with added sugar
- No MSG
- No fried foods
- No white flour
- No mayo, ketchup, salsa – unless homemade (there are clean versions in the grocery store)
- No salad dressings loaded with sugar
The goal is to reset my body by reducing processed foods, reducing unwanted additives, and decreasing added sugars while increasing water intake, increasing fruits and vegetables, and becoming more mindful of the foods fueling my body. As you can see, dear reader, weight loss is not my goal for completing the Clean 20; however, I did weigh myself this morning (162 pounds) as a benchmark. If I lose weight on this clean eating reboot, I will be thrilled, of course. The first time I did this program back in September 2019, I lost 7 pounds.
With that being said, I ate an omelet (two eggs with a tablespoon of 2% milk and a handful of baby spinach) and 1/2 cup of blueberries for breakfast this morning. I used olive oil spray to prepare my omelet. I also had a 12-ounce cup of coffee with a packet of Truvia (natural sweetener), 1/2 tsp of sugar (cut the Truvia aftertaste), and 1 tbsp of half and half. The added sugar is negligible. For my mid-morning snack, I ate cucumber slices (half a cucumber) with 1/4 cup of classic hummus. And, for lunch, I had a salad (spring mix lettuce, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, gorgonzola cheese crumbles, boiled crawfish tails, and honey roasted pecans with Apple Pecan salad dressing).
As for exercise, I started walking again this morning. My goal is to walk daily for at least 20 minutes. Of course, more is better. I will also get more walking done when I take Comet aka Tooty and Luna out for their walks. Additionally, I joined Beachbody on Demand (online video workouts) yesterday through my friend Kathryn. She is now my Beachbody health coach and will provide me with encouragement and accountability. Kathryn recommended that I start with Clean Week (a 7-day program) which will help me get back into the groove of working out (cardio/strength training). I plan to start that fitness program either Saturday or Sunday, depending on how I feel after my procedure on Friday.
As you know by now, dear reader, I love having a plan. I am excited about eating clean, working out with Beachbody on Demand, and taking my daily walks. Will I be perfect every day? Nope, and that is okay because it is not about being perfect. It is about enjoying life without sacrificing self-care. Happiness!
“The purpose of the Clean 20 is to reintroduce your body to the wonders of clean eating and to give your organs a break from all the processed foods that dominate the choices in our stores and restaurants.” ~ Ian K. Smith, M.D.
The Kat Files 
Great stuff Kat. As you know from last time, I hate the word ‘clean’ when it comes to food. But I definitely believe in eating mindfully. I’m practising (sometimes I forget) the art of eating slowly and enjoying each mouthful. It helps me savour the taste and chew more and it tells me when I am actually nicely full at the right time, instead of getting overfull by my usual quick ‘inhalation’ of food! Hope all goes well on your colonoscopy.
Yes, I remember your dislike for the word “clean.” For me, it is resetting my body, eliminating the toxins (sugar/processed foods), and fueling my body with the good foods primarily. I have to be a more mindful eater. Many times I am doing something else while eating. A bad habit I picked up from many years of being a teacher.
Everything went well with my colonoscopy, both prep and procedure. My doctor found two polyps this time around (several last time) and feels confident they are not cancerous (sent off for evaluation). He says I can do another one in 5 years as opposed to 3 years. I’m happy about that news.
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