January has come and gone (are you able to even consider it?!), so I assumed I’d test in and share with you the way the primary month of my resolution for 2024 went. My New 12 months’s decision for 2024 was to go a complete 12 months with out consuming sugar, except six free days, which might be my birthday in June, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, plus three further days of my selecting.
The extra I thought of it (and after studying some your feedback), I spotted that these six free days is probably not a good suggestion. I nonetheless haven’t dominated them out utterly. I’m undoubtedly the kind of one that does a lot better if I utterly abstain relatively than making an attempt the entire “all the things sparsely” factor, however I’m additionally the kind of one that struggles if I don’t give myself a tiny little bit of wiggle room. That doesn’t imply I’ll make the most of that wiggle room
Anyway, the excellent news is that I made it the entire month of January with no sugar, and I didn’t even wrestle a single bit! And y’all, each Wednesday evening after we host our church group, folks deliver brownies, cookies, and many others. And I wasn’t even tempted within the least.
I chalk that as much as the truth that I’ve actually been concentrating on consuming a excessive protein weight loss program. I’ve an expensive buddy within the Houston space who may be very into health and diet. She’s been instructing health lessons for about 20 years (possibly longer), and at present teaches lessons just like the Les Mills Bodypump and Bodycombat lessons. She’s been stressing to me how necessary it’s to get sufficient protein in my weight loss program, and after I figured how a lot I had been consuming, I used to be WAY below what I wanted. As in, I wasn’t even getting half of what I wanted. No surprise I used to be at all times craving junk!
She’s additionally been encouraging me to focus extra on weight lifting as a substitute of cardio. Not that cardio isn’t necessary, however she has inspired me to make the burden lifting a precedence. If I’ve an hour to train, I’ll begin with weights after which do cardio. But when I solely have 20 minutes, I prioritize weights. In order that has been enjoyable! I’ve gotten a lot use out of our house health club on this previous month! I like having this devoted area. It’s so handy. (If you happen to haven’t seen our house health club, you can click here to see more pictures.)
However again to weight loss program. As quickly as I made protein a precedence, all of these cravings for sweets went away utterly. Along with the excessive protein and no sugar, I’ve mainly been making an attempt to take care of a usually low carb weight loss program. I’m not doing keto, particularly, in that I’m not counting macros (aside from protein), however after doing keto for therefore lengthy, I usually know what I can and may’t eat, or relatively, what I ought to and shouldn’t eat.
After I shared my New 12 months’s decision, I had some folks ask if I used to be speaking about solely sugary desserts, or if I used to be speaking about something that turns to sugar within the physique (like pasta and different processed carbs), or any meals that will have “hidden sugar” in it. My New 12 months’s decision was particularly about eliminating sugary treats since these have at all times been my downfall. However once more, as one who has accomplished keto on and off for years, I’m fairly good staying away from the opposite issues as effectively.
My routine has been to eat strict low carb/excessive protein on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday — the times I usually keep house and don’t have commonly scheduled plans. Matt eats a strict carnivore weight loss program, and his meals is delivered by Butcherbox each month, so I don’t even have to buy him. And after I store for myself, I keep on with the outer partitions of the grocery retailer — recent produce, meat, and some dairy merchandise, like cheese, heavy whipping cream (for my espresso), and butter. That’s just about all I purchase for myself. I virtually by no means eat boxed or canned meals, so I’m not continually studying labels to see if there are any of these hidden sugars.
My two extra lenient days of the week are Sunday, after I exit out to eat with my household at a steak home that has yummy bread. I strive to verify my meal is low carb, however I do permit myself to eat among the bread. After which on Wednesday, I’ve lunch with my mother and brother at varied eating places. I strive to decide on my meal correctly, however I’m not religiously counting macros. And if we go to Rosa’s Cafe, I’m at all times going to get fajitas, and I’ll eat one or two of the tortillas, however I’ll swap out the rice and beans for further lettuce and tomatoes. After which now we have a meal with our Wednesday night group, and I’ll eat that meal (no matter it’s) minus the desserts.
Desserts have at all times been my downfall. If I might reside on a weight loss program of cookies, cake, ice cream, and sweet bars, I’d be as glad as a canine in a mud puddle. So these had been the issues that wanted to go. So what outcomes have I seen within the first month?
I’ve misplaced 11.7 kilos since January 1st. I’ve dropped a dimension in pants (which I attribute not solely to weight loss program, but in addition to all of these kettlebell swings I’ve been doing day by day!), and I really feel extra resolve than I’ve in a really very long time. Consuming all of that protein and specializing in weight lifting can also be leading to a rise in power, which has grow to be very apparent to me after I do my kettlebell swings. After I first began, I struggled to do just some swings with 20 kilos. Concerning the center of the month, I elevated my swings to 25 kilos, and that’s feeling too straightforward for me now. I feel I’m about prepared to extend to 30 kilos quickly. If you happen to don’t know what a kettlebell swing is, you can learn about it here.
So it’s been a enjoyable journey to this point! And it’s been so encouraging that I’m not frequently fighting cravings for sugary treats. It’s superb to me that I went from continually fascinated about sugar and desserts, to now, not giving it any thought besides on Wednesday nights. And even then, my solely thought is amazement at how straightforward it’s to say no. That’s the magic of protein! I’m satisfied of it!
I’m excited to see how I do in one other month. I’ll test in on the finish of February and let y’all know the way it’s going.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and beautify the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
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