I am an advocate for holistic health and believe we must include physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, vocational, and environmental assessments to create healing! These seven factors are the origins of overall wellness and must be considered when you want to shift your life design! This weekend I began listening to a functional medicine podcast that focused upon aging and longesvity! It described a way of using food for its entirety, especially as a tool for wellness! Naturally, we all know the impact food has on us. This is not new as its been studied time and time again, yet there remains so much debate within the nutritional community about the ideal nutrition! The truth is, if your balance includes a healthy portion of whole foods along with a healthy relationship to every other food- then you are nailing this quest for the ideal nourishment!
Last weeekend I read about something new – a formula which calls for a short period of a low protein, low carb, low sugar, but high vegan foods which will only be consumed over 120hours (5 days)! I was really intrigued behind the idea of what it claims to help do so naturally I set out to try and find a program to try. I want to understand what they claim or say is thought to be true and knew if I experienced what others would have to go through, I would achieve clearer understanding of what it would need for someone to do!
The idea claims it has formulated a trick to giving our bodies time for cell proliferation and regeneration. Both of these processes essentially could improve inflammation, insulin resistance, glucose elevations, and so much more – so I took to it to experience these “just five day claims”! Bu regulating the caloric intake of very specific whole foods for five days, ones body can begin to heal away the damage and make way for change!
Let’s consider all the inhibitors to health of there than food. Sleep, fitness, stress, social and emotional wellness, genetics, environments! All of these factors play a key role in our body’s way of regulating healthy! Within each of these lifestyle experiences, several factors must be met to sustain our way to health and longevity. Because of the need for an overall balance in every one of these factors, I am not saying that a five day fasting mimicking diet is the secret gateway to anti aging- but It may support our health in some way!
I decided I wanted to venture further into the root of my own personal journey with food and food patterns to see what I could see! In order to understand a little bit more I used the opportunity to do this “ fast mimicking diet” to challenge my quarks and evaluate all there will be discovered around my pattern to consumption, my own emotional addiction to foods, and my own judgment to how easy this would be, based on the time frame “just five days!”
There is a lot of judgment around fad diets etc and I am not one to promote a fad cleanse or diet by any stretch- I just want to know, in order to better understand all that is associated with it!
I want to document my journey not only to enlighten you, but to share with you the very real experiences I attribute to this change!
Here we go……
In order to master my own weaknesses I first must realize what these are and get real with my struggles! What habits, expectations, and desires have I created for myself in regard to food- and what parameters do I use to describe “healthy vrs unheathy”!
I am 5 foot 4 and my weight is 178 lbs. I haven’t always been 178 lbs thou. Just late in 2020 I weighed 187lbs – a number which reminded me regularly that I struggle. Far too long I have been blurring the lines between enjoying healthful foods and over nourishing! It was December 2020 that I woke my own self up to realizing something had to change, and it started with a comment surrounding a christmas wish gift! My daughter asked me, mom what do you want for christmas- and it was here I replied “pants that fit me” – and this suddenly allowed me to check in to my inner intension- I wanted to lose weight.
I am an active 39 year old female who always has been happy to challenge my body to a fitness regimen- I work out regularly and despite my intension to use fitness to feel good and care for my body, I was neglecting the other key nourishing needs- nutrition! I have been on a weight loss journey for the past ten years (and some) . Desspite years of complicated “I’m tryings” I have come to realize that throughout most of them I lacked the committment to fully being attentitive (trying- or aka dieting)! That word is a difficult one for many reading this post yet to me, i want to achieve something different then where I am, so i must find a way to reduce my calories….. this is what dieting means broadly for me- finding a way to create a caloric deficit to allow weight to change- in the right direction!
The fast mimicking diet is not a weight loss diet- and should not be interpreted as a diet with the answer to that. The diet is about restricting a normal consumed amount of food as a way to reduce the body’s metabolic cut off in order to regulate what has seemingly been shut off!
Naturally, five days in my head seemed like a breeze! This was gonna fly by and I would reunite with my regular habits again- yet reap the benefits!
WRONG! I was so wrong!
My expectations and judgements were suddenly rocked to reality- as I began realizing very early on into this journey, I have food anxiety!
To begin, Why does this all matter to me anyway?’
1. It matters to me to learn to use food as a tool for wellness again
2. It matters to me to identify the patterns in which I am struggling
3. It matters to me to understand my hunger cues
4. It matters to me that I want to recreate a relationship to healthy food again- that it is my friend- and it is good enough and it is flavourful enough- and it is dense enough to nourish my hunter enough- Healthy foods are enough- and when eaten in the right proportion, all foods can be enjoyed again, but back into my regimen with balance again!
5. It matters to me to coach those struggling with food, and to support someone – entirely -through their own unique journey to find recovery-
If you ask mostly anyone of us who has struggled with being overweight many of us would agree we consume foods abundantly and unconcsiously! My expectation for this journey is to experience a step closer within to find my cautiousness again!
Day 1 – Yes! It’s morning! I am so excited and ready! I got this!
Here we go! Ugh my thinking went to- -“ok maybe I can reduce my scale of committment- it can allow me to fail if I rate my confidence less than 100 percent……… abs allow me to sneak in foods I adore into the regimen……
…..seven water and three hot tea between my first meal to “hold me” until my next available meal! I am feeling deprived in my mind- yet I have done way longer gaps between meals and never once felt this kind……… anxiety…….. Sacrifice……… letting go……… learning………… craving?!……… desiring…….. satisfied………. hunger?!……..
A lot of mental chatter today-
Have a look at my physical self – this is the small piece of me that houses my wellbeing!
My current fitness level is I’d say sporadically intermediate- yet today, I am nervous to workout – generally afraid that “what if my caloric intake won’t sustain my needs” (ps my caloric intake range is a deficit but it still is over 1000 calories)!
I often supplement food with coffee – but moving forward Starting today this too heightened more anxiety- cause if I don’t eat it may make me more jittery! ….. and then I ll have to eat, and I ll eat to fuel quickly, and It will be over far before I ever even get a chance to really get going……….
I opted to stick to my morning java and let the rest of my typical…..go- (when your used to having at minimum 3 in the am am then 2 more at work) – that’s a lot of coffee first thing and a sacrifice…… let go……. optional?!…….. manageable……. tolerable……..
I would generally pack tons of food for my day- healthy of course to move me along through all of any typical day!! (a morning snack , a nutritious lunch -something on the lines of chicken and veggie stuff- but a few other things in there, maybe a few nuts, a bar, a protein shake just in case…….
Ugh—- this week i’m making food I am not used to – I am preparing low caloric whole vegan foods- and letting go of the typical…… deprived…. craving…. jelous…… motivated…… airy…….
I booked our family up with a get out of the house plan to ensure I wasn’t fuming over food!! anxiety…… replacing…….. regulating……
Supper day 1 blew! It was a terrible tasting blend of avocado and cucumber “soup” – a cold …. bowl of puréed food titled a soup –
Overall today was a successful day! Just five days …… my portions were in check and I was loving the process of balance again….. It feels liberating to make the whole entire day…… but hey , it’s just five days!
I felt hungry!
The liquids between the three meals sure helped curb away grazing for food!
Day 2- I woke up motivated! Day 2, I got you!
The breakfast was a blueberry chia pudding- and i really enjoyed! this was my first ever chia pudding! I generally feel better by waiting to consume my breakfast at around 1030 – to push back as long as i can, and this seems to work well for me- for a legitamite hungry!
I took in a morning workout but opted again to ease in! (honestly I’m afraid of feeling weak- so don’t wanna push it )!
I took a short walk at noon which was really great to curve through the time and not think about a patterned lunch time! I wasn’t hungry but realize how much of my life is patterned with a clock!
At 3 o’clock I ate my carrot walnut soup! Again this time worked well for me again- as it pushes my day back to settle the routine regimen!
Both monday and Tuesday i planned my evenings to be away from home right after work! We took in skate parks and planned to be busy after work which has allowed time to pass easily- again to break the routine of – home- cooking and eating!
Last nights supper felt amazing!
I had a fuzzy head today, like brain fog into the evening …… sleep happened early….. It was relieving!
Day 3- I have a headache! Last night was interesting too – I experienced a charlie horse! (Despite the amount of fluids I was putting through)!
– coffee in, and I have reset my intentions once again! I have found the value in taking this challenge one day at a time- (with the exception of looking ahead to prepare for meal prep!)….. just five days!
happy wednesday!
So……. a challenge today! An invite to a friends to hmmmm to let the kids dirt bike……
What if there’s food…..
How can I get through……..
When will we eat then….. how will we get to our own food……
9pm- just an update I am proud of our abilities! we made our meal as the plan suggested- and enjoyed it after getting home and seeing the kids off to bed!! a win once again!
Day 4- I’m feeling amazing! the hunger cues are reducing-
-cravings improving
-confidence boosting!
And mostly discovering- I’m loving the recipes (most of them)! – Love the pancakes – banana cocoa flax pancakes- with pure maple syrup- yes please!
zucchini noodle dishes – uhhuh!
and let me explain coconut flour to you- a treat!
I’m proud of another successful day eating calorie restricted and clean!
yes!!! I GOT THIS! sleep tight……
Day 5- it’s 9:13 pm and i’m checking in to the final day of a five day series! Man did i have some crazy vivid dreams last night …….
I really enjoyed the morning muffins:) (Grain free pumpkin spice! warm and comforting to set the mood for the final day!
I pushed through mostly today without agonizing over food! There is a substantial amount of change to my hunger cues, yet today, for some reason…… I am struggling!
anxiety!
Fridays are a ritual day for beer, pizza and anything comforting:) It’s a wrap celebration to a week and it kicks off the weekend! I wanted to call it in today, around 4 pm!
Ok we did it…. NOPE….. gotta finish this…… What ever …let’s just get on with it…… oh my goodness a bagel smells amazing! ….. I can’t…… I can…..
It took a lot for me today to work through the mental chatter today, mayne the most I heard!
The last day, Yet surprisingly the most difficult! My mind kept considering the quit but somehow my heart kept saying “ stick to it!”
Instead of giving up everything I dreamed to set forth, i committed- and I am overall super proud of my ability to stay focused, determined and committed/motivated 💯! To the end of it! No alcohol, no take out, no letting go of all that we set forth five days ago!
I am worth this!
I learned about habitual eating patterns throughout this five day journey and seen for myself what I could do! To commit 100 percent To something is challenging….. You see It’s just five days” was the most deceiving! The struggle with food is a form of addiction! The food triggers those feel goods, so those moments of temptation I crushed them! – I have generated a win! Do not ever believe for one moment thst this sort of thing is easy! One moment at a time, and you will BE fine!
I’m looking forward to see where this journey will lead me next and especially excited to see how it will impact me as I move forward on my health and wellness journey!
Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Here is the program i found online through a quick google search!
To everyone out there struggling, I hear you! You can do anything you put your mind too! It really is all about your mind! If your on a journey to shift your life design, YOU are a powerful being! celebrate Your worth and let this serve to remind you , it’s never “just” five days- because those five days can mean everything! And always know….. this too shall pass!
Happy weekend!
Shiftyourlifedesign 