I’ve been working hard for the past 16 days on following the 21 Day Fix eating plan, which essentially is clean eating. I cheated significantly less than I ever had before, and even though my weight is still fluctuating, my lean muscle is increasing overall.
My challenge group really kept me focused. As a coach, I feel obligated to stay on track, not cheat, get my workout done, and inspire others. It’s selfish, but really, a win-win situation!
Today I caved. “It’s St. Patrick’s Day” is the FURTHEST thing from a reasonable excuse, but I made it. I threw everything out the window and got up from my desk, drove to McDonalds, and ordered it. The Shamrock Shake.
The Shamrock Shake comes in at 530 calories, with 15 grams of fat. Honestly, as a “sometimes” food, it won’t kill you. But for me, it felt like it was going to. I sucked it down faster than it took me to order it, not realizing how long it had been since I had eaten anything with that much sugar. I was happy.
As the day went on, my stomach started to bug me. No amount of water or tea could do the trick. I changed into my workout gear and headed to the gym, and I didn’t feel any better. In fact, it got worse. I went to the gym, planning to run four miles, because of course the warm weather hasn’t hit yet.
I got on the treadmill and just…hurt. Everything hurt. My knees felt funny, chest hurt, and time was moving six times slower than it normally does. I tried everything. Switched my music, played the hot or not game with every single guy that walked in front of me, counted other peoples’ reps…everything. I made it two miles (read: struggled hard), and couldn’t handle it anymore. I felt awful.
I decided to keep moving, cranking up the incline and keeping myself at a brisk walk, but I felt terribly weak. Could a Shamrock Shake…a small little milkshake…knock me out like this? I at least pushed myself at the end, but overall, I was pretty upset. I continued to feel lousy, mentally and physically.
Turns out, the food choices I’m making really are effecting my body. This 21 Day Fix plan is no longer a “thing” I’m doing; it’s a lifestyle. Weirdly, it means making these choices for the rest of my life.