Day 8: The Finish Line!

This morning feels so good! It's sunshiny and warm outside, and I've successfully completed the cleanse!

I weighed myself: 1 more pound gone, making that a total of 7 pounds lost this past week! This wasn't all about weight loss to me, but I loved feeling more trim as the week continued.

The proponents of this diet are right: if adhered to, you will feel your tummy shrinking, you will feel more fit and the bloating go away. It's noticeable!

As my Mom said, this cleanse isn't difficult physically, just emotionally. You want those comfort foods! The first couple days were the hardest, but as the week went on those cravings lessened and I became more and more focused.

This was an excellent lesson in self-discipline for me. I have a tendency to not practice delayed gratification. Am I craving something sweet? Okay, I'll have chocolate now!

This past week was also a reflective one for me. I thought: "What do I want more, this ____ (pizza, sweets, etc) or a healthy and more fit body? I will prove to myself that I want the greater good!" I was more aware of what I was eating and why.

I walked around a couple of my favorite food stores (the Whole Foods cheese and pastry selection is to die for!), plus visited the Cheesecake Factory and MacDonald's during the course of the week, as if to prove to myself that I could be there, without being sorely tempted to buy or sample, and I could choose to eat a salad and be content while others ate differently.

My reward this morning was a small piece of dark chocolate, from Trader Joe's, 85% cacao. It's amazing how sweet and fruity it tasted after a week of no desserts! I really savored it.
Breakfast this morning is Fage 0% Greek yogurt with honey, and fresh fruit.

I'm going to maintain my little pocketbook food diary (stays in my purse as a reminder!) and track my weight to help stay accountable.

My reminders to myself:

Fresh and raw is best- we need lots of fruits and veggies in our diet!

Lean meats, good fats, complex carbs and proteins are excellent for our body as well. (Brown rice over white!)

Eliminate processed foods or keep them to a minimum.

Drink lots and lots of water.

Exercise! (Definitely something I need to work on.)

Take it one meal and snack at a time:
Think before you eat, do not indulge in gluttony, watch portion control, be thankful and savor every bite!