Clean Slate – Week 2 and 3

This clean slate diet nearly killed me. I have never longed for fatty foods the way I did on this diet. I think it’s a mental thing for me. Self-deprivation makes me crave to an extreme. Never again. Did it work? Yes. I lost 5 pounds net but gained it all right back the minute I stopped. Was it worth it, not really. If I had decided to commit to this type of eating for the rest of my life, I could see the benefits in terms of being pretty skinny. Healthy? That’s debatable. I literally felt starving most of the time, which also lead me to feel like I had to eat crap and a lot of it for that matter.

Week 2 and 3 introduced whole grains and a decent amount of protein. Long gone were the days of smoothies and I have never been more pleased to chew something.

Sardine and orange salad — Found out immediately that I hate sardines

Baby spinach, shiitake mushrooms and brown rice in parchment – Not satisfying. I repeat, not satisfying. You will want a greasy cheeseburger the minute you are done.

Millet, coconut milk, pineapple, and flaxseed. SO FRIGGIN GOOD!!!

Oh you know, just so veggie packed miso soup for breakfast.

Baked sweet potato, red onion, collards and avocado. Very, very yummy, but this was it for dinner.

Quinoa with pear and almonds. One of the many quinoa dishes I ate in week 2. I think after this whole experience, I have never despised a grain so much.

Ended week 2 with the delicious tropical millet

My good friend, the egg, came back with a zucchini and leek frittata in Week 3.

Sunchoke, celery, and fennel salad. Back to starving for lunch. These lunches are so small, you can finish them in maybe 5 bites top. Not satisfying whatsoever. If I had more unhealthy snacks in my pantry or fridge, I would have binged immediately after work.

Back to quinoa for breakfast. This rendition featured avocado, almonds and honey. I have never been so confused by breakfast, except for maybe the miso soup.

Kale, red cabbages, edamame, brown rice and a boiled egg. Meh, this was ok. I’m not a huge fan of cooked kale. I finally felt full, but didn’t enjoy this one.

Gluten free breakfast – buckwheat apple walnut muffins.

Roasted tofu brown rice “congee”

I felt faint… like someone just dragged my ass across the finish line. The thing I hated the most was that I didn’t really have the energy to work out. I went for a 3 mile run and could hardly make it. I think I’d rather have a healthier balance of eating and feeling satiated with exercise.

These days, I’m back to what I consider my normal meals — a hefty breakfast on the weekends and either hard boiled eggs or a smoothie for breakfast. The smoothies definitely rubbed off on me because they’re so quick to make if I’m in a pinch and I can load up on a tremendous amount of greens that I would otherwise not be eating.

Avocado toast with an over easy egg

Sweet potato hash with a veggie omelet

Lunches and dinners generally consist of salads with some kind of protein like roast chicken sans the skin, tofu, or an egg. If I’m feeling ambitious and have the time for dinner, I’ll make some kind of baked or steamed fish with greens. Weekends are more in line with whatever I’m doing socially, which means I’m eating out one meal Saturday and Sunday. Alcohol is still on the table, but I’m debating giving myself a break. I had stopped drinking once I started dating Mr. E and lost a ton of weight from that alone. That being said, I’m not sure the weight loss in that department is worth it to me.

If I was desperate and knew I wanted to trim down for a tropical vacation, let’s say, I might consider this again. Long term, I think I’m happier eating the way I do normally.