We Become What We Repeatedly Do

I’m still alive and kickin’ going strong with The 30 Clean. Day #20 is coming to a close…and you know what they say “it takes 21 days to create a habit”, but how true is that anyways? Let’s take a look at some of the delicious and colorful meals that have been gracing their presence in my life over the past eight days. Again, the majority are homecooked, but there’s a few in there that are not.

The bottom right is Luna’s Living Kitchen‘s newest menu item. It was a raw/vegan manicotti. “Wide zucchini noodles are stuffed with cashew ricotta and topped with a tomato basil marinara This entree is served with an arugula and cherry tomato salad tossed in a light olive oil and lemon dressing.” I was told that this had too much nuts based off of the recommended daily nut intake that The 30 Clean program allows, BUT it was totally worth the slap on the wrist 😉

Alright, so now let’s get down to business.

I just read a great (and short) article from Jason Selk that was featured on Forbes a while back. The article was entitled, Habit Formation: The 21 Day Myth. I really suggest you read it – it’s short and sweet…and most importantly it breaks down “The 3 Phases of Habit Formation” and should get your wheels a turnin’ a bit.

Since I like to spoil endings… the article finishes with:

“Most people want positive habits to be as easy as brushing their teeth. HELLO…LET’S BE ADULTS HERE…being great isn’t easy. In fact greatness requires sacrifice. It requires doing things that others won’t or can’t do. GREAT HABITS ARE FORMED DAILY. Truth be told, good habits require consistent commitment. Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits. Make the commitment to make it past the fight thru, no matter how many times you go back to it, to reach new levels of success.”

So what does this have to do with me initially posting about The 30 Clean?

First off, this is the best I’ve felt in my life…ever. Yes, there’s been some frustrations and challenges over the past 20 days, but overall I am truly enjoying this challenge. Why?

1. The sense of willpower. I would say at least once a day, there’s been a point where an individual proclaims, “But who is going to know if you cheat?!” Uhhh…ME! From the beginning I chose to do this for myself. Sounds a little selfish – you bet!

2. The sense of accomplishment. Honestly, I’m doing a lot better with this than I anticipated. Yes, there’s been a few times here and there that I’ve had grilled chicken that may have not been cooked in a compliant oil or have overdone on the daily recommended amount of seeds, fruits and nuts, but for the most part every food that I have consumed over the past 20 days was compliant with the program.

3. The sense of strength / body awareness. I typically take Pure Barre 4-5 times a week. Over the years since starting, I’ve mixed it with a variety of things – yoga, running, dance classes, etc. Most recently, it’s just about 100% Pure Barre. If you’ve ever been to a Pure Barre class, you know it never gets “easy”, but instead it gets harder as you find a deeper connection with your body and stronger understanding of the technique. I (wrongly) assumed that during this program that I would feel the classes getting easier. I couldn’t be further from that! Instead, I was surprised to find that I could find where I was working from even quicker and more intensely and it made the classes EVEN HARDER… but in a good way. It’s as if I could feel my muscles changing instantly. Not complaining about that. AT. ALL.

Upon reading the “Three Phases of Habit Formation”, I immediately related it to The 30 Clean Program and started to think a little bit more about what will happen on Day #31. Could I make this a lifestyle change long term? Yes. Do I want to eat this way 100% of the time? Eh, not entirely. I’ve started to pay so much more attention to the foods that I’m buying. I’ve rediscovered a love for cooking. I’ve gotten better at planning out what I am going to buy at the grocery store. In the past, I’ve headed to the grocery store, spent over a $100 and then got home and looked at everything and usually said, “Wait, how can I even put any of this together to make something for dinner tonight?” I’ve spent 95% of the time stomach ache free (for whatever reason sometimes avocados make me feel sick, but I love them so always risk it). I’ve learned the difference of “I’m bored” vs. “I’m legit HANGRY right now.” Do I want that? Yes. Do I need that? No.

Hold on, I’ve always had lots of conversations with myself (inside my head), but I’m making this sound like I do this non stop now. Now that I’m thinking of it, I think I have had LOTS of conversations with myself over the past 20 days.. Moreso than normal, but I am ok with that! 😉

So after this is over, my gracious mother has my all time favorite candy waiting for me. Am I going to have some of it at some point? You bet. Do I need to eat half a bag in one sitting like I would’ve done in the past? Heck no.

I’m JUST kidding.

I’ve enjoyed eating all of the foods that are a part of the program and could eat like this the majority of the time. However, trying out new restaurants (which means new dishes and cocktails) is something that I’ve always loved. I wouldn’t want to say that I will NEVER have added sugar, dairy, corn, soy or bread again. I CAN say that I can start reevaluating a lot of my choices and making better decisions moving forward once Day #31 kicks in.

Once the curtain closes on the program, I will be sure to update one last time… or will it be the last time? Who knows!