Day six of Ultimate Reset Part Deux!
Wow, this round of the Reset couldn't feel more different than the first. Turns out I didn't have an understanding of just how much the Reset impacted our menu plans and food habits as much as it has! I think the biggest change has been my attitude in that I actually look forward to my Reset meals, whereas the first time meals were full of fear and dread. Making new meals every day was hard, and when you like food as much as I do it felt like pretty much the end of the world if I put in all that work and then didn't like the meal (spoiler alert: it wasn't often that I didn't like the meals).
The other thing that has been different is that I have not been hungry at all. It seems to me I sat around and pined for food quite a bit the first time. I think our experimentation on the high fat diet has helped both Zach and I stabilize our blood sugar and not rely as heavily on snacks as we once did, so three square meals seems to be working just fine.
So, all that said, I've thought of a few tips to make the Reset easier for anyone who attempts it.
1.) Plan. Then plan again. And once more...the planning. I can't emphasize it enough. Whatever it is you need to do to get your head around what it is you need to do, do it! Use your phone, use paper, use whatever mode you feel most comfortable with to over-plan your plan. You must be the valedictorian of planning for the next 21 days.
2.) Take a chill pill. All that planning you did? You're still gonna forget stuff. Or you're not going to anticipate that it takes six cucumbers, not four, to make it through the week. Don't get annoyed, don't get mad at yourself. Either find a substitution (how about celery? It's basically crunchy water just like cucumbers are), or make a run to the store. It's not the end of the world. It's going to be okay.
3.) Open your mind. And your taste buds. You're going to eat things that look weird. Look at it as an adventure! It's not all going to be your favorite food, but you just may find some things you really like. My favorite food, zucchini cashew soup, comes from the Reset!
4.) Drink water early and often. You've got to drink a gallon a day on the Reset, and if that water bottle isn't in your hand basically first thing in the morning, you're not going to make it. It requires some diligence to get a gallon down your gullet. Remember that hot tea (particularly in winter!) counts toward your quota, so use that as much as needed.
5.) Batch cook. You'll see in the meal plan that you have rice, quinoa, and oatmeal several times the first week. Make big batches of all of these things before you start and your life will be so much easier! All of those items reheat beautifully and it saves precious food prep time. This time around, I also grilled a big batch of chicken to add to the kids' meals when we are eating largely meatless. If you have people in your family who aren't participating and you're responsible for feeding them, this makes life easier, too. Tonight the kids ate our roasted root veggies and zucchini cashew soup along with us, but I added 21 Day Fix turkey meatballs, which I had in the freezer, to their plate.
6.) Slow down! Savor your food. This has been huge for me this time around. I am famous for inhaling my food, so I've been making an effort to slow down. As a country, I think we've really disconnected from the gift of food. We take it for granted that we can get food anywhere, anytime. We see eating as a chore that we need to get done so we can get to the next thing. It's sad.
When you're on a plan that gives you only three square meals a day, you really look forward to that food and it tastes so good when you sit down to it. When you're eating your Reset meals, don't multitask. No T.V., reading your iPad or phone, or otherwise taking your attention away from the meal you're eating. Take small bites and chew them thoroughly. Eat slowly. Enjoy your company if someone is eating with you. Put your utensil down sometimes and take a deep breath. Enjoy.
7.) Think positive. Try not to dwell on what you're not having. Do I miss my Saturday morning coffee? Yes. But I've tried not to dwell on that and have bought some tea that I really enjoy to have in its place. So much of this battle is going to be in your head. You've got to choose to think positively!
That's all for now. Zach and I both feel really good and are glad we're taking this challenge together. We're also both enjoying our 30 Days of Yoga with Adriene! Check her out on YouTube for a great intro to yoga.
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