Hey, hey!!
So, I managed to spend most of the Middle Eastern Summer away! Yippee! I have done the odd summer here in Qatar, and it is not too much of a problem, the main benefit are the roads being clear and meeting people you wouldn't normally meet. However this year, I decided to get out!! I was fortunate to spend 2 weeks in Northern Cyprus and then about 4 weeks in my home country! I hadn't seen my family and friends for almost a year (some, over a year!) and I miss them all dearly (even the ones I did not manage to see)
However, everything, healthy eating wise, slipped over the 6 weeks, and my jeans got tighter. I had planned ahead. I packed my handheld blender, I brought foods that were my lifeline, which included dates and quinoa, I shopped at the destinations and stocked up on fresh fruit and veg. I even packed some homemade carrot cake balls, grapes and apples for the plane journey.
I was doing OK in Cyprus, I managed to get out and do a few runs, I swam lengths in the pool, I blended, I froze and I tried to order a salad whenever we went out to eat...my downfall?? Chips and alcohol. I flew back to Doha for 24 hours before my trip to the UK. I was bloated, and a couple of Kilos heavier...bleugh!!
Then 4 weeks in the UK, travelling from one place to another, I was having CEREAL!!! for breakfast and no raw foods at all. It was getting me down, so I started to have a smoothie for my breakfast, I did a few runs, and ate my mums yummy stew...but after having a fab time in the UK, not really paying much attention to my diet, I came back to Doha pretty sick. I was exhausted!! Then one night after eating a heavy cooked meal, I woke to a hideous pain in my stomach, I was dizzy, light headed, the room was spinning (no, I hadn't been drinking) and I ended up being sick a couple of times. The next day was spent in bed. But then after that, I was getting daily headaches, I was STILL exhausted, I had (and still haven't) no motivation for exercise, I was getting cramps in my stomach after eating, I was puffy and I was getting joint ache too, mainly in my wrists. I was concerned for my health, as this was all too familiar to me. I was eating cooked food everyday, they were pretty healthy actually, but was also eating quite a bit of wheat and sugar.
I was just hanging in there really as I was starting a 28 day Clean and Lean Detox programme in a few days time! I'm no major believer in detox's really, but after reading the info a few months ago, I saw it as an elimination programme, that seemed easy enough to stick to as it wasn't about major restriction (I HEART FOOD) so, here's the lowdown...
Week One- Eliminate 3 foods (a list is given) I chose Caffeine (o yes, even the coffee had made its way back in my diet...dammit!!) sugar and wheat. Also, introduce green smoothies into your day
Week Two- Eliminate ALL the foods from the list. Keep including green smoothies into your day
Week Three - Eliminate all foods from the list AND do a juice and smoothie fast
Week Four - Introduce the foods back into your diet, one day at a time and report how you feel.
Simples in my opinion.
Anyway, I started on Saturday, feeling pretty rubbish. BUT......... 24 hours later, I was a new woman. I ate 95% RAW on the first day, having a smoothie for breakfast and a huuuge green salad for dinner.
I woke up Sunday and I wasn't groggy, I had a bit of energy!! Then throughout the day, I noticed my joint pain, my wrists, didn't hurt anymore, and they haven't done since!! 48 hours and I have had no more stomach cramps and no more headaches!! I feel sooo much better.
I know, hard to believe right?!! I have no explanation of this, either I was run down, and I coincidentally got better, OR the foods are making my body thrive!!
I'm not sure if I want to reintroduce the foods (week 4) to be honest, I think this HAS to be a way of life for me.
