Day 1

Today is Day 1 for my 24-Day Challenge. Days 1-10 require 100% clean eating (nothing that comes from a can, package, or box). 

I have a checklist for what I have to do each day. It's confusing, but hopefully I'll get used to it. On top of the basic products in the photo above, I opted to (pay more in order to) add the Catalyst product. This ensures you don't lose muscle mass during the challenge. Although some people might not be as concerned about this, I have been lifting weights 3 days/week for the last 5 months, so it was important to me! 

This morning I had to take 3 Catalyst pills with Spark Energy Drink when I woke up, on an empty stomach. Then, with breakfast (poached eggs - and I messed them up. not good), I had to drink an Herbal Cleanse Fiber Drink. It was Peaches & Cream flavored, which sounds good, but ugh.. GRITTY! I definitely need to figure out a different way to drink it. 

For lunch, I ate a BIG salad -- spring mix/spinach, chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, half of a cucumber, all with olive oil and balsamic vinegar -- which was satisfying. Snacks today have included an apple, raw almonds, baby carrots, blueberries, and strawberries. I had another Spark Energy Drink around 4pm (which is when I usually crash). I didn't feel the "instant energy" that I had anticipated feeling based on what I was told. I have been advised to keep eating clean, and that some people don't feel the energy burst as quickly until they have been eating clean for a few days. 

Dinner tonight is chicken with green beans. I have a headache, and am thinking it might be from too few calories for the day. Based on advisement from a Registered Dietician, I should consume about 2000 calories/day to lose weight without putting my body in storage/starvation mode. (During the whole challenge, I will be continuing with the workouts that I have been prescribed by my running coach, Nate. This morning's burned over 600 calories.) Today, I will have only consumed 1500 calories. This is NOT enough -- I am going to try to eat some more fruit when I get home, but it's LATE! I definitely need to plan ahead for tomorrow. I am going to try adding some more protein into my diet. My salad today only had half of a chicken breast - I am going to add more. 

Consensus so far for Day 1: not feeling any changes yet. I haven't been hungry, but this headache right now is kinda hurting... Need to consume more calories for Day 2. Stay tuned!