The 21-Day Programme
Posted on 14th April 2022 at 11:38
Taking control
So, I’ve finally done it! I’ve signed up for the 21-day plan with Fire & Earth.
I’m making a commitment to improve my health and wellbeing and get control of my eating habits.
A big part of my commitment is writing this blog. I admit that I struggle with self-discipline, so this is going to help keep me on track! I also hope it may help others to understand what happens over the 21 days and hopefully see some results at the end.
What is the 21-day programme?
It’s 21 days of clean eating, so that means no white potatoes, sugar, pasta, rice, caffeine, dairy, wheat, or alcohol!
While I’m cutting these nice but nasties out of my diet I’m going to be treating my body to a good dose of supplement love.
These include a pro-biotic that will improve my gut health and stop me craving unhealthy things, and supplements that will improve my sleep and recovery. It might look like I’m cutting fun out of my life but the programme is only 3 weeks and I really hope to create some good habits out of this at the end.
Why am I doing it?
I’ve reached a point where I know things feel out of balance; my diet, fitness routine, and stress levels all seem a little out of my control.
My body image is low, and I lack motivation. So, I’m taking positive action, and I’m going to feel better equipped to deal with the ever-changing landscape of life and start feeling good again.
How am I preparing/being supported?
I’ve picked my big bag of lovely, helpful supplements for my body and I’ve had a chat with Tanya from Fire & Earth about what I want to get out of my plan. We’ve measured some criteria so we can judge the results at the end and Tanya’s told me what to expect as the 3 weeks progress.
I’ve also done a meal plan for the first week of healthy but easy meals. Both my partner and I have very busy lives and we haven’t got time for the faff around with complicated food prep.
Tip of the day
Preparation is key.
One of the things that has been a blessing is click and collect supermarket pick up, so there’s no temptation while I shop. Bosh, the shopping is sorted, and I didn’t even need to push a wonky wheeled trolley around the supermarket.
So, it starts, I’m excited!
Week one... the hardest part?
I’ve got through the first week of my Fire & Earth 21-day programme.
I’ve cut out, dairy, bread, pasta, rice, white potatoes, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. I’m boosting my gut health with a good quality pro-biotic and a range of other supplements.
How's it been going?
I’m not going to lie, there were moments when I could have caved, like when on my first day I joined my work colleagues for lunch and watched drooling while they ate a sandwich. Or when I looked in the fridge and saw a massive slab of fudge I’d bought the previous weekend. (It’s now in the freezer, I’m not mad enough to throw it away!)
I'll share with you how I felt during my first week
So, here’s the absolute truth so when I get to the good bits, you’ll know it was worth it.
On day one to three I felt rubbish! No caffeine or sugar meant I had a headache.
Actually, for a couple of days I felt like I had the mother of all hangovers. But this feeling rubbish really brought home to me how badly I’d been treating myself over the last year or so. By treating myself to a coffee everyday or that piece of cake in the afternoon as I felt tired, I had actually been introducing toxins into my system. This helped me focus of getting through the short-term pain to the benefits.
Then it hit me
From day four onwards I have gained this amazing energy and clarity. My mind feels sharper. My sleep has improved, and I have renewed motivation, and this is just in the first week!
I’d started running (it’s more like shuffling really) just before the plan and wondered how the lack of carbs would affect my run. Well take it from me, it improved it. I felt so much stronger and energised. I enjoyed myself!
I’ve had to rethink what meals I prepare, so where I would probably look forward to the carb element of the meal, I’ve had to think about putting a lot of healthier veg options on the plate.
I enjoy cooking but when you’re busy it’s hard to come up with ideas all the time. I take a lot of inspiration from The Roasting Tin books by Rukmini Iyer.
You may have to play around with some of the ingredients to make sure they are on plan, but her books have some quick and delicious one tin options.
Marie
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