So what have I learned? Much of what I wrote at my 6 month anniversary rings true today. I've learned I need a lot less food to satisfy my hunger now that the foods I eat are nutrient dense and without the heavy fats, calories, and preservatives I used to consume. I've marveled that my Diet Coke addiction - which was such a formative part of my entire adult life - is part of a past I don't ever want to see again. It IS possible to give up Diet Coke and instead crave water. I've learned that naturally slender people eat Clean naturally and without much effort. They eat breakfast, they eat fruit and water at every meal and as snacks, they eat lightly at night, and they avoid both heavy processed foods and alcohol.
Has anything changed in the past 6 months? No, not really.
At the 6 month mark, I was just shy of a 40 pound weight loss. Today, at 1 year, I have lost 63 lbs in total. A number I am proud of, a number I marvel at, a number that a year ago was in my wildest dreams. But it has been easy - a LOT easier than I anticipated. Once I put my mind to it - once I truly embraced that my old ways got me fat, and new ways had to be better - I was on the path to healthy eating. Clean Eating.
I wrote this, back in February:
In order for me to be healthy, I have to accept that I can't eat like others eat.
In order for me to be healthy, I need to make some choices for myself which others might not understand or accept.
In order for me to be healthy, I need to remove processed foods from my diet.
Every bite counts. Every one either supports the CE choice I've made, or takes me away from it.
I hope my blog continues to inspire you. If you are a devoted Clean Eater or one who is just landed here after a tentative Google search for "Clean Eating" - I hope the past year has helped guide you towards better choices, and strengthened your resolve to eat Clean.
I look forward to sharing what I've learned and observed about Clean Eating.