Fitness Friday |April challenge

At the start of April I undertook a challenge that led me to go cold turkey on

1.       Alcohol

2.       Chocolates

3.       Sweets

I am 3 days shy of completing my challenge, on my birthday (29^th), so how has it been.

The first week was the hardest, I did have very low sugar days moments, I got irritable and tired. My cravings were more for chocolates and sweets. After the first week then the rest were not that bad. I did have a red wine craving mid-way, as I was making steak, but I resisted that, easily!

My oops moment

In the first week I had a work conference and I was running late and didn’t have time for lunch. When I got to the conference I saw they were serving tea, so got a cup of tea and choc chip cookies and as I was taking my last bite I remembered I wasn’t having chocolate…oops.

Work

I realised that my workplace is not good for my waist line, or my health. During the month of April; there have been donuts, chocolates, sweets, more sweets, muffins and the lot, at a regular basis! I never noticed how many sweets people bring for everyone at work, it also did not help that April has so many birthdays and Easter! I counted out of 26 days so far there were sweets and chocolate on the snack table for 18 of the 26 days! We had a fruit basket 4 days throughout the whole month. With the exception of the fruits, I resisted all the other stuff, but it was not easy.  On a regular basis, I would not get that much junk, but because it is there I eat it! This was a real eye opener!

Missed opportunities

I had the opportunity to dine at the Savoy this month, I was really looking forward to amazing wine, but alas, it was day 3 of my challenge…poo! But am very not bitter, the food and experience was great!

It was free cone day on the 8^th of April at all Ben and Jerry’s outlets, yes I missed out, to make it worse, I actually escorted my work colleagues there during lunch, hoping to get my hands on some frozen yogurt, they only had chocolate and fudge stuffed flavoured frozen yogurt.

New treats I discovered

I did say I would be exploring healthy treats, I did not discover much really. This is what I tried

1.       Kale chips – did not like them one bite, but I love Kale!

2.       Whole grain chips / vegetable chips

3.       Nuts and raisins

4.       Fat free frozen yogurt – feel this was a bit of a cheat!

5.       Smoothies

6.       Fruits!!!

The alternative I have found to alcohol is…..ice tea and ice latte haha! I know they are not comparable but it is a drink I take as I relax; definitely sub to a glass of red or cider! J

What will I do going forward

The work sweet desk is really bad! I really need to resist this, the issue is when people bring in donuts they bring enough for 2 to 3 helpings and this is the same for sweets and chocolates. So 18 days of sweets and 2 to 3 helpings a day, this is not sustainable, not for my bikini body in the making #woop #woop!

I have also helped out my other half, if I don’t have snack and wine in the house he won’t have it either, I am his enabler!

So going forward

1.       More fruits

2.       Frozen yogurt/Sorbet are an amazing alternative to ice cream

3.       Stop being an enabler to my other half

4.       Ration myself with the work treats desk

5.       Bring in more healthy food for the work snack desk

Improvement see

1.       My belly has trimmed down significantly

2.       My skin has improved

3.       I have saved so much money from not going to the vending machine for chocolate and not buying alcohol!!

4.       I have a better relationship with alcohol, sweets and chocolates, from my challenge I have seen I am definitely not an alcoholic but I am a addicted to chocolates and sweets recovering chocoholic

I am over the moon I have been able to undertake this challenge the question is what will I bring for the treats desk on my birthday…..?

Happy Fitness Friday! :o)

‘The habit of giving only enhances the desire to give’ – Walt Whitman