The 24-Day Challenge, New Job Travel and Me

HRGirl asked for an update on my progress with the 24-Day Challenge, so here it is. (She's powerful, that HRGirl. She asks, I deliver!)

The first 10 days of the challenge are long over. That was the "cleanse" part. The truth is I thought the cleanse meant pooping and it wasn't that at all. It was really just buckling down with my eating, taking some fish oil, fiber and probiotic tablets and drinking a chunky, gelatinous, gross fiber drink.

All manageable. All complete. And at the end of the 10 days, I felt pretty good, wasn't hungry due to lack of food, my jeans fit better and I lost a few pounds. I very strictly followed the eating plan. No white food, no processed food, no simple carbs. My energy level dipped about day 5 through day 6, but my solution to that was eating. I just ate a bit more.

Today is day 12. The fiber drink is done. The fiber tablets are done. We've moved on to new supplement packs that must be taken at specific times, related to breakfast and lunch. The packs include fish oil, probiotic, a multi vitamin and a thermogenic. In addition, breakfast must now be a "meal replacement shake."

Jim likes the convenience of the shake. I think they're better than the fiber drink. But I gotta admit, I'd rather chew my food.

Traveling was fine. I managed to pack/buy/find enough good food to make it work. As you saw in my Facebook photo, a little store-bought hummus, broccoli, cauliflower and hard boiled eggs went a long way.

In our group meal events, here's what my choices were:

• Grilled grouper sandwich, hold the tartar sauce, white bun and french fries. Yup, just a hunk of fish. With a compensatory leaf of lettuce and slice of tomato. 
• Seared ahi tuna over an Asian slaw from the appetizer menu as my entree. There was oil in the slaw, but I hadn't had much of any fat that day, so it was OK. Oh, and a glass of red wine. Antioxidants. 
• Box lunch ... turkey wrap with lettuce, tomato and mustard, minus the tortilla. I gave the lady at the front desk the chocolate chip cookie and bag of chips. And I saved the apple for later. The meat was technically processed, for the record. 

I'm at the airport now, on my way home. For the flight, I still have some hummus and veg to eat, an apple and a Cutie. Plus nuts and raisins if I need them. Oh, and a protein bar in reserve, just in case. 

I'm happy with that.