No Junk Food Challenge

 Well folks, I am now halfway through my 21 Day - No Junk Food Challenge!  I'm not going to lie to you and say it's been easy as cake, hmmm...cake (don't even think about it!).  But it has certainly gotten easier!  By lunch on day 1 that pumpkin pie was staring me in the face but I held strong and had a bowl of borscht instead.  I also printed out my two words WILLPOWER and DETERMINATION to plaster around the house - on the refrigerator, inside the pantry, on the television!  I printed off smaller copies of the challenge rules and taped one to the inside of my iPhone case as a 'mobile' reminder!                  

 

 

 

 On the Saturday morning, my kids were begging for pancakes so I made them challenge friendly!  I made my yummy Pumpkin Pancakes - made with whole wheat flour so it was ok!

 

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

pinch of salt

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups milk

3/4 cup cooked pumpkin puree

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

 

*In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. * In another bowl whisk the eggs, then add the buttermilk, pumpkin puree and oil and mix until combined  *Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking just enough to combine.  Let stand for 5 min.  *Heat a non-stick griddle to medium heat.  Drop the batter onto the griddle according to the size you wish and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes or until tops look dry and bubbles begin to break.  Do not flatten with a spatula.  Turn pancakes over and cook for another minute or two until browned.  Serve and enjoy!

 

 Last Monday, with the first three days of the challenges successfully under my belt, I went to Curves and was utterly discouraged when the scale told me I was now 150.5 lbs!!!  Yikes, didn't it know it was supposed to move the other direction???  How did that happen?  At any rate, after allowing myself to wallow in self pity for almost a minute, I closed my eyes and envisioned those words emblazoned in front of me WILLPOWER and DETERMINATION!  I'll show those scales who's boss here!  My progress seems staggeringly slow but by Thursday I was back down to 149 lbs!

 

 My first real test came on Wednesday when 5 of us went to Serendipity for lunch to celebrate Carla's birthday.  I have become quite a regular patron since the tea house opened a couple of years ago and I always order the same thing - the Cream Tea.  This is essentially two lovely scones accompanied with a small pot of clotted cream and jam, some fresh berries and a pot of tea.  Serendipity is my go to crutch for both celebrations and pick-me-ups!  I take great solace in every bite of those scones!  Well, it was with great sadness that I gave it up for the sake of this challenge.  Instead I ordered a turkey club sandwich on whole wheat bread - my dessert... the small garden salad joining it!  Surprisingly, I didn't suffer as greatly as I had anticipated when each of my friends savoured their own scones right before my eyes and taste buds!  I did it!!!

 

 

 And then...the next day...alone in my kitchen...oh, the torture!  I made a banoffee pie for Carla's actual birthday and baked a three layer chocolate chip cake for a 16th birthday - and I couldn't even lick the spoon!  The lovely smells emanating from my kitchen all day could have surely broken the most determined of people, but I remained steadfast and in control (of course I did fix my eyes on the words on the fridge enough times that they are now burned in my psyche!) and danced my way through it listening to Colin sing on my Mama Mia soundtrack!  That night I very successfully completed week 1 of the challenge and lived to tell you about it!

 

 Today we drove up to Kingston to meet my new niece Annie for the first time.  John planned to stop at this place called The Big Apple for lunch and to pick up a pie to take with us.  Knowing that that meant junk food which is not permitted for me, I packed myself a banana, some whole wheat Melba toast with sliced Gruyere cheese and some homemade quince butter I made the night before.  While John and the kids mowed down on pizza, pop and fries, I ordered an apple cider to drink with my lunch in the car.  And you know what?  I was totally ok with that!

 

What they ate

What I ate!

  I'm so pleased that I inspired others with this challenge!  My friend Michelle started the challenge the day after I did, and Brenda will be starting it too!  Michelle has upped the ante on the challenge and we will also be drinking at least 60 oz of water every day!  Some days are harder than others, and things will spring up to test you - but if you have the WILLPOWER and DETERMINATION, I assure you, that you can do it too!  Don't put it off thinking you will start after so-and-so's birthday, or after Valentine's day etc. because there will always be something else ahead.   After the first few days, I didn't even feel as hungry as I thought I would, and the temptations are becoming easier to bare and dismiss!