Resolution Challenge 2015: Unexpected Benefits of Detox Life

Woohoo! We made it!

Congrats to all the ladies who finished the Resolution Challenge 2015 detox, and props to those who are still going through it. 21 days of eating super clean is no easy feat, and for all of us, it's outside of our comfort zones to varying degrees. Both of the previous RC detoxes I'd been through were only 10 days, so three weeks straight was a big stretch even for me.

What's it like to be on the other side of a three-week detox? There are the physical changes, of course (weight loss, glowing skin, etc.), plus that inimitable sense of accomplishment. A lot more change happened beyond that, and they've just as much of an impact on me as the changes I see in the mirror. Here are just a few of them:

Getting better at saying 'no'

Aside from the CRAVEfuel talk I gave last week on simplicity, I declined invites to every social engagement that happened during the detox. Normally I'd have places to go at least a couple of times a week, but every night after work, I gave myself permission to do nothing aside from live this detox as purely as possible. I savored in eating (and making) my dinner. I took care of my body and listened to it. I turned my computer off as early as possible, and went to bed when I got tired (often earlier than normal.) I made this detox a priority, and said 'no' to everything else.

Perfected my quinoa pancakes, finally!

Learning to love cooking

Who knew? I've always considered myself one of those who just wasn't destined to cook. Guess we all have it in us :)

Skyrocketing levels of productivity

Detox life means eating as cleanly as possible. Eating clean brings clarity to your mind as well as your body. Not only do I feel lighter & more energetic in my body, that fog in my brain has dissipated and I'm able to be more productive all around.

Reading a lot

I've been using this detox as the perfect excuse to start working on all the things I want to do, and one of those is to spend more time off of social media. all the more reason to get more reading in!

Setting my budget & financial goals

This detox has also created time and space in my life to face my finances head on. I'll go more into this in a future blog post, but for the first time in my life I've set some real financial goals and a budget to support these goals. For far too long, I've hated talking or thinking about money for no real reason. I'm over it, and I'm so excited to finally have the structure and confidence in place to literally put my money where my mouth is :)

Expressing gratitude more often

Part of being more present in the moment is being that much more aware of all the things to be grateful for. One of my resolutions is to write and send at least one thank you card a week, and to express gratitude as soon as I feel it, in however way feels most natural (sending a text or private message, etc.) There are endless reasons to be thankful!

We're through with our detox and moving into the next phase of the Resolution Challenge. Looking forward to getting my fitness back to Beastmode levels soon!