Pineapple Jicama Slaw

Though I'm not formally observing this once-every-four-years event, I did take a big "leap" last week that I thought I'd share since it's related to food which is, of course, the reason you're here.

Those who know me well know two absolute truths: I love food, and I dislike exercise. While the former fact has served me well in some ways, the latter is not something I'm proud of. In fact, it's something that I've attempted to change time and time again.

So, when a friend approached me 2 weeks ago asking if I'd be interested in participating in a "Health Challenge", my knee-jerk reaction was, "HECK NO."

"Health Challenge" sounded like sneaky code to me for other words like "diet" and "sweat." Bleh.

Despite my initial reaction, I let her send some information about what she was doing and told her I'd think about it. When her email popped up in my inbox, most of my suspicions were confirmed. There would be exercise. And there would be eating regulations. And I really wanted nothing to do with it.

And yet... something piqued my interest. Maybe it was the fact that I never did lose the last 5 pounds of my pregnancy weight. Or perhaps my recent lack of energy and inability to sleep well finally pushed me to take action. Whatever it was, it was enough to make me think, "Seven days? I can do anything for 7 days. Let's give it a shot."

So I told her I'd do it.

My husband was completely shocked, knowing how I feel about most of these detoxes, cleanses and challenges, and truthfully, so was I. Nevertheless, I geared myself up for the week of clean eating and exercise, said a little prayer, and started along with the rest of the group last Monday.

My day was immediately impacted as I normally start the morning with a cup of coffee {with about a teaspoon of sugar and half & half}, and the challenge clearly stated there was to be NO sugar. I don't like my coffee black, so I figured I'd go ahead and ditch the caffeine, too while I was at it. Surely, the one cup of caffeinated coffee I drink daily wouldn't be that hard to wean myself from for just a week...

By Day 2, I was feeling the effects of what I'm guessing was mild "sugar and caffeine withdrawal", which was surprising as I didn't even think I indulge in enough of either to have any sort of symptoms. Clearly, I was mistaken. I felt slightly groggy, irritable, and very, very tired. Like, I took a nap while my todder napped in the afternoon, tired. {If you know me, you know that I don't nap. Unless I'm pretty sick.}

Eating "clean" wasn't going so terribly. I try to keep things fairly healthy anyway {you'd never know it by reading this blog, huh?! Remember when I started my "Coming Clean" series?}, so the only real challenge was avoiding foods with added sugar {which SO MANY things contain. I'm looking at you boxed chicken broth!} and any of the treats I allow myself during the week {a nibble of chocolate, a small scoop of gelato in the evening, prepackaged granola or yogurt containing cane sugar... those allowances add up!}. Also... NO alcohol. Which really isn't a big deal considering that I went a full 40+ weeks without so much as a drop, but I've become quite chummy with my wine glass, especially on weekend evenings and particularly stressful days.

Clockwise from top left: Avocado & strawberry salad with chicken, pecans and homemade apple cider vinaigrette; "Loaded" sweet potato with black beans, tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, green salsa and Greek yogurt; Granny Smith apple and almond butter snack; Roasted butternut squash over arugula with walnuts & a sprinkle of herbed chevre.

Still, the food portion was manageable, which made me feel good. The exercise?? Not so much.

Our group leader sent us daily 30 minute exercises {think: P90X, Insanity and the like} that we were required to complete daily. Thirty minutes may not seem like a huge deal to most, but for a girl who considers power walking her physical activity of choice, it was a bit of a shock to the system. {Read: I couldn't complete half the reps on Day 1. Sad but true facts.}

The mere sight of "Shaun T" and "Tony Horton" was enough to turn my stomach, and we developed a mildly unhealthy love/hate relationship over the next 7 days. But I held myself accountable and did as much of each workout as I physically could. Sure, I could barely lift my child into his crib, and had to hang on to the banister to ensure my wobbly legs wouldn't give out as I climbed the stairs to our second floor... but I just kept reminding myself that anything it's possible to stick to anything for just a week. JUST A WEEK.

Clockwise from top left: Strawberries with a dab of coconut cream; Gluten free spaghetti with sauteed zucchini & kale in green olive tapenade "sauce" and a teensy sprinkle of cheese; "Faux-potle" bowl with cauliflower rice and black beans, homemade pico de gallo, avocado, salsa verde and a glob of Greek yogurt.

As the week went on {slowly... ever-so-slowly!!!}, the "fog" lifted from my brain. I actually enjoyed the challenge of preparing my meals with clean ingredients... and I made some absolutely delicious things that I'd eat during any "non-challenge" week. On Friday, I repeated Monday's workout and found that I was able to complete most of the exercises and reps without feeling like I might keel over, and I learned to modify the things that I still didn't feel strong enough to do properly. {Push ups, I hate you forever.}

Most of all, I felt... Proud. Proud because I stuck to something I didn't really want to do to begin with. Proud because I was doing something for myself and not making excuses {I work from home with a toddler, I write about food, it's time consuming/expensive/inconvenient/impossible}. Proud because I avoided temptation and didn't give in when I wanted to {Friday night, all day Saturday, Sunday during a baby shower that had CAKE.} Proud because I'm pretty sure that's the longest I've ever gone without sugar!

Commitment is... saying "NO" to cake & champagne punch at a baby shower! Note: I removed at the middles out of the sushi and skipped the white rice. Pictured: Cucumbers, grape tomatoes, pepperoncini, Kalamata olives, California rolls, smoked salmon, poached shrimp with a squeeze of lemon juice, strawberries & apples.

The result? I lost 2 pounds. Most people have said "All that work and that's it?", and I suppose you can choose to look at it that way. But the truth is, it was only 7 days. And maybe I didn't lose the full 5 pounds that I've been holding onto {I've decided that I may not even want or need to!}, but I did GAIN quite a bit more -- confidence, accountability, self-respect. Things that far outweigh, well... the weight.

I feel like black & white makes it more "medical" than weird. Plus, good lawd do I need some sunshine on my belly!

Left; Oh hi, I'm just over here dying after a workout. Right: Hey look! Ab-ish type shadows!!

Does this mean I will never eat a cookie again? Absolutely not. I firmly hold onto the belief that moderation is key. {And, um, I'd work myself out of a job!} I indulged -- no, REVELED! --  in my cup of coffee this morning... but only added half the sugar I normally do. I followed it up with some sprouted grain avocado toast and a banana with almond butter. I'm completely satisfied.

I'm telling you this because, like me, I'm sure there are some of you that are wondering if YOU could complete a challenge like this. You can. If you WANT to. And even if you don't really want to, but you're willing to commit.

For me, this was an unexpected -- but welcome -- change in routine, and good reminder that it's important to "check in" every now and again and make sure you're staying balanced. {I found that I had veered slightly off course into The Land of Carbs and Sugar in the past few months.}

So, if you're thinking you might need a little change, I say give it a try. You can do it without telling anyone about it if you're afraid you'll quit half way through. Or better yet, you can find a group who will support you and push you to the end when you want to quit half way through. Either way, the challenge is yours, and so are the benefits when it's all said and done!

Some notes:

1. I gave myself a "rest day" on Saturday and didn't work out since I was "in motion" all day.

2. Our group leader sent us daily meal plans detailing what we should strive to eat. I somewhat followed them, but modified to fit my needs {no red meat, minimal grains or gluten free, etc.} and ate when I needed to. Do not go hungry! You will backpedal and cheat if you do. Instead, choose nutrient-rich foods to fuel yourself and make "good choices."

3. LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO MAKE "GOOD CHOICES"! I am lucky that I married a man with extensive knowledge and experience in the field of nutrition, and though I don't always do what he says, I know my options and I know what I should be choosing. Foods that say "all natural", "fat free", "low fat" and "whole grain" are not always what they are cracked up to be. In fact, most of the best foods don't "say" anything at all because they're not prepackaged and they come from the earth! Education is key, folks.

4. I chose not to add any of the approved natural sweeteners to my food, with the exception of one day when my gluten free oatmeal was a little too bland/tart with the Granny Smith apple I grated into it. {I added a splash of pure maple syrup.} Though honey, stevia and pure maple syrup were approved in this challenge, I figured I'd use the opportunity to try to retrain my taste buds to find the natural flavor in foods without additional sweetening. And guess what? By the middle of the week, my toothpaste tasted too sweet!! Crazy!

5. It's only 7 days. But 7 days can seem... long. Stick with it. Be prepared so that you aren't tempted to cheat. I had homemade roasted chickpeas with me when I ventured out on Saturday in case I started feeling munchy while I was out and about. I ate a little bit before I went to a baby shower on Sunday so that I wouldn't be famished and tempted to indulge {luckily, they had some clean options that I did enjoy!}. You can do anything for a week!

Progress, not perfection. If you slip up, that's ok. Just do your best! 


** Thank you, Magdalena, for challenging me to step it up with you! I needed it! If you want to join Magdalena's next Health Challenge, you can send her a direct message via Facebook -- mention that I sent you and she'll throw in a treat to help you during your challenge!


Disclosure: Magdalena is a coach through the Beachbody program. I did not use the program's shakes during my health challenge, but incorporating them into your health challenge is an option if you choose to participate. I did not receive any compensation for this post or for my participation, I simply wanted to share my experience! All opinions here are my own.

Ok, now let's stop talking about food and actually eat some! You guys, I promise you I did not feel hungry or unsatisfied {besides missing chocolate and wine} during this challenge. Because real, wholesome food is so delicious! I had almost forgotten how much I love fruit, but since it was my only source of sugar during this challenge, I rediscovered how amazing natural sweetness really is. {Don't go overboard, of course.}

This Pineapple-Jicama Salad is not a dessert by any stretch of the imagination, but the combination of naturally sweet/tart pineapple and cool, crunchy jicama may just stave off some of those sugar cravings when you need a fix. This slaw is good enough to eat alone, but it makes a fantastic addition to fish, grilled chicken, and "clean" fish tacos.

Enjoy each bite knowing it's good and good FOR you!

Pineapple-Jicama Salad
Inspired by a popular local restaurant, Food Shack in Jupiter, Florida

Juice of ½ a lime
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon vinegar {something like rice vinegar works well here}
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro {if you're among cilantro-haters, skip it}
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of red pepper flakes

1 ½ cups pineapple, cut into matchsticks/thin strips
½ cup jicama, cut into matchsticks
½ of a medium Granny Smith or tart apple, cut into matchsticks
1 small red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

1. In a large bowl, whisk together first 7 ingredients.
2. Add the pineapple, jicama, apple and bell pepper. Toss until well-coated.

You can eat this right away, but it tastes even better if you let the flavors marinate for a few hours! Makes a great topping for fish, chicken and fish tacos!

Note: To make it easier on myself, I bought pre-cut pineapple and jicama spears. You can also simply dice the ingredients if you don't feel like spending the time cutting into matchsticks. It's good either way!