Ah, so much to do, so little time. Let me just say that I am feeling more energetic then I have in weeks/months, which has helped me get everything done. A bit about my daily routine. Married, 2 wonderful (active preschoolers), and I work full-time. I'm the first up. I get lunches ready for Wife and me. I make the kids breakfast. I would typically make my breakfast or skip it and grab something at the office. I make Wife's breakfast and coffee and take to her while she gets ready. Feeding and entertaining the kids. Wife takes over and gets them dressed while I get ready. We alternate dropping off and picking up. Work a full day. Get home. Cook dinner for the family. Eat. Play with kids. Bedtime routine (includes bath, books, bed). Clean up (Wife or I do it). Shower. Unwind - usually by 9-930pm. Bed 10-11pm. Start over next morning.
If you have kids, this is probably similar to your routine. It's life as a parent, and I wouldn't change it for the world. If you don't have kids, embrace your free time, you have more than you can possibly realize (I can say that looking back, it wasn't necessarily apparent at the time).
Now, add Ultimate Reset (or any workout routine). Finding the time is amazingly difficult. But it CAN be done, you just have to re-prioritize. Wake up earlier. Maybe stay up later. Time is there, you just have to commit to finding it and using it. What's the point of all this? The energy I've gained from the Ultimate Reset (plus getting a good night's sleep from the CPAP) allows me to get up earlier (now one hour earlier than typical), get through a busy day, and not feel exhausted at the end of it. Amazing what healthy food, good supplements, and a positive attitude can help you accomplish! Not to mention I've lost some weight and I don't have that bloat feeling every time I finish eating.
Day 4 was a Friday. The meals were less complicated than some of the others, so prep time was average, and I was able to do most of it the night before and in the morning. Breakfast was a simple fruit plate, toast, and yogurt. For many of the meals, the program allows men to have specific extras; however, since one of my long-term goals is weight loss, I've avoided them.
Lunch was a repeat of previous menu items: Nori Roll, Lentil-Lime Salad, and a Micro-Green Salad. It was a HUGE lunch, I couldn't finish it all. I saved some of the Lentil-Lime salad for Wife, and was able to finish the roll. I ate most of my salad, but had to throw some out because I was full. I was proud of my second attempt at the Nori Roll - I succeeded in rolling much tighter, and as the night before, it was delicious.
For snack, I did an apple and almonds. It's easy to pack, and a good carry over. Snacks are considered optional - if you must, they give you suggestions. I've had one every day, and will likely continue. I'm trying to stay on a rigorous routine/schedule, but sometimes dinner may come later, and it's helpful to have something to carry me from lunch to dinner. As everyday, I Alkalanized prior to the snack. Frankly, it's a non-issue - I actually enjoy it, it didn't take long to get used to.
Dinner was delicious! Stir fried veggies, quinoa, and a cucumber and tomato salad. I made the quinoa the night before, so that just needed a quick re-heat. I made the salad in the morning so it could soak up the dressing. I think what made the stir fried veggies (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and red bell pepper) so good was the use of toasted sesame oil AND coconut oil. They by cook at high heat, and add an amazing flavor. Finishing off with Bragg's gave it a restaurant quality flavor. The portion was perfect for the veggies and quinoa, the salad was huge so I shared with Wife.
Day 5 was a much needed Saturday. With no work, and no activities already on the calendar, time was a little more lax. I really do love to cook, and prep work is actually therapeutic when the clock isn't ticking. Breakfast was one of my favorites as a kid (and C's current favorite breakfast), cooked farina. What made this breakfast special was the addition of toasted walnuts and maple syrup, with a side of beautiful fresh fruit. I have been following the UR advice and choosing low GI fruits so as to not overload on sugar.
Lunch was easy and tasty. A chop here, a chop there, and a added scoop of hummus, and lunch was ready. Another serving of the quinoa salad and a fresh, raw veggie plate with hummus. I sat outside with the family since the weather was so beautiful, and enjoyed nature, and the natural lunch.
In the "going the extra mile" section of UR, which recommends things to do to enhance the experience, they suggest spending some time in the sun and outdoors. I did both this day. We had pool time in the morning, and park time in the afternoon. It's rare in this part of the country, this time of year, to have a mild day (temperature and humidity), so I did my best to take full advantage. After park time, I got home, got chopping, mixing, and heating, and had a great dinner of repeats including stir fried veggies, miso soup, and brown rice.
Day 6 was, as Sunday's typically are, a busy day. I slept in a bit, got breakfast ready. The meal was something new for me, Tempeh, a dense, highly nutritious soy product found in the refrigeration section of most health food groceries. I marinated it in apple cider vinegar, Bragg's, maple syrup, fresh garlic, and sesame oil overnight. The recipe calls for at least 1 hour, but I think the longer it marinates, the more flavor it absorbs. On it's own, it could use some help, but in terms of nutrition, we're talking 22g of protein per serving, AMAZING! Plus, this breakfast is constructed to have complementary flavors. I squeezed some lemon on the kale, took a bite of it and tempeh, and the flavors came out. The chefs did a great job combining flavors - to fully enjoy, I took bites of the components together and found the tempeh not only tolerable, but delicious.
Following church, I came home and prepared lunch. Normally I head to brunch with my friends from the choir - a great time of socializing and eating heavy, fatty, processed breakfast food (that I love-d?). I missed the company, but was glad to fight yet another temptation. Lunch was a simple pairing of quinoa salad and a micro-green salad. I am definitely getting used to the salads, they are filling, and with the right combination of vegetables, they have delightful consistency, crunch, and flavor.
Sunday is grocery shopping day. I normally take about an hour and a half to complete it. UR will add some time. One reason is that I have to travel a little farther to get to a Whole Foods. Another is finding the unfamiliar (Swiss chard anyone?). And last, it takes some time to grab it and bag it. I had little A with me, she did great and we spent the time talking about how healthy everything we bought was. Then she wanted to get to Costco for samples (girl can eat). Another dance with temptation with no cheating. It wasn't easy, what with the pizza (a favorite food of mine) and the samples EVERYWHERE, but I'm committed to this program and to following it to a tee.
I had an early evening event, so I had to time dinner to be a little later than normal. Since I knew what my schedule would be, I managed it well, and continue to prove that success with this program is about time management, planning, prioritizing, and discipline. Dinner was superb. Roasted roots, toasted millet (an ancient whole grain that packs a powerhouse of nutrition), and my favorite part of the meal, zucchini and cashew soup. It was A-MAY-ZING (misspelling for effect ;-). I've never had a soup so creamy that didn't have any cream. This meal convinced me that the menu plan alone (without the supplements) has been well worth the money spend on the program.
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