Now on Day 3 of the no junk food challenge, I have to say, I think this is the hardest challenge yet! Stress levels are extra high for me these days considering its the last stretch of the 2nd semester and suddenly all these requirements are overwhelming me. Times like these call for good junk food. Whether its a bag of chips or just good old fast food, this is when I assure you I need it.

Last night, after my class, I walked over to Katipunan thinking I'd just sit at CBTL and wait to be fetched, but i started to feel my tummy grumbling and instinct led me to BonChon. I was about to walk through the door when I realized the line was long so I thought to myself, maybe fries will be enough. And then it hit me...crap. i can't.

I had to make the conscious choice to turn around and walk away, so I opted for Mom and Tina's spinach and bacon quiche instead. And I must say, their quiche is amazing. If there's one thing I could repeatedly order at Mom and Tina's, it is their quiche. YUM.

This challenge isn't just helping me keep away from all the greasy instant food, it's actually making me spend more for the right kind of food. At the end of the day though, I know  it will all be worth it.

Suzanne and I were mega hungry when we left work yesterday and I was tempted to say we should just go drive-thru mcdo or jollibee but because we're on a NO Junk Food challenge, fast food wass out of the picture. Since her husband was going to take awhile, we decided to dine in Chocolatier along Jupiter and ordered the best thing we could find (without a side dish of chips) = a Roast Beef Panini coated with 70% Dark Chocolate

(proof of the menu)

For a late afternoon snack, it was just what we needed. That subtle mix of sweet and salty! It cost a lot more than fastfood but it certainly did feel a lot healthier. In so far as day 1 on the BT Challenge went, I think we did just fine. Right Suzanne? hehehe!

We've survived without sweets, sodas,  coffee,  tea,  dairy and juice drinks for TEN days! I'm pretty sure we can survive another FIVE without something else right? This last BT challenge for the month of February is going to be the mother of all challenges = NO JUNK FOOD. We're really cleaning up this month aren't we? :)) And what better way to end our exciting month of challenges than with something that will keep us away from what we're all guilty of doing - Snacking.

I think the No Junk Food Challenge will be perfect for any of us who like to dig in to a bag of chips out of boredom or who tend to take shortcuts with our overall health. Let's push ourselves one last time and reap its benefits!

We'll see you all at the finish line!

What can't you have?

1. Chips – all kinds

2. Candies – All kinds

3. Sodas and artificially-flavored beverages

4. Fastfoods

5. Chocolates – all kinds

6. French fries, popcorn

7. Cookies

8. Flavored cereals e.g fruit loops

9. Instant noodles

10. Street foods

What can you survive on?

1. Crackers, biscuits

2. Breads, pastries

3. Fruits and vegetables

4. Fresh fruit shakes and juices

5. Dark chocolate

6. Sandwiches

 

I was doing perfectly well on Day 4 of the challenge but I was also feeling really sick. I woke up at 730a yesterday to prepare everything I had to take with me on what was going to be a very long day in school. I arrived on campus at 9am and together with my partner for Projective Techniques, we began administering tests until 12nn. Three hours into the day and already our minds were exhausted. We took a break and returned at 1 to finish off what we had started and at 2pm we moved to the library to do research. 9am to 5pm of non-stop thinking was taking its toll on my body and I still had to go to a class at 6pm that would drag on until 9pm.

At 5pm I was seriously in need of a tea latte. Tea I knew would make me feel infinitely better and it would wake me up for my 3 hour evening class for Projectives. I was tired, my brain was exhausted, and I could feel my nose and throat giving way. I had a choice, but I gave in. So on Day 4 of the Nothing But Water Challenge at 530p, I had fallen out of the race. There was no way I was going to survive the last three of twelve hours on campus without a Green Tea Latte.

One thing I realized about being dependent on water was that the smallest amount of something other than water would have a stronger effect on the body. So the tiny cup of green tea that I had yesterday was actually enough to keep me awake. Had I done this a week ago and on a regular basis, I would probably need more. This reminds me a lot of the No Sweets Challenge, wherein the day after the challenge ended, the first sweet thing I took seemed way too sweet for me all of a sudden.

We can live without these things but once in awhile our bodies need that little push when its run out of its own supply of energy.

I've been reading everyone else's blogs on the challenge this week and I'm proud to see that the rest of you are doing well. Especially the self confessed coffee / soda / juice addicts! :)

Congratulations to everyone to making it to Day 5!

Being in the field of Psychology has exposed me to all kinds of stories. Cases range from everyday problems to trauma, and then there are the mood disorders that develop through time which require medication. Initially the effects of the medication are described as numbing. Patients do not feel like themselves and complications arise. Personalities are altered (so they say) and this comes as a threat to the patient making them even more anxious. So how can we reduce the risk of these disorders without relying heavily on medication?

The answer? WATER.

Drinking water may seem like such a mundane task, but really, water in itself is nature's most powerful element when it comes to healing. Our bodies are made up of 55%-75% water depending on our muscle mass. This means that we need to constantly hydrate to keep the body well oiled so to speak. Otherwise dehydration could lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, diziness, stiff joints, a dry mouth, dry eyes and nasal passages. On top of that, dehydration deprives the brain causing moodiness, anxiety, tension, hypertension, sleep deprivation and apathy.

Most health professionals will tell you that a disorder that needs to be medicated is a matter of nutrition and this is true. It all begins with the most basic element. So next time you feel like you're going on a downward spiral to gloomville, start with the easiest remedy in the book and HYDRATE. If we can all take care of our bodies, we can all take care of our mental state.